Search Results (1,036)

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and small-sided games (SSG) are popular conditioning tactics in team sports, but their relative efficiency among female basketball players is uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the effects of a six-week HIIT and SSG intervention on the physical performance of elite female basketball players. Forty-four participants (20.98 ± 4.58 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: HIIT (n = 14), SSG (n = 14), or control (n = 16). Pre- and post-intervention evaluations assessed sprint performance (0–10, 0–20, 0–30 m), agility (Pro-agility, Zig-zag, 9-6-3-6-9 tests), vertical jump height (CMJ, CMJA, SJ), repeated sprint ability (RSA), and aerobic capacity (VO₂max, VIFT, MAS). HIIT and SSG significantly improved all performance measures compared to the control group (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.365–0.809); however, there were no significant differences between the two experimental groups. HIIT had a slightly greater effect on linear sprinting, but SSG was more effective for agility and aerobic performance. Body composition remained unchanged. These data suggest that HIIT and SSG are both effective training methods for improving speed, agility, explosive power, RSA, and aerobic capacity in female basketball players. Incorporating both strategies into an organized training program can improve sport-specific performance and overall conditioning. Full article

Endurance training camps are well established in elite sports, but one-week camps for recreational endurance athletes have recently gained popularity despite limited scientific evidence. This study investigated the effects of a one-week endurance training camp on body composition, endurance performance, and markers of metabolic stress and mitochondrial adaptation in recreational athletes. Female and male endurance athletes (≥18 years) participated in a professionally guided one-week endurance training camp. Assessments included body composition, running diagnostics, sleep-quality/recovery-stress questionnaires, nutrition/energy balance diaries, blood profiling, and mitochondrial biogenesis markers. Measurements were conducted before (pre), during (camp), and after the camp (post). A total of 35 participants (18 male/17 female) were included. Body mass and body fat decreased from pre- to post-camp. Lactate concentrations at threshold levels changed, while velocities at fixed lactate concentrations and maximal oxygen uptake did not significantly improve. Post-camp, lactate dehydrogenase, klotho, and vitamin D increased, whereas interferon-γ, kynurenine, cortisol, creatinine, and ferritin decreased. Plasma mitochondrial and nuclear DNA abundance, as well as PGC1-α expression, increased, while vascular endothelial growth factor decreased. A one-week endurance training camp in a holiday-like setting induces measurable physiological, metabolic, and mitochondrial adaptations in recreational athletes and is associated with reduced systemic and psychological stress. However, the concurrent increase in muscle- and cell-stress markers indicates a substantial physiological load. Full article

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), we are pleased to present the abstracts submitted for the SCS 8th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, Norway, on 8–10 October 2025, and comprised several invited sessions held by international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention, and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training–competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition and biomechanics, among others. The conference also included practical workshops held by renowned academics and practitioners on eccentric training, change of direction ability, and strength and power training in professional team sports, combat sports, and ergospirometry and exercise prescription in specific populations. Finally, the event disseminated up-to-date strength and conditioning research by providing practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their most recent findings. All abstracts presented at the SCS 8th Annual Meeting can be found in this Conference Report. Full article

