Faster Heart Rate Recovery Correlates With High-Intensity Match Activity in Female Field Hockey Players-Training Implications

Wearable Sensors and the Evaluation of Physiological Performance in Elite Field Hockey Players

Sports performance tracking has gained a lot of interest and widespread use in recent years, especially in elite and sub-elite sports. This makes it possible to improve the effectiveness of training, to calibrate and balance workloads according to real energy expenditure, and to reduce the likelihood of injuries due to excessive physical stress. In this context, the aim of this review was to map the scientific literature on wearable devices used in field hockey, evaluating their characteristics and the available evidence on their validity in measuring physiological and movement parameters. A systematic investigation was carried out by employing five electronic databases and search terms that incorporated field hockey, wearables, and performance analysis. Two independent reviewers conducted assessments of the 3401 titles and abstracts for inclusion, and at the end of the screening process, 102 full texts were analyzed. Lastly, a total of 23 research articles that specifically concentrated on field hockey were incorporated. The selected papers dealt with performance monitoring (6 papers), technical analysis and strategy game (6), injury prevention (1), and physiological measurements (10). To appraise the quality of the evaluations, the Oxford quality scoring system scale was employed. The extraction of information was carried out through the utilization of the participants, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICOS) format. The analysis encompassed research studies that implemented wearable devices during training and competitive events. Among elite field hockey competitions, GPS units were identified as the predominant wearable, followed by heart rate monitors. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) related to wearable devices showed reasonably high between-trial ICCs ranging from 0.77 to 0.99. The utilization of wearable devices in field hockey primarily centers around the measurement of player activity profiles and physiological demands. The presence of discrepancies in sampling rates and performance bands makes it arduous to draw comparisons between studies. Nevertheless, this analysis attested to the fact that wearable devices are being employed for diverse applications in the realm of field hockey.

The Physical and Physiological Match-Play Locomotor Activity Profiles of Elite Domestic Male Field Hockey

A new four-quarter match format in field hockey has meant that the locomotor activity profiles of the sport are inconsistent with the literature. The aim of this investigation was to identify the physical and physiological demands of national-level male hockey players. Thirty-two male players participated in the study. Participants were monitored with GPS and heart rate monitors. Variables analysed were total time, total distance (m), relative total distance (m.min-1), total distance in velocity bands (m), and activity intensity (m.min-1). Mean and maximum heart rate were calculated as well as total time and percentage time spent in heart rate zones relative to HRmax. Players spent 52 ± 11 min in play. The total distance covered was 5986 ± 1105 m (116 ± 12 m.min-1) with 21.4 ± 6.8 m.min-1 of high intensity activity. Defenders covered the lowest relative total distance (p < 0.001) and attackers the highest (p < 0.001). Relative total distance in Q4 was 5% lower than in Q1and Q2 (p < 0.05) with moderate intensity exercise (8.1-15.5 km.h-1) being 11% lower in Q4 compared to Q1 and Q2. The mean HR and HRmax of players were 167 ± 10 and 194 ± 11 bpm respectively. Players had a lower mean HR in Q3 (164bpm) and Q4 (164bpm) compared to Q1 (169bpm) and Q2 (168bpm; p < 0.001). The current study provides novel data outlining the physical and physiological activity profiles of national-level male field hockey players across playing positions as well as quarters of play. The results highlight a need to consider positional differences when implementing a training programme for players at national level.

Peak Running, Mechanical, and Physiological Demands of Professional Men's Field Hockey Matches

The aim of this study was to investigate the peak running, mechanical, and physiological demands of players of different positions in professional men's field hockey matches. Eighteen professional male field hockey players participated in the study, and data were collected in eleven official matches. Players wore GPS units (Vector S7, Catapult Sports) and heart rate (HR) monitors (Polar H1, Polar Electros) to collect physical and physiological data. Physical and physiological output of forwards, midfielders, and defenders in full matches and during 1-min peak periods was analysed. For all metrics and positions, the values identified for the 1-min peak periods were greater than the average values of match play (p < 0.05). In terms of 1-min peak period Player Load, all three positions were significantly different from each other. Forwards achieved the highest Player Load per minute, while defenders the lowest. The distance per minute, high-speed distance per minute, and the relative average heart rate of defenders were significantly lower than of midfielders and forwards (p < 0.05). The current study revealed the peak running, mechanical, and physiological demands of professional men's field hockey matches. It is recommended when prescribing training programmes, to consider not only match average demands, but also peak demands. Forwards and midfielders displayed similar peak demands, while defenders had the lowest demands in all metrics except the number of accelerations and decelerations per minute. Player Load per minute can be used to identify the differences in peak mechanical demands between forwards and midfielders.

Validation of StepTest4all for Assessing Cardiovascular Capacity in Young Adults

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular capacity, expressed as maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max), is a strong predictor of health and fitness and is considered a key measure of physiological function in the healthy adult population. The purpose of this study was to validate a specific step test (StepTest4all) as an adequate procedure to estimate cardiovascular capacity in young adults.

METHODS

The sample was composed of 56 participants, including 19 women (aged 21.05 ± 2.39 years, body mass = 57.50 ± 6.64 kg, height = 1.62 ± 0.05 m, body mass index = 22.00 ± 2.92 kg/m²) and 37 men (aged 22.05 ± 3.14 years, body mass = 72.50 ± 7.73 kg, height = 1.76 ± 0.07 m, body mass index = 23.34 ± 2.17 kg/m²). Participants were included in one of the following groups: (i) the group used to predict the VO_2max, and (ii) the group used to validate the prediction model. All participants performed the StepTest4all protocol. The step height and the intensity of the effort was determined individually. Heart rate and oxygen uptake were measured continuously during rest, effort, and recovery phases. The validation process included the following three stages: (i) mean data comparison, (ii) simple linear regression, and (iii) Bland-Altman analysis.

