Detraining Effect of the Post-Season on Selected Aerobic and Anaerobic Performance Variables in National League Rugby Union Players: A Focus on Positional Status

Effects of a 12-Week Detraining Period on Physical Capacity, Power and Speed in Elite Swimmers

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a prolonged transition period (detraining) on the physical capacity, power, and speed parameters of elite swimmers. Fourteen swimmers (seven females and seven males) aged 20.4 ± 1.7 years participated in the study. The athletes were subjected to two rounds of identical tests at 12-week intervals during the detraining period (DP), which consisted of an evaluation of the athletes' body weight and composition, a measurement of the power of their lower limbs (Keiser squat, countermovement jump (CMJ), akimbo countermovement jump (ACMJ)) and upper limbs (Keiser arms) on land, and 20-m swimming using the legs only (Crawl Legs test), arms only (Crawl Arms test), and full stroke (Front Crawl test). An analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of the main factor, Gender, on all the measured parameters, while for the factor Detraining, except for Front Crawl (W) (F = 4.27, p = 0.061), no significant interaction effect (Gender × Detraining) was revealed. Among both the male and the female participants, a reduction in lactate-threshold swimming speed (LT Dmax) and a reduction in swimming speed and power on the Crawl Arms, Crawl Legs, and Front Crawl tests was observed after 12 weeks. There were also statistically significant reductions in ACMJ and CMJ jump height and upper-limb power (Keiser squat) among the female and male swimmers. There were no significant changes in body weight or body composition. The study showed a clear deterioration in results for most of the parameters, both for those measured on land and for those measured in water.

Body composition differences by age and playing standard in male rugby union and rugby league: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine differences in body compositionn between playing standard and age in male rugby union and rugby league athletes. The MOOSE (Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines for design, implementation, and reporting were followed. Studies were required to be in male rugby union or league and have body composition as the primary or secondary outcome. Data was required to be presented separately for positional groups and body composition presented as whole-body. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and CINHAHL via EBSCOhost. 57 studies were included for meta-analysis. Results highlighted significantly higher fat-free mass in senior elite than senior sub-elite or junior elite athletes for all RU and RL forwards. Small and non-significant differences were found in fat mass between rugby union playing standards and age categories. Rugby league senior elite forwards had less fat mass than junior elite forwards. Practitioners should prioritise training and nutritional strategies that maximise fat-free mass development, especially in junior elite cohorts.

Seasonal Changes in Gaelic Football Match-Play Running Performance

Mangan, S, Ryan, M, Shovlin, A, McGahan, J, Malone, S, O'Neill, C, Burns, C, and Collins, K. Seasonal changes in Gaelic football match-play running performance. J Strength Cond Res 33(6): 1686-1692, 2019-Time of season influences performance in many team sports; however, the anomaly has not yet been examined with regards to elite Gaelic football. Global positioning systems (4 Hz; VX Sport, Lower Hutt, New Zealand) were used to monitor 5 elite Gaelic football teams over a period of 5 years (2012-2016). In total, 95 matches equated to 780 full player data sets. Running performance was characterized by total distance (m) and high-speed distance (≥17 km·h; m). High-speed distance was further categorized into 4 match quarters. Time of season was determined by month of the year. Time of season had a significant effect on total distance (p ≤ 0.001 partial η = 0.148) and high-speed distance (p ≤ 0.001 partial η = 0.105). August and September were significantly different from every other month for total distance (p ≤ 0.001) and high-speed distance (p ≤ 0.002). Month of season and match quarter had a significant interaction with high-speed distance (p ≤ 0.001 partial η = 0.106). High-speed distances run in the fourth quarter in August (478 ± 237 m) and in September (500 ± 219 m) were higher than any other quarter in any other month. This is the first study to show that time of season influences running performance in Gaelic football. The findings have major implications for training practices in Gaelic football.

Four-Week Unstructured Break Improved Athletic Performance in Collegiate Rugby Players

Jensen, CD, Gleason, D, and VanNess, JM. Four-week unstructured break improved athletic performance in collegiate rugby players. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1671-1677, 2018-This study analyzed the changes in athletic performance and anthropometric characteristics in collegiate male club rugby athletes (n = 14) after a 4-week winter break. All measurements were collected before and after the break. Body composition was assessed by body mass index and hydrostatic weighing. Performance measurements were as follows: V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, vertical jump, 10-yard sprint, squat max, and bench press max. Before testing, each subject was acclimated to the protocols to reduce learning effects. During the 4-week break, no workouts were provided for the athletes; it was unsupervised and unstructured. Participants were required to maintain and submit self-reported nutritional and activity logs during this period. After the break, the athletes demonstrated a 5.0% improvement in V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (absolute increase of 2.25 ml·kg·min), 6.8% improvement in vertical jump (1.50 inches), and a 14.3% increase in squat max (38.64 lb). Although increases in body mass (1.0%) were not significant, the body fat percentage exhibited a relative increase of 19.3% (absolute change from 13.35 to 15.93%). A significant discriminate function analysis indicated statistical differences between groups based on these variables. Self-reported behavior logs confirmed participation in >3 days of moderate to intense physical activity per week but somewhat poor dietary habits. These results indicate that collegiate rugby athletes may not need prescribed exercise routines during seasonal breaks in the athletic schedule. However, it may be beneficial to provide structured nutritional advice during unsupervised periods.