Monitoring workloads in collision sports: External load measures alone may not provide the full picture

PURPOSE: To compare the external loads and external:internal load ratios (EL:IL) during match-play of adolescent collision sport athletes playing at both elite (i.e., academy) and sub-elite (i.e., school) standards. METHODS: Following ethics approval, seventeen elite adolescent male rugby union players (mean ± SD age = 17 ± 1 years) were recruited for this study. Global positioning system (GPS) locomotor (i.e., relative distance [RD; m·min-1], low speed activity [LSA; relative distance <61% maximum velocity [Vmax]], high speed running [HSR; relative distance ≥61% Vmax]), and accelerometer (relative PlayerLoadTM [RPL; AU·min-1], PLSLOW [relative accelerations <2 m·s-1], PLFAST [relative accelerations ≥2 m·s-1]) external loads, and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) internal load measures were obtained from 22 matches resulting in 86 match files (39 sub-elite and 47 elite match files; 5 ± 2 match files per subject). Perceptual wellbeing measures (i.e., fatigue, sleep quality, upper-body and lower-body soreness, stress, and mood) were also recorded using a 5-point Likert scale on the mornings pre- and post-match. Data were analysed using Cohen’s d effect sizes (d) and magnitude-based inferences. RESULTS: Differences in external loads were unclear between playing standards for RD (d = -0.2) and RPL (d = 0.0). However, subjects’ EL:IL were very likely lower during elite compared to sub-elite matches for both RD:sRPE (d = -1.0) and RPL:sRPE (d = -0.8), due to the very likely greater sRPE during elite matches (d = -1.1). There were unclear differences between sub-elite and elite matches for distribution of GPS and accelerometer variables (i.e., LSA, HSR, PLSLOW, and PLFAST; Table 1). Changes in total perceptual wellbeing were possibly greater following elite compared to sub-elite matches, with unclear differences for changes in sleep quality, lower-body soreness, stress and mood. However, changes in perceptual fatigue and upper-body soreness were both likely greater following elite matches. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent rugby union players had similar locomotor and accelerometer external loads (i.e., RD, LSA, HSR, RPL, PLSLOW and PLFAST) during both elite and sub-elite standard matches. However, EL:IL was substantially reduced in higher standard matches, indicating a higher perception of effort for a given external load. Greater changes in perceptual fatigue and upper-body soreness following elite match-play may be related to greater magnitude of collision-based activity at higher playing standards. This may be due to the increased body mass and running velocities of opponents at higher playing standards, which may not be fully accounted for using external load measures alone. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: As collision sports require more than just movement and acceleration demands, the inclusion of subjective load measures (i.e., sRPE) or EL:IL may provide a further insight to the true demands of training or match-play than GPS and accelerometer data alone

Strategic planning, ‘city deals’ and affordable housing

This study examines how local and international funding interventions focussed on specific regions, such as City Deals, deliver affordable rental housing for low income households to enhance urban productivity. Such strategic policy interventions offer some promise in creating new economic opportunities, however explicit policies are needed to ensure low income households can access affordable housing close to employment opportunities

Human Capital and Organizational Performance: Evidence from the Healthcare Sector

This paper contributes to the literature on the relationship between human capital and organizational performance. We use detailed longitudinal monthly data on nursing units in the Veterans Administration hospital system to identify how the human capital (general, hospital-specific and unit or team-specific) of the nursing team on the unit affects patients' outcomes. Since we use monthly, not annual, data, we are able to avoid the omitted variable bias and endogeneity bias that could result when annual data are used. Nurse staffing levels, general human capital, and unit-specific human capital have positive and significant effects on patient outcomes while the use of contract nurses, who have less specific capital than regular staff nurses, negatively impacts patient outcomes. Policies that would increase the specific human capital of the nursing staff are found to be cost-effective.

