Change in sprint cycling torque is not associated with change in isometric force following six weeks of sprint cycling and resistance training in strength-trained novice cyclists.

Strong relationships exist between sprint cycling torque and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) force production at one timepoint; however, the relationships between the changes in these measures following a training period are not well understood. Accordingly, this study examined the relationships in the changes of sprint cycling torque and IMTP force following six-weeks of sprint cycling and resistance training performed by strength-trained novice cyclists (n = 14). Cycling power, cadence, torque and IMTP force (Peak force [PF]/torque, average and peak rate of force/torque development [RFD/RTD], and RFD/RTD from 0 to 100 ms and 0-200 ms) were assessed before and after training.

The influence of age, sex and player position on skill demands in junior Australian football.

This study aimed to investigate how ecological constraints influence individual player skill demands in community-level junior Australian Football (AF). Footage from 68 junior AF games, incorporating 1874 unique players, were analysed for individual skill demands such as disposals, kicks, handballs, tackles, marks, and shots at goal per player per game. Multiple linear mixed effect models were created for each skill, using player as a random effect.

Powering Toward Los Angeles: Comparing Power Output and Pacing Approach Between Maximal 2000- and 1500-m On-Water Racing in Elite Rowers.

Purpose: To compare power output and pacing between maximal 1500- and 2000-m on-water rowing performances.

Methods: Twenty-six (female n = 4, male n = 22) international rowers, across 6 boat classes, completed maximal 1500- and 2000-m on-water races, separated by 24 to 48 hours. Crew combinations and seat orders remained consistent between races.

Contribution of Physical Characteristics to Game Performance in Male Wheelchair Basketball Athletes at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Snyder, L, Goods, PSR, Peeling, P, Balloch, A, Peiffer, JJ, Binnie, MJ, and Scott, BR. Contribution of physical characteristics to game performance in male wheelchair basketball athletes at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This investigation explored the physical characteristics of elite male wheelchair basketball (WCB) athletes and their association with game performance during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Automatic adjustment of cycle ergometer power output to accurately clamp heart rate.

We assessed the accuracy and inter-sessional reliability of traditional (manual) compared to automatic (AutoHR) heart rate (HR) clamping methods during submaximal intensity continuous cycling. On separate occasions, thirteen males cycled at an HR corresponding to 80% of the ventilatory threshold for 18 min. Cycling power output was adjusted using either manual or AutoHR methods, encompassing three trials per method.

Stepping back or stepping in: A qualitative investigation of self-distanced versus self-immersed stressor reflections with competitive swimmers.

High performance sport consists of stressor events which can disrupt an athletes' functioning and negatively influence performance. The way in which one reflects upon stressor events and develops insights regarding how they coped is essential to overcoming similar experiences in the future. We conducted a pilot randomised controlled trial with a qualitative analysis to explore the coping insights among 48 highly trained/national level swimmers in the lead up to major swimming competitions, who reflected on stressor events from self-distanced or self-immersed perspectives over a 3-week period.

Acute Response to Training after Returning from the Off-Season in Elite Rugby League Athletes.

The purposes of this study were to quantify the physiological response to the initial two-week preseason period in elite male rugby league (RL) athletes, and to determine if a repeated bout effect (RBE) occurs. Eighteen RL players were monitored for the initial two-week preseason period. Blood samples were collected on days (D)1, D2, D4, D5, D8, D9, D11 and D12 to measure creatine kinase (CK).

A Biomechanical Comparison of the Back Squat and Hexagonal Barbell Deadlift.

Stahl, CA, Regni, G, Tanguay, J, McElfresh, M, Trihy, E, Diggin, D, and King, DL. A biomechanical comparison of the back squat and hexagonal barbell deadlift. J Strength Cond Res 38(5): 815-824, 2024-Coaches often use different exercises to encourage similar strength adaptations and limit monotony.

Recovery following exercise-induced fatigue: Influence of a single heart rate clamped cycling session under systemic hypoxia.

We investigated whether a single heart rate clamped cycling session under systemic hypoxia affects the recovery of physical and psycho-physiological responses from residual fatigue compared to normoxia. On separate occasions, twelve trained males performed a 3-d acute training camp scenario. On days 1 and 3, participants cycled for 60 min at a constant heart rate (80% of ventilatory threshold).

Navigating the Court: A Comparison of Distance Demands between Sexes in Grand Slam Tennis.

This study analysed critical movement demands of tennis match-play to better inform contemporary approaches to athlete preparation and training. HawkEye data from matches during the 2021 and 2022 Australian Open were utilised. Distance was aggregated for movement cycles, points, games, sets, and matches, alongside total shots played.

Quantifying Change of Direction Movement Demands in Professional Tennis Matchplay: An Analysis From the Australian Open Grand Slam.

Giles, B, Peeling, P, and Reid, M. Quantifying change of direction movement demands in professional tennis matchplay: An analysis from the Australian Open Grand Slam. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): 517-525, 2024-Change of direction (COD) contributes significantly to the movement repertoire of professional tennis players, yet the time-motion and degree demands of these changes are poorly understood.

Combining Heat and Altitude Training to Enhance Temperate, Sea-Level Performance.

Background: Repeated exposure to heat (ie, plasma volume expansion) or altitude (ie, increase in total hemoglobin mass), in conjunction with exercise, induces hematological adaptations that enhance endurance performance in each respective environment. Recently, combining heat and altitude training has become increasingly common for athletes preparing to compete in temperate, sea-level conditions.

Purpose: To review the physiological adaptations to training interventions combining thermal and hypoxic stimuli and summarize the implications for temperate, sea-level performance.

Sweat Characteristics and Fluid Balance Responses During Two Heat Training Camps in Elite Female Field Hockey Players.

