{"title":"Fluctuating Running Speed During 10-km Running Elevates Physiological Strain.","authors":"Daichi Sumi, Yasuho Takii, Satoru Abe, Masanori Sakaguchi","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0445","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Although it is anecdotally believed that fluctuating running speed during competition has a negative impact on running performance, its influence on physiological strain remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of fluctuating running speed during 10-km running on physiological strain compared with constant running speed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ten male endurance runners completed 2 trials on different days, consisting of either fluctuating (FLU) or constant (CON) running speed during 10-km running on a treadmill. In the CON trial, running speed was constant at 80% of maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max), while running speed fluctuated between 75% and 85% of V˙O2max in the FLU trial. Blood lactate levels were evaluated before and after running. Moreover, oxygen uptake (V˙O2) and expired minute ventilation (V˙E) were measured with running.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The time to complete 10-km running was the same between the 2 trials (FLU 38.6 [5.1] min, CON 38.6 [5.1] min). The FLU trial showed greater exercise-induced blood lactate elevation compared with the CON trial (FLU 4.5 [1.5] mmol/L, CON 2.9 [1.4] mmol/L). The mean values of V˙O2 (FLU 48.6 [3.5] mL·kg-1·min-1, CON 47.1 [3.6] mL·kg-1·min-1) and V˙E (FLU 95 [14] L/min, CON 87 [11] L/min) during running were significantly higher in the FLU trial than in the CON trial.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Fluctuating running speed elevated physiological strain compared with constant running speed during 10-km running, even if the time to complete 10-km running was the same.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143515640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does Maximum Strength Predict Rowing Performance in Elite Female Rowers?","authors":"Sebastian Behm, Mats W Jacobs, Moritz Schumann","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0313","DOIUrl":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to identify dynamic free-weight exercises for strength training and testing that are strong determinants of specific rowing ergometer performance measures in elite female rowers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study examined the association between 1-repetition-maximum (1RM) power clean (PC1RM), 1RM bench row (BR1RM), 1RM back squat (SQ1RM), 1RM bench press (BP1RM), and 1RM deadlift (DL1RM) with peak stroke power (PSP) and 2000-m (P2000m) and 5000-m time-trial average power (P5000m) in 17 heavyweight elite female rowers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant correlations were found between SQ1RM, DL1RM, and PC1RM with all rowing performance measures (r = .56-.86, all P < .05). BR1RM correlated significantly with PSP and P2000m (r = .52 and .55, P < .01 and .05), and BP1RM with PSP only (r = .55, P < .01). PC1RM and either DL1RM (R2 = 77%, P < .01) or SQ1RM (R2 = 76%, P < .01) were the greatest contributors to PSP. DL1RM and SQ1RM together provided the greatest explained variance for P2000m (R2 = 72%, P < .01) and P5000m (R2 = 60%, P < .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SQ1RM, DL1RM, and PC1RM were the strongest determinants of rowing ergometer performance in elite female rowers and are recommended for training and testing rowing-specific strength.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143515623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Benefits of Research-Embedded Training Camps in Sport Sciences.","authors":"Olivier Girard, Franck Brocherie","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0378","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0378","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sport scientists aim to enhance athletic performance by developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based strategies. However, a common challenge to maximize sport science's impact is the limited involvement of \"research end users\" (ie, athletes, coaches, and practitioners) in contextualizing these strategies. To address this, research-embedded training camps (RETCs) offer a collaborative opportunity bringing together all stakeholders to tackle real-world challenges by blending scientific insight with practical application for better knowledge translation or production.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This invited commentary explores the behind-the-scenes aspects of conducting successful RETCs. We discuss opportunities and challenges involved, drawing on our practical experience with environmental stress interventions.</p><p><strong>Evidence: </strong>Implementing an RETC requires a tailored intervention, shaped by the athlete group, research questions, and available resources-essentially answering the who, what, why, when, and where questions. Key principles for success include an athlete-centered focus, a diverse multidisciplinary team, scientific rigor, balancing control with flexibility, and adaptability. A coconstructed design ensures that the intervention remains scientifically relevant and practical and directly addresses real-world needs of athletes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Through the lens of environmental stress interventions, RETCs should prioritize practicality, collaboration, and athlete-focused approaches. Conducting interventions with athletes rather than on them can significantly enhance performance and support evidence-based training strategies (knowledge translation) and/or provide new actionable insights (knowledge production).</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143467937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marco Beato, Alexander T Latinjak, Maurizio Bertollo, Daniel Boullosa
