Relationship Between Cognitive Functions and Agility Performance in Elite Young Male Soccer Players.

ABSTRACT: Matlák, J, Fridvalszki, M, Kóródi, V, Szamosszegi, G, Pólyán, E, Kovács, B, Kolozs, B, Langmár, G, and Rácz, L. Relationship between cognitive functions and agility performance in elite, young, male soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 116-122, 2024-The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between agility performance and cognitive functions measured under laboratory conditions among elite young soccer players. Twenty-five, elite, young, male soccer players (12.3 ± 0.4 years, 155.4 ± 7.6 cm, 42.6 ± 6.9 kg) completed a battery of field tests, including 5-, 10-, 20-m sprints, change of direction speed (CODS), standing long jump, and an agility test based on a human stimulus. Subjects also completed choice reaction (RT, S3) and reactive stress tolerance (DT, S1) tests on the Vienna Test System. There was a moderate significant relationship (p < 0.05) found between mean reaction time and mean motor time during the choice reaction task and decision time in the agility test. Decision time also showed a large significant correlation (p < 0.05) with total time in the agility test. No significant correlation was found between total time in the agility test and variables measured during RT and DT tests. No significant correlations were found between agility test results and results from straight line sprints, CODS, and standing long jump tests. The results of this study suggest that choice reaction time is related to decision-making speed during the agility task used in this study and can have an indirect effect on agility performance in elite young soccer players. Further studies assessing the relationship between different cognitive functions and agility performance in different sports and age categories could help in the identification of determinant cognitive functions in perceptual and decision-making factors of agility.

Reliability Study of a Functional Test for the Offensive Agility Performance in Water Polo.

The aim of the study was to develop and assess the reliability of a functional agility test containing offensive elements for water polo players. Eighteen young male (15.3 ± 0.5 years, 178.3 ± 4.7 cm, 69.4 ± 10.0 kg) water polo players with a minimum of 5 years of sport-specific experience participated in this study. The test contained reactive high-intensity short-term swimming with changes in direction and manoeuvres after perceiving unknown stimuli given by tester players, and also included a shooting task at a goal, first from 7 m and then from 5 m. Execution time and shooting efficiency were measured by two experienced water polo coaches (Evaluators A and B). All statistical analyses were calculated using SPSS. The intrarater reliability between attempts showed good reliability for both evaluators (Evaluator A: ICC: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.66-0.95 and Evaluator B: ICC: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.68-0.96). Interrater reliability between Evaluators A and B was excellent at both attempts (Attempt 1: ICC: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99 and Attempt 2: ICC: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99). A lack of correlation between shooting performance from 7 m and 5 m distances and execution time was observed in the protocol. The test we presented in this study was found to be a reliable measurement tool for testing offensive agility performance based on open skill nature among water polo players.

Blood flow restriction in human skeletal muscle during rest periods after high-load resistance training down-regulates miR-206 and induces Pax7.

BACKGROUD: Blood flow restriction (BFR) with low-intensity resistance training has been shown to result in hypertrophy of skeletal muscle. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that BFR during the rest periods between acute, high-intensity resistance exercise sessions (70% of 1 repetition maximum, 7 sets with 10 repetitions) enhances the effects of the resistance training. METHODS: A total of 7 healthy young men performed squats, and between sets BFR was carried out on one leg while the other leg served as a control. Because BFR was applied during rest periods, even severe occlusion pressure (approximately 230 mmHg), which almost completely blocked blood flow, was well-tolerated by the participants. Five muscle-specific microRNAs were measured from the biopsy samples, which were taken 2 h after the acute training. RESULTS: Doppler data showed that the pattern of blood flow recovery changed significantly between the first and last BFR. microRNA-206 levels significantly decreased in the BFR leg compared to the control. The mRNA levels of RAC-ß serine/threonine-protein kinase v22, nuclear respiratory factor 1, vascular endothelial growth factor, lupus Ku autoantigen protein p70 genes (p < 0.05), and paired box 7 (p < 0.01) increased in the BFR leg. The protein levels of paired box 7, nuclear respiratory factor 1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α did not differ between the BFR leg and the control leg. CONCLUSION: BFR, during the rest periods of high-load resistance training, could lead to mRNA elevation of those proteins that regulate angiogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, and muscle hypertrophy and repair. However, BFR also can cause DNA damage, judging from the increase in mRNA levels of lupus Ku autoantigen protein p70.