scholarly journals Nutritional strategies to optimize performance, ­training adaptation and recovery in team sports

Team sports performance is highly demanding in terms of physiological and psychological aspects. Furthermore, the competition schedule is often time constrained and athletes need to travel between games during recovery. Therefore, it seems very important to optimize nutritional strategies around training sessions as well as while traveling or competing. This review discusses a variety of different aspects, which are important in the development of a nutritional strategy in a club. It summarizes how the medical and performance staff of a team can provide the right nutritional strategies to optimize training adaptation and recovery. Furthermore, specific nutritional aspects for female, youth and traveling athletes as well as athletes recovering from injury are discussed. Besides nutritional strategies, teams should be cautious regarding the monitoring of body composition. Choosing the right time point in the season together with selecting a reliable and valid method and measuring under standardized circumstances is essential. Furthermore, athletes need to be educated on the risks and benefits of supplement use. This can reduce the risk of a positive doping test as well as the use of unnecessary, inappropriate and ineffective supplements.

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 1162-1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. McQuade ◽  
John Borstad ◽  
Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira

AbstractStabilization exercises have been a focus and mainstay of many therapeutic and performance training programs in the past decade. Whether the focus is core stabilization for the spine or scapular stabilization, clinicians and trainers alike have endorsed these programs, largely on the basis of conceptual theory and anecdotal experience. The notion that an unstable scapula is related to shoulder dysfunction and pathology is well accepted, but is it accurate? The aim of this perspective article is to challenge the concept of scapular stabilization through the application of biomechanical and motor control constructs. The objectives are to critically examine current beliefs about scapular stabilization, to discuss definitions of stabilization and stability in the context of the scapulothoracic region, and to evaluate key evidence regarding scapular stabilization and scapular dyskinesia. Several new approaches that may affect the understanding of normal and atypical scapula motion are explored. Finally, a historical analogy is presented and future research and clinical directions are suggested. The aims are to lead readers to the essential concepts implied on scapular stabilization, to increase the critical thought process in rehabilitation practice, and to suggest some open topics to be explored in future research.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. McGuigan ◽  
Glenn A. Wright ◽  
Steven J. Fleck

The use of strength training designed to increase underlying strength and power qualities in elite athletes in an attempt to improve athletic performance is commonplace. Although the extent to which strength and power are important to sports performance may vary depending on the activity, the associations between these qualities and performance have been well documented in the literature. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief overview of strength training research to determine if it really helps improve athletic performance. While there is a need for more research with elite athletes to investigate the relationship between strength training and athletic performance, there is sufficient evidence for strength training programs to continue to be an integral part of athletic preparation in team sports.


Author(s):  
Anthea Clarke ◽  
Andrew Govus ◽  
Alex Donaldson

This study aimed to identify what male coaches of elite female team sport athletes want to know about the menstrual cycle and its influence on athlete health and performance. Using a mixed-methods concept mapping approach, 18 male coaches of Australian female elite football-codes brainstormed what they wanted to know about the menstrual cycle to work more effectively with female athletes. Ideas were sorted into groups of similar ideas and rated for importance and influence. Thirty-eight unique statements emerged from the brainstorming. These were organised into five clusters/topics following multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis: 1) How does training need to be managed; 2) How is physical performance impacted; 3) What are the medical and dietary considerations; 4) When and how should we communicate with athletes; and 5) How are athletes affected psychologically and emotionally. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive education framework to improve the knowledge of and practices related to the menstrual cycle. This education should 1) facilitate better recognition and referral of female athletes regarding menstrual cycle dysfunction and related health concerns; 2) encourage collaboration between athletes, coaches, and medical and dietary professionals; and 3) promote effective communication between athletes and coaches about the menstrual cycle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
Nurhaeda Abbas ◽  
Anggraini Sukmawati ◽  
Muhammad Syamsun

Today the performance measurement of Muhammadiyah Luwuk uUniversity’s performance has not formulated yet based on University’s vision and mission. It will affect the strategic steps needed and performance improvement efforts in the future.  Human resource scorecard is the right system to be applied in Muhammadiyah Luwuk University. The purpose of this study is to designed a performance measurement system at Muhammadiyah Luwuk University using the Human Resource Scorecard with four perspectives: stakeholder, academic management and kemuhammadiyaan, operational and innovation, as well as and learning. Data was analyzed by analytical hierarchy process method. This research was conducted by distributing questionnaires, focus group discussions and in-depth interview with stakeholders at Muhammadiyah Luwuk University. The results showed that there were 14 strategic objectives and 33 key performance indicators to be achieved by the priority objectives, which are: empowerment and development of faculty, increased administrative process quality, improved sound budget performance and, improvement of the relationship with stakeholders.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Travassos ◽  
D. Araujo ◽  
V. Correia ◽  
P. Esteves

Author(s):  
Emanuela Gualdi-Russo ◽  
Natascia Rinaldo ◽  
Alba Pasini ◽  
Luciana Zaccagni

