The impact of sprint, middle-distance, and long-distance orienteering races on perceived mental fatigue in national level orienteers.

Experiencing mental fatigue (MF) before an orienteering race can lead to a slower completion time. This study aimed to explore the changes in perceived MF, mood and other psychological responses during an orienteering competition. Sixteen national level orienteering athletes (20.8 ± 4.9 years) provided informed consent and completed the online surveys, before and immediately after each race, and 24- and 48-hours post competition (48POST). This study measured MF, physical fatigue, stress, tiredness and motivation using 0-100 Visual Analogue Scale, and the mood was assessed using The Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS). A moderate to large increase in MF (ES = 0.93 [0.54 to 1.31]), BRUMS fatigue (ES = 0.61 [0.3 to 0.92]), and PF (ES = 1.21 [0.81 to 1.61]) was reported following orienteering races. A small increase in tiredness and BRUMS confusion, and a small decrease in motivation, stress and BRUMS vigour was also reported. There was a delay in recovering from the MF elicited by competition, with a small increase in MF (ES = 0.54 [0.08 to 1.15]) at 48POST compared to the pre-competition value. This study found that orienteers experience MF during competition and have a delayed recovery that can last up to two days after the competition.

The Effect of Unilateral and Bilateral Leg Press Training on Lower Body Strength and Power and Athletic Performance in Adolescent Rugby Players.

This study aimed to compare the effects of 5 weeks of unilateral and bilateral leg press training on lower body strength, linear sprinting and vertical jumping performance in adolescent rugby players. Twenty-six male adolescent rugby players (age = 15.3 ± 0.4 years) were assigned via stratified block randomization to unilateral (n = 9), bilateral (n = 9) and control (n = 8) groups. Training consisted of either the unilateral or the bilateral leg press twice weekly over five weeks, with the control group maintaining habitual training. Lower body unilateral and bilateral strength, vertical jump and linear sprint performance were assessed before and after training. After 5 weeks of training, both training groups significantly increased the 5-repetition maximum bilateral leg press (unilateral group = 8.9%, d = 0.53; bilateral group = 10.9%, d = 0.55, p < 0.01) and the 5-repetition maximum unilateral leg press (unilateral group = 20.2%, d = 0.81; bilateral group = 12.4%, d = 0.45, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the size of improvement in unilateral and bilateral groups in the 5-repetition maximum bilateral leg press, but the 5-repetition maximum unilateral leg press increased significantly more in the unilateral group (p < 0.05). No significant training effects were found for vertical jump or linear sprint performance. The results indicated that unilateral leg press training was as effective as bilateral leg press training in improving bilateral strength and more effective in improving unilateral strength in adolescent rugby players. However, strength improvement did not transfer to athletic performance improvements in either group.

Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Functional Movement in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Preserving physiological functional capacity (PFC), the ability to perform the activities of daily life, and the ease with which they can be performed, in older adults, defined for this study as ≥ 50 years of age, is an important consideration for maintaining health and independence through the ageing process. Physical activity, and exercise training in particular, has been positively associated with improvement in PFC. In addition to improving aerobic and anaerobic capacity, promoting and preserving functional movement as a component of PFC is an important goal of physical activity, especially for older adults. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), an exercise protocol where repeated bouts of increased intensity are interspersed with active or passive recovery periods, has often been studied as an alternative to traditional moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) exercise, where a continuous intensity is maintained throughout the exercise session. A large body of research has determined that both types of exercise programme are effective in improving measures of aerobic and anaerobic fitness in older adults. However, the effect of the two exercise modalities on functional movement has most often been a secondary outcome, with a range of observational techniques applied for measurement. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this research is to systematically review and meta-analyse published studies of HIIT interventions that measured functional movement in older adults to conclude if HIIT is effective for improving functional movement. A secondary objective is to determine if there are significant differences between HIIT and MICT effect on functional movement. METHODS: A search strategy of terms locating studies of HIIT interventions, functional movement outcome measures, and older adult population samples was executed on seven digital databases. Randomized and pair-matched trials of > 2 weeks were considered for inclusion. Studies of participants with neurological impairment or studies using combined exercise modality were rejected. Standardized mean difference for functional movement outcome measures was calculated. A meta-analysis of the included studies and subgroups was performed along with study quality (risk of bias and publication bias) evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included in random effects model pooled analysis. Subgroup analysis of HIIT versus MICT on functional movement showed a trivial effect in favour of HIIT (ES 0.13, 95% CI [-0.06, 0.33] p = 0.18) and did not achieve statistical significance. However, HIIT showed a medium, statistically significant favourable effect on functional movement versus non-intervention control (ES = 0.60 95% CI [0.24, 0.95] p = 0.001). Further subgroups analysis using singular and multiple functional movement outcome measures showed similar results. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that HIIT interventions in older adults may be effective at promoting improvements in functional movement, though it is unclear whether HIIT is superior to MICT.

