Power output at the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition decreases in a non-linear fashion during prolonged exercise.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to: (i) describe the time course of the decrease in power output at the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition during prolonged exercise; (ii) investigate the association between durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition and exercise capacity; and (iii) explore physiological correlates of durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition. METHODS: Twelve trained cyclists (age: 40 ± 8 y, V ˙ O2peak: 52.3 ± 5.2 mL·min-1·kg-1) performed an exhaustive cycling protocol involving alternating incremental exercise tests to determine power output at the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition via the first ventilatory threshold (VT1), and 30-min bouts at 90% of the power output at the previously estimated VT1 in the rested state. The individual time course of VT1 was modelled using linear and second-order polynomial functions, and time to a 5% decrease in VT1 (Δ5%VT1) was estimated using the best-fitting model. RESULTS: Power output at VT1 decreased according to a second-order polynomial function in 11 of 12 participants. Time-to-task failure (234 ± 66 min) was correlated with Δ5%VT1 (139 ± 78 min, rs = 0.676, p = 0.016), and these were strongly correlated with absolute and relative rates of fat oxidation at specific exercise intensities measured during the incremental test performed in the rested state. CONCLUSIONS: These data: (i) identify a non-linear time course of decreases in the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition during prolonged exercise; (ii) support the importance of durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition in prolonged exercise capacity; and (iii) suggest durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition is related to fat oxidation rates.

Thermal responses induced by nitrogen and forced convection based partial-body cryostimulation.

Partial Body Cryostimulation (PBC) involves a very cold air flow directed to the body of subjects with minimal clothing. PBC is performed in a rapid timeframe, inside an on-purposed designed cryo-cabin. Recently, cryo-cabins have been built with different energy systems, however a validation study on relative thermal responses is missing. This study was aimed at comparing thermal responses following a PBC in an electrically powered cryo-cabin based on forced convection or into a standard nitrogen-fueled cryo-cabin. In a randomized crossover fashion, thirty-six subjects (F=20; M=16) underwent both cryo-exposures lasting 150 s each. Thermal responses were assessed before and immediately after completing each PBC session. Mixed model analysis of variance revealed a significantly colder temperature after electric PBC in all the body regions (except for the thighs) with respect to a standard nitrogen based PBC (F: 16.4 ± 1.4 vs 18 ± 5.8 °C; M: 16.4 ± 1.7 vs 20.9 ± 4 °C). Moreover, a significant lower thermal discomfort was perceived at the end of electric PBC as compared to that one felt following standard PBC. For the first time, the safety and thermo-effectiveness of an electric cryo-cabin based on forced convection was ensured. This methodology can be viable for practitioners of PBC and clinicians.

How do world class top 5 Giro d'Italia finishers train? A qualitative multiple case study.

The aim of this study was to describe individual training strategies in preparation to Giro d'Italia of three world class road cyclists who achieved a top 5 in the general classification. Day-to-day power meter training and racing data of three road cyclists (age: 26, 27, 25 years; relative maximum oxygen consumption: 81, 82, 80 ml·min-1 ·kg-1 ; relative 20-min record power output: 6.6, 6.6, 6.4 W kg-1 ) of the 22 weeks (December-May) leading up to the top 5 in Giro d'Italia general classification were retrospectively analyzed. Weekly volume and intensity distribution were considered. Cyclists completed 17, 22, 29 races, trained averagely for 19.7 (7.9), 16.2 (7.0), 14.7 (6.2) hours per week, with a training intensity distribution of 91.3-6.5-2.2, 83.6-10.6-5.8, 86.7-8.9-4.4 in zone 1-zone 2-zone 3 before the Giro d'Italia. Two cyclists spent 55 and 39 days at altitude, one did not attend any altitude camp. Cyclists adopted an overall pyramidal intensity distribution with a relevant increase in high-intensity volume and polarization index in races weeks. Tapering phases seem to be dictated by race schedule instead of literature prescription, with no strength training performed by the three cyclists throughout the entire periodization.

