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ABSTRACT: Loturco, I, Pereira, LA, Reis, VP, Abad, CCC, Freitas, TT, Azevedo, PHSM and Nimphius, S. Change of direction performance in elite players from different team sports. J Strength Cond Res 36(3): 862-866, 2022-The primary aim of this study was to examine the differences in change of direction (COD) deficit between elite futsal, soccer, handball, and rugby players. A secondary aim was to compare the performance in both COD and linear speed tests among these athletes. One-hundred sixty-one elite male players from 4 team sports performed a 20-m linear sprint speed and a Zigzag COD speed test. The COD deficit was calculated as the difference between linear and Zigzag test velocities. Differences in COD speed, COD deficit, and sprint velocity were assessed via 1-way analysis of variance. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Soccer players displayed significantly lower performance than the remaining team sports, and rugby players performed better than all the other groups in the Zigzag COD test. Moreover, the COD deficit was significantly higher in soccer players in comparison with the other disciplines (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in the COD deficit among rugby, futsal, and handball players (p > 0.05). In summary, soccer players were slower than futsal, handball, and rugby players to change direction and presented the greatest COD deficit magnitude. By contrast, the fastest athletes in the COD speed test (rugby players) were not more effective than futsal and handball players at changing direction (as they exhibited similar levels of COD deficit). Coaches should be aware of this evidence, which reinforces previous findings, indicating that very specialized training strategies might be required to improve COD performance in professional athletes.
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Desempenho Atlético , Corrida , Futebol , Atletas , Humanos , Masculino , Esportes de EquipeRESUMO
This study examined the age-specific development of vertical jump height, straight and change-of-direction (COD) speed, and COD deficit in one-hundred and eighty-two elite soccer players from different age-categories (U15, U17, U20, and Senior). All participants were players of two distinct clubs and were undertaking different training routines, as planned by their technical staff members. For this purpose, the soccer players performed: (1) squat and countermovement jumps; (2) a maximal 20-m linear sprint speed test, and (3) the Zigzag COD test. The magnitude-based inference approach and standardized differences were used to compare the age-groups. Sprint speed at longer distances (20-m) increased progressively across the age-ranges. In contrast, speed and acceleration performances at shorter distances (5-m) were better in U15 than in the other age-categories. The COD speed did not change throughout the younger categories but presented a meaningful decrease in the Senior category. Surprisingly, despite the progressive increase in volume and intensity of neuromuscular training from younger to older categories, the COD deficit presented a gradual increase across the age-groups. It is possible that simple modulation of the strength-power training program during the maturation process is not sufficient to produce faster adult players with enhanced ability to change direction. Therefore, coaches are strongly encouraged to implement specific COD training practices to tolerate braking at increasing running speeds and appropriate volume and intensity of soccer specific training throughout the players' specialization process.
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Desempenho Atlético/fisiologia , Destreza Motora/fisiologia , Futebol/fisiologia , Aceleração , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Estudos Transversais , Teste de Esforço , Humanos , Masculino , Força Muscular/fisiologia , Treinamento Resistido , Corrida/fisiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Pereira, LA, Nimphius, S, Kobal, R, Kitamura, K, Turisco, LAL, Orsi, RC, Cal Abad, CC, and Loturco, I. Relationship between change of direction, speed, and power in male and female National Olympic Team handball athletes. J Strength Cond Res 32(10): 2987-2994, 2018-The aims of this study were to (a) assess the relationship between selected speed- and power-related abilities (determined by 20-m sprint, unloaded countermovement jump [CMJ] and squat jump [SJ], and loaded jump squat [JS]) and performance in 2 distinct change of direction (COD) protocols (Zigzag test and T-test) and (b) determine the magnitude of difference between female and male Brazilian National Olympic Team handball athletes. Fifteen male and 23 female elite handball athletes volunteered to perform the following assessments: SJ and CMJ; Zigzag test and T-test; 20-m sprint with 5-, 10-, and 20-m splits; and mean propulsive power in JS. Pearson's product-moment correlation (p ≤ 0.05) was performed to determine the relationship between the COD tests (Zigzag test and T-test) and speed-power measures (sprint, SJ, CMJ, and JS). The differences between male and female performances were determined using the magnitude-based inference. Moderate to very large significant correlations were observed between both COD tests and the speed-power abilities. Furthermore, male athletes demonstrated likely to almost certainly higher performances than female athletes in all assessed variables. The results of the current study suggest that different speed-power qualities are strongly correlated to the performance obtained in various COD assessments (r values varying from 0.38 to 0.84 and from 0.34 to 0.84 for correlations between speed and power tests with Zigzag test and T-test, respectively). However, the level of these associations can vary greatly, according to the mechanical demands of each respective COD task. Although COD tests may be difficult to implement during competitive seasons, because of the strong correlations presented herein, the regular use of vertical jump tests with these athletes seems to be an effective and applied alternative. Furthermore, it might be inferred that the proper development of loaded and unloaded jump abilities has potential for improving the physical qualities related to COD performance in handball athletes.