The aims of this study were to develop and validate an instrument to quantitatively assess the handedness of basketballers in basketball tasks (Basketball Handedness Inventory, BaHI) and to compare it with their handedness in daily activities by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). The participants were 111 basketballers and 40 controls. All subjects completed the EHI and only basketballers filled in the BaHI. To validate the BaHI, a voluntary subsample of basketballers repeated the BaHI. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor model. Our results show that: (i) Handedness score (R) in daily actions did not differ between basketball players (R by EHI = 69.3 ± 44.6) and the control group (R by EHI = 64.5 ± 58.6); (ii) basketballers more frequently favored performing certain sport tasks with the left hand or mixed hands (as highlighted by R by BaHI = 50.1 ± 47.1), although their choice was primarily the right hand in everyday gestures; and (iii) this preference was especially true for athletes at the highest levels of performance (R by BaHI of A1 league = 38.6 ± 58.3) and for those playing in selected roles (point guard’s R = 29.4 ± 67.4). Our findings suggest that professional training induces handedness changes in basketball tasks. The BaHI provides a valid and reliable measure of the skilled hand in basketball. This will allow coaches to assess mastery of the ball according to the hand used by the athlete in the different tasks and roles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 376
Author(s):  
Carmelo Mario Vicario ◽  
Gabriella Martino ◽  
Alex Marcuzzo ◽  
Giuseppe Craparo

Neuroscience research links alexithymia, the difficulty in identifying and describing feelings and emotions, with left hemisphere dominance and/or right hemisphere deficit. To provide behavioral evidence for this neuroscientific hypothesis, we explored the relationship between alexithymia and performance in a line bisection task, a standard method for evaluating visuospatial processing in relation to right hemisphere functioning. We enrolled 222 healthy participants who completed a version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), which measures alexithymia, and were asked to mark (bisect) the center of a 10-cm horizontal segment. The results document a significant rightward shift in the center of the line in participants with borderline and manifest alexithymia compared with non-alexithymic individuals. The higher the TAS-20 score, the greater the rightward shift in the line bisection task. This finding supports the right hemisphere deficit hypothesis in alexithymia and suggests that visuospatial abnormalities may be an important component of this mental condition.


2021 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 831-850
Author(s):  
Charlotte Raue ◽  
Dennis Dreiskaemper ◽  
Bernd Strauss

Shared mental models (SMMs) can exert a positive influence on team sports performance because team members with SMMs share similar tasks and team-related knowledge. There is currently insufficient sports research on SMMs because the underlying theory has not been adapted adequately to the sports context, and different SMMs measurement instruments have been used in past studies. In the present study we aimed to externally validate and determine the construct validity of the “Shared Mental Models in Team Sports Questionnaire” (SMMTSQ). Moreover, we critically examined the theoretical foundation for this instrument. Participants were 476 active team athletes from various sports. While confirmatory factor analysis did not support the SMMTSQ’s hierarchical model, its 13 subfactors showed a good model fit in an explorative correlative approach, and the model showed good internal consistency and item–total correlations. Thus, the instrument’s subfactors can be applied individually, even while there are remaining questions as to whether other questionnaires of this kind are an appropriate means of measuring SMMs in sport.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Shakouri ◽  
Maziar Salahi

Purpose This paper aims to apply a new approach for resource sharing and efficiency estimation of subunits in the presence of non-discretionary factors and partial impacts among inputs and outputs in the data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework. Design/methodology/approach First, inspired by the Imanirad et al.’s model (2013), the authors consider that each decision-making unit (DMU) may consist of several subunits, that each of which can be affected by non-discretionary inputs. After that, the Banker and Morey’s model (1996) is used for modeling non-discretionary factors. For measuring performance of several subunits, which can be considered as DMUs, the aggregate efficiency is suggested. At last, the overall efficiency is computed and compared with each other. Findings One of the important features of proposed model is that each output in this model applies discretionary input according to its need; therefore, the result of this study will make it easier for the managers to make better decisions. Also, it indicates that significant predictions of the development of the overall efficiency of DMUs can be based on observing the development level of subunits because of the influence of non-discretionary input. Therefore, the proposed model provides a more reasonable and encompassing measure of performance in participating non-discretionary and discretionary inputs to better efficiency. An application of the proposed model for gaining efficiency of 17 road patrols is provided. Research limitations/implications More non-discretionary and discretionary inputs can be taken into consideration for a better analysis. This study provides us with a framework for performance measures along with useful managerial insights. Focusing upon the right scope of operations may help out the management in improving their overall efficiency and performance. In the recent highway maintenance management systems, the environmental differences exist among patrols and other geotechnical services under the climate diverse. Further, in some cases, there might exist more than one non-discretionary factor that can have different effects on the subunits’ performance. Practical implications The purpose of this paper was to measure the performance of a set of the roadway maintenance crews and to analyze the impact of non-discretionary inputs on the efficiency of the roadway maintenance. The application of the proposed model, on the one hand, showed that each output in this model uses discretionary input according to its requirement, and on the other hand, the result showed that meaningful predictions of the development of the overall efficiency of DMUs can be based on observing the development level of subunits because of the impact of non-discretionary input. Originality/value Providing information on resource sharing by taking into account non-discretionary factors for each subunit can help managers to make better decisions to increase the efficiency.


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