Description:
A speed program was developed for two male sixteen-year-old Australian Rules footballers who play state level competition. The program targeted acceleration, repeat sprint ability (RSA), and agility, and was performed two days per week on a natural grass oval. Examples of activities are provided for each speed quality. A key activity for acceleration was resisted sprinting involving towing a sled, which encouraged the desired body positions and technique. Repeat sprint ability was developed by prescribing activities containing short sprints with minimal recovery periods. Agility techniques were initially introduced, and then training activities included evasive changes of direction in an attacking role, and also defensive manoeuvres in one-on-one scenarios. A central principle in the creation of training activities was to contextualise them to Australian Rules football, with the intention of maximising transfer to on-field performance. This involved stressing maximum efforts with sound sprint technique under various imposed perturbations, such as the execution of football skills, pressure from an opponent, and fatigue.
Description:
Jumps occur frequently in basketball and can be executed from a single-leg take-off following a run-up or bilaterally from a standing start. Understanding the type of jumps performed in competition and how different muscular qualities influence their performance, informs training prescription. Firstly, to quantify the occurrence of different jump types performed in competition an analysis of 15 semi-professional basketball games was undertaken. Secondly, to understand the influence of muscular qualities on performance of different jump types, Semi-professional male basketball players (N=17) performed jump tests standing vertical jump, running vertical jumps with a double leg take-off (RVJ2) and a single leg take-off (RVJ1) and tests of lower-body speed-strength reactive strength index (RSI) from a drop jump, counter movement jump (CMJ) and squat jump. A stationary approach was employed for 69%, a running approach for 26% and a one-step approach for 5%. RVJ1 displayed non-significant (P=0.07) moderate correlation with jump height attained from the CMJ (r=0.439) and a very large (r =.806) significant (P<0.01) correlation with RSI. Most jumps were executed from a stationary start with a bilateral take-off while a run-up occurred prior to a substantial proportion of jumps. Jumps with a single-leg take-off from a run-up strongly correlate with RSI.
Description:
Jumps occur frequently in basketball and can be executed from a single-leg take-off following a run-up or bilaterally from a standing start. Understanding the type of jumps performed in competition and how different muscular qualities influence their performance, informs training prescription. Firstly, to quantify the occurrence of different jump types performed in competition an analysis of 15 semi-professional basketball games was undertaken. Secondly, to understand the influence of muscular qualities on performance of different jump types, Semi-professional male basketball players (N=17) performed jump tests standing vertical jump, running vertical jumps with a double leg take-off (RVJ2) and a single leg take-off (RVJ1) and tests of lower-body speed-strength reactive strength index (RSI) from a drop jump, counter movement jump (CMJ) and squat jump. A stationary approach was employed for 69%, a running approach for 26% and a one-step approach for 5%. RVJ1 displayed non-significant (P=0.07) moderate correlation with jump height attained from the CMJ (r=0.439) and a very large (r =.806) significant (P<0.01) correlation with RSI. Most jumps were executed from a stationary start with a bilateral take-off while a run-up occurred prior to a substantial proportion of jumps. Jumps with a single-leg take-off from a run-up strongly correlate with RSI.
Description:
The purpose of this research was to determine 1) the relationship between lower-body strength qualities and baserunning and 2) the relationship between lower-body strength qualities and the time discrepancy between baserunning and linear sprints of the same distance. Twenty-one male baseball players (age: 17 ± 1.11 years; height: 179.5 ± 6.73 cm; body mass: 82.48 ± 11.1 kg) from a State Baseball Academy were tested for peak force (PF) production in an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), peak power (PP) and jump height (HCMJ) in a countermovement jump (CMJ), and reactive strength index (RSI) from a drop jump (DJ). Additionally, they performed sprints from Homeplate to Second Base (54.8mBR) and over a 54.8m linear distance (54.8mLIN), with splits taken at 10m (10mBR, 10mLIN) and 27.4m (27.4mBR, 27.4mLIN). Relationships between all the collected variables plus the difference between 54.8mBR and 54.8mLIN (BRD), relative PF (RelPF) and relative PP (RelPP) were assessed by Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Only ten complete sets of data were collected (age: 16.9 ± 1.29 years; height: 180.2 ± 7.07 cm; body mass: 84.67 ± 12.1 kg). RelPF (r = -0.81, p