{"title":"Confirmation Bias in Sport Science: Understanding and Mitigating Its Impact.","authors":"Marco Beato, Alexander T Latinjak, Maurizio Bertollo, Daniel Boullosa","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0381","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0381","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Confirmation bias, a cognitive phenomenon deeply ingrained in human thinking, shapes our perception of reality. It leads individuals to favor information that aligns with their preexisting beliefs while dismissing or undervaluing the contrary evidence. In sport science, where precision and evidence-based practices are critical aspects to optimize performance, confirmation bias can decisively impact decision-making processes. In this context, practitioners rely on both objective and subjective data to be interpreted to enhance athletic performance. However, confirmation bias introduces a subtle yet powerful distortion, which is difficult to control and quantify. We usually believe that our observations can justify expectations or predictions about future observations, as well as broader generalizations beyond what we have directly observed-inductive inferences. Researchers and practitioners may therefore unknowingly seek out evidence that confirms their beliefs, inadvertently overlooking alternative viewpoints and interpretations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This paper explores the concept of confirmation bias in sport science, providing practical examples in the contexts of testing, training, and monitoring. By understanding how confirmation bias operates (ie, heuristic of decision making), we may develop strategies to mitigate its effects and promote more accurate and effective decision making in sport science (eg, performance).</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143370582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rafael Albalad-Aiguabella, Elena Mainer-Pardos, Alberto Roso-Moliner, Demetrio Lozano, Germán Vicente-Rodríguez, Borja Muniz-Pardos
{"title":"Fitness Profiles of Highly Trained Female Futsal Players According to Their Playing Positions.","authors":"Rafael Albalad-Aiguabella, Elena Mainer-Pardos, Alberto Roso-Moliner, Demetrio Lozano, Germán Vicente-Rodríguez, Borja Muniz-Pardos","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0424","DOIUrl":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0424","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Although women's futsal has experienced great growth recently, few studies have analyzed the physical profiles of female futsal players. The objectives of this study were to determine the physical and anthropometric characteristics in elite women's futsal using laboratory and field tests and to analyze the differences between the different playing positions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty-one female futsal players from the second division of the Spanish league (age 22.69 [4.76] y; body height 161.28 [6.03] cm; body mass 62.20 [10.34] kg) were evaluated for body composition with dual-energy X-ray absortiometry anthropometrically, lower-body power using a force platform (countermovement jump, squat jump, and drop jump), linear speed (5, 10, 15, and 25 m), changes of direction (505 modified, V-Cut, and L-Run), and repeated-sprint ability measured through photoelectric cells.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results reveal that there are no significant differences between the physical profiles of players depending on playing position. Despite this, wingers seem to have the best physical profiles, and goalkeepers have the highest body mass index (26.9 [4.48] vs 23.3 [2.82]; P = .069) and fat percentage (31.9 [7.81] vs 29.96 [6.08]; P = .101), but they present very similar values to the other positions in all other tests performed, except for repeated-sprint ability (4.64 [0.45]; P = .009).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Relevant descriptive data were presented to provide useful information for coaches to optimize their training programs, reporting that playing position does not identify different physical profiles in elite female futsal players.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"473-480"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143364766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"It Shouldn't Be This Simple.","authors":"Carl Foster","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2025-0002","DOIUrl":"10.1123/ijspp.2025-0002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"333-334"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143065540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Invisible Monitoring for Athlete Health and Performance: A Call for a Better Conceptualization and Practical Recommendations.","authors":"Cedric Leduc, Daniel Weaving","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0292","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0292","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Practices to routinely monitor athletes are rapidly changing. With the concurrent exponential rise in wearable technologies and advanced data analysis, tracking training exposures and responses is widespread and more frequent in the athlete-coach decision-making process. Within this scenario, the concept of invisible monitoring emerged, which was initially vaguely defined as testing athletes without testing them. Despite sound practical applications and benefits (eg, reduced burden on player staff and more frequent measurement), a clear lack of constitutive definition has led to multiple cleavages in both research and practice, including ethical concerns.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this study is to (1) extend the current conceptualization of invisible monitoring by considering subdimensions of the concept and (2) its data-related and ethical challenges and (3) provide practical considerations to implement invisible monitoring. Monitoring burden (degree of obtrusion and frequency of measurement) and the number of constructs a single measurement tool can assess have been proposed as subdimensions of the concept of invisible monitoring. Challenges include the governance and analysis of data required to make estimates, validity and reliability of an invisible monitoring measure, and communication to athletes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This commentary presents a first attempt to conceptualize invisible monitoring in the context of elite sport and provide subdimensions of the concept that can be used to classify choices of measurement tools. A consensus is required from both researchers and practitioners regarding its definition and operationalization to optimize current monitoring services to elite athletes.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143038847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohammed Ihsan, Vincent Kwok, Ho Yi Wong, Olivier Girard, Carl James
