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- Brännström, André, et al.
(author)
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Effects and mechanisms of tapering in maximizing muscular power
- 2013
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In: Sport and Art. - : Horizon Research Publishing. - 2331-6195 .- 2331-6233. ; 1:1, s. 18-23
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Muscle power is of great importance in most sports, and its development is one of the most fundamental physiological adaptations for improving physical performance. In order to optimize competition performance, athletes usually decrease training load before competition, the so-called tapering, to allow physiological and psychological recovery from accumulated training stress. Tapering could be conducted through changes in training volume, intensity and/or frequency, but training volume seems to be most effective in optimizing muscular power. There are two main types of tapering: progressive tapering and one-step tapering. Currently, there is no general conclusion on tapering duration. The physiological mechanisms regarding tapering effects on neuromuscular system are largely unknown. Generally, it is believed that sustained maximal muscular power after tapering is obtained through maintaining adaptations in muscle fiber size, fiber type and neural adaptations whereas increased maximal muscular power after tapering is assumed mainly through both physiological and psychological recovery. We believe that increased maximal muscular power after tapering may also rely on higher neural drive and increased muscle fiber cross sectional area (CSA), especially in type IIA muscle fibers. Complete rest is a special form of tapering and it usually only leads to sustained maximal power. This effect is believed to be associated with decreased muscle CSA and a transformation of muscle fibers from type IIA to type IIX.
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| 3. |
- Sandgren, Evelina, et al.
(author)
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Correlation analysis between soccer game world ranking and player league distribution
- 2013
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In: Sport and Art. - : Horizon Research Publishing Co., Ltd.. - 2331-6233. ; 1:2, s. 34-40
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nowadays professional soccer player trading between clubs/leagues is very common. Soccer players could be employed in foreign clubs/leagues, but when international competitive events come, the elite players are recruited to compose a national team. One can expect that the higher ranking of a national team, the more players are employed by the top soccer leagues. However, the relationship between the two issues has never been studied early. In the study, seven national soccer teams were selected from a list of the world top 35 soccer teams of year 2010[created by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA)]. The 7 teams are Spain, England, Argentina, Germany, USA, Ghana and Sweden, across the full range of the list, thus, representing different levels of the world. On basis of the position of the 7 teams in the world ranking, an order ranking for the 7 teams was created. To identify player distribution of the 7 teams in different quality/level of soccer leagues, a league ranking including the top 25 soccer leagues in the world created by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) was used. For each of the 7 teams, its player distribution in different soccer leagues was classified. On basis of the league ranking and the number of player(s) of each team in different leagues, calculated team point was calculated for each team. According to the amount of the calculated point, a calculated team ranking was obtained. Correlation analysis was performed between the two rankings: the order ranking and the calculated team ranking. The results showed a high and positive correlation between the two variables. We concluded that the more players are employed in higher ranking leagues the higher world ranking of a national team.
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