Effects of emotional regulation and impulsivity on sports performance: the mediating role of gender and competition level.

Introduction: This study aimed to study the relationships between emotional regulation and impulsivity on sports performance, according to the gender and competition level in national-level volleyball players. Methods: In total, 77 players from the 2018-2019 top two Spanish divisions completed the ERQ (emotion regulation) and the UPPS-P (impulsivity). Statistics (serve, reception, and attack) were retrieved from the Spanish Volleyball Federation. A Mann-Whitney test was conducted to determine differences between gender and competition level in impulsivity and emotion regulation. A Kruskal-Wallis test (Mann-Whitney post-hoc) was carried out for playing positions analysis. Spearman's correlation was performed between the performance and the variables of impulsivity and emotional regulation. Results: The results obtained, with differences according to playing position, gender, and competition level, show that players differ in certain psychological aspects that might influence how they approach their game. Discussion: The results point in a promising direction: the sports practice analyzed can serve as a regulation context, for both the emotional response and the level of impulsivity of the players. The importance of these results for future research on this topic is discussed.

Effect of changes in the net height, court size, and serve limitations on technical-tactical, physical, and psychological aspects of U-14 female volleyball matches.

Introduction: The objective was to analyze the effect of a reduction of the net height and the court size and serve limitations on the technical-tactical actions, physical actions, and psychological aspects in youth volleyball players. Methods: The sample was 29 under-14 female volleyball players (three regional club teams). A quasi-experimental design was implemented to assess the effect of modification in three tournaments. The independent variables were: a) official rules tournament (no changes in the rules), b) Experimental Tournament 1 (reduction in the net height from 2.10 m to 2 m, no jump serves, and a maximum of two serves per player and rotation), and c) Experimental Tournament 2 (reduction in net height from 2.10 m to 2 m, reduction in court size from 9 × 9 m to 8 × 8 m, no jump serves, and a maximum of two serves per player and rotation). The dependent variables were: ball contact done (type), quality and efficacy of the technical actions, team game phases occurrence, quality and efficacy, continuity index, number of jumps, player's jump load in the take-off and landing, number of hits, average heart rate, Rate of Perceived Effort, time between ball contacts, serve velocity, perceived individual and collective self-efficacy, perceived enjoyment, and perceived satisfaction. Results: Experimental Tournament 1 involved an increase in the efficacy of serves and a decrease in the efficacy of side-out phases. The imbalance between serve and reception did not impact game continuity but reduced the attack and blocks. Experimental Tournament 2 involved a decrease in the efficacy of serves and an increase in the efficacy of side-out phases. The balance between serve and reception increased reception efficacy, the occurrence of attacks and blocks, game continuity, and players' effort. players' effort. Discussion: Scaling the net and court and adapting the serve rules (Experimental Tournament 2) resulted in game dynamics for these U-12 teams that were more similar to those of posterior stages of player through the balance between serve and reception and the adaptation of the net height and court size.

Effect of eight weeks of upper-body plyometric training during the competitive season on professional female volleyball players.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of incorporating specific upper-body plyometric training for the spike into the competitive season of a women's professional volleyball team. METHODS: A professional team from the Spanish first division participated in the study. An A-B-A' quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups was used. The independent variable was the upper-body plyometric training for eight weeks during the competitive season. The dependent variables were the spiked ball's speed (km/h); the player's body weight (kg), BMI (kg/m2), and muscle percentage in arms (%); 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in the bench press (kg); 1RM in the pullover (kg); and overhead medicine ball throws of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 kg (m). Inter-player and inter-group statistical analyses of the results were carried out (Wilcoxon test and linear regression model). RESULTS: The experimental group significantly improved their spike speed 3.8% from phase A to phase B, and they maintained this improvement after the retention phase. No improvements were found in the control group. The experimental group presented a significant improvement from phase A to phase B in dominant arm muscle area (+10.8%), 1RM for the bench press (+8.41%), 1RM for the pullover (+14.75%), and overhead medicine ball throws with 1 kg (+7.19%), 2 kg (+7.69%), and 3 kg (+5.26%). The control group did not present differences in these variables. CONCLUSIONS: Data showed the plyometric exercises that were tested could be used by performance-level volleyball teams to improve spike speed. The experimental group increased their upper-body maximal strength, their power application, and spike speed.

An Intervention Based on Video Feedback and Questioning to Improve Tactical Knowledge in Expert Female Volleyball Players.

This study applied an intervention program, based on video feedback and questioning, to expert female volleyball players to improve their tactical knowledge. The sample consisted of eight female attackers (26 ± 2.6 years old) from the Spanish National Volleyball Team, who were divided into an experimental group (n = 4) and a control group (n = 4). The video feedback and questioning program applied in the study was developed over eight reflective sessions and consisted of three phases: viewing of the selected actions, self-analysis and reflection by the attacker, and joint player-coach analysis. The attackers were videotaped in an actual game and four clips (situations) of each of the attackers were chosen for each reflective session. Two of the clips showed a correct action by the attacker, and two showed an incorrect decision. Tactical knowledge was measured by problem representation with a verbal protocol. The members of the experimental group showed adaptations in long-term memory, significantly improving their tactical knowledge. With respect to conceptual content, there was an increase in the total number of conditions verbalized by the players; with respect to conceptual sophistication, there was an increase in the indication of appropriate conditions with two or more details; and finally, with respect to conceptual structure, there was an increase in the use of double or triple conceptual structures. The intervention program, based on video feedback and questioning, in addition to on-court training sessions of expert volleyball players, appears to improve the athletes' tactical knowledge.

A combination of physical and cognitive exercise improves reaction time in persons 61-84 years old.

