THE INFLUENCE OF KARATE PRACTICE LEVEL AND SEX ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PERCEPTUAL RESPONSES IN THREE MODERN KARATE TRAINING MODALITIES

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of karate practice level (national vs international level) and sex (women vs men) on physiological and perceptual responses in three modern karate training modalities (tactical-technical (TT), technical-development (TD), and randori). Method: The study included 18 karatekas participating in an eight-session training camp of four TT, two TD, and two randori. During each session, the percentage of maximal heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration [La-], and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed. Results: The main results showed that the percentage of maximal HR was significantly higher in women than in men regardless of practice level or training modality (70.3 ± 4.1 vs 66.2 ± 6.3, respectively). Moreover, [La-] and RPE were significantly lower in international-level karatekas compared with their national-level counterparts whatever the sex or training modality ([La-] = 11.4 ± 2.6 vs 8.3 ± 2.4 mmol · L-1 and RPE = 3.6 ± 1.2 vs 4.3 ± 1.5, respectively). Last, physiological and perceptual responses were significantly higher during randori in comparison with TT and TD for both sexes. Conclusion: The combination of [La-] and RPE thus seems to be a good indicator for discriminating between national- and international-level karatekas, and randori seems to be an effective means to reproduce official karate sparring

No association between perceived exertion and session duration with hamstring injury occurrence in professional football

Training and competition loads have emerged as modifiable composite risk factors of non‐contact injury. Hamstring strains are the most common injuries in football with substantial burden on the individual player and club. Nevertheless, robust evidence of a consistent load‐hamstring injury relationship in professional football is lacking. Using available data from the Qatar Stars League over three competitive seasons, this study investigated the separate and combined effects of perceived exertion and session duration on hamstring injury occurrence in a sample of 30 outfield football players. Load variables were calculated into 7‐day, 14‐day, 21‐day, 28‐day periods of data, and week‐to‐week changes for average ratings of perceived exertion (RPE; au) score and session‐RPE (s‐RPE; session‐duration urn:x-wiley:09057188:media:sms13591:sms13591-math-0001 score), plus the cumulative training and match minutes and s‐RPE, respectively. Conditional logistic regression models estimated load‐injury relationships per 2‐within‐subject standard deviation increments in each candidate variable. Associations were declared practically important based on the location of the confidence interval in relation to thresholds of 0.90 and 1.11 defining small beneficial and harmful effects, respectively. The uncertainty for the corrected odds ratios show that typically high within‐subject increments in each candidate variable were not practically important for training‐ and match‐related hamstring injury (95% confidence intervals range: 0.85 to 1.16). We found limited exploratory evidence regarding the value of perceived exertion and session duration as etiological factors of hamstring injury in Middle‐East professional football. Monitoring remains valuable to inform player load management strategies, but our exploratory findings suggest its role for type‐specific injury risk determination appears empirically unsupported

The effects of different doses of caffeine on performance, rating of perceived exertion and pain perception in teenagers female karate athletes

ABSTRACT The present study set to examine the effects of different doses of caffeine on performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and pain perception in female teenager athletes of karate. Ten female karate athletes (16.8±1.23 years; height 1.59±0.28 m; body-mass 57.73±8.33 kg; BMI 22.71±3.05 kg/m2) participated in the study. A double-blind, randomized, and crossover counterbalanced design was used. In three sessions (with an interval of seven days'), ten female karate athletes ingested low dose (2 mg/kg), moderate dose (5 mg/kg) caffeine, and placebo. Sixty minutes after consumption, they performed the tests as below: one repetition maximum and 60% of one repetition maximum in the leg press, explosive power test, and anaerobic RAST test. After the tests, the participants' RPE (6-20 scale) and pain perception (0-10 scale) were recorded using various categorical scales. The results showed that caffeine ingestion at moderate dose significantly reduced RPE and pain perception values compared with the placebo during muscular endurance test (P=0.0001 and P=0.039, respectively). The findings suggest that caffeine dose of 5 mg/kg body mass appears to improve RPE and pain perception in female teenager athletes of karate. The dose of 2 mg/kg body mass does not confer any additional improvement in performance

