Applied Sports Science newsletter – October 19, 2016

The principle of progressive overload must be adhered to for individuals to continually increase muscle size with resistance training. While the majority of trained individuals adhere to this principle by increasing the number of sets performed per exercise session, this does not appear to be an effective method for increasing muscle size once a given threshold is surpassed. Opposite the numerous studies examining differences in training loads and sets of exercise performed, a few studies have assessed the importance of training frequency with respect to muscle growth, none of which have tested very high frequencies of training (e.g., 7 days a week). The lack of studies examining such frequencies may be related to the American College of Sports Medicine recommendation that trained individuals use split routines allowing at least 48 h of rest between exercises that stress the same muscle groups. Given the attenuated muscle protein synthetic response to resistance exercise present in trained individuals, it can be hypothesized that increasing the training frequency would allow for more frequent elevations in muscle protein synthesis and more time spent in a positive net protein balance. We hypothesize that increasing the training frequency, as opposed to the training load or sets performed, may be a more appropriate strategy for trained individuals to progress a resistance exercise program aimed at increasing muscle size.

PURPOSE:

To compare the effects of two different resistance training programs, high intensity (INT) and high volume (VOL), on changes in isometric force (FRC), rate of force development (RFD), and barbell velocity during dynamic strength testing.
METHODS:

Twenty-nine resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to either the INT (n = 15, 3-5 RM, 3-min rest interval) or VOL (n = 14, 10-12 RM, 1-min rest interval) training group for 8 weeks. All participants completed a 2-week preparatory phase prior to randomization. Measures of barbell velocity, FRC, and RFD were performed before (PRE) and following (POST) the 8-week training program. Barbell velocity was determined during one-repetition maximum (1RM) testing of the squat (SQ) and bench press (BP) exercises. The isometric mid-thigh pull was used to assess FRC and RFD at specific time bands ranging from 0 to 30, 50, 90, 100, 150, 200, and 250 ms.
RESULTS:

Analysis of covariance revealed significant (p < 0.05) group differences in peak FRC, FRC at 30-200 ms, and RFD at 50-90 ms. Significant (p < 0.05) changes in INT but not VOL in peak FRC (INT: 9.2 ± 13.8 %; VOL: -4.3 ± 10.2 %), FRC at 30-200 ms (INT: 12.5-15.8 %; VOL: -1.0 to -4.3 %), and RFD at 50 ms (INT: 78.0 ± 163 %; VOL: -4.1 ± 49.6 %) were observed. A trend (p = 0.052) was observed for RFD at 90 ms (INT: 58.5 ± 115 %; VOL: -3.5 ± 40.1 %). No group differences were observed for the observed changes in barbell velocity.
CONCLUSIONS:

Results indicate that INT is more advantageous than VOL for improving FRC and RFD, while changes in barbell velocity during dynamic strength testing are similarly improved by both protocols in resistance-trained men.

… The power of a database is truly demonstrated when the same standardized assessment is performed frequently across dozens of organizations with athletes of all shapes and sizes. The most important thing this allows us to do is identify “norms”. When you go to the doctor to get blood work done, the results are interpreted based on where the patient’s numbers lie compared to the gender norms. Is the white blood cell count high or low? What are the inherent risks with a low white blood cell count? What is the ideal range? Without this context, the tests don’t mean much.

For example: Running Back “A” has a concentric impulse of 5.39724N*s/kg. To most people, this number doesn’t mean anything. When you have context into norms, you can see this would be considered normal for a running back. But just because he is normal for his population, that doesn’t mean it is ideal. When we compare him to the athletic population he is in an extremely low range and we can see that he has increased odds of suffering a muscular strain. That meaningful insight only comes to light when he is compared to all of his athletic peers, not just people that play his sport or position.

If you had just one piece of health advice for people in their 20s, what would it be?

That’s the question we posed to a number of experts in nutrition, obesity, cardiology and other health disciplines. While most 20-year-olds don’t worry much about their health, studies show the lifestyle and health decisions we make during our third decade of life have a dramatic effect on how well we age.

Staying healthy in your 20s is strongly associated with a lower risk for heart disease in middle age, according to research from Northwestern University. That study showed that most people who adopted five healthy habits in their 20s – a lean body mass index, moderate alcohol consumption, no smoking, a healthy diet and regular physical activity – stayed healthy well into middle age.

We live in an ocean of judgment—”you’re not famous enough, you’re not smart enough, you’re not thin enough.” The weight of these appraisals, from others and from ourselves, can prevent us from looking at the world like a child might, as a place of wonder and new possibilities. This, in turn, keeps us from accessing the state of mind that stands at the root of creativity: playfulness.

