Karatekas predominantly use upper-limb karate techniques. Karate's nature is intermittent, with fighting activities representing ~6% of total combat's duration and ~84% of actions lasting less than 2 s, with ~21-s mean time interval in between. Kumite combat sessions induced high La and near-maximal cardiovascular strain. Other key success factors should be investigated to properly discriminate winners and defeated athletes.

Hammami, R, Sekulic, D, Selmi, MA, Fadhloun, M, Spasic, M, Uljevic, O, and Chaouachi, A. Maturity status as a determinant of the relationships between conditioning qualities and preplanned agility in young handball athletes. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2302-2313, 2018-Studies performed thus far have not accounted for the potential influence of maturity on determinants of preplanned agility. This study aimed to examine how determinants of preplanned agility are affected by the period of peak height velocity (PHV) regarding the anthropometrics and conditioning qualities in young handball players. The sample comprised 56 handball players (male; 12-14 years of age), allocated into 2 groups according to their biological age of maturity: Pre-PHV (N = 34) and Post-PHV (N = 22). Players were evaluated on handball-specific tests of preplanned agility (CODAT and T-HALF). Predictors included anthropometrics, sprinting, horizontal and vertical jumps, and reactive strength index (RSI). The reliability of the tests was appropriate (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.87-0.95; coefficient of variation: 4.4-5.8%). In the Pre-PHV group, 67% variance of the T-HALF accounted for horizontal countermovement jump (β: -0.83, p < 0.01), 20-m sprint (β: 0.91, p < 0.01), and body mass (β: 0.19, p = 0.02). In the Post-PHV group, 80% of the T-HALF variance was explained, with a significant influence of 20-m sprint (β: 0.52, p < 0.01), RSI (β: -0.24, p = 0.04), and standing long jump (β: -0.57, p = 0.03). In the Pre-PHV group, 45% of the CODAT variance accounted for the partial influence of body fat percentage (β: 0.44, p = 0.04) and a 20-m sprint (β: 0.74, p < 0.01). In the Post-PHV group, the predictors accounted for 79% of the CODAT variance, with a significant influence of the RSI (β: -0.26, p = 0.04) and a 10-m sprint (β: 0.87, p = 0.03). Our results reinforce the need for differential strength and conditioning programs aimed at improving the preplanned agility of young athletes who differ in maturity status.

The aims of this study were firstly, to examine the relationship between repeated sprint performance indices and anaerobic speed reserve (AnSR), aerobic fitness and anaerobic power and secondly, to identify the best predictors of sprinting ability among these parameters. Twenty nine subjects (age: 22.5 ± 1.6 years, body height: 1.8 ± 0.1 m, body mass: 68.8 ± 8.5 kg, body mass index (BMI): 22.2 ± 2.1 kg•m-2, fat mass: 11.3 ± 2.9 %) participated in this study. All participants performed a 30 m sprint test (T30) from which we calculated the maximal anaerobic speed (MAnS), vertical and horizontal jumps, 20m multi-stage shuttle run test (MSRT) and repeated sprint test (10 × 15 m shuttle run). AnSR was calculated as the difference between MAnS and the maximal speed reached in the MSRT. Blood lactate sampling was performed 3 min after the RSA protocol. There was no significant correlation between repeated sprint indices (total time (TT); peak time (PT), fatigue index (FI)) and both estimated VO2max and vertical jump performance). TT and PT were significantly correlated with T30 (r=0.63, p=0.001 and r=0.62, p=0.001; respectively), horizontal jump performance (r = −0.47, p = 0.001 and r = −0.49, p = 0.006; respectively) and AnSR (r=−0.68, p= 0.001 and r=−0.70, p=0.001, respectively). Significant correlations were found between blood lactate concentration and TT, PT, and AnSR (r=−0.44, p=0.017; r=−0.43, p=0.018 and r=0.44, p=0.016; respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analyses demonstrated that AnSR was the only significant predictor of the TT and PT, explaining 47% and 50% of the shared variance, respectively. Our findings are of particular interest for coaches and fitness trainers in order to predict repeated sprint performance by using AnSR that can easily identify the respective upper performance limits supported by aerobic and anaerobic power of a player involved in multi-sprint team sports.

The main aim was to evaluate the changes in dynamic, reactive, and power strength, and balance (as volleyball performance-related parameters) in pubertal volleyball players when a part of their normal inseason training regimen was replaced by an elastic band training (EBT). 27 male elite volleyball players were randomly allocated to intervention (N = 14; 14.86 ± 0.52 years) or control group (N = 13; 14.74 ± 0.36 years). The intervention consisted of an 8-week EBT program focused on the training of the lower limb, with different volumes and intensities. Countermovement jump (CMJ) and standing long jump (SLJ) were used to assess the power strength, squat one repetition-maximum, and reactive strength index to assess dynamic and reactive strength, respectively. Also, the balance was assessed through different parameters of the foot centre of pressure (CoP) displacements obtained with a force platform. An ANOVA of repeated measurements and post-hoc tests evaluated differences between groups and between baseline and post-intervention. Dynamic and power (CMJ and SLJ) strength, and anteroposterior displacement of the CoP were improved after the intervention. The control group only improved the dynamic strength. No statistically significant difference ( p > 0.05) were found in the rest of the variables. EBT improves jump performance and other volleyball performance-related parameters in adolescent male athletes and should be considered to complement regular volleyball in-season training.

The Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT) has become the test most widely used by coaches and physical trainers for assessment of competitors’ judo-specific physical aptitude and training programme prescription. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the SJFT performance indices and both maximal aerobic power and the level of blood lactate concentrations in female judo athletes. Seventeen female judokas (age: 21.9±1.6 years, body mass: 74.6±27.4 kg, height: 164.5±8.6 cm; BMI: 27.1±8.0 kg · m-2) took part in this study. All participants performed the SJFT, 20 m multi-stage shuttle run test (MSRT), and 30 m straight sprint test (SST), from which we calculated both acceleration (10 m) and the maximal anaerobic speed (MAnS: flying 20 m sprint). A blood sample was taken 3 min after the SJFT. The number of throws was significantly correlated with estimated VO2max (r=0.795, p=0.0001) and both acceleration (r=0.63, p =0.006) and MAnS (r=0.76, p=0.0004). Peak blood lactate recorded after the SJFT was 13.90±1.39 mmol · l-1. No significant correlation was found between blood lactate concentration and the SJFT performance indices. The lack of significant correlation between blood lactate and SJFT performance suggests that lactic anaerobic metabolism has no effect on this type of judo-specific supra-maximal exercise. The observed results can provide coaches and strength and conditioning professionals with relevant information for the interpretation of SJFT performance and the prescription of specific training programmes for female judo athletes.