Athlete health protection: Why qualitative research matters

Qualitative research is increasingly recognised as relevant and useful to uncovering and understanding new and differentiated insights that move both research and practice forward. The field of athlete health protection – that is, injury and illness prevention and management – is reliant on high-quality knowledge of athlete and other key stakeholders’ perspectives, understanding of the complex relations within the athlete health protection system, the socio-ecological context in which athletes are provided with prevention and care, and how best to influence those involved in athlete health protection for better and more effective outcomes. Yet, deep interrogation of these aspects is often overlooked in favour of quantitatively-driven research questions. As athlete health protection research and practice matures, we argue that there is a need for research that complements traditional approaches, connects researchers 3 from different disciplines - but which also distinctly holds space for the unique insights that qualitative approaches can add. The purpose of this editorial is to highlight the importance, value, and relevance of qualitative research to the field of athlete health protection – in other words, why qualitative research matters

Contrôle de la charge d'entraînement : validité et évaluation psychométrique de la version française de l'échelle de la RPE chez de jeunes athlètes

International audienceObjective. — The aim of this study was to validate the French translation of the category-rating-10 used for assessing perceived exertion (RPE) when monitoring training loads. Methods. — Fifty athletes from individual (Taekwondo) and team sports (soccer) volunteered. Two forward translations, a reconciled version, and then a back-translation were completed to validate the final French version. French Session-RPE, heart rate, and duration were recorded for 622 training sessions.Results. —The comparability of language and similarity of interpretability using a Likert scale were 2 and 1, respectively. A high Cronbach’s coefficient ( = 0.77) was found. The intraclass correlation coefficient of session-RPE was 0.77. High correlations were determined between the session-RPE and HR-based methods during training sessions. The effect size was 0.97.Conclusion. — When monitoring training load, the French version of category-rating-10 exhibits similar reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change as the English version.Objectif. — L’objet de cette étude était de valider la traduction franc¸aise de l’échelle de la Note de Catégorie-10 utilisée dans l’évaluation de la perception de l’effort pour contrôler la charge d’entraînement.Méthode. —Cinquante athlètes de sport individuel (taekwondo) et d’équipe (football) ont volontairement participé à l’étude. Deux traductions en mode direct, une version réconciliée, puis une traduction indirecte ont été effectuées pour évaluer la version franc¸aise finale. Lafréquence cardiaque, la durée et la charge d’entraînement quantifiée par la version franc¸aise ont été enregistrées durant 622 séances d’entraînement.Résultats. — La comparaison et la similarité de l’interprétation en utilisant l’échelle de Likert étaient de 2 et 1, respectivement. Un coefficient élevé de -Cronbach a été calculé ( = 0,77). Le coefficient de corrélation intraclasse de la RPE-de-séance était de 0,77. Des corrélations élevées ont été observées entre la RPE-séance et les différentes méthodes de contrôle de la charge d’entraînement basées sur la FC (les méthodes de Banister et d’Edwards). L’effet de taille de l’échantillon était de 0,97.Conclusion. —Dans le cadre du contrôle de la charge d’entraînement, la version franc¸aise de l’échelle de la Note de Catégorie-10 présente une similarité de fiabilité, validé et sensibilité aux changements avec la version anglaise

Validity and reliability of the session-RPE method for quantifying training load in karate athletes.

International audienceTo test the construct validity and reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) method by examining the relationship between RPE and physiological parameters (heart rate: HR and blood lactate concentration: [La --] ) and the correlations between sRPE and two HR--based methods for quantifying internal training load (Banister's method and Edwards's method) during karate training camp

Validity and reliability of the session-RPE method for quantifying training load in karate athletes