Background. Physiological remodeling resulting from chronic exercise-induced volume and pressure overload is a well-recognized characteristic of the athlete’s heart. This study aimed to explore potential changes in three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived aortic valve annular (AVA) dimensions and dynamics in elite athletes engaged in high-dynamic sports with varying degrees of static components. Furthermore, we sought to determine whether these parameters differ depending on the magnitude of the sport’s dynamic component. Methods. The athlete cohort included 56 individuals and was divided into three groups based on the static component of their sport: C. I. (high dynamic/low static) consisted of 13 elite athletes (mean age: 22.7 ± 3.8 years, 5 males), C. II. (high dynamic/moderate static) consisted of 18 elite athletes (mean age: 23.0 ± 4.6 years, 6 males) and C. III. (high dynamic/high static) consisted of 25 elite athletes (mean age: 21.7 ± 4.5 years, 9 males). Data of athletes were compared with those of 38 age- and sex-matched healthy non-athletic individuals (mean age: 23.8 ± 2.5 years, 14 males). Results. AVA dimensions did not differ significantly between athletes and controls nor among the athlete subgroups. AVA plane systolic excursion (AAPSE) was increased in all athletes compared with controls (1.31 ± 0.30 cm vs. 1.18 ± 0.36 cm, p < 0.05). All athletes showed a significantly larger proportion of individuals showing larger end-diastolic AVA than end-systolic AVA (55% vs. 24%, p < 0.05). All athletes demonstrated reduced basal LV-RS (26.5 ± 13.9% vs. 31.5 ± 13.2%, p < 0.05) and increased basal LV-LS (−21.4 ± 4.4 vs. 19.9 ± 4.2%, p < 0.05) compared with controls. This pattern of findings was consistent across all athlete subgroups. Conclusions. Although AVA is not dilated in elite athletes practicing dynamic sports, its spatial displacement, as represented by AAPSE, together with increased basal LV-LS and a higher proportion of larger end-diastolic AVA, is augmented, while basal LV-RS is reduced. These findings suggest a functional shift from radial contraction toward enhanced longitudinal dynamics. All these findings appear to be independent of the static component of dynamic sports. Full article

Background: Long conjugate sequence (LCS) resistance training aims to maintain and increase strength and power to enhance sport-specific performance. This study examined (1) how strength and power change during alternating periods of an LCS program, and (2) the relationship between strength, power, and performance in long-track (LT) and short-track (ST) speed skating. Methods: Twenty-three speed skaters (sixteen men, seven women; age = 18.0 [17.0, 19.0], sub-elite to elite performance level) followed a 39-week LCS program alternating strength and power periods. Strength (Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull) and power (Squat Jump) were assessed after each period. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects of time (baseline and four follow-up assessments), sport (long-track vs. short-track), and sex (male vs. female) on absolute and relative measures of strength and power. Models included fixed effects for time, sport, and sex with all two-way interactions, a random intercept for participants, and a first-order autoregressive covariance structure to account for repeated measures. Model selection followed backward elimination guided primarily by the corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc). Kendall’s tau correlations tested associations between strength, power, and competition performances closest to assessments. Results: Change in absolute and relative strength across the season differed by sex (F_{(4, 33.57)} = 2.72, p = 0.046; F_{(4, 31.86)} = 3.50, p = 0.02), with an increase only in male skaters (baseline to Test 4: +406 N ± 115, p = 0.01; +4.37 N/kg ± 1.41, p = 0.03). Absolute power changed (F_{(4, 33.74)} = 3.81, p = 0.01) specifically in the early season (baseline to Test 1: +151 N ± 40, p < 0.01), while relative power remained stable (F_{(4, 53.05)} = 1.94, p = 0.12). Higher absolute strength and power correlated with better LT (n = 12, τ = −0.58–0.67) and ST (n = 9, τ = −0.56–0.89) performance. Yet, relative strength related only to ST performance (n = 9, τ = −0.78–0.89), and relative power chiefly to the first 100 m of a LT performance (n = 12, τ = −0.49). Conclusions: The LCS method is associated with strength development without compromising power. The findings highlight the relationship between resistance training-induced outcomes and speed skating performance. Full article

Judo, as a weight-category combat sport, exposes young athletes to body mass pressures that may foster abnormal eating behaviours. Building on a companion study that documented the prevalence and sex-specific characteristics of abnormal eating behaviours in this cohort, this secondary analysis aimed to identify training-related predictors of eating behaviours in young Polish judo athletes, examine body image satisfaction as a mediator, and assess whether patterns observed in elite adult athletes apply to younger populations. The participants were 150 athletes (70 girls, 80 boys) aged 12–17. Eating behaviours were assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-13) and the Test of Eating Situation Style (TSJ); training characteristics, pre-competition weight control, and appearance satisfaction were examined through hierarchical regression, mediation analysis, latent profile analysis, and two-way ANOVA. Training-related factors—including tenure, session frequency, competitive level, and pre-competition weight control—showed no significant associations with eating behaviours. However, in a subsample of N = 136 athletes, relative weight grouping predicted dietary restraint (p = 0.015, η²p = 0.066), with athletes in the heaviest tertile reporting higher restriction; lower appearance satisfaction was associated with greater restraint (p = 0.031, β = −0.192), independently of sport-mandated weight control; females demonstrated higher emotional eating across instruments (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that body image and weight classification may be more strongly associated with eating behaviours than training demands, highlighting the need for body image interventions and the monitoring of athletes near weight category boundaries. Full article