Differences in Training Characteristics Between Junior, Under 23 and Professional Cyclists.

The aim was to compare the training characteristics of junior, under 23 and professional road cyclists. Training data collected during the 2019 competitive season of thirty male cyclists, divided into three age-related categories (JUN; U23; PRO), were retrospectively analyzed for training characteristics, external and internal training load. Higher duration per training session were observed in PRO (2.6±0.3 h) compared to both U23 (2.2±0.3 h; P<0.001) and JUN (2.0±0.2 h; P<0.001). Elevation gain per distance was higher in PRO (13.8±1.9 m·km-1) compared to U23 (10.6±0.9 m·km-1; P=0.001) and JUN (6.7±0.3 m·km-1; P<0.001), and in U23 compared to JUN (P<0.001). Annual total work was lower in JUN (3694±467 kJ·kg-1) compared to U23 (5268±746 kJ·kg-1; P=0.001) and PRO (5759±1103 kJ·kg-1; P<0.001). eTRIMP per hour was higher in JUN (151±40) compared to both U23 (115±23; P=0.003) and PRO (112±22; P=0.013). JUN spent more training time at medium and high heart rate intensity zones compared to U23 and PRO (P<0.05).

Primary motor cortex excitability as a marker of plasticity in a stimulation protocol combining action observation and kinesthetic illusion of movement.

Action observation combined with proprioceptive stimulation able to induce a kinesthetic illusion of movement (AO-KI) was shown to elicit a plastic increase in primary motor cortex (M1) excitability, with promising applications in rehabilitative interventions. Nevertheless, the known individual variability in response to combined stimulation protocols limits its application. The aim of this study was to examine whether a relationship exists between changes in M1 excitability during AO-KI and the long-lasting changes in M1 induced by AO-KI. Fifteen volunteers received a conditioning protocol consisting in watching a video showing a thumb-opposition movement and a simultaneous proprioceptive stimulation that evoked an illusory kinesthetic experience of their thumbs closing. M1 excitability was evaluated by means of single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation before, DURING the conditioning protocol, and up to 60 min AFTER it was administered. M1 excitability significantly increased during AO-KI with respect to a rest condition. Furthermore, AO-KI induced a long-lasting increase in M1 excitability up to 60 min after administration. Finally, a significant positive correlation appeared between M1 excitability changes during and after AO-KI; that is, participants who were more responsive during AO-KI showed greater motor cortical activity changes after it. These findings suggest that M1 response during AO-KI can be considered a neurophysiological marker of individual responsiveness to the combined stimulation since it was predictive of its efficacy in inducing long-lasting M1 increase excitability. This information would allow knowing in advance whether an individual will be a responder to AO-KI.

Effectiveness and safety of a thermal insulating coverage on the top of the cryo-cabin during a partial-body cryostimulation.

Partial Body Cryostimulation (PBC) consists of exposing minimally dressed participants to very cold air, in a specially designed cabin (cryo-cabin), for a short period of time. In recent years, cryo-cabins have been launched with a coverage to limit thermo-dispersion, however a validation study is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare thermal responses after a PBC protocol in an open cryo-cabin or into a cryo-cabin closed at the top with a polyurethane-made lid. Eighteen young male adults completed the two 150 s PBC sessions in a cross-over fashion. Temperature of the inner cabin and thermal responses were measured prior and 1, 5, 10, 20 min after completing each PBC session. When covered, cryo-cabins maintained a lower temperature in the front with respect to the back. There was a significant interaction regarding coverage*time*position with a main effect of coverage. Body surfaces were significantly colder under covered condition compared to open PBC. Subjects perceived a greater thermal discomfort during a covered PBC rather than during an open condition. For the first time, the use of a coverage placed on the top of the cabin was demonstrated to maintain lower temperatures of the inner environment and the users' skin with respect to a standard PBC. This evidence indicates that practitioners and clinicians making use of PBC can successfully and safely cover cryo-cabins with an insulating lid so to improve the effectiveness of their treatments.

