Relationship between a modified Thomas test and leg range of motion in Australian rules football kicking
- Authors: Young, Warren , Clothier, Peter , Otago, Leonie , Bruce, Lyndell , Liddell, David
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sport Rehabilitation Vol. 12, no. 4 (2003), p. 343-350
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- Description: Context: Flexibility tests are sometimes thought to be related to range of motion in dynamic activities, but such a relationship remains to be determined. Objective: To determine the correlation between flexibility and hip and knee angles in Australian football kicking. Design: Correlation. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: 16 Australian Rules football players. Main Outcome Measures: Hip and knee angles of the preferred kicking leg in a relaxed position were determined with a modified Thomas test. Maximum hip extension, the knee-flexion angle in this position, the maximum knee-flexion angle, and the hip angle at this position during the swing phase of maximum-effort drop-punt kicks were determined. Results: Significant correlations were found between hip flexibility and maximum hip extension (r =.65, P < .01) and hip angle at the maximum knee-flexion angle (r = .70, P < .01). Conclusions: The data indicate a moderate association between hip flexibility and hip angles during kicking.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000537
The effect of a resistance training programme on the grab, track and swing starts in swimming
- Authors: Breed, Ray , Young, Warren
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sports Sciences Vol. 21, no. 3 (2003), p. 213-220
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- Description: The aim of this study was to establish the effectiveness of a resistance training programme, designed to improve vertical jumping ability, on the grab, swing and rear-weighted track starts in swimming. Twenty-three female non-competitive swimmers participated (age 19.9±2.4 years; mean±s). The diving techniques were practised weekly for 8 weeks. The participants were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 11) or a resistance-training group (n = 12), which trained three times a week for 9 weeks. The tests before and after the training programme involved performing each dive technique and six dry-land tests: two countermovement jumps (with and without arms), two isokinetic squats (bar speeds of 0.44 and 0.70 rad.s-1) and two overhead throws (with and without back extension). A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance was used to show that resistance training improved performance in the dry-land tests (P < 0.0001). No significant improvements due to training were found for any temporal, kinematic or kinetic variables within the grab or swing starts. Significant improvements (P < 0.05) were found for the track start for take-off velocity, take-off angle and horizontal impulse. The results suggest that the improved skill of vertical jumping was not transferred directly to the start, particularly in the grab technique. Non-significant trends towards improvement were observed within all starts for vertical force components, suggesting the need to practise the dives to retrain the changed neuromuscular properties.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000554
Is muscle power related to running speed with changes of direction?
- Authors: Young, Warren , James, R. , Montgomery, Iain
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness Vol. 42, no. 3 (Sep 2002), p. 282-288
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- Description: Background. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between leg muscle power and sprinting speed with changes of direction. Methods. Experimental design: the study was designed to describe relationships between physical qualities and a component of sports performance: Setting: testing was conducted in an indoor sports hall and a biomechanics laboratory. Participants: 15 male participants were required to be free of injury and have recent experience competing in sports involving sprints with changes of direction. Measures: subjects were timed in 8 m sprints in a straight line and with various changes of direction. They were also tested for bilateral and unilateral leg extensor muscle concentric power output by an isokinetic squat and reactive strength by a drop jump. Results. The correlations between concentric power and straight sprinting speed were non-significant whereas the relationships between reactive strength and straight speed were statistically significant. Correlations between muscle power and speed while changing direction were generally low and non-significant for concentric leg power with some moderate and significant (p<0.05) coefficients found for reactive strength. The participants who turned faster to one side tended to have a reactive strength dominance in the leg responsible for the push-off action. Conclusions. The relationships between leg muscle power and change-of-direction speed were not consistent. Reactive strength as measured by the drop jump appears to have some importance for lateral change-of-direction speed, possibly because of similar push-off actions. It was concluded that reactive strength of the leg extensor muscles has some importance in change-of-direction performance but the other technical and perceptual factors than influence agility performance should also be considered.
- Description: 2003000213
Should static stretching be used during a warm-up for strength and power activities?
- Authors: Young, Warren , Behm, David
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Strength and Conditioning Journal Vol. 24, no. 6 (2002), p. 33-37
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- Description: 2003000236
The acute effects of heavy loads on jump squat performance: An evaluation of the complex and contrast methods of power development
- Authors: Duthie, Grant , Young, Warren , Aitken, David
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Vol. 16, no. 4 (2002), p. 530-538
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- Description: The purpose of this investigation was to examine power performance in jump squats when using the complex and contrast training methods. Eleven (n = 11) women participated in a familiarization session and in three randomly ordered testing sessions. One session involved completing sets of power exercises (jump squats) before sets of half squats (traditional method). The second session involved sets of half squats before sets of jump squats (complex method). A third session involved the alternation of sets of half squats and jump squats (contrast method). No significant difference in jump squat performance between each of the training methods was found. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the first set of each session, with the complex method having a significantly lower peak power. Further, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in performance changes between the higher and lower strength groups, with the higher strength group having a greater improvement in performance using the contrast training method compared with the traditional method. It was concluded that contrast training is advantageous for increasing power output but only for athletes with relatively high strength levels.
- Description: 2003000242
Acute effects of static stretching, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching, and maximum voluntary contractions on explosive force production and jumping performance
- Authors: Young, Warren , Elliott, Simon
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Vol. 72, no. 3 (2001), p. 273-279
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- Description: 2003003761
Resistance training for short sprints and maximum-speed sprints
- Authors: Young, Warren , Benton, Dean , Duthie, Grant , Pryor, John
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Strength and Conditioning Journal Vol. 23, no. 2 (2001), p. 7-13
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Specificity of sprint and agility training methods
- Authors: Young, Warren , McDowell, Mark , Scarlett, Bentley
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Vol. 15, no. 3 (2001), p. 315-319
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- Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if straight sprint training transferred to agility performance tests that involved various change-of-direction complexities and if agility training transferred to straight sprinting speed. Thirty-six males were tested on a 30-m straight sprint and 6 agility tests with 2-5 changes of direction at various angles. The subjects participated in 2 training sessions per week for 6 weeks using 20-40-m straight sprints (speed) or 20-40-m change-of-direction sprints (3-5 changes of 100°) (agility). After the training period, the subjects were retested, and the speed training resulted in significant improvements (p < 0.05) in straight sprinting speed but limited gains in the agility tests. Generally, the more complex the agility task, the less the transfer from the speed training to the agility task. Conversely, the agility training resulted in significant improvements in the change-of-direction tests (p < 0.05) but no significant improvement (p > 0.05) in straight sprint performance. We concluded that straight speed and agility training methods are specific and produce limited transfer to the other. These findings have implications for the design of speed and agility training and testing protocols.
- Description: 2003003767
Validity of double and single leg vertical jumps as tests of leg extensor muscle function
- Authors: Young, Warren , MacDonald, Chris J. , Flowers, Michelle
- Date: 2001
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Vol. 15, no. 1 (2001), p. 6-11
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The purpose of this research was to determine if 5 weeks of resistance training for the shoulder and hip flexor muscles produces improvements in vertical jumping (VJ) performance. Twenty-eight men were assessed on tests of shoulder power, leg extensor muscle function, and VJ performance using jumps performed from a standing position, a 3-stride run-up, and double- and single-leg takeoffs. A shoulder and hip flexor training group (n = 14) improved significantly more than a nontraining control group (n = 12) in shoulder power and 2 VJ performance tests, but not in the tests of leg extensor muscle function. It was concluded that the arm swing and free-leg drive significantly influence VJ performance and, therefore, VJ tests are not valid for assessment of leg extensor muscle function.
- Description: 2003003764