Validity of a contact mat and accelerometric system to assess countermovement jump from flight time

Countermovement jump (CMJ) height is an important parameter in physical performance. This study compared CMJ height measured using ChronoJump contact mat (CJ) and Myotest accelerometer (MT) systems with a force platform (FP). Thirty recreationally active adults (32.1 ± 10.4 years, 75.9 ± 12.0 kg, 173.2 ± 6.3 cm) completed a CMJ protocol where height was simultaneously recorded using the three systems. CJ and MT measures were strongly and significant correlated (r = 0.65, 0.66, respectively; p  0.05), yet MT-derived measures were significantly different from those obtained using the FP (p < 0.05). Systematic bias was observed between FP and the CJ and between FP and MT. This study demonstrates the validity of CJ and MT systems for the assessment of CMJ height. Systematic bias and between-device differences in measurement should be considered when interpreting and comparing data from these devices

Age-related changes in performance and recovery kinetics in masters athletes: A narrative review

Despite increasing participation rates in masters sport and extensive research examining age-related changes in performance, little is known about the effect of age on recovery kinetics in masters athletes. This narrative review focuses on the relationship between aging and sport participation, and the effect on both performance and recovery following an exercise bout. Current research suggests the effect of age on performance and recovery may be smaller than originally suggested and that increasing sedentary lifestyles appear to play a larger role in any observed decrements in performance and recovery in masters athletes. Currently, it appears that performance decrements are inevitable with age. However, performance capacities can be maintained through systematic physical training. Moreover, the limited current research suggests there may be an age effect on recovery kinetics following an exercise bout, although further research is required to understand the acute and chronic recovery processes in the masters athlete

Aging and Recovery After Resistance-Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage: Current Evidence and Implications for Future Research

Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2021, 29(3): 544-551, https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2020-0201. © Human Kinetics, Inc.Aging is anecdotally associated with a prolonged recovery from resistance training, though current literature remains equivocal. This brief review considers the effects of resistance training on indirect markers of muscle damage and recovery (i.e., muscle soreness, blood markers, and muscle strength) in older males. With no date restrictions, four databases were searched for articles relating to aging, muscle damage, and recovery. Data from 11 studies were extracted for review. Of these, four reported worse symptoms in older compared with younger populations, while two have observed the opposite, and the remaining studies (n = 6) proposed no differences between age groups. It appears that resistance training can be practiced in older populations without concern for impaired recovery. To improve current knowledge, researchers are urged to utilize more ecologically valid muscle-damaging bouts and investigate the mechanisms which underpin the recovery of muscle soreness and strength after exercise in older populations

Age-related differences in post-exercise recovery following high-intensity exercise in masters and young cyclists

The purpose of this thesis and associated series of studies was to compare the acute (1 hrs) in well-trained masters and young cyclists following a high-intensity interval training bout (HIT). The thesis comprises of five manuscripts. Manuscript 1 in Chapter 2 is a narrative literature review published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity which examines the significance of the masters athlete population, the importance of recovery for athletes, and the effect of age on recovery following exercise. Manuscripts 2-4 in Chapters 3- 5 investigate age-related differences in acute physiological recovery parameters and Manuscript 5 in Chapter 6 examines differences in chronic parameters of recovery

Age-related differences in post-exercise recovery following high-intensity exercise in masters and young cyclists

The purpose of this thesis and associated series of studies was to compare the acute (1 hrs) in well-trained masters and young cyclists following a high-intensity interval training bout (HIT). The thesis comprises of five manuscripts. Manuscript 1 in Chapter 2 is a narrative literature review published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity which examines the significance of the masters athlete population, the importance of recovery for athletes, and the effect of age on recovery following exercise. Manuscripts 2-4 in Chapters 3- 5 investigate age-related differences in acute physiological recovery parameters and Manuscript 5 in Chapter 6 examines differences in chronic parameters of recovery

