The preparation period induced minimal changes in the CMJ, while the ability to sustain repeated COD efforts was improved. Reaching high session rating of perceived exertion training loads might partially and negatively affect the ability to produce strength and power.

BacKGrouNd: italy early experienced one of the most suffering impact of the coVid-19 outbreak in terms of number of cases and death toll. progressively, more compelling national restrictions hardened citizens' lifestyle and habits, including limiting mobility and outdoor physical activity (pa). in a second phase, people were allowed to perform outdoor activities close to their houses and thereafter motor or sports activity were gradually reintroduced. These drastic changes raised the question on how to cope and exploit the residual opportunities of pa under circumstances of home confinement. MeThodS: international physical activity Questionnaires were administered to 1568 youngsters from North-western italian high schools, before, during, and after lockdown enacted by italian Government to contrast the coVid-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Student's PA levels were significantly different before (1676.37±20.6 MET-min/week) and after (1774.50±33.93 MET-min/week) the governmental restrictions (TIME effect: F=3.49; η p 2= 0.005 P=0.03). There was a significant TIME*CATEGORY interaction effect (F=8.37; η p 2= 0.021; P<0.001). In particular, only highly active students (>2520 MET-min/week) increased their PA during (3467.48±55.85 MET-min/ week) and after (3515.73±65.75 MET-min/week) the lockdown measures with respect to their baseline levels (3151.43±42.41 MET-min/week). coNcluSioNS: lockdown measures, including isolation, impacted negatively on the pa levels of the already inactive or moderately active young population. Government actions should enhance strategies to control physical inactivity during pandemics like coVid-19.

Purpose: To analyze the anthropometric and physiological characteristics of competitive 15- to 16-year-old young male road cyclists and scale them according to a dichotomous category of successful/unsuccessful riders. Methods: A total of 103 15- to 16-year-old male road cyclists competing in the Italian national under 17 category performed a laboratory incremental exercise test during the in-season period. Age, height, body mass, body mass index, peak height velocity, and absolute and relative power output at 2 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L of blood lactate concentration were compared between 2 subgroups, including those scoring at least 1 point (successful, n = 70) and those that did not score points (unsuccessful, n = 61) in the general season ranking. Results: Successful and unsuccessful riders did not differ anthropometrically. Successful riders recorded significantly higher absolute and relative power output at 2 mmol/L and 4 mmol/L of blood lactate concentration compared with unsuccessful riders. Successful riders were also significantly older and had advanced biological maturation compared with their unsuccessful counterparts. Conclusion: Power associated with blood lactate profiles, together with chronological age and peak height velocity, plays an important role in determining race results in under 17 road cycling. Physiological tests could be helpful for coaches to measure these performance predictors.

No abstract

Many studies and common practice use different load and recovery time combinations to obtain improvements in strength performance. The cross education and speech neurons theory could lead to new strategies in motor skills learning and in fitness improvement. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify if a process similar to cross education and visual phenomenon (reading approach) could improve the strength performance. The study consisted of three matched samples that followed three different protocols (strength training, mental and reading approach) and a control group. After 12 training sessions the improvements in maximal voluntary handgrip were assessed. On average, the improvement in handgrip performance was 3.02, 2.97, 2.07, 1.16 kg for strength, mental, reading and control sample respectively. Significant differences among groups were found while no differences were found before and after the protocol, as well as for the interaction. The post hoc analysis revealed significant differences between the strength sample (after training value) and the control group (before the training). Mental or reading training resulted in almost similar improvements that are close to strength training gains. Indeed, at least for the initial training session, the reading training was broadly similar to well-know protocol and could be used to provide complementary stimulus.