Reliance upon contextual information can impede visual anticipation.

This study investigated whether skilled batsmen in a state cricket pathway could anticipate ball types when congruency of field-placings was manipulated with a bowler's action. Twenty-four male cricket batsmen were recruited who had played either first-class cricket (n = 6), were part of under 17 (n = 8) or under 19 (n = 10) state cricket squads. Participants completed a video-based temporal occlusion test where they were required to anticipate ball types from a swing bowler. In condition one, contextual field-placing information was presented to be congruent with the delivery type and bowler's action, whilst in condition two it was incongruent. Results did not reveal skill level differences across conditions for anticipation. In the congruent condition, all skill groups predicted above the chance level at the beginning and end of the bowler's delivery stride. In the incongruent condition, first-class players predicted above chance at the beginning of the bowler's delivery stride, and to a higher magnitude above chance compared to other skill groups at ball release. Under 17 and 19 players could not predict above chance at the start of the bowler's delivery stride with their magnitude of prediction lower than first-class players at ball release. Results indicate skilled batsmen find it challenging to integrate contextual and kinematic information to anticipate. This is likely due to greater emphasis placed upon contextual information in part supplied by data analysts. Findings have theoretical and practical implications respectively for lower body positioning for bat-ball interception and perceptual training to improve pick-up of kinematic cues.HIGHLIGHTSSkilled batsmen in a high-performance state cricket pathway could integrate congruent field-placings and bowler kinematics to anticipate ball types.First-class batsmen could integrate incongruent field-placing information to the start, but not the end, of the bowler's delivery action to anticipate ball types.Under 17 and 19 batsmen could not integrate incongruent field-placings to bowler kinematics to anticipate ball types.Skilled batsmen who cannot use kinematic information to anticipate ball types should be given visual-perceptual simulation training to accelerate performance.

Discriminative Ability of Lower limb Strength and Power Measures in Lacrosse Athletes.

The objective of this investigation was to compare isokinetic strength, countermovement jump and drop jump variables between high-contributors and low-contributors within NCAA Division I Men's and Women's lacrosse athletes. Men's (N=36) and Women's (N=30) NCAA Division I lacrosse athletes completed strength testing of the quadriceps and hamstring across three speeds (60°·s-1, 180°·s-1, 300°·s-1), countermovement and drop jumps. To determine the discriminative ability of select lower-limb strength and power characteristics participants were categorized as high-contributors (Males N=18, age=20.3±0.4 yrs, height=183.9±5.5 cm, mass=90.8±5.8 kg; Females N=15, age=20.8±0.8 yrs, height=169.3±6.7 cm, mass=64.1±7.2 kg) or low-contributors (Males N=18, age=19.5±0.2 yrs, height=184.1±5.6 cm; mass=87.9±8.1 kg; Females N=15, age=19.7±0.2 yrs, height=169.8±7.0 cm, mass=62.9±7.7 kg ) based upon the number of games the participants competed in during the regular season. Within the male cohort, moderate significant (p<0.05) differences were observed between high-contributors and low-contributors in isokinetic hamstring strength of the left leg at 300°·s-1 (d=0.69) and peak power in countermovement jump (d=0.68). Within the women's cohort a large (d=0.87) significant difference (p<0.05) in isokinetic strength of the left hamstring was observed between high-contributors and low-contributors at 60°·s-1. Hamstring strength and lower-limb power are important strength measures for lacrosse performance and should be prioritized in training prescription for lacrosse athletes.

Effect of Intention to Squat Explosively on Acute Countermovement Jump Performance.

ABSTRACT: O'Grady, MW, Young, WB, Behm, DG, and Talpey, SW. Effect of intention to squat explosively on acute countermovement jump performance. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3348-3354, 2021-The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of squatting with the intention of moving the bar as fast as possible during the ascent phase on potentiating countermovement jump (CMJ) performance. Fourteen recreationally resistance-trained men (age = 22.1 ± 1.7 years, height = 179.9 ± 4.2 cm, body mass = 83.8 ± 6.6 kg) with a predicted 1 repetition maximum half-squat of 201.0 ± 27.8 kg participated in this study. Subjects performed 3 CMJs before and then 4 and 8 minutes after a squat conditioning activity (CA). Conditions were randomized. For 1 condition, the CA involved subjects performing 4 repetitions of the half-squat with a 5RM load in a controlled manner (CON) at a self-selected normal squatting tempo. In the other condition, subjects used the same number of repetitions and load; however, they were instructed to move the bar up as fast as possible during the concentric phase of the half-squat (VMAX). Half-squat peak force (N), peak power (W), peak velocity (m·s-1), and rate of force development (RFD) were measured for each CA using a force platform and linear position transducer. At 4 and 8 minutes post-CA, CMJ height, relative peak power, peak velocity, and peak force were also measured. Despite there being significant increases in the half-squat peak power, peak velocity and maximum RFD in the VMAX condition, neither condition significantly improved any post-CMJ variable. Some small improvements in jump height were observed in certain individuals after the VMAX condition, suggesting that an explosive half-squat CA may potentiate CMJ performance in certain individuals.