The choice of the optimal squatting depth for resistance training (RT) has been a matter of debate for decades and is still controversial. In this study, fifty-three resistance-trained men were ...randomly assigned to one of four training groups: full squat (F-SQ), parallel squat (P-SQ), half squat (H-SQ), and Control (training cessation). Experimental groups completed a 10-week velocity-based RT programme using the same relative load (linear periodization from 60% to 80% 1RM), only differing in the depth of the squat trained. The individual range of motion and spinal curvatures for each squat variation were determined in the familiarization and subsequently replicated in every lift during the training and testing sessions. Neuromuscular adaptations were evaluated by one-repetition maximum strength (1RM) and mean propulsive velocity (MPV) at each squatting depth. Functional performance was assessed by countermovement jump, 20-m sprint and Wingate tests. Physical functional disability included pain and stiffness records. F-SQ was the only group that increased 1RM and MPV in the three squat variations (ES = 0.77-2.36), and achieved the highest functional performance (ES = 0.35-0.85). P-SQ group obtained the second best results (ES = 0.15-0.56). H-SQ produced no increments in neuromuscular and functional performance (ES = −0.11-0.28) and was the only group reporting significant increases in pain, stiffness and physical functional disability (ES = 1.21-0.87). Controls declined on all tests (ES = 0.02-1.32). We recommend using F-SQ or P-SQ exercises to improve strength and functional performance in well-trained athletes. In turn, the use of H-SQ is inadvisable due to the limited performance improvements and the increments in pain and discomfort after continued training.
Both regular exercise training and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation are shown as effective treatments to delay or reverse frailty and reduce cognitive impairment in older ...people. However, there is very little evidence on the true benefits of combining both strategies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effects of exercise in addition to HMB supplementation, on physical and cognitive health in older adults. Data from 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of HMB supplementation and physical function in adults aged 50 years or older were analyzed, involving 384 participants. Results showed that HMB supplementation in addition to physical exercise has no or fairly low impact in improving body composition, muscle strength, or physical performance in adults aged 50 to 80 years, compared to exercise alone. There is a gap of knowledge on the beneficial effects of HMB combined with exercise to preserve cognitive functions in aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Future RCTs are needed to refine treatment choices combining HMB and exercises for older people in particular populations, ages, and health status. Specifically, interventions in older adults aged 80 years or older, with cognitive impairment, frailty, or limited mobility are required.
The purpose of this study was to analyse differences in rally length considering attack effectiveness, a players’ location and a game outcome in professional padel players. A total of 1527 rallies ...from 10 male matches of the 2013 Masters Finals of the World Padel Tour were registered through systematic observation. Data treatment included non-parametric mean comparisons (Mann-Withney and Kruskal-Wallis tests), and association analyses (crosstabs and Chi square analysis). In overall, 40% of unforced errors were made within the first 4 s of the rally, over 50% of points were scored between the 5th and 11th s, and 30% of forced errors occurred after the 11th –s of the rally. Hence, the ability to score in rallies of over 11 s duration and not making unforced errors within the first 4 s contributed to the rally outcome. More specifically, winners played longer rallies compared to losers (10.42 ± 7.77 s vs. 8.42 ± 6.43 s); particularly at the net, when scoring from the baseline (11.04 ± 7.64 s vs. 8.90 ± 5.41 s) and making forced (8.86 ± 7.44 s vs. 6.86 ± 6.24 s) and unforced errors (11.91 ± 9.47 s vs. 8.33 ± 6.92 s). Such knowledge may have implications in the design and structure of specific training programmes for padel players according to competition requirements.