Investigating Affective Responses to Remotely Delivered "At Home" Low Volume High Intensity Interval Exercise: A Non-Randomized Parallel Group Feasibility Study.

Background: Low volume-high intensity interval exercise (LV-HIIE) has gained interest, due to its efficiency in invoking health and fitness benefits. However, little research has studied "at home" feasibility or effects of LV-HIIE. This study aimed to demonstrate that remote "at-home" LV-HIIE research is possible and to investigate if affective responses to the LV-HIIE protocol, subsequent intentions, and self-efficacy to repeat were related to self-reported tolerance of the intensity of exercise. Methods: Using self-reported tolerance of the intensity of exercise, 41 healthy, physically active participants (25 female and 16 male; age 21.3 ± 1.0 years, body mass index 23.0 ± 2.9 kg.m2) were divided into low tolerance (LT, n = 14), middle tolerance (MT, n = 15), and high tolerance (HT, n = 12) groups. Participants completed a 20-min LV-HIIE circuit training video [2 × (10 ×30 s work, 15 s rest)] at home. Participants reported ratings of perceived exertion, affective valence, and perceived activation at baseline, during the protocol, immediately post-protocol, and during the cool down. 20-min after completion, respondents answered questions on exercise task self-efficacy and intentions to repeat LV-HIIE. Results: The study recruited n = 65 individuals, of whom n = 50 passed screening. Ultimately n = 41 (82%) completed the exercise protocol and data collection. Ratings of perceived exertion were not significantly different between groups (p = 0.56), indicating similar perceptions of task difficulty. There was no significant effect of tolerance on affective valence (p = 0.36) or felt arousal (p = 0.06). There was evidence of high individual variability in affective responses within and between participants. Subsequent intentions and self-efficacy to repeat the exercise protocol did not seem to be related to affective valence during or after the protocol. Discussion: Recruitment and data collection indicated that research into "at home" LV-HIIE is possible. High individual differences in affective responses suggest that LV-HEII may be appropriate for some but not all as an exercise option. Assessing self-reported tolerance of intensity of exercise may not appropriately identify whether or not LV-HIIE will be suitable for an individual.

Affecting Effects on Affect: The Impact of Protocol Permutations on Affective Responses to Sprint Interval Exercise; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Pooled Individual Participant Data.

Responses to sprint interval exercise (SIE) are hypothesized to be perceived as unpleasant, but SIE protocols are diverse, and moderating effects of various SIE protocol parameters on affective responses are unknown. We performed a systematic search to identify studies (up to 01/05/2021) measuring affective valence using the Feeling Scale during acute SIE in healthy adults. Thirteen studies involving 18 unique trials and 316 unique participant (142 women and 174 men) affective responses to SIE were eligible for inclusion. We received individual participant data for all participants from all studies. All available end-of-sprint affect scores from each trial were combined in a linear mixed model with sprint duration, mode, intensity, recovery duration, familiarization and baseline affect included as covariates. Affective valence decreased significantly and proportionally with each additional sprint repetition, but this effect was modified by sprint duration: affect decreased more during 30 s (0.84 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.74-0.93) and 15-20 s sprints (1.02 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.93-1.10) compared with 5-6 s sprints (0.20 units/sprint; 95% CI: 0.18-0.22) (both p < 0.0001). Although the difference between 15-20 s and 30 s sprints was also significant (p = 0.02), the effect size was trivial (d = -0.12). We observed significant but trivial effects of mode, sprint intensity and pre-trial familiarization, whilst there was no significant effect of recovery duration. We conclude that affective valence declines during SIE, but the magnitude of the decrease for an overall SIE session strongly depends on the number and duration of sprints. This information can be applied by researchers to design SIE protocols that are less likely to be perceived as unpleasant in studies of real-world effectiveness. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework, https://osf.io/sbyn3.

