Antidoping 2.0: Is Adding Power-Output Data to the Antidoping Pool the Next Step? Experts' Viewpoint.

Background: Efforts are needed to improve antidoping procedures. The widespread use of power meters among cyclists could help in this regard. However, controversy exists on whether performance monitoring through power-output data could be of help for antidoping purposes.

Evaluation of multi-directional speed qualities throughout adolescence in youth soccer: The non-linear nature of transfer.

Training and assessment of agility is often prioritised by soccer coaches and practitioners aiming to develop multi-directional speed. Although the importance of agility is advocated throughout childhood and adolescence, limited data evidence agility performance at different stages of adolescence. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in multi-directional speed performance in youth soccer players spanning an entire soccer academy.

The Multidisciplinary Physical Preparation of a Multiple Paralympic Medal-Winning Cyclist.

Purpose: This case study aims to describe the multidisciplinary preparation of a multiple medal-winning Paralympic cyclist active in the C5 class. Specifically, it describes the 12-month preparation period toward the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Method: The participant (height 173 cm; weight approximately 63 kg) is active in the C5 para-cycling class (right arm impairment) and was preparing for the individual pursuit, road time trial, and mass-start race in the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Field-testing to determine power - cadence and torque - cadence profiles in professional road cyclists.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a field-based approach to determine torque-cadence and power-cadence profiles in professional cyclists and establish if this field-based protocol can differentiate between varying rider specialisations. Twenty-four male professional athletes from a World Tour cycling team participated in this investigation (Height = 1.84 ± 0.

Differences in Performance Assessments Conducted Indoors and Outdoors in Professional Cyclists.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between typical performance tests among elite and professional cyclists when conducted indoors and outdoors.

Methods: Fourteen male cyclists of either UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Continental or UCI World Tour level (mean [SD] age 20.9 [2.

Power Profile of Top 5 Results in World Tour Cycling Races.

Purpose: This study evaluated the power profile of a top 5 result achieved in World Tour cycling races of varying types, namely: flat sprint finish, semi-mountain race with a sprint finish, semi-mountain race with uphill finish, and mountain races (MT).

Methods: Power output data from 33 professional cyclists were collected between 2012 and 2019. This large data set was filtered so that it only included top 5 finishes in World Tour races (18 participants and 177 races).

Assessment of bike handling during cycling individual time trials with a novel analytical technique adapted from motorcycle racing.

A methodology to study bike handling of cyclists during individual time trials (ITT) is presented. Lateral and longitudinal accelerations were estimated from GPS data of professional cyclists ( = 53) racing in two ITT of different length and technical content. Acceleration points were plotted on a plot (g-g diagram) and they were enclosed in an ellipse.

Progression from youth to professional soccer: A longitudinal study of successful and unsuccessful academy graduates.

To optimize use of available resources, professional academies develop strategies to assess, monitor, and evaluate players as they progress through adolescence toward adulthood. However, few published reports exist using longitudinal study designs to examine performance throughout adolescence and the transition from youth to professional soccer. We examined differences in the age of player recruitment alongside longitudinal performance differences on field-based fitness tests of successful vs.

Maintaining Power Output with Accumulating Levels of Work Done Is a Key Determinant for Success in Professional Cycling.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate if performance measures are related to success in professional cycling and to highlight the influence of prior work done on these performance measures and success.

Methods: Power output data from 26 professional cyclists, in a total of 85 seasons, collected between 2012 and 2019, were analyzed. The cyclists were classified as "climber" or "sprinter" and into category 1 (CAT.

The Physical Demands and Power Profile of Professional Men's Cycling Races: An Updated Review.

Background: A variety of intensity, load, and performance measures (eg, "power profile") have been used to characterize the demands of professional cycling races with differing stage types. An increased understanding of the characteristics of these races could provide valuable insight for practitioners toward the design of training strategies to optimally prepare for these demands. However, current reviews within this area are outdated and do not include a recent influx of new articles describing the demands of professional cycling races.

Demands of professional cycling races: Influence of race category and result.

This study analyses the influence of race category and result on the demands of professional cycling races. In total, 2920 race files were collected from 20 male professional cyclists, within a variety of race categories: Single-day (1.WT) and multi-day (2.

A case study comparison of objective and subjective evaluation methods of physical qualities in youth soccer players.

Subjective and objective assessments may be used congruently when making decisions regarding player recruitment in soccer, yet there have been few attempts to examine the level of agreement between these methods. Therefore, we compare levels of agreement between subjective and objective assessments of physical qualities associated with youth soccer performance. In total, 80 male youth soccer players (13.

Reliability and Validity of Integrated External and Internal Load Ratios as Measures of Fitness in Academy Rugby Union Players.

