Auswirkungen eines einwöchigen fußballspezifischen Intervalltrainings auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Amateur-Fußballspielern

Kurzfassung trainingsspezifischer Teil (Hinterkörner) Zweck: Das Ziel der Studie war es, die Auswirkung eines einwöchigen fußballspezifischen Intervalltrainings auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Amateur-Fußballspielern zu untersuchen. Methode: 16 männliche Amateur-Fußballspieler wurden in eine Kontroll- und eine Trainingsgruppe eingeteilt (KG: n=8, TG: n=8). Die Trainingsgruppe absolvierte elf Trainingseinheiten in sechs Tagen, während die Kontrollgruppe kein Training durchführte. Vor der Trainingsintervention und eine Woche danach unterzogen sich die Probanden einer Leistungsdiagnostik, die eine Spiroergometrie, einen Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (Level 1), einen Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) und einen 20-Meter-Sprint beinhaltete. Im Zuge der Trainingseinheiten, die am Vor- und Nachmittag stattfanden, wurde ein Intervalltraining (vier Mal vier Minuten bei 95 Prozent der maximalen Herzfrequenz mit dreiminütigen Pausen dazwischen bei 70 Prozent der maximalen Herzfrequenz) in Form von Kleinfeldspielformen mit unterschiedlichen Aufgabenstellungen durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Es wurden keine signifikanten Unterschiede bei der maximalen Sauerstoffaufnahme zwischen den beiden Testzeitpunkten erkannt (p=0,064). Signifikante Unterschiede bestanden hingegen bei der Geschwindigkeit an der anaeroben Schwelle (p=0,011), bei der Laufleistung beim Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (p=0,000), bei der Durchschnittsleistung beim RAST (p=0,001) sowie beim RAST-Ermüdungsindex (p=0,008). Bei der Sprintzeit gab es keine signifikanten Unterschiede. Die Kontrollgruppe verzeichnete bei keinem der Tests relevante signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den Testzeitpunkten. Fazit: Entgegen der Erwartungen konnten mittels angewandter Trainingsintervention zwar keine signifikanten Unterschiede bei der maximalen Sauerstoffaufnahme erzielt werden, allerdings wurden positive Auswirkungen auf fußballspezifische Leistungsparameter anhand der Ergebnisse beim Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test und Running Anaerobic Sprint Test gezeigt, womit die Effektivität eines Intervalltrainings in Blockform unterstrichen wurde. Ein derartiges Training kann daher verwendet werden, um in kurzer Zeit die fußballspezifische Leistung zu erhöhen und könnte auch im Amateurbereich in Form eines Trainingslagers zur Anwendung kommen, wodurch eine hohe Praxisrelevanz gegeben ist. Schlüsselwörter: Kleinfeldspielformen, Blockperiodisierung, Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit, Fußball, High Intensity Intervalltraining.Abstract training specific part (Hinterkörner) Purpose: This master thesis aimed to study the effects of strenuous soccer- specific high intensity interval training, performed twice daily over 6 continuous days, on exercise performance parameters in players of an amateur soccer league. Methods: Two groups were formed: a control group (CG) and a training group (TG) excluding drop outs both groups consisted of 8 subjects finally. The TG completed eleven training sessions within six days, whereas no exercise training was performed during this period by subjects of the CG. Before the start of this high-intensity training micro-cycle TG and CG performed a battery of exercise performance tests including assessment of cardio-respiratory fitness by using a graded maximal exercise test on a treadmill, a Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level1 (Yo-Yo IR1), Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) and a 20-meter sprint test in addition anthropometric measurements were performed. These tests were repeated following one week of recovery after completing the training micro-cycle. Training was performed twice daily with a morning and an afternoon training session respectively and consisted of an interval-type of exercise (4 x 4 repeated exercise bouts performed with 95% of the maximum heart rate interspersed by 3 minutes of low-intensity periods performed with 70% of the maximum heart rate. These exercise bouts were organized with different variations of soccer-specific small-group-games. Results: Although the study showed no significant differences in the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) between the two measurements (p=0,064), there were significant differences with regard to the anaerobic threshold (p=0,011), to the running performance (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, p=0,000), to the average performance of the RAST (p=0,001) and to the RAST fatigue index (p=0,008) in the TG. Sprinting time however did not change significantly. None of the performance parameters changed significantly in CG comparing the two measurements 2 weeks apart. Conclusion: In contrast to our prior expectations the interval trainings did not result in significant differences in maximum oxygen uptake. However, there were positive implications with regard to other soccer-specific performance parameters as indicated by the results of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test and the RAST. These results underline the effectiveness of interval trainings performed in block micro-cycles. Therefore this specific form of periodization can enhance soccer-specific performance and could be implemented in the training schedules of amateur soccer teams as well. Keywords: Small-sided games, block periodization, endurance performance, football, high-intensity interval training

Age-related differences of microRNA-21 in leukocytes and its association with physical performance