International orienteering experts' consensus on the definition, development, cause, impact and methods to reduce mental fatigue in orienteering: A Delphi study.

Orienteering is an outdoor activity wherein participants use a map and compass to locate control points and choose the quickest path to the next control point in a natural environment. Attentional focus, rapid decision-making, and high aerobic fitness may influence orienteering performance. Therefore, this research aimed to seek international orienteering expert consensus regarding the definition, development, causes, influences and methods to reduce mental fatigue (MF) in orienteering based on practical experience. Following ethical approval, a three-round Delphi survey was conducted online with twenty-four orienteering coaches and athletes (or former athletes) from 10 different countries with international orienteering competition experience. The threshold of consensus was ≥ 70% agreement among respondents. The experts agreed that MF exists in daily life and orienteering with a substantial negative effect on their conscious decision-making performance and psychological responses. The experts disagreed that the form of MF that athletes experienced in orienteering training are similar to the competition. However, there was no agreement that MF would impact endurance and high-speed running performance during orienteering. This research refines the definition of MF and summarises the distinctions in what causes MF in orienteering training and competition, implying that MF should be addressed separately.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of affective responses to acute high intensity interval exercise compared with continuous moderate- and high-Intensity exercise.

There is evidence for the physical health benefits of high intensity interval exercise (HIIE), but its public health potential has been challenged. It is purported that compared with moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) the high intensity nature of HIIE may lead to negative affective responses. This systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42017058203) addressed this proposition and synthesised research that compares affective responses to HIIE with MICE and vigorous intensity continuous exercise (VICE), during-, end-, and post-exercise. Searches were conducted on five databases, and findings from 33 studies were meta-analysed using random effects models or narratively synthesised. A meta-analysis of affect showed a significant effect in favour of MICE vs HIIE at the lowest point, during and post-exercise, but not at end, and the narrative synthesis supported this for other affective outcomes. Differences on affect between VICE vs HIIE were limited. Pooled data showed arousal levels were consistently higher during HIIE. For enjoyment there was a significant effect in favour of HIIE vs MICE, no difference for HIIE vs VICE at post-exercise, and mixed findings for during-exercise. Although the findings are clouded by methodological issues they indicate that compared to MICE, HIIE is experienced less positively but post-exercise is reported to be more enjoyable.

Continuous walking and time- and intensity-matched interval walking: Cardiometabolic demand and post-exercise enjoyment in insufficiently active, healthy adults.

We compared cardiometabolic demand and post-exercise enjoyment between continuous walking (CW) and time- and intensity-matched interval walking (IW) in insufficiently active adults. Sixteen individuals (13 females and three males, age 25.3 ± 11.1 years) completed one CW and one IW session lasting 30 min in a randomised-counterbalanced design. For CW, participants walked at a mean intensity of 65-70% predicted maximum heart rate (HRmax). For IW, participants alternated between 3 min at 80% HRmax and 2 min at 50% HRmax. Expired gas was measured throughout each protocol. Participants rated post-exercise enjoyment following each protocol. Mean HR and V˙O2 showed small positive differences in IW vs. CW (2, 95%CL 0, 4 beat.min-1; d = 0.23, 95%CL 0.06, 0.41 and 1.4, 95%CL 1.2 ml.kg-1.min-1, d = 0.36, 95%CL 0.05, 0.65, respectively). There was a medium positive difference in overall kcal expenditure in IW vs. CW (25, 95%CL 7 kcal, d = 0.58, 95%CL 0.33, 0.82). Post-exercise enjoyment was moderately greater following IW vs. CW (9.1, 95%CL 1.4, 16.8 AU, d = 0.62, 95%CL 0.06, 0.90), with 75% of participants reporting IW as more enjoyable. Interval walking elicits meaningfully greater energy expenditure and is more enjoyable than CW in insufficiently active, healthy adults.