We examined the sweat characteristics and fluid balance of elite female field hockey players during two heat training camps. Fourteen elite female field hockey players from the Australian national squad participated in two heat training camps held ∼6 months apart, following winter- (Camp 1) and summer-based training (Camp 2). Daily waking body mass (BM) and urine specific gravity (USG) were collected, along with several markers of sweat and fluid balance across two matches per camp.

Shifting the Energy Toward Los Angeles: Comparing the Energetic Contribution and Pacing Approach Between 2000- and 1500-m Maximal Ergometer Rowing.

Purpose: To compare the energetic contribution and pacing in 2000- and 1500-m maximal rowing-ergometer performances.

Methods: On separate visits (>48 h apart, random order), 18 trained junior (16.7 [0.

Parenteral Iron Therapy: Examining Current Evidence for Use in Athletes.

A high prevalence of iron deficiency exists in athlete populations. Various mechanisms, including increased losses through sweat, haemolysis, haematuria, and gastrointestinal micro-ischemia; inadequate dietary intake; and transient exercise-induced increases in the regulatory hormone, hepcidin, contribute to the increased prevalence in athletes. Indeed, hepcidin has been shown to peak around 3-6 hours post-exercise, limiting iron absorption from the gut.

Maintenance of internal load despite a stepwise reduction in external load during moderate intensity heart rate clamped cycling with acute graded normobaric hypoxia in males.

Objectives: To investigate the acute effects of graded hypoxia on external and internal loads during 60 min of endurance cycling at a clamped heart rate.

Design: Repeated measures.

Methods: On separate visits, 16 trained males cycled for 60 min at a clamped heart rate corresponding to 80 % of their first ventilatory threshold at sea-level and 2500 m, 3000 m, 3500 m and 4000 m simulated altitudes (inspired oxygen fractions of 20.

Demarcation of Intensity From 3 to 5 Zones Aids in Understanding Physiological Performance Progression in Highly Trained Under-23 Rowing Athletes.

Watts, SP, Binnie, MJ, Goods, PSR, Hewlett, J, Fahey-Gilmour, J, and Peeling, P. Demarcation of intensity from 3 to 5 zones aids in understanding physiological performance progression in highly trained under-23 rowing athletes. J Strength Cond Res 37(11): e593-e600, 2023-The purpose of this investigation was to compare 2 training intensity distribution models (3 and 5 zone) in 15 highly trained rowing athletes ( n = 8 male; n = 7 female; 19.

Iron regulation and absorption in athletes: contemporary thinking and recommendations.

Purpose Of Review: This review examines recent developments in our understanding of iron regulation/absorption around exercise, with specific attention paid towards the female athlete.

Recent Findings: Building on the well accepted knowledge that hepcidin concentrations increase in the 3-6 h period following an acute bout of exercise, recent studies have shown that this links to a reduced fractional iron absorption from the gut during feedings provided 2 h postexercise. Further, a window of enhanced iron absorption has recently been identified to occur 30 min either side of exercise commencement/completion, which allows for strategic iron intake to optimize absorption around exercise.

Considerations for the Consumption of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in Athlete Populations.

Vitamins and minerals are of fundamental importance to numerous human functions that are essential to optimise athlete performance. Athletes incur a high turnover of key vitamins and minerals and are therefore dependent on sufficient energy intake to replenish nutrient stores. However, many athletes are poor at servicing their energy replenishment needs, especially female athletes, and although a 'food first approach' to meeting nutrient requirements is the primary goal, it may be important for some athletes to consider a vitamin and/or mineral supplement to meet their daily needs.

Timing is everything, but does it really matter? Impact of 8-weeks morning versus evening iron supplementation in ballet and contemporary dancers.

The effectiveness of a morning versus evening oral iron supplement strategy to increase iron stores was explored. Ballet and contemporary dancers with serum ferritin (sFer) < 50μg/L (n = 14), were supplemented daily with 105 mg elemental oral iron in either the morning (Fe) or evening (Fe) for 8 weeks. A control group (n = 6) with sFer >50μg/L were given no supplement over the same period.

Quantifying on-water performance in rowing: A perspective on current challenges and future directions.

Winning times at benchmark international rowing competitions (Olympic Games and World Championships) are known to vary greatly between venues, based on environmental conditions and the strength of the field. Further variability in boat speed for any given effort is found in the training environment, with less controlled conditions (i.e.

Concurrent validity of the CORE wearable sensor with BodyCap temperature pill to assess core body temperature during an elite women's field hockey heat training camp.

Wearable temperature sensors offer the potential to overcome several limitations associated with current laboratory- and field-based methods for core temperature assessment; however, their ability to provide accurate data at elevated core temperatures (Tc) has been questioned. Therefore, this investigation aimed to determine the concurrent validity of a wearable temperature sensor (CORE) compared to a reference telemetric temperature pill (BodyCAP) during a team-sport heat training camp prior to the 2020 Olympic Games. Female field hockey players (n = 19) in the Australian national squad completed 4 sessions in hot conditions where their temperature was monitored via CORE and BodyCAP.

From The Ground Up: Expert Perceptions of Lower Limb Activity Monitoring in Tennis.

Understanding on-court movement in tennis allows for enhanced preparation strategies to improve player readiness and performance. Here, we explore expert physical preparation coaches' perceptions of elite training strategies for preparation and performance in tennis, with special reference to lower limb activity. Thirteen world renowned tennis strength and conditioning coaches were interviewed in a semi-structured method that explored four key topic areas of physical preparation for tennis: i) the physical demands; ii) load monitoring practice; iii) the direction of ground reaction forces application during match-play; and iv) the application of strength and conditioning for tennis.