Assessment of Performance in Youth Soccer Players: Should We Consider the Maturation Status?

The influence of biological maturity status on talent identification and development in youth soccer has been debated extensively. Alternative methods have thus recently emerged to estimate maturity status, such as the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS), but their relationship with physical capabilities of young soccer players still needs to be determined. The present study investigated the relationships of different PDS-derived pubertal status measures, chronological age, and relative age with selected performance variables in youth soccer.

Assessing the Validity of Two Non-Exercise Regression Equations for Predicting Maximal Oxygen Consumption.

This study aimed to develop two regression equations to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO) using non-exercise data from a substantial cohort of healthy Iranian adult males. Additionally, this study sought to examine the predictive accuracy of these equations across four different levels of physical activity. A total of 126 participants (age: 34.

Recreational futsal provides broad-spectrum fitness and health benefits but no blood pressure effects in men with treated hypertension - a randomised controlled trial.

We determined the coadjuvant effect of a recreational futsal (RF) programme versus standard care alone (CON) in men with treated arterial hypertension (TAHT). Thirty-nine men with TAHT were randomised to RF ( = 20; 48 ± 8 years; systolic blood pressure [SBP]: 122 ± 14 mmHg) with 2-3 one-hour sessions/week for 3 months, or to CON ( = 19; 51 ± 6 years; SBP: 126 ± 13 mmHg). Participants were assessed at baseline, at 3 months, and after 1 month of training cessation (4 months).

Enhancing match official performance: a forward-thinking approach for football evolution.

The future of football demands more from players and referees due to heightened match intensity and frequency. To optimize performance and health, collaboration among sport scientists, coaches, and medical staff is crucial. However, match officials often lack the same support as elite players, hindering their development.

Increased game frequency period crossing Ramadan intermittent fasting decreases fat mass, sleep duration, and recovery in male professional basketball players.

Background: Increased basketball game frequency may affect athlete performances, especially during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF). The objective of the present investigation was to assess the impacts of increased game frequency periods crossing the RIF on body composition, sleep habits, indices of well-being, recovery state, and dietary intake in professional male basketball players.

Methods: Twenty-eight professional basketball players participated in this study and were divided into increased-games-frequency (INCR) or normal-games-frequency (NORM) groups.

Bone health, body composition and physical fitness dose-response effects of 16 weeks of recreational team handball for inactive middle-to-older-aged males - A randomised controlled trial.

In this study we aimed at analysing the effects of different weekly exercise volumes (1, 2 or 3 times 60-min) on bone health, body composition and physical fitness of inactive middle-to-older-aged males, after 16 weeks of recreational team handball (RTH). Fifty-four men (68 ± 4 years, stature 169 ± 6 cm; body mass 78.4 ± 10.

Mixed-gender small-sided recreational team handball games in middle-aged and elderly are physiologically more demanding for women than men.

This study examined the physical and physiological demands and perceived experience of a multicomponent exercise mode, recreational team handball (TH), for middle-aged/elderly men and women, played as same- vs. mixed-gender 6v6 game formats. Matches' heart rate (HR), blood lactate (BL), perceived experience, activity profile, player load and accelerometer variables were assessed.

Soccer-drill specificity in top-class male players with reference to peak match locomotor demands.

To compare the locomotor demands of several ball/running drills with the official match peak, locomotor demands determined across different time-windows of the same duration in top-class male soccer players ( = 40). Total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR, 15-20 km⋅h), very high-speed running (VHSR, 20-24 km⋅h), sprint and acceleration+deceleration (Acc+Dec >±3 m⋅s) distances were measured during training and official matches. A total of 9372 individual observations were classified as technical-tactical drills, small-sided games (SSGs), super-SSGs (pitch-area >340 m·player), SSGs with rules modifications (SSG), individual positional drills or running drills.

An 11-week school-based "health education through football" programme improves musculoskeletal variables in 10-12-yr-old Danish school children.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of the "11 for Health" programme on musculoskeletal fitness.

Methods: A total of 108 Danish children aged 10-12 years participated in the study, with 61 children in the intervention group (IG, 25 girls and 36 boys) and 47 children in the control group (CG, 21 girls and 26 boys). Measurements were conducted before and after an 11-week intervention consisting of twice-weekly 45-min football training sessions for IG or continuation of normal Physical Education program for CG.

Dose-response effect of a recreational team handball-based exercise programme on cardiometabolic health and physical fitness in inactive middle-aged-to-elderly males - a randomised controlled trial.

This study aimed at examining the dose-response of a recreational team handball (TH) exercise-based programme on cardiometabolic health and physical fitness in inactive middle-aged-to-elderly males without TH experience. Fifty-four inactive middle-aged-to-elderly men (67.5 ± 4.

Neuromuscular and balance adaptations following basketball-specific training programs based on combined drop jump and multidirectional repeated sprint versus multidirectional plyometric training.

