Phases of the Traditional 505 Test: Between Session and Direction Reliability

Change of direction (COD) testing has commonly reported a single total time to quantify performance despite that tests are made up of a number of different phases. No investigation into these phases has been completed, therefore the aim of this study was to examine the reliability between sessions and directions of the different phases of a 505 test. Twenty-one male youth athletes performed the 505 test in both directions on three occasions. Differences between directions and sessions were determined via a T-test and Two-way ANOVA respectively and a significance threshold was set at P ≤ 0.05. All strategy variables show acceptable relative and absolute reliability in both directions between sessions (ICC = 0.73-0.94; CV = 2.3-6.3%) apart from ground contact time (GCT) (ICC = 0.57-0.68, CV = 14.8–22.4%). Significant differences were identified between session one and three for entry time. Significant differences between directions for exit time on day two and for full approach, entry and GCT on day three. The non-dominant turning direction showed lower relative and absolute reliability between session for entry time (ICC = 0.73 vs 0.89; CV = 6.3% vs 3.7%) and GCT (ICC = 0.57 vs 0.68; CV = 14.8% vs 22.4%). Results indicate the phases of a 505 COD test have high relative and absolute reliability between sessions, although turning directions should be considered independently

The Deceleration Deficit: A Novel Field-Based Method to Quantify Deceleration During Change of Direction Performance

The study investigated the relationship between linear and change of direction (COD) speed performance components and the individual differences between deceleration deficit (DD) and COD deficit (CODD). Thirty-six subjects (mean ±SD: age = 20.3 ± 2.9 years; stature = 175.2 ± 7.7 cm; body mass = 78.0 ± 16.7 kg) completed three trials of a 505 test in both turning directions (dominant (D); non-dominant (ND)) and three 15m linear sprints. DD was calculated via the 15m approach in the 505 test, minus the athlete’s linear 15m sprint time. To compare individuals CODD and DD, z-scores were calculated, and moderate worthwhile changes (MWC) were identified between these deficit z-scores. Significant correlations were identified between linear sprints and 505 time (D: r = 0.71, 0.74; P < 0.01. ND: r = 0.76, 0.75; P < 0.01) for 10m and 15m sprint respectively, and between 505 performance and CODD (D: r = 0.74; P < 0.01. ND: r = 0.77; P < 0.01) and DD (D: r = 0.41, P < 0.05. ND: r = 0.44, P < 0.01). DD was significantly related to CODD (D: r = 0.59; P < 0.01. ND: r = 0.62; P < 0.01); however, 78% of subjects demonstrated differences between these deficit measures greater than an MWC. In conclusion, linear speed has the strongest significant relationship with 505 performance. DD could provide a more isolated construct than CODD which may be related to an athlete’s deceleration capabilities

Reliability of the tuck jump injury risk screening assessment in elite male youth soccer players

Altered neuromuscular control has been suggested as a mechanism for injury in soccer players. Ligamentous injuries most often occur during dynamic movements, such as decelerations from jump-landing maneuvers where high risk movement patterns are present. The assessment of kinematic variables during jump-landing tasks as part of a pre-participation screen is useful in the identification of injury risk. An example of a field-based screening tool is the repeated tuck jump assessment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the within-subject variation of the tuck jump screening assessment in elite male youth soccer players. 25 pre and 25 post-peak height velocity (PHV) elite male youth soccer players from the academy of a professional English soccer club completed the assessment. A test, re-test design was used to explore the within-subject inter-session reliability. Technique was graded retrospectively against the 10-point criteria set out in the screening protocol using two-dimensional video cameras. The typical error range reported for tuck jump total score (0.90 – 1.01 in pre and post-PHV players respectively) was considered acceptable. When each criteria was analyzed individually, Kappa coefficient determined that knee valgus was the only criterion to reach substantial agreement across the two test sessions for both groups. The results of this study suggest that although tuck jump total score may be reliably assessed in elite male youth soccer players, caution should be applied in solely interpreting the composite score due to the high within-subject variation in a number of the individual criteria. Knee valgus may be reliably used to screen elite youth male soccer players for this plyometric technique error and for test, re-test comparison

The effect of sodium bicarbonate loading on repeated non-motorised treadmill sprint performance of soccer players

Effet de l'ingestion de 500 mg par Kg de NaHCO3 (90 minutes avant d'effectuer 5 sprints de 30 secondes avec 1minute de repos entre chaque) sur la valeur de lactate sanguin après l'exercice