However achingly slow, the bright technological future painted by science fiction is beginning to emerge. Autonomous cars have begun to hit the roads, and friendly artificial intelligence (AI) could represent humanity’s first contact with alien life. Not too long from now, we may be able to have our clothes or even prosthetics customfitted through the use of 3D scanning and printing.

One company working to make this last premise a reality is Manhattan-based Body Labs, one of the few firms developing the technology for digitally and accurately representing the human form. Whether it be for designing personally-tailored clothing or realistic virtual reality avatars, Body Labs uses AI and machine learning to “collect, digitize and organize all of the data and information related to human body shape, pose and motion.”

The firm’s most recent announcement is for a product called “Red,” which integrates 3D scanning hardware with Body Labs’ AI software to optimize the technology for such applications as custom retail, medicine, gaming and animation, and research and development.

Dark and dusty. That was Mark Cuban’s first impression of the warehouse that now houses the Mavericks’ new practice facility, a two-minute drive under Interstate-35 from the American Airlines Center.

But the square feet and the height of the ceiling checked out. So did the 14-acre plot of land that Cuban purchased for $75 million, including this space, in Dallas’ budding Design District. So Cuban bought it, and construction started around May. Five months later — an absurdly quick turnaround — the Mavericks practiced here for the first time.

“This thing came together in a record amount of time,” Rick Carlisle said. “It was an amazing endeavour to get it done as quickly as they did. Mark (Cuban) had a lot to do with it.”

The practice facility helps the Mavericks keep up with a rapidly spreading trend. The Bulls, the Timberwolves and the Raptors all spent about $20 million on new practice facilities in the last two years. The Nets have a new one, too, with a gorgeous view of New York City. Local teams like the Spurs and the Thunder both have spacious, state of the art facilities, too.

The FDA has entered into the federal register a new draft guidance pertaining to “software as a medical device” (SaMD). The guidance is presented as representing the FDA’s current thinking on establishing clinical evaluation guidelines for SaMD, but is written by an international organization of device regulators, the International Medical Device Regulators Forum, of which FDA is a member.

The guidance seeks to articulate what’s new and different about SaMD (a category which would include mobile medical apps) and provide a stratified guidance on how to regulate different kinds of software and what kind of evidence is needed for each regulatory category. The guidance stratifies devices on two axes: whether the device informs care, drives care, or treats/diagnoses and whether the condition in question is non-serious, serious, or critical. So software that treats or diagnoses a critical condition is in the highest risk category, while software that informs care about a non-serious condition is in the lowest.

Dietary protein intake should be optimized in all athletes to ensure proper recovery and enhance the skeletal muscle adaptive response to exercise training. In addition to total protein intake, the use of specific protein-containing food sources and the distribution of protein throughout the day are relevant for optimizing protein intake in athletes. In the present study, we examined the daily intake and distribution of various protein-containing food sources in a large cohort of strength, endurance and team-sport athletes. Well-trained male (n=327) and female (n=226) athletes completed multiple web-based 24-h dietary recalls over a 2-4 wk period. Total energy intake, the contribution of animal- and plant-based proteins to daily protein intake, and protein intake at six eating moments were determined. Daily protein intake averaged 108±33 and 90±24 g in men and women, respectively, which corresponded to relative intakes of 1.5±0.4 and 1.4±0.4 g/kg. Dietary protein intake was correlated with total energy intake in strength (r=0.71, p<0.001), endurance (r=0.79, p<0.001) and team-sport (r=0.77, p 1.2 g protein/kg/d, but the distribution throughout the day may be suboptimal to maximize the skeletal muscle adaptive response to training.

Sports nutrition professionals aim to influence nutrition knowledge, dietary intake and body composition to improve athletic performance. Understanding the interrelationships between these factors and how they vary across sports has the potential to facilitate better-informed and targeted sports nutrition practice. This observational study assessed body composition (DXA), dietary intake (multiple-pass 24-hour recall) and nutrition knowledge (two previously validated tools) of elite and sub-elite male players involved in two team-based sports; Australian football (AF) and soccer. Differences in, and relationships between, nutrition knowledge, dietary intake and body composition between elite AF, sub-elite AF and elite soccer players were assessed. A total of 66 (23 ± 4 years, 82.0 ± 9.2 kg, 184.7 ± 7.7 cm) players participated. Areas of weaknesses in nutrition knowledge are evident (57% mean score obtained) yet nutrition knowledge was not different between elite and sub-elite AF and soccer players (58%, 57% and 56%, respectively, p > 0.05). Dietary intake was not consistent with recommendations in some areas; carbohydrate intake was lower (4.6 ± 1.5 g/kg/day, 4.5 ± 1.2 g/kg/day and 2.9 ± 1.1 g/kg/day for elite and sub-elite AF and elite soccer players, respectively) and protein intake was higher (3.4 ± 1.1 g/kg/day, 2.1 ± 0.7 g/kg/day and 1.9 ± 0.5 g/kg/day for elite and sub-elite AF and elite soccer players, respectively) than recommendations. Nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with fat-free soft tissue mass (n = 66; r2 = 0.051, p = 0.039). This insight into known modifiable factors may assist sports nutrition professionals to be more specific and targeted in their approach to supporting players to achieve enhanced performance.