The aims of this study were (1) to establish the best fit between ventilatory and lactate exercise performance parameters in running and (2) to explore novel alternatives to estimate the maximal ...aerobic speed (MAS) in well-trained runners. Twenty-two trained male athletes (
O
60.2 ± 4.3 ml·kg·min
) completed three maximal graded exercise tests (GXT): (1) a preliminary GXT to determine individuals' MAS; (2) two experimental GXT individually adjusted by MAS to record the speed associated to the main
transition events measured by indirect calorimetry and capillary blood lactate (CBL). Athletes also performed several 30 min constant running tests to determine the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). Reliability analysis revealed low CV (<3.1%), low bias (<0.5 km·h
), and high correlation (ICC > 0.91) for all determinations except V-Slope (ICC = 0.84). Validity analysis showed that LT, LT+1.0, and LT+3.0 mMol·L
were solid predictors of VT
(-0.3 km·h
; bias = 1.2; ICC = 0.90;
= 0.57), MLSS (-0.2 km·h
; bias = 1.2; ICC = 0.84;
= 0.74), and VT
(<0.1 km·h
; bias = 1.3; ICC = 0.82;
= 0.9l9), respectively. MLSS was identified as a different physiological event and a midpoint between VT
(bias = -2.0 km·h
) and VT
(bias = 2.3 km·h
). MAS was accurately estimated (SEM ± 0.3 km·h
) from peak velocity (V
) attained during GXT with the equation: MAS
(km·h
) = V
(km·h
)
0.8348 + 2.308. Current individualized GXT protocol based on individuals' MAS was solid to determine both maximal and submaximal physiological parameters. Lactate threshold tests can be a valid and reliable alternative to VT and MLSS to identify the workloads at the transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism in well-trained runners. In contrast with traditional assumption, the MLSS constituted a midpoint physiological event between VT
and VT
in runners. The V
stands out as a powerful predictor of MAS.
The aims of this study were to describe and compare the anthropometric and physical fitness attributes of male padel players according to their competitive level, and to establish a functional ...anthropometric and physical profile. A total of 60 males participated in the present study. Athletes were grouped according to competition level, forming an elite group (n = 25) and a subelite group (n = 35). Anthropometric variables, hand grip and lumbar isometric strength, flexibility, and lower-body muscular strength were measured. Elite padel players were significantly older and showed significantly lower values for the thigh and calf skinfolds, the sum of six and eight skinfolds, and the sum of lower-limb skinfolds than the subelite group. Elite padel players also had significantly lower values than subelite players for body fat percentage and thigh fat area, whilst showing significantly higher values for lumbar isometric strength. Somatotype of the elite padel players could be defined as endo-mesomorphic. Results suggest that training and talent identification of padel players should focus on their anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness, with these being different between elite and subelite athletes. Normative data could help coaches throughout the talent identification process and in the design of training programs when seeking to optimise sports performance.
This experiment investigates the validity of six thermometers with different measuring sensors, operation and site of application, to estimate core temperature (
T
c
) in comparison to an ingestible ...thermometric sensor based on quartz crystal technology. Measurements were obtained before, during and after exercise in the heat, controlling the presence of air-cooling and skin sweating. Twelve well-trained men swallowed the ingestible thermometer 6 h before the trial. After pre-exercise resting measurements at 20 °C, subjects entered a heat chamber held at 40 °C. Exercise in the heat consisted of 60 min of pedalling on cycle ergometer at 90% of the individually determined first ventilatory threshold. Results reveal that wind and skin sweat invalidate the use of skin infrared thermometry to estimate
T
c
during exercise in the heat. However, better
T
c
estimations were obtained in wind-restricted situations. We detected important differences between same-technology devices but different models and brands. In conclusion, there are important limitations to assess
T
c
accurately using non-invasive thermometers during and after exercise in the heat. Because some devices showed better validity than others did, we recommended using tympanic Braun
®
, and non-contact skin infrared Medisana
®
or Visiofocus
®
in wind-restricted and no sweat conditions to estimate
T
c
during exercise in the heat.