Adaptations to Swimming Training in Athletes with Down's Syndrome.

Swimming training programs may help to limit declines in cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, mobility and social functioning in individuals with Down's Syndrome (DS): (1) Background: This study aims to analyze the effects of a periodized swimming training program on swimming speed, lower body force and power and body composition in a group of swimmers with DS; (2) Methods: Nine swimmers with DS (2 men and 7 women; aged 21-30 years-old) completed an 18-week periodized swimming program. The swimmers were assessed, pre and post-training, for 25 m, 50 m and 100 m freestyle swim performance, countermovement jump performance and body composition; (3) Results: Significant and large improvements in 25 m (mean -6.39%, p < 0.05, d = 1.51), 50 m (mean -4.95%, p < 0.01, d = 2.08) and 100 m (mean -3.08%, p < 0.05, d = 1.44) freestyle performance were observed following training, with no significant changes in body composition or consistent changes in jump performance (although a large mean 14.6% decrease in relative peak force, p < 0.05, d = 1.23) (4) Conclusions: A periodized 18-week training intervention may improve swimming performance in a small group of trained swimmers with DS, with less clear changes in jump performance or body composition. This program provides a training profile for coaches working with swimmers with DS and a platform for further research into the benefits of swimming training with this under-represented population.

Effect of RaceRunning on cardiometabolic disease risk factors and functional mobility in young people with moderate-to-severe cerebral palsy: protocol for a feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION: There is consistent evidence that people with cerebral palsy (CP) do not engage in the recommended physical activity guidelines for the general population from a young age. Participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is particularly reduced in people with CP who have a moderate-to-severe disability. RaceRunning is a growing disability sport that provides an opportunity for people with moderate-to-severe disability to participate in physical activity in the community. It allows those who are unable to walk independently to propel themselves using a RaceRunning bike, which has a breastplate for support but no pedals. The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of RaceRunning for young people with moderate-to-severe CP and the feasibility of conducting a definitive study of the effect of RaceRunning on cardiometabolic disease risk factors and functional mobility. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Twenty-five young people (age 5-21 years) with CP or acquired brain injury affecting coordination will be included in this single-arm intervention study. Participants will take part in one RaceRunning session each week for 24 weeks. Outcomes assessed at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks include body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, functional mobility, activity competence and psychosocial impact. Adverse events will be systematically recorded throughout the 24 weeks. Focus groups will be conducted with participants and/or parents to explore their views and experiences of taking part in RaceRunning. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approval has been granted by Queen Margaret University Research Ethics Committee (REC) and the South East of Scotland REC. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and distributed to people with CP and their families through RaceRunning and Athletic Clubs, National Health Service trusts and organisations for people with disabilities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04034342; pre-results.

Self-reported tolerance of the intensity of exercise influences affective responses to and intentions to engage with high-intensity interval exercise.

This study investigated the effect of self-reported tolerance of the intensity of exercise on affective responses to, self-efficacy for and intention to repeat low-volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE). Thirty-six healthy participants (mean age 21 ± 2 years) were split into high tolerance (HT; n = 19), low tolerance (LT; n = 9), and very low tolerance (VLT; n = 8) of exercise intensity groups. Participants completed 10 × 6 s cycle sprints with 60 s recovery. Affective valence and perceived activation were measured before exercise, after sprints 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 20 min post-HIIE. Intention and self-efficacy were assessed 20 min post-HIIE. Affective valence was significantly lower in VLT vs. LT (P = 0.034, d = 1.01-1.14) and HT (P = 0.018, d = 1.34-1.70). Circumplex profiles showed a negative affective state in VLT only. The VLT group had lower intentions to repeat HIIE once and three times per week than HT (P < 0.001, d = 1.87 and 1.81, respectively) and LT (P = 0.107, d = 0.85; P = 0.295, d = 0.53, respectively). Self-efficacy was not influenced by tolerance. Self-reported tolerance of exercise intensity influences affective responses to and intentions to engage with HIIE.