Taylor, RJ, Sanders, D, Myers, T, and Akubat, I. Reliability and validity of integrated external and internal load ratios as measures of fitness in academy rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 34(6): 1723-1730, 2020-This study aimed to assess the relationships between integrated ratios of external and internal load measures and aerobic fitness in 3 different training exercise protocols.

Reliability of Change of Direction and Agility Assessments in Youth Soccer Players.

Considering the vast physical and neural developments experienced throughout adolescence, the reliability of physical performance may vary in youth populations. This study aimed to examine the reliability of change of direction (COD) and agility tests in youth soccer players. Altogether, 86 youth soccer players, aged 13.

Effects of Body Weight vs. Lean Body Mass on Wingate Anaerobic Test Performance in Endurance Athletes.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of body weight or lean body mass-based load on Wingate Anaerobic Test performance in male and female endurance trained individuals. Thirty-one participants (22 male cyclists and triathletes and 9 female triathletes) completed two randomized Wingate Anaerobic Test (body weight and lean body mass loads) in stationary start. There were no significant differences in power outputs variables between loads in any group.

Training Characteristics of Male and Female Professional Road Cyclists: A 4-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose: To describe the training intensity and load characteristics of professional cyclists using a 4-year retrospective analysis. Particularly, this study aimed to describe the differences in training characteristics between men and women professional cyclists.

Method: For 4 consecutive years, training data were collected from 20 male and 10 female professional cyclists.

Physical demands and power profile of different stage types within a cycling grand tour.

This study aims to describe the intensity and load demands of different stage types within a cycling Grand Tour. Nine professional cyclists, whom are all part of the same World-Tour professional cycling team, participated in this investigation. Competition data were collected during the 2016 Giro d'Italia.

Reliability and validity of field-based fitness tests in youth soccer players.

This study aimed to establish between-day reliability and validity of commonly used field-based fitness tests in youth soccer players of varied age and playing standards, and to discriminate between players without ("unidentified") or with ("identified") a direct route to professional football through their existing club pathway. Three-hundred-and-seventy-three Scottish youth soccer players (U11-U17) from three different playing standards (amateur, development, performance) completed a battery of commonly used generic field-based fitness tests (grip dynamometry, standing broad jump, countermovement vertical jump, 505 (505COD) and T-Drill (T-Test) change of direction and 10/20 m sprint tests) on two separate occasions within 7-14 days. The majority of field-based fitness tests selected within this study proved to be reliable measures of physical performance (ICC = 0.

The anaerobic power reserve and its applicability in professional road cycling.

This study examined if short-duration record power outputs can be predicted with the Anaerobic Power Reserve (APR) model in professional cyclists using a field-based approach. Additionally, we evaluated if modified model parameters could improve predictive ability of the model. Twelve professional cyclists (V̇O 75 ± 6 ml∙kg∙min) participated in this investigation.

Sleep Profiles of Elite Swimmers During Different Training Phases.

Walsh, JA, Sanders, D, Hamilton, DL, and Walshe, I. Sleep profiles of elite swimmers during different training phases. J Strength Cond Res 33(3): 811-818, 2019-This study aims to describe the sleeping patterns during different training phases in competitive swimmers.

Intensity and Load Characteristics of Professional Road Cycling: Differences Between Men's and Women's Races.

Purpose: To provide a retrospective analysis of a large competition database describing the intensity and load demands of professional road-cycling races, highlighting the differences between men's and women's races.

Methods: In total, 20 male and 10 female professional cyclists participated in this study. During 4 consecutive years, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and power-output data were collected during both men's (n = 3024) and women's (n = 667) professional races.

Analysing a cycling grand tour: Can we monitor fatigue with intensity or load ratios?

This study evaluated the changes in ratios of different intensity (rating of perceived exertion; RPE, heart rate; HR, power output; PO) and load measures (session-RPE; sRPE, individualized TRIMP; iTRIMP, Training Stress Score™; TSS) in professional cyclists. RPE, PO and HR data was collected from twelve professional cyclists (VO 75 ± 6 ml∙min∙kg) during a two-week baseline training period and during two cycling Grand Tours. Subjective:objective intensity (RPE:HR, RPE:PO) and load (sRPE:iTRIMP, sRPE:TSS) ratios and external:internal intensity (PO:HR) and load (TSS:iTRIMP) ratios were calculated for every session.

The Dose-Response Relationship Between Training Load and Aerobic Fitness in Academy Rugby Union Players.

Purpose: To identify the dose-response relationship between measures of training load (TL) and changes in aerobic fitness in academy rugby union players.

Method: Training data from 10 academy rugby union players were collected during a 6-wk in-season period. Participants completed a lactate-threshold test that was used to assess VOmax, velocity at VOmax, velocity at 2 mmol/L (lactate threshold), and velocity at 4 mmol/L (onset of lactate accumulation; vOBLA) as measures of aerobic fitness.