High-impact Routines to Ameliorate Trunk and Lower Limbs Flexibility in Women.

Several types of routines and methods have been experimented to gain neuro/muscular advantages, in terms of overall range of motion, in athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of different routines on trunk- and lower limbs flexibility in a sample of young women. In a randomized-crossover fashion, eleven subjects underwent to: hamstrings stretching [S]; hamstrings stretching plus whole-body vibration [S+WBV]; partial-body cryotherapy [Cryo]; rest [Control]. Standing hamstrings stretch performance and sit-and-reach amplitude resulted to be improved with [S+WBV] compared to all other protocols (p<0.05). [Cryo] ameliorated the active knee extension performance with respect to all other interventions (p<0.05). These flexibility improvements were obtained without a loss in the trunk position sense proprioception. These results represent the first evidence that a single session of either vibration or cryotherapy can ameliorate flexibility without losing the trunk position sense proprioception in young women.

The Effect of Kinesio Taping on Spasticity: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study in Para-Swimmers.

CONTEXT: Kinesio Taping (KT) produces several clinical effects, including pain relief, edema absorption, and improved muscle performance. When applied in the insertion to origin mode, it is claimed to inhibit excessive muscle contractions. OBJECTIVE: Investigate whether KT applied in the insertion to origin mode could reduce the exaggerated reflex contraction of spastic muscles. DESIGN: Randomized crossover trial, with a restricted block randomization. SETTING: Clinical laboratory and swimming pool. PATIENTS: Seven para-swimmers. INTERVENTION: KT, applied in inhibitory mode, to investigate its effect on knee extensor spasticity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome is stretch reflex, as compared with clinical assessment of spasticity by Modified Ashworth Scale and self-perceived spasticity by numeric rating scale. Secondary outcomes were Medical Research Council for strength of knee extensor muscles and chronometric swimming performance in 100-m freestyle. RESULTS: KT significantly decreased the amplitude of stretch reflex (P < .001), whereas the placebo treatment produced no significant effects. Scores of Medical Research Council for strength and Modified Ashworth Scale did not change after KT, whereas numeric rating scale scores for spasticity significantly decreased (P = .001). The swimming performance was significantly improved after KT treatment as compared with baseline (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study performed on para-athletes suggests that KT could reduce spasticity. This outcome has 3-fold implications for clinical, rehabilitation, and sport methods.

Kinaesthetic illusion shapes the cortical plasticity evoked by action observation.

KEY POINTS: The combination of action observation (AO) and a peripheral nerve stimulation has been shown to induce plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1). However, using peripheral nerve stimulation little is known about the specificity of the sensory inputs. The current study, using muscle tendon vibration to stimulate muscle spindles and transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess M1 excitability, investigated whether a proprioceptive stimulation leading to a kinaesthetic illusion of movement (KI) was able to evoke M1 plasticity when combined with AO. M1 excitability increased immediately and up to 60 min after AO-KI stimulation as a function of the vividness of the perceived illusion, and only when the movement directions of AO and KI were congruent. Tactile stimulation coupled with AO and KI alone were not sufficient to induce M1 plasticity. This methodology might be proposed to subjects during a period of immobilization to promote M1 activity without requiring any voluntary movement. ABSTRACT: Physical practice is crucial to evoke cortical plasticity, but motor cognition techniques, such as action observation (AO), have shown their potentiality in promoting it when associated with peripheral afferent inputs, without the need of performing a movement. Here we investigated whether the combination of AO and a proprioceptive stimulation, able to evoke a kinaesthetic illusion of movement (KI), induced plasticity in the primary motor cortex (M1). In the main experiment, the role of congruency between the observed action and the illusory movement was explored together with the importance of the specificity of the sensory input modality (proprioceptive vs. tactile stimulation) to induce plasticity in M1. Further, a control experiment was carried out to assess the role of the mere kinaesthetic illusion on M1 excitability. Results showed that the combination of AO and KI evoked plasticity in M1, with an increase of the excitability immediately and up to 60 min after the conditioning protocol (P always <0.05). Notably, a significant increase in M1 excitability occurred only when the directions of the observed and illusory movements were congruent. Further, a significant positive linear relationship was found between the amount of M1 excitability increase and the vividness of the perceived illusion (P = 0.03). Finally, the tactile stimulation coupled with AO was not sufficient to induce changes in M1 excitability as well as the KI alone. All these findings indicate the importance of combining different sensory input signals to induce plasticity in M1, and that proprioception is the most suitable sensory modality to allow it.