Background: Blood flow restriction (BFR) resistance exercise has emerged as a training methodology capable of inducing muscular adaptations comparable to traditional high-load training despite substantially lower mechanical loads. While low-load BFR protocols (20–50% 1RM) are well-established, emerging evidence supports applications across the full loading spectrum, including moderate-to-high loads (>50–90% 1RM), contralateral training effects, and proximal–distal adaptations. In this second installment of the Blood Flow Restriction in Athletic Populations series, we review current evidence on BFR resistance exercise in athletic populations, with emphasis on morphological, neuromuscular, and functional adaptations across diverse application contexts. Methods: A narrative review of research examining BFR resistance exercise in trained and athletic populations was conducted via a PubMed/MEDLINE search. Search terms: (“blood flow restriction” OR “BFR” OR “occlusion training” OR “KAATSU”) AND (“resistance training” OR “resistance exercise” OR “strength training”) AND (“athletes” OR “athletic” OR “trained” OR “elite” OR “sport”) AND (“cross-education” OR “contralateral” OR “cross transfer” OR “proximal” OR “distal”). Studies investigating low-load (20–50% 1RM) and moderate-to-high load (>50% 1RM) protocols, contralateral cross-education effects, and proximal–distal adaptations were evaluated. Primary outcomes included muscle hypertrophy, strength, power, and sport-specific performance measures. Results: Low-load BFR resistance exercise has been shown to produce significant improvements in muscle hypertrophy and strength gains over 4–12 week interventions compared to low-load control conditions. Moderate-to-high load BFR enhanced barbell velocity and power output, particularly at loads > 80% 1RM with intermittent inflation protocols. Contralateral and cross-transfer effects of BFR training demonstrate variable efficacy across muscle groups, with the most consistent evidence supporting cross-transfer enhancement of training adaptations when BFR is applied to one body region while exercising another. Proximal BFR application induced adaptations in both proximal and distal musculature, suggesting systemic mechanisms beyond local vascular restriction. Conclusions: BFR resistance exercise represents a versatile training modality producing meaningful morphological and neuromuscular adaptations across the loading spectrum. Contralateral and proximal–distal effects expand practical applications for injury rehabilitation and targeted adaptation. These findings support BFR integration within periodized training programs when mechanical load management is prioritized. Full article

This systematic review synthesized the existing evidence on neurofeedback interventions applied to football players, aiming to clarify their effects on cognitive, technical–tactical, physical and psychological performance. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS and SportsDiscus) were searched up to November 2025. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 133 players across youth, amateur, national and elite levels. Neurofeedback protocols primarily targeted alpha or sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity, and some were combined with heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. Across studies, neurofeedback may be associated with improvements in several cognitive outcomes, including improvements in working memory, visuospatial memory, task switching, mental rotation and decision-making. Limited evidence suggests potential improvements in technical skills (particularly shooting accuracy) and tactical decision-making. Some studies reported changes in physiological markers and stress-recovery capacity, although their interpretation remains uncertain. However, the evidence base remains constrained by small samples, heterogeneous protocols and limited use of randomized controlled designs. Overall, neurofeedback appears to be a potentially promising but still experimental tool to support cognitive and psychophysiological readiness in football, warranting more rigorous and standardized research to establish efficacy and optimal training parameters. Full article