Concussion in University Level Sport: Knowledge and Awareness of Athletes and Coaches.

Using a cross-sectional survey concussion knowledge was evaluated among forty university-level athletes (n = 20, rugby union players; n = 20, Gaelic football players) and eight experienced team coaches (n = 2, rugby union; n = 2, Gaelic football; n = 1, soccer; n = 1, hockey; n = 1, netball; n = 1, basketball). Levels of knowledge of concussion were high across all participants. Coaches had higher knowledge scores for almost all areas; however, there was evidence of important gaps even in this group. Knowledge was not sufficient in identifying concussion, and when it is safe to return to play following a concussion. Impaired knowledge of how to recognise a concussion, and misunderstanding the need for rest and rehabilitation before return to play presents a hazard to health from second impact and more catastrophic brain injury. We discuss reasons for these guideline misconceptions, and suggest that attitude issues on the significance of concussion may underlie a willingness to want to play with a concussion. This suggests the current education on sport-related concussion needs to be expanded for the appropriate management of university-level contact sports.

Interval running with self-selected recovery: Physiology, performance, and perception.

This study (1) compared the physiological responses and performance during a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session incorporating externally regulated (ER) and self-selected (SS) recovery periods and (2) examined the psychophysiological cues underpinning SS recovery durations. Following an incremental maximal exercise test to determine maximal aerobic speed (MAS), 14 recreationally active males completed 2 HIIT sessions on a non-motorised treadmill. Participants performed 12 × 30 s running intervals at a target intensity of 105% MAS interspersed with 30 s (ER) or SS recovery periods. During SS, participants were instructed to provide themselves with sufficient recovery to complete all 12 efforts at the required intensity. A semi-structured interview was undertaken following the completion of SS. Mean recovery duration was longer during SS (51 ± 15 s) compared to ER (30 ± 0 s; p < .001; d = 1.46 ± 0.46). Between-interval heart rate recovery was higher (SS: 19 ± 9 b min-1; ER: 8 ± 5 b min-1; p < .001; d = 1.43 ± 0.43) and absolute time ≥90% maximal heart rate (HRmax) was lower (SS: 335 ± 193 s; ER: 433 ± 147 s; p = .075; d = 0.52 ± 0.39) during SS compared to ER. Relative time ≥105% MAS was greater during SS (90 ± 6%) compared to ER (74 ± 20%; p < .01; d = 0.87 ± 0.40). Different sources of afferent information underpinned decision-making during SS. The extended durations of recovery during SS resulted in a reduced time ≥90% HRmax but enhanced time ≥105% MAS, compared with ER exercise. Differences in the afferent cue utilisation of participants likely explain the large levels of inter-individual variability observed.

Comparison of affective responses during and after low volume high-intensity interval exercise, continuous moderate- and continuous high-intensity exercise in active, untrained, healthy males.

This study compared affective responses to low volume high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE), moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) and high-intensity continuous exercise (HICE). Twelve untrained males ([Formula: see text] 48.2 ± 6.7 ml·kg-1·min-1) completed MICE (30 min cycle at 85% of ventilatory threshold (VT)), HICE (cycle at 105% of VT matched with MICE for total work), and HIIE (10 x 6 s cycle sprints with 60 s recovery). Affective valence and perceived activation were measured before exercise, post warm-up, every 20% of exercise time, and 1, 5, 10, and 15 min post-exercise. Affective valence during exercise declined by 1.75 ± 2.42, 1.17 ± 1.99, and 0.42 ± 1.38 units in HICE, HIIE, and MICE, respectively, but was not statistically influenced by trial (P = 0.35), time (P = 0.06), or interaction effect (P = 0.08). Affective valence during HICE and HIIE was consistently less positive than MICE. Affective valence post-exercise was not statistically influenced by trial (P = 0.10) and at 5 min post-exercise exceeded end-exercise values (P = 0.048). Circumplex profiles showed no negative affect in any trial. Affective responses to low volume HIIE are similar to HICE but remain positive and rebound rapidly, suggesting it may be a potential alternative exercise prescription.

