Performance Changes Following Training in Junior Rugby League Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the time course of adaptations to training in young (i.e., <15 years) and older (i.e., <18 years) junior rugby league players. Fourteen young (14.1 +/- 0.2 years) and 21 older (16.9 +/- 0.3 years) junior rugby league players participated in a 10-week preseason strength, conditioning, and skills program that included 3 sessions each week. Subjects performed measurements of standard anthropometry (i.e., height, body mass, and sum of 7 skinfolds), muscular power (i.e., vertical jump), speed (i.e., 10-m, 20-m, and 40-m sprint), agility (505 test), and estimated maximal aerobic power (i.e., multistage fitness test) before and after training. In addition, players underwent a smaller battery of fitness tests every 3 weeks to assess the time course of adaptation to the prescribed training stimulus. During the triweekly testing sessions, players completed assessments of upper-body (i.e., 60-second push-up, sit-up, and chin-up test) and lower-body (i.e., multiple-effort vertical jump test) muscular endurance. Improvements in maximal aerobic power and muscular endurance were observed in both the young and the older junior players following training. The improvements in speed, muscular power, maximal aerobic power, and upper-body muscular endurance were greatest in the young junior players, while improvements in lower-body muscular endurance were greatest in the older junior players. These findings demonstrate that young (i.e., <15 years) and older (i.e., <18 years) junior rugby league players adapt differently to a given training stimulus and that training programs should be modified to accommodate differences in maturational and training age. In addition, the results of this study provide conditioning coaches with realistic performance improvements following a 10-week preseason strength and conditioning program in junior rugby league players.

Anthropometric and Physical Characteristics of English Academy Rugby League Players

“…Research presenting the anthropometric and physical characteristics of junior rugby league players in Australia is well documented (2,8,10,11,12,14,16,17,18). This research has demonstrated that anthropometric and physical characteristics develop across annual-age categories, increase with playing level and differ between playing positions.…”

Seasonal Changes in Anthropometric and Physical Characteristics Within English Academy Rugby League Players

“…P2 -Research presenting the anthropometric and physical characteristics of academyaged (13-20 years) rugby league players in Australia (1,10,12,13,14,16,18,19,20) and the UK (25,31,32,34) is well documented demonstrating that characteristics increase with age and playing level. Although this research is well established, data examining the seasonal changes in such characteristics is limited to only one Australian study within Under 18 players (13).…”

“…However, research that examines seasonal changes in these characteristics is limited. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the seasonal changes in anthropometric and physical characteristics of academy rugby league players by age category (i.e., Under 14,16,18,20). Data was collected on 75 players pre-and post-season over a 6 year period (resulting in a total of 195 assessments).…”

The investigation of relationships among sprint and jump performance with velocity parameters during propulsive phase of full back squat exercise

“…So, most of the training methods are applied to increase the strength and power in sports by developing the physical performance and in this way the performance of sprint and jump in team sports (17,38). Considering studies in literature, it was seen that there was no studies examining the relationship between vertical jump performance and 5 -30 meters sprint durations with velocity parameters during propulsive phase (concentric stage) of full back squat movement.…”