Aim: Aim of the study was to test the construct validity and reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) method by examining the relationship between RPE and physiological parameters (heart rate: HR and blood lactate concentration: [La-]) and the correlations between sRPE and two HR-based methods for quantifying internal training load (Banister's method and Edwards's method) during karate training camp. Methods: Eighteen elite karate athletes: ten men (age: 24.2±2.3 years, body mass: 71.2±9 kg, body fat: 8.2±1.3% and height: 178±7 cm) and eight women (age: 22.6±1.2 years, body mass: 59.8±8.4 kg, body fat: 20.2±4.4%, height: 169±4 cm) were included in the study. During training camp, subjects participated in eight karate-training sessions including three training modes (4 tactical-technical, 2 technical-development, and 2 randori training), during which RPE, HR, and [La-] were recorded. Results: Significant correlations were found between RPE and physiological parameters (percentage of maximal HR: r=0.75, 95% CI=0.64-0.86; [La-]: r=0.62, 95% CI=0.49-0.75; P<0.001). Moreover, individual sRPE was significantly correlated with two HR-based methods for quantifying internal training load (r=0.65-0.95; P<0.001). The sRPE method showed the high reliability of the same intensity across training sessions (Cronbach's a=0.81, 95% CI=0.61-0.92). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the sRPE method is valid for quantifying internal training load and intensity in karate

Validity and reliability of the session-RPE method for quantifying training load in karate athletes.

International audienceTo test the construct validity and reliability of the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) method by examining the relationship between RPE and physiological parameters (heart rate: HR and blood lactate concentration: [La --] ) and the correlations between sRPE and two HR--based methods for quantifying internal training load (Banister's method and Edwards's method) during karate training camp

The Impact of Jumping during Recovery on Repeated Sprint Ability in Young Soccer Players

This study compared the effect of counter-movement-jump (CMJ)-based recovery on repeated-sprint-ability (RSA). Eighteen male footballers (16 ± 0 years, 65 ± 10 kg, 1.74 ± 0.10 m) performed three RSA-tests. RSA-1/-3 were performed according to standard procedures, while three CMJs (over 10″) - as a potential fatigue-determinant and/or running mechanics interference--were administered during RSA-2 recoveries. RSA performance, exercise effort (fatigue index [FI], rating of perceived exertion [RPE], blood lactate concentration [BLa]), simple kinematics (steps number), vertical-jump characteristics (stretch-shortening-cycle-efficiency [SSCE] assessed before/after RSA) were investigated. ANOVA showed no differences between RSA-1,-3. During RSA-2, performance was lower than RSA-1/-3, while steps number did not change. During RSA-2, FI, BLa, RPE were higher than RSA-1/-3 (FI +21.10/+20.43%, P<0.05; BLa +16.25/+13.34%, P<0.05; RPE +12.50/+9.57%, P<0.05). During RSA-2, SSCE, as the CMJ/squat-jump-height-ratio, was not significantly different from RSA-1/-3. Passive recovery RSA allows better performance. Yet, RSA CMJ-based recovery is effective in increasing training load (FI, BLa, RPE) without perturbing running mechanics (simple kinematics, SSCE)

Effects of lunar phases on short-term, explosive physical performance among young trained athletes

Beliefs that lunar phases affect human physiology started in ancient times. Research has recently revealed that a physical fitness index increased in sedentary students at the new moon (NM) and full moon (FM) compared to other moon phases. However, the effect of lunar cycle (moon illumination and gravitational pull) on physical performance in athletes was not examined. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether short-term explosive performance can be influenced by the different phases of the lunar cycle. Fourteen young male Taekwondo athletes (age: 16.9 ± 0.7 years, height: 159.7 ± 50.6 cm, body mass: 62.85 ± 7.84 kg) performed the following tests to assess the explosive physical performance during the different phases of the lunar cycle (NM, FQ (first quarter), FM, and LQ (last quarter)): maximal isometric manual contraction (dominant hand (MIMCD) and non-dominant hand (MIMCND)), maximal back isometric contraction (MBIC), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and 10-m sprint (10 m). The testing sessions during the different moon phases were performed in a counterbalanced order. The order of tests remained the same (MIMCD, MIMCND, MBIC, SJ, CMJ, and 10 m), and all sessions were performed in the evening (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.) on the first day of each evaluated lunar phase. Each parameter was measured over two consecutive lunar months in the calendar. Analysis of variance tests showed that there was no significant effect of lunar cycle on all explosive test measures, p > 0.05. Our results failed to identify any effect of lunar phase on evening explosive performance (mainly involving phosphagen pathway-based efforts) among young trained athletes. Therefore, it appears that moon phase/illumination does not affect short-term physical performance in young trained adolescents.This study was supported by The Research Laboratory “Sports Performance Optimization” National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.Scopu