RESULTS

The linear regression retained, as significant predictors of the VO_2max, sex (p < 0.001) and heart rate recovery for one minute (p = 0.003). The prediction equation revealed a high relationship between measurements (R² = 63.0%, SEE = 5.58). The validation procedure revealed non-significant differences (p > 0.05) between the measured and estimated maximal oxygen uptake, high relationship (R² = 63.3%), and high agreement with Bland-Altman plots. Thus, VO_2max can be estimated with the formula: VO_2max = 22 + 0.3 · (HRR_1min) + 12 · (sex), where HRR_1min is the magnitude of the HR decrease (bpm) in one minute immediately after the step was stopped, and sex: men = 1, women = 0.

CONCLUSIONS

The StepTest4all is an adequate procedure to estimate cardiovascular capacity, expressed as VO_2max, in young adults. In addition, it is possible to determine the qualitative level of cardiovascular capacity from the heart rate recovery for one minute, more specifically, poor: <20, moderate: 20 to 34, good: 35 to 49, and excellent: ≥50. This procedure has the benefit of being simple to apply and can be used by everyone, even at home, without specialist supervision.

Submaximal Fitness Tests in Team Sports: A Theoretical Framework for Evaluating Physiological State

Team-sports staff often administer non-exhaustive exercise assessments with a view to evaluating physiological state, to inform decision making on athlete management (e.g., future training or recovery). Submaximal fitness tests have become prominent in team-sports settings for observing responses to a standardized physical stimulus, likely because of their time-efficient nature, relative ease of administration, and physiological rationale. It is evident, however, that many variations of submaximal fitness test characteristics, response measures, and monitoring purposes exist. The aim of this scoping review is to provide a theoretical framework of submaximal fitness tests and a detailed summary of their use as proxy indicators of training effects in team sports. Using a review of the literature stemming from a systematic search strategy, we identified five distinct submaximal fitness test protocols characterized in their combinations of exercise regimen (continuous or intermittent) and the progression of exercise intensity (fixed, incremental, or variable). Heart rate-derived indices were the most studied outcome measures in submaximal fitness tests and included exercise (exercise heart rate) and recovery (heart rate recovery and vagal-related heart rate variability) responses. Despite the disparity between studies, these measures appear more relevant to detect positive chronic endurance-oriented training effects, whereas their role in detecting negative transient effects associated with variations in autonomic nervous system function is not yet clear. Subjective outcome measures such as ratings of perceived exertion were less common in team sports, but their potential utility when collected alongside objective measures (e.g., exercise heart rate) has been advocated. Mechanical outcome measures either included global positioning system-derived locomotor outputs such as distance covered, primarily during standardized training drills (e.g., small-sided games) to monitor exercise performance, or responses derived from inertial measurement units to make inferences about lower limb neuromuscular function. Whilst there is an emerging interest regarding the utility of these mechanical measures, their measurement properties and underpinning mechanisms are yet to be fully established. Here, we provide a deeper synthesis of the available literature, culminating with evidence-based practical recommendations and directions for future research.

Wearable Technologies in Field Hockey Competitions: A Scoping Review

The aim of this review is to investigate the common wearable devices currently used in field hockey competitions, and to understand the hockey-specific parameters these devices measure. A systematic search was conducted by using three electronic databases and search terms that included field hockey, wearables, accelerometers, inertial sensors, global positioning system (GPS), heart rate monitors, load, performance analysis, player activity profiles, and competitions from the earliest record. The review included 39 studies that used wearable devices during competitions. GPS units were found to be the most common wearable in elite field hockey competitions, followed by heart rate monitors. Wearables in field hockey are mostly used to measure player activity profiles and physiological demands. Inconsistencies in sampling rates and performance bands make comparisons between studies challenging. Nonetheless, this review demonstrated that wearable devices are being used for various applications in field hockey. Researchers, engineers, coaches, and sport scientists can consider using GPS units of higher sampling rates, as well as including additional variables such as skin temperatures and injury associations, to provide a more thorough evaluation of players’ physical and physiological performances. Future work should include goalkeepers and non-elite players who are less studied in the current literature.

The Influence of Aerobic Fitness on Heart Rate Responses of Custody Assistant Recruits during Circuit Training Sessions

This study captured heart rate (HR) responses of custody assistant (CA) recruits undertaking circuit training sessions. Data from 10 male and 12 female CA recruits were analyzed. Based on YMCA step test recovery HR, recruits were divided into higher fitness (HF; top 25%), lower fitness (LF; bottom 25%), and moderate fitness (MF; remaining recruits) groups. HR was measured during two circuit training sessions featuring calisthenics and running. HR zones were defined as: very light (<57% of age-predicted maximum heart-rate [HRmax]); light (57-63% HRmax); moderate (64-76% HRmax); vigorous (77-95% HRmax); and very vigorous (>95% HRmax). A one-way ANOVA, with Bonferroni post hoc, calculated between-group differences in time spent, and percentage of total time, in the HR zones. In session one, the LF group spent less time in the light training zone compared to the MF group, and more time in the very vigorous zone compared to the HF group (p = 0.027-0.047). In session two, the LF group spent more time in the moderate zone compared to both groups, and a greater percentage of time in the very vigorous zone compared to the MF group (p = 0.002-0.004). LF recruits generally worked harder during circuit training than their fitter counterparts, which supported recommendations for ability-based modifications.