Background/Objectives: Perceptual–cognitive abilities such as visual discrimination, reaction time, and attentional control are important for performance in dynamic sports. However, evidence remains limited regarding how simplified visual tasks capture performance variability and dynamics under repeated exposure. This study examined session-to-session performance changes and individual trajectories in a programmable visual discrimination task of increasing complexity in elite futsal players. Methods: An exploratory repeated-measures study was conducted with ten first-league futsal players. Participants completed between six and ten sessions of a color-cue visual discrimination task (“Follow the Color”) under one- and two-stimulus conditions. Outcomes included correct responses, errors, and reaction time per session. A total of 465 observations were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models to assess changes across sessions and the influence of task complexity. Individual analyses were also performed to explore player-specific trajectories. Results: Mean session accuracy was 63.8 ± 9.8 correct responses, with a mean error rate of 3.6 ± 6.1 and a mean reaction time of 0.63 ± 0.15 s. Error rates declined significantly across sessions (β = −0.008, p < 0.001), while reaction time improved modestly (β = −0.00011, p = 0.025). Correct responses showed a small negative trend over time. Increased task complexity was associated with fewer correct responses, higher error rates, and slower reaction times (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: This programmable visual discrimination task captured variability in visuomotor responses under controlled conditions and may support monitoring of performance dynamics in sports vision research. Full article

Leadership, and athlete leadership in particular, has been reported to be an important factor impacting upon team performance. However, while there is significant evidence supporting the importance of athlete leadership for teams, there is very little research exploring the leadership experiences and needs of female sports teams. As a result, the aim of this study was to explore the leadership experiences of the captains of professional women’s rugby teams. Participants included eight professional women’s rugby captains, recruited through personal contact. Data were analyzed adopting an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, resulting in the emergence of 10 superordinate themes including: factors influencing success, challenges, amateur level, leader characteristics, role models, aspects of the role, types of captains, leading by example, selection, and women’s game. Data suggests that empathy, empowerment, collaboration and shared/devolved leadership are crucial components of leadership for elite women’s rugby teams. Full article

Elite and high-performance sport is frequently framed as an individual or coach–athlete endeavor, obscuring the broader family systems that sustain athletic careers. Recent scholarship has begun to document the central role of wives and partners within athletic family systems, highlighting the extensive emotional, domestic, logistical, and identity-related labor they perform to support athletic participation and success. Despite its centrality, this labor remains largely invisible within sport science research, organizational policy, and athlete support structures. Drawing on feminist theories of care and family system theory, this narrative review synthesizes interdisciplinary literature examining the unpaid and unrecognized labor of women partners, also commonly referred to as the wives and girlfriends (WAGs), across athletic career stages. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. Full article

Bone health in highly trained female athletes is critical for performance and long-term wellbeing, yet systematic evidence regarding seasonal changes remains limited. The main objective of this systematic review (PROSPERO ID: 420251230393) is to determine changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) across the sport macrocycle in highly trained female athletes, encompassing both elite and collegiate (NCAA) populations. Six databases were searched for studies published between 2010 and 2025, with inclusion requiring female athletes, BMD/BMC measurements, and longitudinal assessment across a macrocycle. Fourteen studies involving 522 premenopausal athletes were included, with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements conducted approximately six months apart. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and indicated a predominantly good quality. Five studies reported no significant change in BMD/BMC, five demonstrated improvements, three reported mixed findings across sports or athlete subgroups, and one reported a significant decline. Only two studies attempted to account for all three primary confounders—menstrual cycle status, dietary intake, and physical activity monitoring—while seven reported no confounding variables. While bone health appears largely maintained across the sport macrocycle in highly trained premenopausal female athletes, these findings should be interpreted cautiously given the inadequate confounder reporting, heterogeneous sport exposures, variability in skeletal sites measured, and inconsistent measurement timing. Future research must comprehensively assess these variables alongside sport-specific skeletal measurements to identify athletes at risk of bone health deterioration. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for elite athletes, disrupting training routines and affecting mental health. This study examined the impact of social isolation on training, sleep, motivation, and psychological well-being among Portuguese Paralympic athletes. Methods: Forty-five athletes (31.36 ± 10.81 years) from the Paralympic Preparation Program participated, divided into the Paralympic Preparation Project (PPP; n = 21) and the Paralympic Hopes and Talents Project (PHTP; n = 24). Training routines before and during social isolation were compared. Sleep duration, training motivation, and mental health were assessed using the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5). The analysis employed paired and independent t-tests and a multiple linear regression (Enter method) to examine predictors of mental health. Results: Daily training duration declined by 34.3% (p < 0.001), though weekly frequency remained stable (p = 0.061). PPP athletes reported higher mental health scores than PHTP athletes (66.24 vs. 60.37; p = 0.048). The regression model explained 42.8% of the variance in mental health (R² = 0.428). Sleep duration was positively associated with mental health and showed the highest standardized coefficient in the regression (β = 0.351; p = 0.008), followed by PPP status (β = 0.315; p = 0.024) and motivation (β = 0.278; p = 0.041). Conclusions: Maintaining biological routines, particularly sleep and motivation, supports mental health under social isolation. Higher well-being among PPP athletes underscores the need for targeted interventions for less experienced athletes. Sports organizations should prioritize sleep hygiene and psychological support to mitigate vulnerability during crises. Full article