Boosting and consolidating the proprioceptive cortical aftereffect by combining tendon vibration and repetitive TMS over primary motor cortex.

Tendon vibration of a limb elicits illusory movements in the direction that the vibrated muscle would be stretched, followed by a transient perception of movement in the opposite direction, that was demonstrated to correspond to a "cortical" aftereffect (Goodwin et al. Science 175:1382-1384, 1972). Primary motor cortex (M1) excitability of the non-vibrated antagonist muscle of the vibrated muscle increased during vibration and decreased thereafter. The cortical aftereffect is of interest when considering the possibility to use tendon vibration in rehabilitation for restoring unbalance activity between antagonistic muscles but, due to its short-lasting duration, has not been explored so far. We investigated the possibility to consolidate the cortical aftereffect by combining tendon vibration with a concomitant high-frequency 5-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocol. The distal tendon of the flexor carpi radialis muscle (FCR) was vibrated and concomitantly a 2-min 5-Hz rTMS protocol was administered on the left hemi-scalp hot spot of the vibrated FCR or its antagonist muscle (extensor carpi radialis (ECR)). We found that this protocol induced a pattern of unbalanced M1 excitability between vibrated muscle and its antagonist with increased excitability of the FCR and decreased excitability of ECR cortical areas, which persisted up to 30 min.

Local cryostimulation acutely preserves maximum isometric handgrip strength following fatigue in young women.

Several types of cryostimulation have been recently proposed to rapidly lower skin temperature therefore gaining a possible neuro/muscular recovery after strenuous exercise or, more generally, in sports. Local cryostimulation may be a viable and relatively portable tool to obtain physiological benefits in previously-efforted muscular districts. However, cohesive and standardized cryo-exposure protocols are lacking as well as the righteous procedure to efficaciously combine duration, treatments and temperature in relation to desirable effects on muscular strength. In this randomized-controlled study, fifty young women were tested for maximum isometric handgrip strength, before and after exhausting contractions. Following the fatiguing protocol, the intervention group (cryo, n = 25, 24.7 ±â€¯2.5 years, BMI 21.7 ±â€¯1.8 kg/m2) underwent a 6-min local cryostimulation (-160 °C) on the extensor-flexor muscles of the dominant arm, while control-matched peers sat rested in a thermo-neutral room (22 ±â€¯0.5 °C). Handgrip tests were repeated at baseline (T0), after cryostimulation (T1), and 15 min after T1 (T2). Throughout the protocol, the AUC of the strength performance was significantly higher in the cryo- compared to control group (P = 0.006). In particular, following fatigue and cryostimulation, the cryo group preserved higher strength at T1 with respect to controls (26.8 ±â€¯2.8 vs 23.9 ±â€¯2.8 kg, Bonferroni's post-hoc, P < 0.01). Likewise, ventral and dorsal temperature, recorded with a thermal camera, were lower in cryo- than control group (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, a brief session of local cryostimulation may acutely preserve maximal isometric force in young women following a fatiguing protocol. These findings may have implications in orchestrating strategies of district muscular recovery.

Effects of Two High-intensity Interval Training Concepts in Recreational Runners.

