Search results for "athlete"
showing 10 items of 777 documents
Mobility and muscle strength in male former elite endurance and power athletes aged 66−91 years
2017
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare mobility and muscle strength in male former elite endurance and power athletes aged 66-91 years (n = 150; 50 men in both former elite athlete groups and in their control group). Agility, dynamic balance, walking speed, chair stand, self-rated balance confidence (ABC-scale), jumping height, and handgrip strength were assessed. Former elite power athletes had better agility performance time than the controls (age- and body mass index, BMI-adjusted mean difference -3.6 s; 95% CI -6.3, -0.8). Adjustment for current leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and prevalence of diseases made this difference non-significant (P = 0.214). The subjects i…
Crossing the Golden Training Divide: The Science and Practice of Training World‑Class 800‑ and 1500‑m Runners
2021
AbstractDespite an increasing amount of research devoted to middle-distance training (herein the 800 and 1500 m events), information regarding the training methodologies of world-class runners is limited. Therefore, the objective of this review was to integrate scientific and best practice literature and outline a novel framework for understanding the training and development of elite middle-distance performance. Herein, we describe how well-known training principles and fundamental training characteristics are applied by world-leading middle-distance coaches and athletes to meet the physiological and neuromuscular demands of 800 and 1500 m. Large diversities in physiological profiles and t…
Analysis of elite swimmers' activity during an instrumented protocol
2009
The aim of this study was to examine swimmers' activity-technical device coupling during an experimental protocol (MADsystem). The study was conducted within a course-of-action theoretical and methodological framework. Two types of data were collected: (a) video recordings and (b) verbalizations during post-protocol interviews. The data were processed in two steps: (a) reconstruction of each swimmer's course of action and (b) comparison of the courses of action. Analysis from the actors' point of view allowed a description of swimmer-technical device coupling. The results showed that the technical device modified the athletes' range of perceptions and repertoire of actions. They also indica…
Strength and Power Testing of Athletes: A Multicenter Study of Test-Retest Reliability.
2022
Author's accepted manuscript Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (IJSPP), 2022, 17 (7): 1103-1110, https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2021-0558. © Human Kinetics, Inc. Purpose:This study examined the test–retest reliability of common assessments for measuring strength and power of the lowerbody in high-performing athletes.Methods:A total of 100 participants, including both male (n=83) and female (n=17) athletes(21 [4] y, 182 [9] cm, and 78 [12] kg), were recruited for this study, using a multicenter approach. The participants underwentphysical testing 4 times. Thefirst 2 sessions (1 and 2) were separated by∼…
Influences of baseline heart rate variability on repeated sprint performance in young soccer players
2015
AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the autonomic system on the performance of repeated sprints, involving predominantly neuromuscular power, in young soccer players. METHODS: Twelve young soccer players, selected for the Sicilian Regional Football Representative, mean age 15 years, were recruited. Baseline heart rate variability (HRV) was measured and indices of power spectral analysis (LF, HF, and ratio LF/HF) were calculated to evaluate the sympathovagal balance. The athletes performed 10 maximal 6--sec cycling sprints (RS), interspersed with 30--sec of recovery, to measure the peak power output (PP) represented by the highest power value recorded during a 6--sec sp…
Absence of an aging-related increase in fiber type grouping in athletes and non-athletes
2020
The ageing-related loss of muscle mass is thought to be partly attributable to motor neuron loss and motor unit remodelling that result in fibre type grouping. We examined fibre type grouping in 19- to 85-year-old athletes and non-athletes and evaluated to which extent any observed grouping is explained by the fibre type composition of the muscle. Since regular physical activity may stimulate reinnervation, we hypothesised that fibre groups are larger in master athletes than in age-matched non-athletes. Fibre type grouping was assessed in m. vastus lateralis biopsies from 22 young (19-27 years) and 35 healthy older (66-82 years) non-athletes, and 14 young (20-29 years), 51 middle-aged (38%6…
Psychophysiological responses of junior orienteers under competitive pressure
2018
The purpose of the study was to examine psychobiosocial states, cognitive functions, endocrine responses (i.e., salivary cortisol and chromogranin A), and performance under competitive pressure in orienteering athletes. The study was grounded in the individual zones of optimal functioning (IZOF) and biopsychosocial models. Fourteen junior orienteering athletes (7 girls and 7 boys), ranging in age from 15 to 20 years (M = 16.93, SD = 1.77) took part in a two-day competitive event. To enhance competitive pressure, emphasis was placed on the importance of the competition and race outcome. Psychophysiological and performance data were collected at several points before, during, and after the ra…
No evidence of adverse cardiac remodeling in former elite endurance athletes
2016
Background: The impact of high exercise loads on a previously healthy heart remains controversial. We examined the consequences of decades of strenuous endurance exercise at the highest competition level on heart dimensions and volumes as well as on serum biomarkers of cardiac fibrosis/remodeling. Methods and results: We compared echocardiographic measurements and serum biomarkers of cardiac fibrosis/remodeling [troponin I, galectin-3, matrix metallopeptidase-2 and -9, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, and soluble suppressor of tumorigenicity-2 (sST-2)/interleukin(IL)-1R4] in 53 male athletes [11 former professional ('elite') and 42…
Elite athletes live longer than the general population: a meta-analysis
2014
OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis of cohort studies aimed at providing an accurate overview of mortality in elite athletes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed English-language scientific articles available in Medline and Web of Science databases following the recommendations of the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology group. We searched for publications on longevity and professional or elite athletes (with no restriction on the starting date and up to March 31, 2014). RESULTS: Ten studies, including data from a total of 42,807 athletes (707 women), met all inclusion criteria. The all-cause pooled standard mortality ratio (SMR) was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.55-0.81; P<.001) with n…
The relationship of task self-efficacy and role efficacy beliefs to role performance in Spanish youth soccer
2004
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between role efficacy and role performance after controlling for the effects of task self-efficacy. Two hundred and ninety-five Spanish youth soccer players from 20 teams completed self-report measures of task self-efficacy, role efficacy and role performance at the mid-point of a competitive season. The 20 team coaches also provided ratings of each of their players' role performances at mid-season. Consistent with hypotheses, bivariate correlations showed task self-efficacy and role efficacy were positively related to role performance ratings. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that role efficacy contributed significantly to the …