PurposeInvestigate the physiological responses and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in elite karate athletes and examine the relationship between a subjective method (Session-RPE) and two objective heart-rate (HR)-based methods to quantify training-load (TL) during international karate competition.MethodsEleven karatekas took part in this study, but only data from seven athletes who completed three matches in an international tournament were used (four men and three women). The duration of combat was 3 min for men and 2 min for women, with 33.6±7.6 min for the first interval period (match 1–2) and 14.5±3.1 min for the second interval period (match 2–3). HR was continuously recorded during each combat. Blood lactate [La-] and (RPE) were measured just before the first match and immediately after each match.ResultsMeans total fights time, HR, %HRmax, [La-], and session-RPE were 4.7±1.6 min, 182±9 bpm, 91±3%, 9.02±2.12 mmol.L-1 and 4.2±1.2, respectively. No significant differences in %HRmax, [La-], and RPE were noticed across combats. Significant correlations were observed between RPE and both resting HR (r=0.60; P=0.004) and mean HR (r=0.64; P=0.02), session-RPE and Banister training-impulse (TRIMP) (r=0.84; P<0.001) and Edwards TL (r=0.77; P<0.01).ConclusionInternational karate competition elicited near-maximal cardiovascular responses and high [La-]. Training should therefore include exercise bouts that sufficiently stimulate the zone between 90 and 100% HRmax. Karate coaches could use the RPE-method to follow competitor's competition loads and consider it in their technical and tactical training.

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To compare the effects of playing one or two games per week on subjective perceived exertion (RPE) and (RPE-based) training load, monotony index, sleep, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness (Hooper index), total mood disturbance, and injury rate in elite soccer players. Fourteen males from a first-division soccer club (age: 24.42 ± 4.80 years) competed in two games per week for six weeks and one game per week for twelve weeks (a total of 24 games). Paired t-tests and non-parametric Wilcoxon signed ranks evaluated the significance of the differences (p < 0.05). The main findings were that RPE was significantly larger when playing two games per week compared with one game. However, subject total and mean training load, mood disturbance, monotony, and subjective perception of sleep, stress, fatigue, muscle soreness monitoring (Hooper index), and the number of injuries were not different. The findings suggested that competing in two matches per week does not negatively influence injury rate and players’ perceptions of training load or wellness, even though players perceive two games per week as more physically demanding compared with one game per week.

Our Study aims were to test the impact of swimming practice on the development of postural stability among Tunisian Athletes. The analyses deal with the impact of the practice of swimming on the postural balance. They clarify the various constraints that influence the control mechanisms involved in maintaining the balance in the resort standing. Our study addresses 20 same age category male subjects (senior) returned in: an experimental group (10 swimmers, belonging to the Tunisian national team) and a control (no sports group 10). For this study we used the Neurocom version 8.0.2 system: scale Master® consisting of a flat form of force connected to a string of data to measure the speed of oscillation of the center of pressure in strong support bipedal, eyes open on ground. The results obtained showed no direct effect of the swimming practice on postural stability of Tunisian athletes. In fact swimming poses the need to evolve in an environment different from that in which any subject has built his balance, his motor skills of every day, the latter two are insured through the muscles; so balance follows the permanent integration of information transmitted by three receiving systems: Visual, proprioceptive and vestibular.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a reduced rim diameter (diameter 0.30 m) upon the kinematics of basketball free-throws. Ten male basketball players (mean ± s; age 17.1 ± 0.4 years, height 1.85 ± 1.43 m, mass 79.0 ± 5.3 kg) performed 8 direct successful free throws; 4 when using a standard 0.45 m diameter rim, and 4 with an 0.3 m diameter rim. Ball release parameters and joint angles at ball release were determined for each participant. The smaller rim was associated with significant increases (p < 0.0001) in ball release angle, ball release velocity, ball release height and shoulder joint angle at release. The reduced diameter rim can be advocated as a tactic for developing a higher ball release angle when training the shooting technique of young basketball players; this is likely to maximize the probability of a successful free-throw when attempted into a standard rim.