INTRODUCTION: Several studies suggest chronic inflammation as an underlying biological mechanism for the decline in physical performance of elderly (Cesari et al., 2004; Tiainen et al., 2010). Moreover, it has been shown that habitual exercise ameliorates the higher proinflammatory gene expression in leukocytes of elderly (Gano et al., 2011). Within the last years several microRNAs (short, non-coding RNAs) have been demonstrated to regulate gene expression also in the context of exercise immunology (Wessner et al., 2010). Interestingly, some of these microRNAs (miRs) such as miR-21 and miR-146 are involved in pathways important for ageing as well as inflammatory processes (Olivieri et al. 2012). Therefore, the main aims of the current study were (1) to investigate whether miR-21 and miR-146 levels in leukocytes are affected by age and (2) to correlate performance levels of elderly to miR gene expression levels. METHODS: Healthy young (n=7, age: 25.28 ± 2.3 years) and old (n=25, age: 83.40 ± 5.63 years) females participated in the study. After an overnight fast, leukocytes were isolated from heparinized blood using BD Vacutainer CPT tubes. miR-21 and miR146 gene expression in leukocytes was determined by quantitative RT-PCR using miScript Primer Assays (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Additonally, leukocyte numbers and inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, hs-IL6, IL1-ra) were quantified. In order to relate potential inflammtaory markers to the fitness level of the elderly, several functional tests were performed (handgrip, 6min walking test, chair-rise test, isokinetic measurement of knee extension and flexion). Differences between groups were detected by unpaired t-tests. Correlations between markers were characterized using Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Interestingly, miR-21 expression in leukocytes was significantly enhanced in the elderly (+55.1%, p=0.036) while miR-146a levels were not affected by age (p=0.492). However, miR-21 correlated signifantly with hs-CRP levels (r=0.352; p=0.033), we did not detect any associations between miR-21 expression and performance parameters of the elderly: Handgrip (r=0.533; p=0.121), 6-min Walking Test (r=0.231; p=0.220), Chair Rise (r=0.336; p=0.070), Peak Torque knee extension (r=0.589; p=0.105) as well as flexion (r=0.203; p=0.291). CONCLUSION: In conclusion these preliminary results show that miR-21 seems to be enhanced with age but not influenced by fitness level of the elderly. Gene targets of miR-21 have been identified in the TGF-β signaling pathway. Therefore, next steps would be to associate the changes in miR-21with its potential targets to further elucidate its role in the ageing process

Circulating cell-free DNA, telomere length and bilirubin\ud in the Vienna Active Ageing Study: Exploratory analysis of a\ud randomized, controlled trial

<i>Telomere length</i> (TL) in blood cells is widely used in human studies as a molecular marker of ageing. <i>Circulating cell-free DNA</i> (cfDNA) as well as <i>unconjugated bilirubin</i> (UCB) are dynamic blood constituents whose involvement in age-associated diseases is largely unexplored. To our knowledge, there are no published studies integrating all three parameters, especially in individuals of advanced age. Here we present a secondary analysis from the <i>Vienna Active Aging Study</i> (VAAS), a randomized controlled intervention trial in institutionalized elderly individuals (n = 101). Using an exploratory approach we combine three blood-based molecular markers (TL, UCB and cfDNA) with a range of primary and secondary outcomes from the intervention. We further look at the changes occurring in these parameters after 6-month resistance exercise training with or without supplementation. A correlation between UCB and TL was evident at baseline (p < 0.05), and both were associated with increased chromosomal anomalies such as nucleoplasmatic bridges and nuclear buds (p < 0.05). Of the three main markers explored in this paper, only cfDNA decreased significantly (p < 0.05) after 6-month training and dietary intervention. No clear relationship could be established between cfDNA and either UCB or TL. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01775111)

Reliability of gait variability assessment in older individuals during a six-minute walk test

Gait variability is an important indicator of gait performance. However, the reliability of the parameters used for its quantification, obtained from trunk linear accelerations, has still not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of gait variability assessment in healthy older individuals based on lower trunk accelerations during a six-minute walk test and to examine the reliability of the data acquired in shorter periods. Twenty-nine subjects (84±5 years) performed the test while wearing one inertial sensor on the lower trunk. Gait variability parameters (standard deviation and coefficient of variation of the stride duration, and correlation coefficients of accelerations between neighbouring strides) were calculated from the accelerations over 35 rectilinear strides observed during six series of one-minute intervals extracted from the original signal. The reliability of these parameters was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results showed no significant changes across the six series for any of the parameters, with very high ICC values (0.93–0.95), indicating a strong reliability of the observed quantities. Therefore, gait variability analysis based on lower trunk acceleration data is a reliable and informative quantity in gait performance assessment in older individuals, and 1 min interval is sufficient to ensure reliable results

Effects of elastic band resistance training and nutritional supplementation on muscle quality and circulating muscle growth and degradation factors of institutionalized elderly women: the Vienna Active Ageing Study (VAAS)

Purpose: Regular resistance exercise training and a balanced diet may counteract the age-related muscular decline on a molecular level. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of elastic band resistance training and nutritional supplementation on circulating muscle growth and degradation factors, physical performance and muscle quality (MQ) of institutionalized elderly. Methods: Within the Vienna Active Ageing Study, 91 women aged 83.6 (65.0–92.2) years were randomly assigned to one of the three intervention groups (RT, resistance training; RTS, resistance training plus nutritional supplementation; CT, cognitive training). Circulating levels of myostatin, activin A, follistatin, IGF-1 and GDF-15, as well as MQ and functional parameters were tested at baseline as well as after 3 and 6 months of intervention. Results: MQ of lower extremities significantly increased in the RT group (+14 %) and RTS group (+12 %) after 6 months. Performance improved in the RT and RTS groups for chair stand test (RT: +18 %; RTS: +15 %). Follistatin increased only in the RT group (+18 %) in the latter phase of the intervention, accompanied by a decrease in the activin A-to-follistatin ratio (−7 %). IGF-1, myostatin and GDF-15 levels were not affected by the intervention. Conclusion: Our data confirm that strength training improves physical performance and MQ even in very old institutionalized women. This amelioration appears to be mediated by blocking muscle degradation pathways via follistatin rather than inducing muscle growth through the IGF-1 pathway. As plasma levels of biomarkers reflect an overall status of various organ systems, future studies of tissue levels are suggested