This study investigated the effects induced by 8 weeks of two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols, 10-20-30 and 30-30 concepts, characterized by significantly different training volume and intensity, on physiological parameters, running performance, body composition and psychophysiological stress of recreational divided into two groups: the 10-20-30 group performed two 10-20-30 sessions/wk and one continuous training (CT)/wk, whilst the 30-30 group performed two 30-30 sessions/wk and one CT session/wk. VO2max, 1 km time, maximal aerobic speed (MAS), and body composition were evaluated before and after intervention. Internal load was measured through rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Both groups significantly improved running performance (1 km time: p=0.04; MAS: p=0.000001), aerobic fitness (VO2max: p=0.000002) and body composition (lean mass (kg) p=0.0001; fat mass (%) p=0.00005). RPE resulted significantly lower in the 10-20-30 group than in 30-30 group (10-20-30: 13.36±0.28; 30-30:15.55±0.21; p=0.0002). Thus, the 10-20-30 group improved physiological parameters, performance and body composition, similar to 30-30 with significantly lower RPE values. These results suggest that in recreational runners the 10-20-30 training is effective in improving aerobic fitness and performance, with a lower subjective perception of effort, thus enhancing individual compliance and adherence to the prescribed training program.

Dynamic Shaping of the Defensive Peripersonal Space through Predictive Motor Mechanisms: When the "Near" Becomes "Far".

The hand blink reflex is a subcortical defensive response, known to dramatically increase when the stimulated hand is statically positioned inside the defensive peripersonal space (DPPS) of the face. Here, we tested in a group of healthy human subjects the hand blink reflex in dynamic conditions, investigating whether the direction of the hand movements (up-to/down-from the face) could modulate it. We found that, on equal hand position, the response enhancement was present only when the hand approached to (and not receded from) the DPPS of the face. This means that, when the hand is close to the face but the subject is planning to move the hand down, the predictive motor system can anticipate the consequence of the movement: the "near" becomes "far." We found similar results both in passive movement condition, when only afferent (visual and proprioceptive) information can be used to estimate the final state of the system, and in motor imagery task, when only efferent (intentional) information is available to predict the consequences of the movement. All these findings provide evidence that the DPPS is dynamically shaped by predictive mechanisms run by the motor system and based on the integration of feedforward and sensory feedback signals.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The defensive peripersonal space (DPPS) has a crucial role for survival, and its modulation is fundamental when we interact with the environment, as when we move our arms. Here, we focused on a defensive response, the hand blink reflex, known to increase when a static hand is stimulated inside the DPPS of the face. We tested the hand blink reflex in dynamic conditions (voluntary, passive, and imagined movements) and we found that, on equal hand position, the response enhancement was present only when the hand approached to (and not receded from) the DPPS of the face. This suggests that, through the integration of efferent and afferent signals, the safety boundary around the body is continuously shaped by the predictive motor system.

Training based on mirror visual feedback influences transcallosal communication.

Mirror visual feedback (MVF) therapy has been demonstrated to be successful in neurorehabilitation, probably inducing neuroplasticity changes in the primary motor cortex (M1). However, it is not known whether MVF training influences the hemispheric balance between the M1s. This topic is of extreme relevance when MVF training is applied to stroke rehabilitation, as the competitive interaction between the two hemispheres induces abnormal interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) that weakens motor function in stroke patients. In the present study, we evaluated, in a group of healthy subjects, the effect of motor training and MVF training on the excitability of the two M1s and the IHI between M1s. The IHI from the 'active' M1 to the opposite M1 (where 'active' means the M1 contralateral to the moving hand in the motor training and the M1 of the seen hand in the MVF training) increased, after training, in both the experimental conditions. Only after motor training did we observe an increase in the excitability of the active M1. Our findings show that training based on MVF may influence the excitability of the transcallosal pathway and support its use in disorders where abnormal IHI is a potential target, such as stroke, where an imbalance between the affected and unaffected M1s has been documented.