We have compared the effects of different 12-week exercise programs on simple and choice reaction and movement times in persons 61 to 84 years old. One hundred thirty-eight volunteers were randomized to either a control group, a two-day exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic exercises), or a two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic and cognitive exercises). At follow-up, the aerobic and cognitive exercise program was found to have resulted in significant positive effects. Improvements were found in the two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group in all of the reaction parameters, particularly improvement in choice reaction time, which is used in most daily activities. Our results suggest that to improve reaction time values, it is advisable to include cognitive features into a physical exercise routine.

Efecto de la aplicación de un sistema automatizado de proyección de preíndices para la mejora de la capacidad de anticipación en jugadoras de voleibol / Application of an automated precue projection system to improve the capacity for anticipation in female volleyball players

El propósito del estudio fue conocer la efectividad del sistema presentado, y comprobar si el entrenamiento aplicado contribuye a la mejora de la capacidad de anticipación en ocho jugadoras de voleibol. Se llevó a cabo un diseño cuasi-experimental intragrupo con un pre-test, dos semanas de tratamiento, un post-test y un re-test. La variable independiente consistió en la aplicación de un entrenamiento basado en el aporte de información inicial en forma de preíndices de la colocadora oponente. La variable dependiente consistió en el registro del tiempo de respuesta de las participantes en una situación de elección en bloqueo. Los resultados muestran que bajo las condiciones experimentales utilizadas, todas las jugadoras participantes mejoraron los tiempos de respuesta a partir del inicio del tratamiento, con un alto porcentaje de efectividad de la tasa total de aciertos. Las jugadoras anticiparon mejor los tiempos de ataque colocados por detrás de la colocadora. Los resultados mostrados permiten considerar el sistema automatizado descrito como una herramienta útil en la investigación de situaciones deportiva (AU)

This study aimed to ascertain the efficiency of the system presented and verify whether the training applied improves the anticipation capacities of eight female volleyball players. A quasi-experimental factorial intra-group design was applied with a pre-test, two weeks of treatment, a post-test and a re-test. The independent variable was training based on the contribution of initial data in the form of the opponent’s precues. The dependent variables consisted in logging the participants’ responses when choosing to block. The results obtained showed an improvement in the participants’ response times and a high percentage of success under these experimental conditions. The volleyball players better anticipated attack times placed behind the setter. The results obtained allow the automated system described to be considered a useful tool for sports research (AU)

Arquitectura muscular en cuatro grupos de mujeres jóvenes / Muscle arquitecture in four groups of young women

La arquitectura muscular se define como la disposición geométrica de las fibras musculares, e influye significativamente en las características funcionales del músculo. Los objetivos de este estudio han sido analizar y comparar, en cuatro grupos de mujeres jóvenes, con distinto nivel de actividad física, la arquitectura de la musculatura extensora del miembro inferior, estudiando las diferencias entre músculos. Los grupos analizados fueron 12 jugadoras de voleibol de élite (ELITE), 12 jugadoras de voleibol de nivel medio (MED), la estudiantes de Educación Física (EST) y 12 mujeres sedentarias jóvenes (SED). Se obtuvieron valores del grosor muscular, los ángulos de pennación y la longitud de fascículos de los músculos vasto lateral (VL), gastrocnemio medial (OM) y gastrocnemio lateral (01), mediante ecografía, y se determinaron las características antropométricas de cada grupo. Las diferencias arquitectónicas entre músculos eran similares a las descritas en la bibliografía, y se correspondían con el tipo de acciones que desempefian. El VL presentaba un disefio orientado a la producción de fuerza a altas velocidades, debido a su grosor ya la longitud de sus fascículos. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en el grosor muscular y las longitudes de fascículos del grupo SED, comparado con los grupos MED y ELITE, lo que se relacionaría con la capacidad de las jugadores de voleibol para desarrollar niveles más altos de fuerza y velocidad debido a un mayor número de sarcómeros en paralelo y en serie. Las mayores longitudes de fascículos encontradas en el grupo ELITE estarían relacionadas con el tipo de entrenamiento que lleva a cabo, que incluye una gran cantidad de saltos y movimientos que producen alargamiento de los fascículos musculares mediante acción mecánica. Las correlaciones entre longitudes de fascículos y grosor muscular en los grupos ELITE y MED concuerdan con aquellas encontradas en deportes donde la fuerza explosiva y la velocidad son fundamentales para el rendimiento

Muscle architecture describes the geometric design of a muscle. It will have a great influence in tue force generating capacity and fue shortening velocity of skeletal muscle. The purposes of this study were to analyse and compare, in four groups of young women with different levels of physical activity, fue architectural characteristics of lower limb extensor muscles, and tue differences between muscles. Twelve elite female volleyball players (ELITE), 12 club level female volleyball players (MEDIO), 10 physical education students (EST) and 12 sedentary youngwomen (SED) volunteered for fue study. Muscle thickness, pennation angies and fascicle length of vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) were analysed by means of ultrasonography, and tue anthropometric characteristics of each group were determined. The differences among muscles were similar to those reported in the literature, and were related to fue functional use of each muscle. The VL muscle architecture was related to the development of great forces at high contraction velocities, because of its muscle thickness and fascicle length. There were signillcant differences in muscle thicknesses and fascicle lengths between SED and the groups of volleyball players (MED and ELITE). These differences would be related to the ability to develop higher levels of force and velocity, due to the greater number of in-parallel and in-series sarcomeres. The longer fascicle lengths found in fue ELITE group would have been caused by their specific training, mainly composed by jumps and explosive movements that led to forced stretching of muscle fascicles. The correlations between fascicle lengths and muscle thickness in ELITE and MED are similar to those found in sports where explosive strength and speed are essential for the performance