Background

In many countries breakfast cereals are an important component of breakfast. This systematic review assesses the contribution of consumption of ready-to eat cereal (RTEC) to the recommended nutrient intake. Furthermore, the effects of RTEC consumption on key health parameters are investigated as well as health promoting properties of RTEC.
Method

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL have been searched up till 16th of June 2015. Randomized controlled trials were excluded if RTEC were used during hypocaloric diets, if RTEC were eaten at other times than breakfast and if breakfasts included other products than RTEC, milk and fruit. Observational studies were excluded when “breakfast cereals” were not defined or their definition included cooked cereals. From cross-sectional studies only data concerning energy and nutrient intake as well as micronutrient status were used.
Results

From 4727 identified citations 64 publications met the inclusion criteria of which 32 were cross-sectional studies, eight prospective studies and 24 randomized controlled trials. Consumption of RTEC is associated with a healthier dietary pattern, concerning intake of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat and micronutrients, however total sugar intake is higher. Persons consuming RTEC frequently (? 5 times/week) have a lower risk of inadequate micronutrient intake especially for vitamin A, calcium, folate, vitamin B 6, magnesium and zinc. Evidence from prospective studies suggests that whole grain RTEC may have beneficial effects on hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Consumption of RTEC with soluble fiber helps to reduce LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic men and RTEC fortified with folate can reduce plasma homocysteine.
Discussion

One of the review’s strengths is its thorough ex/inclusion of studies. Limitations are that results of observational studies were based on self-reported data and that many studies were funded by food-industry.
Conclusion

Consumption of RTEC, especially of fiber-rich or whole grain RTEC, is implicated with several beneficial nutritional and health outcomes. The effect on body weight, intestinal health and cognitive function needs further evaluation. Of concern is the higher total sugar intake associated with frequent RTEC consumption.

I want to visualise possession in a similar way, but try to really highlight the differences between teams. We all know that a game of football is mostly played in midfield, but rather than simply demonstrating this, I’d like a heat map that shows where teams are different from average.

Introduction: Knee muscles are commonly labelled as flexors or extensors and aptly stabilize the knee against sagittal plane loads. However, how these muscles stabilize the knee against adduction-abduction and rotational loads remains unclear. Our study sought to: (1) classify muscle roles as they relate to joint stability by quantifying the relationship between individual muscle activation patterns and internal net joint moments in all three loading planes, and (2) determine if these roles change with increasing force levels.

Methods: A standing isometric force matching protocol required subjects to modulate ground reaction forces to elicit various combinations and magnitudes of sagittal, frontal and transverse internal joint moments. Surface electromyography measured activities of 10 lower limb muscles. Partial least squares regressions determined which internal moment(s) were significantly related to the activation of individual muscles.

Results: Rectus femoris and tensor fascia latae were classified as moment actuators for knee extension and hip flexion. Hamstrings were classified as moment actuators for hip extension and knee flexion. Gastrocnemius and hamstring muscles were classified as specific joint stabilisers for knee rotation. Vastii were classified as general joint stabilisers because activation was independent of moment generation. Muscle roles did not change with increasing effort levels.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate muscle activation is not dependent on anatomical orientation but perhaps on its role in maintaining knee joint stability in the frontal and transverse loading planes. This is useful for delineating the roles of bi-articular knee joint muscles and could have implications in robotics, musculoskeletal modeling, sports sciences and rehabilitation.

RB Leipzig continued their exceptional unbeaten start to the season with an away win at the Volkswagen Stadium. They felled a Wolfsburg team who join the list of teams who failed to cope with the intensity of Hasenhüttl’s side. … Leipzig spent large periods of Wolfsburg’s possession in a mid-block state, allowing the centre-backs the ball but blocking any attempts to advance the ball forward. The narrow hexagon created by the front 6 players covered Wolfsburg’s midfield options well, whilst man-oriented movement emphasised their control in the centre.

The shot is 7-8 yards out, off a headed pass. Walcott hits it cleanly, on the volley… WITH HIS LEFT FOOT. Now granted, it went straight at the keeper, but the problem here is this is anything but a simple chance.