Effects of a Tapering Period on Physical Condition in Soccer Players

Loading or Unloading? This Is the Question! A Multi-Season Study in Professional Football Players

This study examined the impact of training load periodization on neuromuscular readiness in elite football players using the Locomotor Efficiency Index (LEI) as a measure of performance optimization. Throughout the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, 106 elite male players (age: 19.5 ± 3.9 years) from an Italian professional football club were monitored using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) external load data. The LEI was derived from a machine learning model, specifically random forest regression, which compared predicted and actual PlayerLoad™ values to evaluate neuromuscular efficiency. Players were categorized by weekly LEI into three readiness states: bad, normal, and good. Analysis focused on the variation in weekly LEI relative to weekly load percentage variation (large decrease, moderate decrease, no variation, moderate increase, large increase), which included total distance, high-speed distance (above 25.2 km/h), and mechanical load, defined as the sum of accelerations and decelerations. Statistical analysis showed significant differences only with variations in total distance and mechanical load. Specifically, reducing weekly loads improved LEI in players in lower readiness states, while maintaining or slightly increasing loads promoted optimal readiness. This approach enables coaches to tailor training prescriptions more effectively, optimizing workload and recovery to sustain player performance throughout a demanding season.

Recovery Methods in Basketball: A Systematic Review

Although different strategies have been implemented to manage recovery-fatigue status in athletes, there is still a lack of consensus on which recovery protocols have the greatest impact and effectiveness when implemented with basketball players, including both physiological and psychological recovery methods. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review is to: (a) determine which recovery methods attain the greatest benefit in restoring the process of attenuating fatigue and (b) provide sports practitioners with guidelines on how some of the most effective recovery strategies can be used to optimize athletes' recovery and ultimately enhance their performance. Using the PRISMA guidelines, a total of 3931 research reports were obtained through four database searches (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science), from which only 25 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The recovery protocols analyzed in this systematic review were: sleep, nutrition, hydration, ergogenic aids, cold-water immersion, compression garments, massage, acupuncture, tapering, mindfulness, and red-light irradiation. The results revealed that all recovery strategies are capable of attenuating fatigue and enhancing recovery in basketball players to a certain degree. However, an individualized approach should be promoted, where a combination of proactive recovery modalities appears to result in the most rapid rates of recovery and athletes' ability to maintain high-level performance. Recovery should be programmed as an integral component of training regimens. Also, cooperation and communication between coaches, players, and the rest of the team staff members are essential in minimizing the risk of non-functional overreaching or injury and optimizing basketball players' on-court performance.

Optimal Pretaper Phase on Physical Match Performance in Professional Soccer

PURPOSE

To investigate the optimal pretaper duration on match running performance in a professional soccer team.

METHODS

The training load was monitored during daily training sessions and matches during 2 seasons according to different periodization strategies. Matches' running distances were collected using match analysis system. The data were analyzed in 3 types of mesocycle blocks of 5 (M5), 4 (M4), and 3 weeks (M3), concludes all of them by 1 taper week.

RESULTS

Significant decreases in the training load during the taper weeks compared to standard weeks were observed in 3 types of mesocycle blocks (d ≥ 5; P < .01). An increase in overall match running performance was observed in matches played after the taper weeks compared to matches played after the standard weeks during M4 for all speed ranges (d ≥ 1.3; P < .05). The increase was only observed in low-intensity running (d = 1.3; P < .04) and total distance, low-intensity running, and intense running (d ≥ 1.3; P < .05) in M5 and M3, respectively. Match running performance following the taper weeks between the 3 different mesocycle durations was significantly higher in M4 for the number of high-speed running, sprinting, and high-intensity running (P < .05). The greatest enhancement of match running performance was observed at M4 when the training load was decreased by approximately 18% during the tapering period.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that a period of 3 standard weeks of training followed by 1 taper week is the optimal taper strategy when compared to different pretaper durations.

Monitoring Internal Training Load, Stress-Recovery Responses, and Immune-Endocrine Parameters in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training

Campos, F, Molina Correa, JC, Canevari, VCM, Branco, BHM, Andreato, LV, and de Paula Ramos, S. Monitoring internal training load, stress-recovery responses, and immune-endocrine parameters in Brazilian jiu-jitsu training. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between training loads, stress, and immune-endocrine markers during a precompetitive period in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athletes. For this, 12 athletes were submitted to 1 physical and 1 technical-tactical training session per day, 5 days a week, for 7 weeks. The saliva sampling and physical tests (countermovement jump [CMJ] and squat jump [SJ]) were performed before starting the training period (pre) and at the fourth week (4-week) and eighth week (post). Session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) and the Recovery-Stress Questionnaire-Sport (RESTQ) were applied, and the training load was calculated weekly. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and the Friedman test were used, with significance levels set at p < 0.05. Increased training loads were recorded by the sRPE method in technical-tactical training sessions (p < 0.05). Higher physical loads were reported by athletes during weeks 1-4, contributing to overall higher training load, monotony, and strain during this period (p < 0.05). Increased perception of stress, by the RESTQ, and cortisol were detected, whereas decreased salivary testosterone and salivary immunoglobulin A were observed at 4 weeks (p < 0.05). No significant differences were detected in CMJ and SJ tests, suggesting that training neither elicited significant fatigue and underperformance nor improved strength performance. However, decreasing physical training loads appeared to reduce symptoms of stress and improved recovery, favoring immune recovery and anabolic balance. Thus, the sRPE seems to be a reliable and simple method to monitor training loads in BJJ athletes because variation in values was related to the RESTQ and physiological responses to training loads.

The effects of 8 weeks of two different training methods on on-sight lead climbing performance

BACKGROUND

Despite climbing being an increasingly popular sporting pursuit, there have been very few scientific evaluations of appropriate training methods for competitive climbers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week climbing-specific muscular hypertrophy (MH) or muscular endurance (ME) resistance training program on the on-sight lead climbing performance in a similar setting to a World Cup.

METHODS

Twenty-three elite male and female climbers (age: 25.5±6.7 years; height: 1.72±0.08 m; body mass: 63.4±7.7 kg; measured on-sight level: 20.8±2.0 IRCRA [International Rock Climbing Research Association]) participated in 8 weeks' worth of MH (N.=11) or ME (N.=12) training. Before the training (FT1), after 8 weeks of training (FT2), and after a 2-week tapering period (FT3), the participants climbed an on-sight lead route in a similar setting to a world cup.

RESULTS

Climbers were able to perform significantly more moves (P=0.019; P<0.001) and climbed significantly harder (P=0.014; P<0.001) with FT2 and FT3 versus FT1. Climbing moves per unit time increased significantly when comparing FT2 to FT1 (P=0.007) and showed a tendency to increase when comparing FT3 to FT1 (P=0.061). However, there was no interaction effect between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that climbing-specific ME, as well as MH resistance training, improved on-sight lead climbing performance in a similar setting to a world cup. For competing climbers and climbing coaches, we recommend inclusion of the same proportions of climbing-specific ME and MH resistance training in their training programs to enhance on-sight lead climbing performance.