Supporting affordable housing supply: inclusionary planning in new and renewing communities, AHURI Final Report No. 297

This study examined recent Australian and international practice in planning for affordable housing within new and renewing communities, focusing on South Australia’s 15 per cent inclusionary housing target and voluntary incentives for affordable housing in NSW, as well as recent practice in the UK and the US. * Key data sources included policy documents, government reports, and development approval data as well as 23 interviews with planners and affordable housing developers and consultants

Validity of Daily and Weekly Self-Reported Training Load Measures in Adolescent Athletes

The primary aim of the study was to assess the level of agreement between the criterion session-rating of perceived exertion (sRPE30min) and a practical measure of a self-reported web-based training load questionnaire 24-hours post-training (sRPE24h) in adolescent athletes. The secondary aim was to assess the agreement between weekly summated sRPE24h values (ƩsRPE24h) and a weekly web-based training diary (sRPEweekly) for all field-based training accumulated on a subsequent training week. Thirty-six male adolescent rugby players (age 16.7 ± 0.5 years) were recruited from a regional academy. sRPE30min measures were recorded 30-minutes following a typical field-based training session. Participants then completed the sRPE24h via a web-based training load questionnaire 24-hours post-training, reporting both session duration and intensity. In addition, on a subsequent week, participants completed the sRPE24h daily and then completed the sRPEweekly at the end of the week, using the same web-based platform, to recall all field-based training session durations and intensities over those seven days. Biases were trivial between sRPE30min and sRPE24h for sRPE (0.3% [-0.9 to 1.5]), with nearly perfect correlations (0.99 [0.98 to 0.99), and small typical error of the estimate (TEE; 4.3% [3.6 to 5.4]). Biases were trivial between ƩsRPE24h and sRPEweekly for sRPE (5.9% [-2.1 to 14.2]), with very large correlations (0.87 [0.78 to 0.93]), and moderate TEE 28.5% [23.3 to 36.9]). The results of this study show that sRPE24h is a valid and robust method to quantify training loads in adolescent athletes. However, sRPEweekly was found to have a substantial TEE (29%), limiting practical application

Between-Day Reliability and Sensitivity of Common Fatigue Measures in Rugby Players.

This study established the between-day reliability and sensitivity of a countermovement jump (CMJ), plyometric push-up, wellbeing questionnaire and whole blood creatine kinase concentration [CK] in elite male youth rugby union players. The study also established the between-day reliability of 1, 2 or 3 CMJ and plyometric push-up attempts. Twenty-five players completed tests on 2 occasions separated by 5 days (of rest). Between-day typical error (TE), coefficient of variation (CV) and smallest worthwhile change (SWC) were calculated for the wellbeing questionnaire, [CK] and CMJ and plyometric push-up metrics (peak/mean power, peak/mean force, height, flight-time and flight-time to contraction-time ratio) for 1 maximal effort or taking the highest score from 2 or 3 maximal efforts. The results from this study would suggest that CMJ mean power (2 or 3 attempts), peak force or mean force, and plyometric push-up mean force (from 2 or 3 attempts) should be used for assessing lower- and upper-body neuromuscular function respectively, due to both their acceptable reliability (CV 5% (7.1% and 26.1% respectively) and poor sensitivity (CV>SCW). The findings from this study can be used when interpreting fatigue markers to make an objective decision about a player's readiness to train or compete

The influence of resistance training experience on the between-day reliability of commonly used strength measures in male youth athletes

The purpose of this study was to determine the between-day reliability of commonly used strength measures in male youth athletes, while considering resistance training experience. Data were collected on 25 male athletes over two testing sessions, with 72 hours rest between, for the 3RM front squat, chin up and bench press. Subjects were initially categorized by resistance training experience (inexperienced; 6-12 months, experienced; >2 years). The assessment of the between-day reliability (coefficient of variation [CV%]) showed the front squat (experienced: 2.90%; inexperienced: 1.90%), chin up (experienced: 1.70%; inexperienced: 1.90%), and bench press (experienced: 4.50%; inexperienced: 2.40%) were all reliable measures of strength in both groups. Comparison between groups for the error of measurement for each exercise showed trivial differences. When both groups were combined, the CV% for the front squat, bench press, and chin up were 2.50%, 1.80%, and 3.70%, respectively. This study provides scientists and practitioners with the between-day reliability reference data to determine real and practical changes for strength in male youth athletes with different resistance training experience. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that 3RM front squat, chin up and bench press are reliable exercises to quantify strength in male youth athletes