Wearable lactate threshold predicting device is valid and reliable in runners

Wearable lactate threshold predicting device is valid and reliable in runners. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2212-2218, 2016 - A commercially available device claiming to be the world's first wearable lactate threshold predicting device (WLT), using near-infrared LED technology, has entered the market. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of agreement between the WLT-derived lactate threshold workload and traditional methods of lactate threshold (LT) calculation and the interdevice and intradevice reliability of the WLT. Fourteen (7 male, 7 female; mean ± SD; age: 18-45 years, height: 169 ± 9 cm, mass: 67 ± 13 kg, Vo 2 max: 53 ± 9 ml·kg -1 ·min -1) subjects ranging from recreationally active to highly trained athletes completed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion on a treadmill. Blood lactate samples were taken at the end of each 3-minute stage during the test to determine lactate threshold using 5 traditional methods from blood lactate analysis which were then compared against the WLT predicted value. In a subset of the population (n 12), repeat trials were performed to determine both inter-reliability and intrareliability of the WLT device. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) found high to very high agreement between the WLT and traditional methods (ICC > 0.80), with TEMs and mean differences ranging between 3.9-10.2% and 1.3-9.4%. Both interdevice and intradevice reliability resulted in highly reproducible and comparable results (CV 0.97). This study suggests that the WLT is a practical, reliable, and noninvasive tool for use in predicting LT in runners. © 2015 National Strength and Conditioning Association.Borges, NR and Driller, MW

The commonality between approaches to determine jump fatigue during basketball activity in junior players: In-game versus across-game decrements

© 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc. Purpose: Declines in high-intensity activity during game play (in-game approach) and performance tests measured pre-and postgame (across-game approach) have been used to assess player fatigue in basketball. However, a direct comparison of these approaches is not available. Consequently, this study examined the commonality between in-and across-game jump fatigue during simulated basketball game play. Methods: Australian, state-level, junior male basketball players (n = 10; 16.6 ± 1.1 y, 182.4 ± 4.3 cm, 68.3 ± 10.2 kg) completed 4 × 10-min standardized quarters of simulated basketball game play. In-game jump height during game play was measured using video analysis, while across-game jump height was determined pre-, mid-, and postgame play using an in-ground force platform. Jump height was determined using the flight-time method, with jump decrement calculated for each approach across the frst half, second half, and entire game. Results: A greater jump decrement was apparent for the in-game approach than for the across-game approach in the frst half (37.1% ± 11.6% vs 1.7% ± 6.2%; P =.005; d = 3.81, large), while nonsignifcant, large differences were evident between approaches in the second half (d = 1.14) and entire game (d = 1.83). Nonsignifcant associations were evident between in-game and across-game jump decrement, with shared variances of 3-26%. Conclusions: Large differences and a low commonality were observed between in-and across-game jump fatigue during basketball game play, suggesting that these approaches measure different constructs. Based on our fndings, it is not recommended that basketball coaches use these approaches interchangeably to monitor player fatigue across the season

A comparison of heart rate training load and perceptual effort between masters and young cyclists

Doering, TM ORCiD: 0000-0002-6427-1067; Scanlan, AT ORCiD: 0000-0002-0750-8697Purpose: Due to age-related changes in the psychobiological state of masters athletes, this brief report aimed to compare training load responses using heart rate (HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during standardized training sessions between masters and young cyclists. Methods: Masters (n = 10; 55.6 [5.0] y) and young (n = 8; 25.9 [3.0] y) cyclists performed separate endurance and high-intensity interval training sessions. Endurance intensity was set at 95% of ventilatory threshold 2 for 1 hour. High-intensity interval training consisted of 6 × 30-second intervals at 175% peak power output with 4.5-minute rest between intervals. HR was monitored continuously and RPE collected at standardized time periods during each session. Banister training impulse and summated-HR-zones training loads were also calculated. Results: Despite a significantly lower mean HR in masters cyclists during endurance (P = .04; d = 1.06 [±0.8], moderate) and high-intensity interval training (P = .01; d = 1.34 [±0.8], large), no significant differences were noted (P > .05) when responses were determined relative to maximum HR or converted to training impulse and summated-HR-zone loads. Furthermore, no interaction or between-group differences were evident for RPE across either session (P > .05). Conclusions: HR and RPE values were comparable between masters and young cyclists when relative HR responses and HR training load models are used. This finding suggests HR and RPE methods used to monitor or prescribe training load can be used interchangeably between masters and young athletes irrespective of chronological age