Practices of Strength and Conditioning Coaches: A Snapshot From Different Sports, Countries, and Expertise Levels.

ABSTRACT: Weldon, A, Duncan, MJ, Turner, A, LaPlaca, D, Sampaio, J, and Christie, CJ. Practices of strength and conditioning coaches: a snapshot from different sports, countries, and expertise levels. J Strength Cond Res 36(5): 1335-1344, 2022-This study describes the practices of strength and conditioning coaches (SCCs) from different sports, countries, and expertise levels. One hundred fifty-six SCCs (31.9 ± 8.9 years old) completed an online survey, consisting of 40 questions (36 fixed response and 4 open-ended), with 8 sections as follows: (a) background information, (b) muscular strength and power development, (c) speed development, (d) plyometrics, (e) flexibility development, (f) physical testing, (g) technology use, and (h) programming and any additional comments. Responses were received from 48 sports and 17 countries. This study provides exploratory evidence incorporating responses primarily in soccer (45%), track and field (30%), volleyball (23%), golf (17%), and tennis (17%). A bachelor's degree or higher were held by 99% of SCCs, of which 94% were in a sports science-related field, and 71% held a strength and conditioning related certification or accreditation. Periodization strategies and physical testing were used by 96% and 94% of SCCs respectively. The hang clean (82%), power clean (76%), and clean high pull (63%) were the most prescribed Olympic weightlifting exercises. Multiple hops/lunges (84%) were the most prescribed plyometrics exercises. For open-ended questions, 40% of SCCs wanted to integrate more technology into their programs and 30% believed technology will be the main future trend. Strength and conditioning coaches from different sports, countries, and expertise levels can use the information presented in this study to review their current practices and provide a source of new ideas for diversifying or modifying future practices.

The COVID-19 Lockdown and Changes in Routine-Oriented Lifestyle Behaviors and Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Insomnia in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: The authors assessed the impact of lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on routine-oriented lifestyle behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in South Africans. METHODS: In this observational study, 1048 adults (median age = 27 y; n = 767 females; n = 473 students) responded to an online survey on work, exercise, screen, alcohol, caffeine and sleep behaviors, depression, anxiety, and insomnia before and during lockdown. Comparisons were made between males and females, and students and nonstudents. RESULTS: During lockdown, males reported larger reductions in higher intensity exercise and alcohol use than females, while depressive symptoms increased more among females, more of whom also reported poorer sleep quality. Students demonstrated larger delays in work and sleep timing, greater increases in sitting, screen, sleep duration, napping, depression and insomnia and larger decreases in work hours, exercise time, and sleep regularity compared with nonstudents. CONCLUSIONS: Students experienced more changes in their routine-oriented behaviors than nonstudents, coupled with larger increases in depression and insomnia. The dramatic change in their work and sleep timing suggests habitual routines that are at odds with their chronotype, with their sleep changes during lockdown likely reflecting "catch-up" sleep in response to accumulated sleep debt under usual routines.

Workload Monitoring in Team Sports: Using Elite Cricket as an Example.

Workload monitoring is used to assess athlete preparedness to ensure that they are optimally prepared for competition. Although many workload studies have been done, most are delimited to individual sport athletes and endurance athletes. There is also controversy regarding which measures and in what combinations they should be used. There is a paucity of literature on workload monitoring in team sports such as cricket. Cricket is an interesting and complex sport which has dimensions of many other sports (team and individual) and was the focus of this broad, narrative review. The review highlights the unique demands of the sport and why consideration of the sport in question is important. It further identifies that most of the workload research has been done on fast bowlers with debate surrounding optimal workloads. It calls for research in specific areas and importantly on other player positions considering their unique demands and identifies what can be used currently by practitioners in the field.

Effect of expertise on pacing strategies and sprint performance in batsmen.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether the absence of a known endpoint, at the beginning of repeated-sprint bouts between the wickets, affects how skilled compared to less skilled batsmen pace themselves. DESIGN: Repeated measures. METHODS: Twelve skilled and 12 less skilled batsmen completed three trials. All trials required the same number of sprints (14 shuttles, 28 runs), while only the information before each trial differed. CT: batsmen were aware of the endpoint (28 runs). UT: not informed of the exercise endpoint and were required to run on command for an indefinite period (28 runs). DT: told they were only doing 14 runs when they actually did 28 runs. Sprint times, electrical muscle activity, and ratings of perceived effort were recorded. RESULTS: Skilled batsmen were significantly faster than less skilled across all trials. Hamstring muscles activity decreased significantly over time in the skilled players during the UT, and during the CT and DT for the less skilled players. There were significant reductions in quadriceps muscles activation for the less skilled over time in all trials and in the skilled batsmen in the vastus medialis during the UT only. Perceived effort increased significantly in both groups in all trials. Skilled batsmen were fastest in the UT and less skilled fastest in the CT. CONCLUSIONS: Better batting skill facilitated improved sprint times, especially when the exact endpoint was unknown. These results suggest that less skilled players should be given more central wicket practice with uncertainty to better develop their ability to maintain their sprint performance.