Warm-up plus verbal communications administered as placebo procedure during the training session improves running performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on running performance of a within-session placebo procedure consisting of a conditioning treatment plus verbal communications. Twenty-six subjects were assigned to PLACEBO and CONTROL groups. Participants performed three sessions: Session 1-Cooper Test, Session 2-Baseline session and Session 3-Experimental session. During Session 2, participants performed a sprint-interval-training (SIT)-until-exhaustion preceded by a general warm-up, while in Session3 the SIT was preceded by a conditioning treatment (FIFA11+ warm-up), known to be effective in preventing injuries but not improving performance. Moreover, in Session3, only the PLACEBO group received verbal suggestions (before the warm-up) to influence participants' expectations about FIFA11+ effectiveness in improving performance, and deceptive feedback (during each SIT recovery bout) to increase the conditioning effect. To evaluate performance improvements, Running Time was chosen as a main outcome while to ensure participants reached exhaustion, physiological and metabolic responses were monitored. Total running distance (TRD) was also measured. Results showed that, Running Time and TRD significantly increased in the PLACEBO group whilst no differences in the CONTROL group were observed thus, suggesting the effectiveness of the within-session-placebo procedure in improving running performance. These findings shed a new light on the interaction between cognitive domain and performance, thus encouraging coaches to adopt this innovative method during the training protocol to enhance athletes' performance. Moreover, this placebo procedure, not requiring additional time, tools or resources, could represent a more ecological approach that can be easily adopted in the field.

The Day-by-Day Periodization Strategies of a Giro d'Italia Podium Finisher.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe the day-by-day training and racing characteristics in preparation for the Giro d'Italia of 1 world-class road cyclist who achieved a place on the podium in the final general classification of the Giro d'Italia. METHODS: Day-by-day power meter training and racing data of 1 study subject (road cyclist; age 25 y; relative maximum oxygen consumption 81 mL·min-1·kg-1; relative 20-min record power output 6.6 W·kg-1) covering the 152 days leading up to the podium in the Giro d'Italia final general classification were retrospectively analyzed. Daily load, daily volume, and intensity distribution were considered. RESULTS: During training a pattern alternating "hard days" versus "easy days" was observed, as significant amounts of medium or high intensity, or load, were not performed for more than 2 consecutive days This pattern was achieved combining high volume (>4 h) with a significant amount of medium and high intensity within the same training sessions. During training, when training load and intensity increased, the density of "easy days" augmented. In 1-week stage races and the Giro d'Italia, 3 to 8 consecutive days with significant amounts of medium and high intensity were performed. A high number of training sessions with small amounts of medium- and high-intensity volume was observed: 38 days accumulating 3 to 10 minutes at medium intensity and 29 days spending 1 to 9 minutes at high intensity. CONCLUSION: These data provide novel insights about the day-by-day periodization strategies leading to a top 3 in the Giro d'Italia general classification.

Short intermittent taekwondo test to assess athlete's physiological and metabolic profile.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a new Short Intermittent Taekwondo Test (SITT) in 17 black belt athletes. METHODS: Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), carbon dioxide production (V̇CO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR), and blood lactate concentration [La]+ during treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and SITT were compared. SITT started with 10 sec of all-out kicks, alternating legs, and progressively increasing 5 s on each stage until the 4th stage. After the 4th stage the participants performed 25 s of turning kicks (Dolleo chagi), on each stage until the last (10th stage). The passive recovery phase after the 4th and the 7th stage lasted 30 s. RESULTS: V̇O2max and maximal HRmax were not significantly different (P=0.85 vs. P=0.76) between tests, while RER and [La]+ were significantly higher in SITT than in CPET (P=0.002 vs. P=0.001). No difference in RPE (P=0.84) was found. A significant positive correlation between two tests for V̇O2max and HRmax was found. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that SITT induces physiological responses like CPET suggesting that it can be used to assess aerobic power in national taekwondo athletes, thus helping coaches to select correctly training intensities and monitor athletes' aerobic performance along the training phases.

Anaerobic Sport-Specific Tests for Taekwondo: A Narrative Review with Guidelines for the Assessment.

