The effects of large-sided soccer training games and pitch size manipulation on time-motion profile, spatial exploration and surfaxe área: Tactical opportunities

Analysis of the physical, technical and physiological variations induced through the use of different soccer game formats have been widely discussed. However, the coaching justification for the specific use of certain game formats based on individual and collective spatial awareness is unclear. As a result, the purpose of this study was to analyze 11 versus 11 game formats conducted across two pitch sizes (half-size: 54 m × 68 m vs full-size: 108 m × 68 m) to identify effects of time–motion profiles, individual exploration behavior and collective organization. A total of 10 amateur soccer players from the same team (23.39 ± 3.91 years old) participated in this study. Data position of the players was used to calculate the spatial exploration index and the surface area. Distances covered in different speeds were used to observe the time–motion profile. The full-size pitch dimensions significantly contributed to greater distances covered via running (3.86–5.52 m s−1) and sprinting (>5.52 m s−1). Total distance and number of sprints were also significantly greater in the full-size pitch as compared to the half-size pitch. The surface area covered by the team (half-size pitch: 431.83 m2 vs full-size pitch: 589.14 m2) was significantly larger in the full-size pitch condition. However, the reduced half-size pitch significantly contributed to a greater individual spatial exploration. Results of this study suggest that running and sprinting activities increase when large, full-size pitch dimensions are utilized. Smaller surface area half-size pitch contributes to a better exploration of the pitch measured by spatial exploration index while maintaining adequate surface area coverage by the team. In conclusion, the authors suggest that the small half-size pitch is more appropriate for low-intensity training sessions and field exploration for players in different positions. Alternatively, the large full-size pitch is more appropriate for greater physically demanding training sessions with players focused on positional tactical behavio

Vegan diets : practical advice for athletes and exercisers.

With the growth of social media as a platform to share information, veganism is becoming more visible, and could be becoming more accepted in sports and in the health and fitness industry. However, to date, there appears to be a lack of literature that discusses how to manage vegan diets for athletic purposes. This article attempted to review literature in order to provide recommendations for how to construct a vegan diet for athletes and exercisers. While little data could be found in the sports nutrition literature specifically, it was revealed elsewhere that veganism creates challenges that need to be accounted for when designing a nutritious diet. This included the sufficiency of energy and protein; the adequacy of vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, iodine and vitamin D; and the lack of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in most plant-based sources. However, via the strategic management of food and appropriate supplementation, it is the contention of this article that a nutritive vegan diet can be designed to achieve the dietary needs of most athletes satisfactorily. Further, it was suggested here that creatine and β-alanine supplementation might be of particular use to vegan athletes, owing to vegetarian diets promoting lower muscle creatine and lower muscle carnosine levels in consumers. Empirical research is needed to examine the effects of vegan diets in athletic populations however, especially if this movement grows in popularity, to ensure that the health and performance of athletic vegans is optimised in accordance with developments in sports nutrition knowledge

PREFER: SPACE-BASED INFORMATION SUPPORT FOR PREVENTION AND RECOVERY OF FOREST FIRES

The PREFER FP7 project aims at responding to major fire prevention needs in Southern Europe. All reports on the state of Europe’s forests indicate that the broad Mediterranean area is systematically affected by uncontrolled forest fires with large impact on ecosystems, soil erosion, slope instability, desertification trends, and local economies as a whole, with a negative mid-to-long-term prospect because of Climate Change. In this scenario, the need to improve the information and the intelligence support to forest fire prevention is widely recognized to be relevant. Fire prevention is still the most cost-effective strategy when compared to fire fighting and extinguishing that are costly, local, and triggered only in response to already ongoing crises. The PREFER project intends to contribute to responding to such a pragmatic need of Southern Europe’s forests by: 1) providing timely multi-scale and multi-payload information products based on exploitation of all available spaceborne sensors within the project time frame (the next 3 years); 2) offering a portfolio of EO products focused both on Pre-crisis and Post-crisis forest fire emergency cycle in the EU Mediterranean area; 3) preparing the exploitation of new spaceborne sensors available by 2020 (e.g.: Sentinels) and 4) contributing to the definition of User requirements for the new EO missions. The project capitalizes on the experience gained in the last decade by the Partners, in the frame of European and national applied research programs focusing on the management of forest fire hazards with spaceborne observation means. It will set up a regional service, able to process and distribute the information to end users, developed and maintained by a regional cluster of core users, industries and research institutes. Through the exploitation of the synoptic character of spaceborne EO data, the regional service is intended to stimulate further the coordination between countries on forest fires prevention in the EU Mediterranean region. The paper is devoted to illustrate the project products and the first results of the R&D activity