Strength and Conditioning Practices of University and High School Level Cricket Coaches: A South African Context.

Pote, L and Christie, CJ. Strength and conditioning practices of University and high school level cricket coaches: a South African context. J Strength Cond Res 30(12): 3464-3470, 2016-Although the sport of cricket is well established, the strength and conditioning practices of cricket players are not well known. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the current strength and conditioning practices that coaches implement for South African schoolboy and University level cricket players. An online survey, adapted from previous strength and conditioning questionnaires, was sent to 38 schoolboy and 12 University teams that participated in the top competitions in the country (n = 50). Of these, 24 replied indicating a response rate of 48%. Results indicated that although some forms of conditioning, workload monitoring and injury prevention were being implemented, the correct practices were not being administered. Furthermore, it was identified that most coaches had insufficient qualifications and experience to administer the correct training techniques. It was concluded that coaches require further education so that scientifically based training programs can be implemented. This was deemed particularly necessary for adolescent bowlers who are at an increased risk of injury, specifically in the lower back region.

Selected physiological and perceptual responses during a simulated limited overs century in non-elite batsmen.

Few studies have examined the impact of an increased physical demand on batting performance, especially over extended periods of play. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the physiological and perceptual responses of batsmen scoring a simulated limited overs century, and to link these to sprint times and accuracy of the impact of the ball on the bat. Seventeen male, university level cricketers, performed a batting protocol (BATEX(©)), typical of a limited overs century. The protocol consisted of six stages, each of five overs, with each stage matched to a specific phase of play. Throughout the protocol heart rate (HR), central ratings of perceived effort (RPE), sprint times and impact accuracy were recorded. HR fluctuated as a function of exercise intensity (124.16-159.61 bpm). Central RPE increased as a function of intensity and duration (11.87-16.04). Sprint times got slower over time (5.67-5.81 s), while impact accuracy improved significantly (p < .05) after stage one and then plateaued for the remainder of the protocol (64.81-57.39 mm). In conclusion, the protocol significantly impacted cardiac strain and perceptual responses negatively impacting sprint times with an improvement in batting accuracy.

Selected physiological responses during batting in a simulated cricket work bout: a pilot study.

As limited research has focused on the physiological responses associated with cricket activity, the aim of this pilot study was to measure selected physiological responses during batting in a simulated high-scoring 1-day cricket game. Ten male university cricketers performed a batting specific work bout consisting of four sprints per over (six balls) for a seven over period. Testing was conducted outdoors with players wearing full batting gear. All experimentation was conducted under temperate environmental conditions. During the simulated work bout, a portable on-line metabolic system (the k4b(2)) was attached to the subjects for the continuous assessment of selected physiological variables including heart rate (HR), ventilation (F(B), V(T) and V(E)), oxygen uptake (V(O2)) and metabolic carbon dioxide (V(CO2)) production. Energy expenditure was calculated from the oxygen consumption responses and substrate use was calculated from the V(O2)/V(CO2) responses. The results demonstrate that although the first over carried a statistically (p<0.05) lower energetic cost than the remaining six overs, most physiological responses stabilised thereafter. This excluded the heart rate responses which increased significantly (p<0.05) during the first three overs after which marginal increases were observed with no statistical difference between the last four overs (heart rate ranged from 149+/-19bt min(-1) in the fourth over to 155+/-18bt min(-1) in the last over). There was a mean energy expenditure of 2536kJh(-1) over the duration of the work bout.

Metabolic responses of South African soldiers during simulated marching with 16 combinations of speed and backpack load.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the metabolic responses of South African soldiers marching at different speeds and carrying varying loads. The main objective was to establish the physiological cost of a range of speed/load combinations to identify the energy requirements to meet a diversity of march objectives. METHODS: Thirty male soldiers marched on a treadmill for 6 minutes with varying combinations of speed and load, established through numerous pilot studies and in consultation with military personnel. The four speeds were 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5 km x (-1), combined with the four loads of 20, 35, 50, and 65 kg, totaling 16 combinations. Each participant completed eight of the 16 conditions, during which the participants wore standardized military gear and were attached to a portable ergospirometer (the Metamax, Cortex, Leipzig, Germany) for the duration of the march. RESULTS: Based on the responses, five discrete categories of speed/load combinations were identified. These combinations were categorized as nominal (< 40% of maximal oxygen consumption [VO(2max)]), moderate (40-50% of VO(2max)), heavy (50-65% of VO(2max)), very heavy (65-80% of VO(2max)), and excessive (> 80% of VO(2max)), with each categorization incorporating diverse combinations of speed and load. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that the interplay between marching speed and backpack load plays a crucial role in ensuring that similar metabolic demands are maintained at a bearable level to meet specific military circumstances, thus reducing the likelihood of injuries and the early onset of fatigue and ensuring that the soldiers are combat ready on arrival at their destination.