AIM The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2max)) and repeated sprint ability (RSA) in a group of professional soccer players. METHODS Forty-one professional soccer players (age 23 ± 4 yrs, height 180.0 ± 5.3 cm, weight 79.6 ± 5.3 kg) were required to perform tests to assess RSA and VO(2max) on two separate days with at least 48 h...

PURPOSE This study was designed to examine the effects of moderate-intensity endurance exercise on cycling performance, gross efficiency, and 30-s sprint power output. METHODS Two separate experiments were conducted. After a controlled warm-up, subjects completed as much work as possible in a 5-min performance test (EXP1) or a maximal 30-s sprint test (EXP2). These initial exercise bouts were...

The kettlebell swing (KBS), emphasizing cyclical, explosive hip extension in the horizontal plane, aligns with movement- and velocity-specificity of sprinting. The present study examined the effect of an eight-week KBS intervention on sprinting in recreationally-active females, in comparison to an eight-week intervention using the stiff-legged deadlift (SDL). Following a pre-testing session mea...

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to attempt to gain a clear picture of the magnitude of sprint performance improvements expected after chronic plyometric training (PT) and to identify specific factors that influence the treatment effects. Studies employing a PT intervention and containing data necessary to calculate effect size (ES) were included in the analysis. A total of 26 studies with...

The proper execution of the sprint start is crucial in determining the performance during a sprint race. In this respect, when moving from the crouch to the upright position, trunk kinematics is a key element. The purpose of this study was to validate the use of a trunk-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) in estimating the trunk inclination and angular velocity in the sagittal plane during ...

The ability to repeatedly produce a high-power output or sprint speed is a key fitness component of most field and court sports. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of eight different approaches to quantify this parameter in tests of multiple-sprint performance. Ten physically active men completed two trials of each of two multiple-sprint running protocols with co...

BACKGROUND A high level of strength is inherent in elite soccer play, but the relation between maximal strength and sprint and jumping performance has not been studied thoroughly. OBJECTIVE To determine whether maximal strength correlates with sprint and vertical jump height in elite male soccer players. METHODS Seventeen international male soccer players (mean (SD) age 25.8 (2.9) years, he...

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of creatine supplementation (CrS) on sprint exercise performance and skeletal muscle anaerobic metabolism during and after sprint exercise. Eight active, untrained men performed a 20-s maximal sprint on an air-braked cycle ergometer after 5 days of CrS [30 g creatine (Cr) + 30 g dextrose per day] or placebo (30 g dextrose per day). The tria...

We examined whether western fence lizards Sceloporus occidentalis occurring in thermally divergent environments display differential responses to high temperature in locomotor performance and heat-shock protein (Hsp) expression. We measured maximum sprint speed in S. occidentalis from four populations at paired latitudes and elevations before and after exposure to an experimental heat treatment...

Although recent studies have reported that the forefoot bones are longer in sprinters than in non-sprinters, these reports included a relatively small number of subjects. Moreover, while computer simulation suggested that longer forefoot bones may contribute to higher sprint performance by enhancing plantar flexor moment during sprinting, the correlation between forefoot bone length and sprint ...