ABSTRACTGarcía-Benítez, S, Courel-Ibáñez, J, Pérez-Bilbao, T, and Felipe, JL. Game responses during young padel match playage and sex comparisons. J Strength Cond Res 32(4)1144–1149, 2018—The purpose ...of this study was to assess match activity profile and temporal structure in U-16 and U-18 male and female padel players from the 2014 Spanish Youth National Championship. A total of 1,670 rallies from 12 matches were recorded through systematic observation. Variables pertaining to game and point duration, rest interval time, number of strokes per rally (SR), and match total duration were registered. Current findings show that significant influences of age and sex on game demands in youth padel players strengthen the importance of knowing specific game characteristics during formative stages for training accordingly. In particular, padel match activity in youth players was characterized by longer rallies, longer resting interval time, and more number of SR compared with other racket sports, resulting in lower effort index. More specifically, results revealed an increment on match requirements in U-18 players compared with U-16. Besides, we found a greater use of lobs in females, particularly in U-16 players. This information may constitute a useful guide for the design of appropriate game strategies and specific-training sessions according to competitive demands in youth padel players.
Despite the growth of research on padel, available literature is mainly focused on male samples of modest size. This study characterised the differences in performance between men's and women's ...top-class padel players competing in the World Padel Tour (WPT) across four entire seasons (2016-19). Game performance indications from 1070 sets (532 matches) were collected from the official WPT website records. Men and women's performance were compared by means of the set result and the season. Men padel players performed a smaller number of actions, winners and errors per game than women, except winning smashes and smashes, by order of effect size (ES) magnitude: winning smashes (ES = 1.27), smashes (ES = 1.26), unforced errors (ES = 0.59), winners (ES = 0.55), breakpoints won (ES = 0.42), breakpoints (ES = 0.41) and winning volleys (ES = 0.24). Additionally, sex differences in unforced errors, winners, breakpoints, and breakpoints won become bigger as the time goes, with men showing an increasing greater performance. These findings confirm the existence of sex differences in professional padel performance and a worrying trend to becoming bigger. The sex specificities should be considered to both optimise training and competition plans and mitigated these sex disparities in padel players.
Whereas beetroot juice (BJ) supplementation is shown to increase physical performance in endurance activities, its benefits in team sports has been barely studied. In this randomized ...placebo-controlled study, we investigated the effects of BJ acute supplementation in improving neuromuscular performance and physical match activity in basketball. Ten young male competitive basketball players aged 15-16 years received 140 mL of BJ or placebo (PLA) on two separated days in a balanced cross-over design. Testing sessions comprised a neuromuscular test battery consisting of a countermovement jump (CMJ), isometric handgrip strength, 10-m/20-m sprint and agility T-test, followed by a 40-minute simulated basketball match. Physical match activity (distances, speeds, accelerations, and decelerations) was monitored using an inertial tracking system (Wimu Pro
) Results revealed no significant effects of BJ on CMJ (
= 0.304, ES = 0.13), isometric handgrip strength (
= 0.777, ES = 0.06), 10-m (
= 0.820, ES = 0.10), and 20-m sprint (
= 0.540, ES = 0.13), agility T-test (
= 0.979, ES ≤ 0.01) and any physical match demands (
> 0.151, ES = 0.13-0.48). Acute moderate doses of BJ (12.8 mmol of NO
) was not effective in improving neuromuscular performance (jump height, isometric handgrip strength, sprint, and agility) or physical match requirements in young trained basketball players the day of the competition.
Benefits of regular exercise for health are beyond any doubt. However, adherence to regular physical activity is an ongoing challenge. Among the options for exercise engagement, racket sports, and ...particularly padel, stand as emerging practices for children and adults to have fun, improve physical fitness, and potentially develop motor and cognitive skills. In the last decade, the literature on padel is increasing exponentially. However, there is a need for further experimental research. To design safe and effective sport-base physical activity promotion interventions, it is essential to have a deep understanding of the physical requirements, technical complexity, injury risks, and strength and conditioning programs. To assist researchers to conduct effective padel-based interventions for health, this review summarizes the state-of-the-art evidence about padel, identifies key topics to be addressed in the future, and discusses the potential role of padel as a physical fitness and health promotion strategy. A narrative review is presented, summarizing the results of padel articles from three different databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies written in Spanish and English were the inclusion criteria. The studies had to be published from 2000 onwards and be original, as well as peer-reviewed.
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