Training in Hypoxia at Alternating High Altitudes Is a Factor Favoring the Increase in Sports Performance

Proactive personality and positional competition: exploring the impact on soccer players' performance and gender differences

AIM

The study aims to explore the relationship between proactive personality and positional competition in soccer players, considering factors like gender, age, position, and years of active participation in the sport.

METHOD

Quantitative data collection methods were employed, including the Proactive Personality Scale and Positional Competition in Sports Scale, along with a custom personal information form. The study involved 242 soccer players (average age: 20.60 years, 39% female) from semi-amateur soccer clubs in Ankara province, surveyed during the 2022-2023 season.

RESULTS

The study found no significant differences in proactive personality and positional competition among soccer players based on their age and position (p > .05). However, gender differences were significant, with male players scoring higher than females in receiving and providing teammate support, communication, and overall positional competition in sports.

CONCLUSION

Proactive personality can be a determinant of positional competition in sports. Moreover, these findings may provide important contributions to the development of talent identification, athlete development programs and coaching strategies that aim to increase competitiveness and success in positional contexts. In addition, in the present study, it can be concluded that following athletes over time is an important phenomenon for proactive personality and athletic development.

Impact of Altitude Training on Athletes' Aerobic Capacity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: This study systematically evaluated the effects of altitude training on athletes' aerobic capacity, focusing on optimal training modalities and intervention durations. Methods: Eight databases (CNKI, CSPD, PubMed, Ovid Medline, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus) were searched for randomized controlled trials on altitude training and aerobic capacity following PRISMA guidelines, covering publications up to 15 October 2024. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane tools, and a meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4 with a random-effects model. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to identify heterogeneity and influencing factors. Results: Thirteen studies involving 276 participants (aged 18-35) were included. Meta-analysis revealed that compared to low-altitude training, altitude training significantly increased hemoglobin (SMD = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.27-1.13, p = 0.03) and hemoglobin mass (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.1-0.89, p = 0.16) but had no significant effect on maximal oxygen uptake (SMD = -0.13, 95% CI: -1.21-0.96, p = 0.68). Altitude training also improved performance in trial tests (SMD = -28.73, 95% CI: -58.69-1.23, p = 0.002). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of hemoglobin and trial test results. Subgroup analysis showed that the "live high, train high" (LHTH) approach and interventions lasting longer than three weeks were most effective in enhancing aerobic capacity. Conclusions: Altitude training improves athletes' aerobic capacity by enhancing hematological indicators and trial test performance, though its impact on maximal oxygen uptake is minimal. LHTH and interventions exceeding three weeks yield superior outcomes. However, the findings are limited by the number and quality of the available studies.

Simulated Altitude Training and Sport Performance: Protocols and Physiological Effects

This article explores the physiological mechanisms and effects of simulated hypoxia environment training on sports performance. Different training protocols, including hypoxia high-intensity interval training (HHIIT), incremental hypoxia training, hypoxia submaximal exercise training and combined training, and hypoxia training in the recovery and sleep states, are discussed. HHIIT combines intermittent hypoxia exposure with high-intensity interval training, and has been shown to increase the maximum oxygen intake compare to the state of normoxia, improving cardiorespiratory fitness, skeletal muscle oxygen utilization, power performance, hematological adaptations, and sports performance. Incremental hypoxia training involves the gradual decrease in oxygen concentration while maintaining exercise intensity. It has been found to improve aerobic capacity; however, fewer effects were observed in hematological variables. Hypoxia submaximal exercise training and combined training in a hypoxia environment has shown to increase VO2 and VE, and only improve hemodynamic function in combined training with hypoxia. Hypoxia during the recovery state has been associated with improvements in maximum oxygen uptake, also providing benefits to sports performance. Overall, exposure to a hypoxia environment has been demonstrated to improve cardiorespiratory endurance, power performance, and specific physiological adaptations in training and resting states. However, the optimal training protocols and their effects on different sports and athlete proficiency require further research to optimize training and enhance athletic performance in hypoxia environments.

Sports and Special Populations: Training Physiology in Health and Sports Performance

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