Objectives: Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) has been explored for its potential to improve performance in combat sports. This part II of the systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the acute effects of PAPE protocols on sport-specific performance outcomes and evaluated the influence of moderating variables, specifically competitive level and training experience. Methods: A PRISMA-guided search (2010–2024) identified 13 studies examining PAPE in combat sports athletes. Inclusion criteria required human trials using defined PAPE protocols and evaluating sport-specific tests, primarily the Frequency Speed of Kick Test (FSKT-10) and the Taekwondo-Specific Agility Test (TSAT). A random-effects meta-analysis (Hedges’ g) was conducted on data from 176 athletes. Results: The meta-analysis revealed a profound moderating effect of training status on PAPE responsiveness. For the FSKT-10, amateur athletes demonstrated large, significant improvements (g = 1.28, p < 0.001), whereas elite athletes showed trivial, non-significant changes (g = 0.11, p = 0.357). Similarly, athletes with <6 years of training experience exhibited substantially larger enhancements in both FSKT-10 (g = 1.60) and TSAT agility (g = −1.64) compared to their more experienced (>6 years) counterparts (g = 0.42 and g = −0.65, respectively). Furthermore, dynamic and biomechanically specific conditioning activities (e.g., repeated high-intensity techniques) were most effective at driving sport-specific potentiation. Conclusions: PAPE protocols may enhance acute sport-specific performance when utilizing dynamic, highly specific conditioning activities. However, a possible “ceiling effect” may blunt this potentiation in elite and highly experienced athletes, suggesting a potential need for highly individualized priming strategies at the top competitive levels, specifically in taekwondo. Full article

Objectives: Agonist–antagonist coordination is traditionally defined as simultaneous neural activation assessed by electromyography (EMG). The present study adopts a mechanical perspective, examining twitch-derived contractile ratio indexes between antagonistic muscle groups using tensiomyography (TMG). The aim was to determine whether sport expertise differentiates mechanical agonist–antagonist coordination in karate athletes. Methods: Fifty male participants were divided into four groups: elite karate athletes (EK; n = 7), national team members (NK; n = 14), basically trained karate practitioners (BK; n = 16), and physically active non-athlete controls (CG; n = 13). Bilateral TMG assessment of rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus was performed. Contraction time (Tc), total contraction time (TcT), and rate of muscle tension development (RMTD) were extracted. Twelve twitch-derived contractile ratio indexes (CRI) were calculated separately for dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) limbs. Results: Significant between-group differences were observed in the temporal coordination of the non-dominant leg. EK demonstrated the lowest index for average contraction time (CRI_Tc_AVG_ND = 17.13%; ANOVA p = 0.005; EK vs. NK p = 0.003) and total contraction time (CRI_TcT_AVG_ND = 9.72%; ANOVA p = 0.003; EK vs. NK p = 0.002). In contrast, velocity-related coordination in the dominant leg was highest in EK (CRI_RMTD_cV_D = 63.66%; ANOVA p = 0.002), differing from NK (p = 0.003), BK (p = 0.002), and CG (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Elite karate athletes exhibit distinct twitch-derived mechanical coordination profiles characterized by highly efficient temporal interplay in the non-dominant (supportive) limb and elevated velocity-related contractile ratio in the dominant (executive) limb. These findings suggest that sport expertise is associated with task-specific mechanical modulation between antagonistic muscle groups detectable through involuntary contractile responses. Full article