Richman, ED, Tyo, BM, and Nicks, CR. Combined effects of self-myofascial release and dynamic stretching on range of motion, jump, sprint, and agility performance. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-Massage has been used as both a pre- and post-exercise modality with purported benefits to flexibility and athletic performance. This study was designed to determine the effect of a 6-minute protocol of self massage known as self-myofascial release (SMR) using a foam rolling device in conjunction with a general warm-up and sport-specific dynamic stretching (DS) session on flexibility and explosive athletic performance in a sample of 14 female collegiate athletes. After familiarization, participants completed 2 testing sessions that began with 5 minutes of jogging at a self-selected pace, followed by either a 6-minute foam rolling session (SMR) or 6 minutes of light walking (LW) and a subsequent 6-minute period of sport-specific DS. Sit-and-reach (SR) was measured after a general warm-up, the SMR, or LW session, and following DS, after which participants performed 3 trials each of squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and drop jump (DJ). Two additional tests, the agility T-Test (TT) and a 10-yd short sprint (SP), were then performed. The change in SR after SMR was significantly greater than the change seen in SR after LW, although the total changes seen in each condition were not statistically different after the addition of DS. Squat jump and CMJ improved by 1.72 ± 2.47 cm and 2.63 ± 3.74 cm (p = 0.070, p = 0.070), with no significant change to DJ, SP, and TT. Self-myofascial release in the form of foam rolling after a general warm-up and preceding a DS session seems to improve SJ and CMJ with no detriment to flexibility, DJ, sprint, and agility performance in comparison with LW and DS.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on intermittent exercise performance, respiratory muscle strength (PI (max)), respiratory muscle fatigue (RMF), and dyspnea in soccer athletes. Collegiate soccer athletes (20 male, 7 female) were randomly divided into either a RMT or control condition during off-season conditioning. The RMT group performed a 30RM protocol (10 times weekly) for 5 weeks using a commercially-available training device, while the controls received no RMT. Performance was evaluated utilizing Level 1 of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (IRT) and dyspnea was assessed during and immediately following the IRT. RMF was quantified within 2 minutes (RMF2) and 10 minutes (RMF10) after completing the IRT. Following training, the RMT group significantly increased IRT performance by 216.6 +/- 231.0 meters (p = .008) while the 49.2 +/- 75.1 meter increase observed in the controls was not significant. PI (max) in the RMT group increased from 138.1 +/- 19.6 to 165.3 +/- 23.5 cmH (2)O (p < .001), with no significant change observed in the controls. RMT did not significantly affect RMF or dyspnea. In conclusion, RMT improved intermittent exercise performance in these soccer athletes. The mechanisms by which RMT improves performance warrant further study.

Peart, AN, Nicks, CR, Mangum, M, and Tyo, BM. Evaluation of seasonal changes in fitness, anthropometrics, and body composition in collegiate division II female soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 2010-2017, 2018-The purpose of this study was to investigate anthropometrics, body composition, aerobic and anaerobic fitness of collegiate Division II female soccer players throughout a calendar year. Eighteen (20 ± 0.9 years) National Collegiate Athletics Association division II female soccer players from the same team participated in the study. Anthropometrics and body composition variables were assessed in addition to the counter movement jump (CMJ), Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT), and peak oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak). Data were collected over 5 time points: end of competitive seasons (ECS1 and ECS2), beginning of off-season (BOS), end of off-season (EOS), and preseason (PS). Repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare test scores among all 5 data collection points. Where appropriate, Bonferroni post hoc tests were used to determine which points were significantly different. Hip circumference decreased significantly (p < 0.001) from EOS (98.47 ± 6.5 cm) to PS (94.46 ± 6.8 cm). Fat mass (12.73 ± 5.4 kg) was significantly different in ECS2 compared with BOS and EOS means (p ≤ 0.05) and percentage of body fat (%BF) (20.08 ± 5.44) significantly different in ECS2 compared with ECS1, BOS, and EOS means (p ≤ 0.05), whereas fat-free mass (FFM) was maintained from ECS1 to ECS2. Counter movement jump, WAT, and V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak performance did not significantly change from ECS1 to ECS2. Anthropometrics and body composition results are similar to previous studies measuring Division II to professional female soccer players. Counter movement jump results remained consistent and are comparable to results on Division I female soccer players. Coaches and researchers can use these data to help design and evaluate training programs throughout a calendar year.

Pointe work requires substantial physical ability and effort. However, no standard measures exist to determine when a dancer is ready to begin to dance en pointe. This study explored whether physical tests could discriminate between pre-pointe, beginner pointe, and intermediate pointe students. The secondary purpose was to determine if teacher ratings of dancer performance and experience aligned with test scores. Twenty-nine female ballet students from two dance studios participated

Research suggests that caffeine can enhance measures of muscular strength in the upper and lower extremities, although the literature is somewhat equivocal. Little is known on whether or not caffeine will improve maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), a surrogate measure of inspiratory muscle strength. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a moderate dose of caffeine on inspiratory muscle function. Fifteen (8 male, 7 female) healthy adults (mean ± SD: age = 24.3 ± 6.4 years; height = 1.75 ± 0.11 m; body mass = 78.8 ± 16.5 kg) volunteered to participate in the study which used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. During the initial visit, baseline data was collected and participants were familiarized with inspiratory muscle measurements. For the second and third visits, participants ingested either a 5 mg kg −1 dose of caffeine (CAF) or placebo capsule (PL). After one hour, they completed at least 12 maximal inspiratory manoeuvres with 1 min rest between each attempt. MIP, maximal inspiratory peak pressure (PP), and maximal rate of pressure development (MRPD) were recorded. The CAF trial resulted in significantly higher MIP (154.7 ± 35.8 vs. 146.6 ± 37.6 cmH 2 O; p = 0.02) and PP (165.8 ± 36.8 vs. 158.3 cmH 2 O; p = 0.01) compared to the PL condition. No significant difference was observed in MRPD (p = 0.18). MIP and PP improved after ingestion of caffeine compared to the placebo condition. The findings from the study further establish caffeine's potential ergogenic benefit on measures of muscular strength.