The Effect of a Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse on Upper-Body Muscular Strength and Endurance.

Dunkin, JE and Phillips, SM. The effect of a carbohydrate mouth rinse on upper-body muscular strength and endurance. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1948-1953, 2017-Carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinsing rapidly increases corticomotor output and maximal muscle force production, which could enhance muscular strength and endurance during resistance exercise. However, previous research has found no effect of CHO rinsing on muscular strength or endurance. The current study altered the CHO rinse composition and frequency and the muscular endurance test to further investigate the effects of a CHO mouth rinse on upper-body muscular strength and endurance. Twelve recreationally resistance-trained men (mean ± SD age 22 ± 1 year, height 179.2 ± 1.8 cm, body mass 80.9 ± 6.1 kg) completed a bench press protocol (1 repetition maximum [RM] test followed by repetitions to failure at 40% of 1RM) on 3 occasions. Subjects rinsed 25 ml of an 18% CHO solution or a placebo for 10 seconds before 1RM and repetitions to failure and completed a no-rinse control condition. Felt arousal (FA) was measured before and after each rinse, heart rate (HR) was measured before and after both exercise protocols, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded after repetitions to failure. Rinsing did not influence 1RM (p = 0.680, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.03), repetitions to failure (p = 0.677, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.04), or exercise volume (load × reps; p = 0.600, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.05). There were no significant treatment effects on heart rate (p = 0.677, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.04), FA (p = 0.674, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.04) or rating of perceived exertion (p = 0.604, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.05). A CHO mouth rinse does not improve upper-body muscular strength or endurance.

Impact of Pharmacist-Conducted Comprehensive Medication Reviews for Older Adult Patients to Reduce Medication Related Problems.

Older adults are demanding increased healthcare attention with regards to prescription use due in large part to highly complex medication regimens. As patients age, medications often have a more pronounced effect on older adults, negatively impacting patient safety and increasing healthcare costs. Comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) optimize medications for elderly patients and help to avoid inappropriate medication use. Previous literature has shown that such CMRs can successfully identify and reduce the number of medication-related problems and improve acute healthcare utilization. The purpose of this pharmacy resident research study is to examine the impact of pharmacist-conducted geriatric medication reviews to reduce medication-related problems within a leading community health system in southwest Michigan. Furthermore, the study examines type of pharmacist interventions made during medication reviews, acute healthcare utilization, and physician assessment of the pharmacist's value. The study was conducted as a retrospective post-hoc analysis on ambulatory patients who received a CMR by a pharmacist at a primary care practice. Inclusion criteria included patients over 65 years of age with concurrent use of at least five medications who were a recent recipient of a CMR. Exclusion criteria included patients with renal failure, or those with multiple providers involved in primary care. The primary outcome was the difference in number of medication-related problems, as defined by the START and STOPP Criteria (Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment/Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions). Secondary outcomes included hospitalizations, emergency department visits, number and type of pharmacist interventions, acceptance rate of pharmacist recommendations, and assessment of the pharmacist's value by clinic providers. There were a total of 26 patients that received a comprehensive medication review from the pharmacist and were compared to a control group, patients that did not receive a CMR. The average patient age for both groups was 76 years old. A total of 11 medication-related problems in the intervention group patients were identified compared with 24 medication-related problems in the control group (p-value 0.002). Pharmacist-led comprehensive medication reviews were associated with a statistically significant different in the number of medication-related problems as defined by the START and STOPP criteria.