The ATP-PCr system represents the main source of energy during high-intensity attack actions in taekwondo matches. In contrast, the glycolytic system supports the maintenance of these actions when repeated techniques are performed. Given the close relationship between anaerobic energy systems and attack activity in combat, the literature relating to the use of sport-specific test protocols for anaerobic assessment has experienced a remarkable increase. This narrative review aims to illustrate the sport-specific anaerobic tests available in taekwondo by retracing and examining development and validation process for each test. Forty-one articles published between 2014 and 2023 were selected via the MEDLINE and Google Scholar bibliographic databases. These tests are the Taekwondo Anaerobic Test and Adapted Anaerobic Kick Test (i.e., continuous mode testing); the 10 s and multiple Frequency Speed of Kick Tests; the chest and head Taekwondo Anaerobic Intermittent Kick Tests; and the Taekwondo-Specific Aerobic-Anaerobic-Agility test (i.e., intermittent mode testing). Coaches and strength and conditioning professionals can use all the tests described in taekwondo gyms as they feature short and easy-to-implement protocols for monitoring and prescribing specific anaerobic training. The guidelines in this review evaluate each test from several perspectives: basic (e.g., validity, reliability, and sensitivity), methodological (e.g., continuous or intermittent mode testing) and application (e.g., time-motion structure and performance parameters). This comprehensive approach aims to assist stakeholders in selecting the most appropriate test.

Therapeutic use of creatine in brain or heart ischemia: available data and future perspectives.

Creatine (Cr) is essential in safeguarding ATP levels and in moving ATP from its production site (mitochondria) to the cytoplasmic regions where it is used. Moreover, it has effects unrelated to energy metabolism, such as free radical scavenging, antiapoptotic action, and protection against excitotoxicity. Recent research has studied Cr-derived compounds (Cr benzyl ester and phos-pho-Cr-magnesium complex) that reproduce the neuroprotective effects of Cr while better crossing the neuronal plasma membrane and, hopefully, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Intracellular levels of Cr can be increased by incubation with Cr or some of its derivatives, and this increase is protective against anoxic or ischemic damage. A large amount of experimental evidence shows that pretreatment with Cr is capable of reducing the damage induced by ischemia or anoxia in both heart and brain, and that such treatment may also be useful even after stroke or myocardial infarction (MI) has already occurred. Cr has been safely administered to patients affected by several neurological diseases, yet it has never been tested in human brain ischemia, the condition where its rationale is strongest. Phosphocreatine (PCr) has been administered after human MI, where it proved to be safe and probably helpful. Cr should be tested in the prophylactic protection against human brain ischemia and either Cr or PCr should be further tested in MI. Moreover, Cr- or PCr-derived drugs should be developed in order to overcome these molecules' limitations in crossing the BBB and the cell plasma membrane.

Shuttle Running Within a Small-Sided Game: Effects on Internal and External Workloads, in Young Elite Soccer Players.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of 2 small-sided games (SSGs), shuttle running within the bout (SSG-S) versus possession play only (SSG-P) on acute physiological and metabolic responses, perception of effort, and performance. METHODS: Ten young elite male soccer players (age 18.6 [1.9] y) performed two 5vs5 SSG formats (SSG-S and SSG-P) consisting of 4 × 4 minutes with 1 minute of passive recovery between bouts, 2 times each, once a week, and in a randomized order. Heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion were assessed as indices of internal workload. Total and relative distances, distance at moderate and high speed, distances traveled in accelerations (≥2 m·s-2) and decelerations (≤-2 m·s-2; DDEC), and average metabolic power were chosen as indices of external workload and collected with a 10-Hz portable global positioning system device. RESULTS: Total distance, distances traveled in acceleration, distances traveled in deceleration, average metabolic power (always P < .01 and g > 1.62-large effect), and distance at moderate speed (P = .03 and g = 0.84-large effect) were significantly higher in SSG-S than in SSG-P. Moreover, the SSG-S showed higher blood lactate concentration (P = .0001, g = 12.58-large effect) and rating of perceived exertion (P = .03, g = 1.14-large effect) values than SSG-P. No significant differences in peak heart rate, relative distance, and distance at high speed were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed, in young competitive male soccer players, the effectiveness of an SSG format that includes shuttle running within each bout in the development of more relevant internal and external workloads. These experimental data should encourage coaches to use this new SSG regimen within the traditional weekly training program.