{"title":"Squash in Los Angeles: Heat Strain and Performance Considerations at the 2028 Olympic Games.","authors":"Mohammed Ihsan, Vincent Kwok, Ho Yi Wong, Olivier Girard, Carl James","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0355","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will mark the debut of squash, a high-intensity sport characterized by repeated efforts, posing potential thermoregulatory challenges. The demanding nature of squash results in substantial metabolic heat production, with consequential heat strain exacerbated by the indoor environment of squash courts, where low to moderate evaporative potential limits effective cooling. Players often experience increased body-heat storage and thermal strain, with muscle cramps (an early warning sign of more severe heat-related illnesses) commonly observed during tournaments. Despite these challenges, there are limited data on the thermoregulatory responses of elite squash players during match play.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>We discuss the thermoregulatory challenges faced by squash players and highlight key areas for research. Additionally, practical guidelines are provided for practitioners preparing squash players for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.</p><p><strong>Evidence: </strong>Preliminary findings from international squash tournaments reveal that elite players endure significant physiological strain, with core temperatures rising to 39.0 °C to 40.1 °C, despite matches being played in mild wet-bulb globe temperatures of 19.4 °C (0.9 °C). Sustained heart rates exceeding 90% of maximal heart rate further compound this thermal strain. However, research on how thermal strain affects squash-specific fitness, recovery, and stroke mechanics are lacking. Such information is crucial for evaluating the need and effectiveness of tailored mitigation strategies such as heat training/exposures and precooling and midcooling during warm-up and match play.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Systematic research into the thermal demands of squash and their impact on fitness and skills is needed. These insights can inform evidence-based strategies to safeguard athlete well-being and optimize performance at Los Angeles 2028.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-4"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143004927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hui Kwan Nicholas Lam, John Sproule, Shaun M Phillips
{"title":"Future Directions in Understanding Acute and Chronic Effects of Mental Fatigue in Sports: A Commentary on Bridging Laboratory Findings and Real-World Applications.","authors":"Hui Kwan Nicholas Lam, John Sproule, Shaun M Phillips","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state that could negatively impact physical and cognitive performance, although the extent of this impact remains controversial. While laboratory studies have provided valuable insights into the acute effects of MF, their ecological validity in real-world sport settings remains limited. Recent research indicates that MF can naturally arise during sport activities, leading to chronic effects on endurance and perceptual-cognitive skills. These effects may persist beyond individual sessions, potentially increasing the risk of injury due to their cumulative nature.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This commentary aims to guide future research by emphasizing the need to investigate the natural occurrence and chronic effects of MF in applied sport settings.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Understanding how MF develops and manifests in real-world settings, particularly individual differences in perception and response, is crucial for creating more effective management strategies. Addressing these factors will enable better support for athletes who may experience prolonged periods of MF that could affect their training and competitive performance. Future research should prioritize studying MF in natural sport settings to enhance the ecological validity of findings. By focusing on the chronic and cumulative nature of MF, as well as individual variability, researchers can develop more tailored and effective strategies for managing MF. This research will not only bridge the gap between laboratory studies and real-world applications but also contribute to more precise monitoring and intervention techniques. Ultimately, these advancements will improve athletes' ability to maintain peak performance and reduce the risk of injury, thereby enhancing overall athletic well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143004713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Óscar López-Belmonte, Roberto Baldassarre, Jesús J Ruiz-Navarro, Marco Bonifazi, Raúl Arellano, Maria Francesca Piacentini
{"title":"Lactate Threshold and Swimming Performance in World-Class Open-Water Swimmers.","authors":"Óscar López-Belmonte, Roberto Baldassarre, Jesús J Ruiz-Navarro, Marco Bonifazi, Raúl Arellano, Maria Francesca Piacentini","doi":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0342","DOIUrl":"10.1123/ijspp.2024-0342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The assessment of lactate threshold (LT) and its relationship to open-water (OW) performance is crucial. This study aimed (1) to analyze LT in world-class OW swimmers, (2) to compare swimming speed at LT (SSLT) and 4 mmol·L-1 of blood lactate concentration ([La-]; SS4), and (3) to examine the relationships between SSLT and swimming performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty world-class and elite (11 male, 26.4 [3.0] y; 9 female, 25.8 [3.6] y) OW swimmers voluntarily participated. A total of 46 (29 male and 17 female) intermittent incremental tests (7 × 400 m) conducted in a 50-m pool were analyzed. Seasonal best performances on 400-, 800-, and 1500-m and 10-km OW swimming events were obtained.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The SSLT was 1.62 (0.02) (3.8 [1.0] mmol·L-1) and 1.46 (0.04) m·s-1 (3.0 [0.7] mmol·L-1) in males and females, respectively, which corresponded to 97% of the peak speed reached in the tests. There were no differences (P = .148) between SSLT and SS4 in males; however, SSLT was lower (P = .019) than SS4 in females. The SSLT was negatively correlated with swimming performance, with the exception of 10-km OW and 400-m times in males and females, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>World-class and elite OW swimmers exhibited a greatly developed aerobic capacity with LT close to their maximum speed. The SS4 could be used as an approximation to SSLT in males but overestimates true aerobic capacity in females. LT is a useful tool for assessing performance, as OW swimmers with higher SSLT showed better swimming performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":14295,"journal":{"name":"International journal of sports physiology and performance","volume":" ","pages":"309-315"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142948865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}