Overestimation of required recovery time during repeated sprint exercise with self-regulated recovery.

This study investigated the reliability and accuracy of self-regulated recovery time and performance during repeated sprinting. On 4 occasions, 14 men (24.5 ± 5.0 years) completed 10 × 6 seconds cycle sprints against 7.5% body mass, self-regulating (SR) recovery time to maintain performance. Subjects then repeated the test, but with a reduced recovery (RR) of 10% less recovery time. Across the first 4 trials, there were no between-trial differences in peak power output (PPO) or mean power output (MPO), recovery time, or fatigue index (p > 0.05). Random variation in recovery time was reduced across trials 3-4 (coefficient of variation [CV] = 7.5%, 95% confidence limits [CL] = 5.4-12.4%) compared with trials 1-2 (CV = 16.0, 95% CL = 11.4-27.0%) and 2-3 (CV = 10.1%, 95% CL = 7.2-16.7%) but was consistent across trials for PPO and MPO (between-trials CV, ≤3.3%). There were no trial effects for any performance, physiological, or perceptual measures when comparing SR with RR (p > 0.05), although heart rate and perceptual measures increased with subsequent sprint efforts (p ≤ 0.05). After 2 familiarization trials, subjects can reliably self-regulate recovery time to maintain performance during repeated sprints. However, subjects overestimate the amount of recovery time required, as reducing this time by 10% had no effect on performance, perceptual, or physiological parameters. Self-regulated sprinting is potentially a reliable training tool, particularly for sprint training where maintenance of work is desired. However, overestimation of required recovery time means that performance improvements may not be achieved if the goal of training is improvement of repeated sprint performance with incomplete recovery.

The Influence of Serial Carbohydrate Mouth Rinsing on Power Output during a Cycle Sprint.

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of serial administration of a carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinse on performance, metabolic and perceptual responses during a cycle sprint. Twelve physically active males (mean (± SD) age: 23.1 (3.0) years, height: 1.83 (0.07) m, body mass (BM): 86.3 (13.5) kg) completed the following mouth rinse trials in a randomized, counterbalanced, double-blind fashion; 1. 8 x 5 second rinses with a 25 ml CHO (6% w/v maltodextrin) solution, 2. 8 x 5 second rinses with a 25 ml placebo (PLA) solution. Following mouth rinse administration, participants completed a 30 second sprint on a cycle ergometer against a 0.075 g·kg(-1) BM resistance. Eight participants achieved a greater peak power output (PPO) in the CHO trial, resulting in a significantly greater PPO compared with PLA (13.51 ± 2.19 vs. 13.20 ± 2.14 W·kg(-1), p < 0.05). Magnitude inference analysis reported a likely benefit (81% likelihood) of the CHO mouth rinse on PPO. In the CHO trial, mean power output (MPO) showed a trend for being greater in the first 5 seconds of the sprint and lower for the remainder of the sprint compared with the PLA trial (p > 0.05). No significant between-trials difference was reported for fatigue index, perceived exertion, arousal and nausea levels, or blood lactate and glucose concentrations. Serial administration of a CHO mouth rinse may significantly improve PPO during a cycle sprint. This improvement appears confined to the first 5 seconds of the sprint, and may come at a greater relative cost for the remainder of the sprint. Key pointsThe paper demonstrates that repeated administration of a carbohydrate mouth rinse can significantly improve peak power output during a single 30 second cycle sprint.The ergogenic effect of the carbohydrate mouth rinse may relate to the duration of exposure of the oral cavity to the mouth rinse, and associated greater stimulation of oral carbohydrate receptors.The significant increase in peak power output with the carbohydrate mouth rinse may come at a relative cost for the remainder of the sprint, evidenced by non-significantly lower mean power output and a greater fatigue index in the carbohydrate vs. placebo trial.Serial administration of a carbohydrate mouth rinse may be beneficial for sprint athletes as a method of performance enhancement that minimizes the risk of performance decrement through body mass increase and gastrointestinal disturbances associated with ingesting carbohydrate solutions.