Multidirectional jumping and repeated sprint ability are crucial performance factors in basketball. The main aim of this investigation was to examine the neuromuscular performance and body balance adaptations following basketball-specific combined training programs based on drop jump and multidirectional repeated sprint versus multidirectional plyometric training. Forty-two professional basketball male players participated in the current investigation and were randomly assigned to three groups: a combined group (COMB; n = 14), a multidirectional jump group (MJG; n = 14) and an active control group (CON; n = 14).

Multicomponent recreational team handball training improves global health status in postmenopausal women at the long term - A randomised controlled trial.

We studied the long-term effects of a multicomponent exercise training protocol (recreational team handball training, RTH) on global health status in inactive postmenopausal women. Participants ( = 45; age 65 ± 6 years, stature 157 ± 6 cm, body mass 66.2 ± 9.

Validity and sensitivity of field tests' heart-rate recovery assessment in recreational football players.

We aimed at examining the criterion validity and sensitivity of heart-rate recovery (HRRec) in profiling cardiorespiratory fitness in male recreational football players in the untrained and trained status, using endurance field-tests. Thirty-two male untrained subjects (age 40 ± 6 years, VO2max 41.7 ± 5.

Use of Exploratory Factor Analysis to Assess the Fitness Performance of Youth Football Players.

Perroni, F, Castagna, C, Amatori, S, Gobbi, E, Vetrano, M, Visco, V, Guidetti, L, Baldari, C, Luigi Rocchi, MB, and Sisti, D. Use of exploratory factor analysis to assess the fitness performance of youth football players. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): e430-e437, 2023-Football performance involves several physical abilities that range in aerobic, anaerobic, and neuromuscular domains; however, little is known about their interplay in profiling individual physical attributes.

Acute physiological response to different recreational team handball game formats in over 60-year-old inactive men.

This study described the physical and physiological demands, activity profile and fun levels of recreational team handball (TH) game formats in over 60-year-old men with no previous experience with this sport (n = 17, 67.4±3.3 years).

Match activity profile and heart rate responses of top-level soccer referees during Brazilian national first and second division and regional championships.

This study aimed to examine the differences in physical match activities and heart rate (HR) responses experienced by Brazilian field referees (FRs) and assistant referees (ARs) during official matches from and Regional championships. The sample was composed of 51 FRs and 87 ARs. Match activities derived from Global Position System and HR response were collected during official matches.

Estimation of maximal oxygen uptake using the heart rate ratio method in male recreational football players.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO) is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health in the general population. The heart rate (HR) ratio method (HR) is a valid, easy and accessible method for estimating VO in well-trained subjects. This study examined the validity of using the HR to estimate VO in recreational football players in the untrained and trained states.

Association between match physical activity and neuromuscular characteristics in youth football.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between maximal and submaximal neuromuscular field tests, match physical activity levels and biological maturation in youth football players.

Methods: Sixty-four football players from under 14 to under 17 age groups were assessed. Players performed a repeated-sprint ability test, counter movement jump, 10-m, and 30-m sprint test, as well as an assessment of peripheral muscle function following a multi-stage incremental (i.

Basketball-Specific Small-Sided Games Training during Ramadan Intermitting Fasting: Do Changes in Body Composition, Sleep Habits, and Perceived Exertion Affect Technical Performance?

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of an additional small-sided games (SSGs) training program during Ramadan intermitting fasting (RIF) on technical performance depending on changes in body composition, sleep habits, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Twenty-four professional male basketball players from the Tunisian first division participated in this study. The players were randomly assigned to an intervention group (INT; = 12) or an active control group (CON; = 12).

High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise Performed on the Sand Induces Higher Internal Load Demands in Soccer Players.

This study aimed to examine the acute physiological effect of shuttle-run-based high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) performed at the same relative speed (i. e., 100% PS) on sand (SAND) and grass (GRASS) in male junior soccer players.

Fitness assessment in talented football referees: an academy based longitudinal field-study.

Background: This study aim was to profile physical fitness in talented football referees (FR) with performance relevant field-tests across time.

Methods: Thirty-eight male FR (age 28±1.5 years, height 178±5.

Associations between Well-Being State and Match External and Internal Load in Amateur Referees.

The main aim of this paper was to examine the association between prematch well-being status with match internal and external load in field (FR) and assistant (AR) soccer referees. Twenty-three FR and 46 AR participated in this study. The well-being state was assessed using the Hooper Scale and the match external and internal loads were monitored with Stryd Power Meter and heart monitors.

Accuracy and reliability of the InBody 270 multi-frequency body composition analyser in 10-12-year-old children.

The aim of this study was at examining the validity and reliability of a marketed bioimpedance (BIA) scale for body composition assessment, in children engaged in an educational football project (FIFA 11 for Health). One-hundred and twenty-seven children (70 boys and 57 girls; age 10.7±0.