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The aim of this study was to compare the acute effect of three cluster set (CS) intra-set rest intervals (15 s, 30 s, and 45 s) on mechanical performance measures during a flywheel resistance training session. Twelve amateur male field sport athletes attended three training measurement sessions (separated by 14 days of wash-out), consisting of four sets of nine repetitions (as cluster-blocks: 3 + 3 + 3), using a 0.050 kg·m−2 inertial load. The flywheel quarter-squat (QS) and the flywheel Romanian deadlift (RDL) were selected as resistance training exercises. Participants were randomly allocated different CS intra-set rest durations: 15 s, 30 s, or 45 s. The mean power (MP), peak concentric power (PPcon), peak eccentric power (PPecc), and eccentric overload (EO) were measured. A two-way (within–within) repeated-measures ANOVA reported that MP, PPcon, PPecc, and EO achieved similar values during the QS and RDL sessions involving 30 s and 45 s CS intra-set rest durations. It was noted that the first set did not always result in the greatest performance output for the 30 s and 45 s intervals. Compared to 15 s, the 30 s and 45 s CS intra-set rest durations showed greater MP, PPcon, and PPecc during set 2 (all p ≤ 0.05), set 3 (all p < 0.001), and set 4 (all p < 0.001) for both QS and RDL, and greater EO in the QS exercise (the four sets combined). Compared to shorter (15 s) cluster set intra-set rest intervals, longer (30–45 s) configurations allow greater physical performance outcome measures during flywheel QS and RDL resistance training sessions. The implications for longer-term interventions merit further research.

The aim of this study was to estimate the intra-day and inter-day reliability and usefulness of performance (Jump height (JH), ground contact time (GCT) and reactive strength index (RSI)), kinetic (force, power, eccentric rate of force development [E-RFD] and leg stiffness [LS]) and kinematic (velocity) variables during drop jumping (DJ) in hurling players. Seventeen (n = 17; mean ± SD; age = 23.35 ± 5.78 years, height = 178.35 ± 6.30 cm, body mass = 78.62 ± 8.06 kg) male club-level hurling players completed two maximal DJs from 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, 0.50 and 0.60 m drop heights on three testing days separated by 5–9 days of rest. Reliability was assessed using the coefficient of variation percentage (CV% ≤ 15%) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC > 0.70). For intra-day reliability, GCT (0.40 m, 0.50 m and 0.60 m), peak force (absolute and relative) (0.40 m and 0.50 m) and leg stiffness (0.40 m and 0.50 m) were found to be unreliable (ICC = 0.32–0.68 and CV% = 3.67–11.83%) from those specific drop heights. All other variables were found to be reliable (ICC = 0.72–0.98 and CV% = 1.07–14.02%) intra-day. All variables were found to be reliable (ICC = 0.72–0.96 and CV% = 2.57–14.68%) inter-day except for relative peak force and absolute and relative eccentric RFD (0.30 m and 0.40 m) (ICC = 0.68–0.90 and CV% = 7.76–16.47%). Practitioners have multiple reliable DJ performance, kinetic and kinematic variables for performance testing and training purposes.

Previous research has proven that the balance of autistic children is poor. However, the reliability of assessing balance in this cohort has been inadequately researched. This study therefore aimed to examine if field-based static and dynamic balance tests can be reliably assessed in autistic children, to determine the number of familiarisation sessions required and whether autistic severity impacts on the reliability of these balance tests. The balance of eighteen primary school-aged autistic children was assessed three times a week over five weeks, using the flamingo balance test, a modified version of the balance error scoring system (BESS), the low beam walking test, and the heel to toe walking test. Reliability criteria included an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) level of ≥0.75 and a coefficient of variance (CV%) of ≤46% for the low beam walking test, the heel to toe walking test, and the BESS, and a CV% of ≤82% or the flamingo balance test. Inter-session reliability was achieved and required the least number of familiarisation sessions for the flamingo balance test, compared to the low beam walking test, which required a greater number of familiarisation sessions to achieve inter-session reliability. The heel to toe walking test and the BESS achieved inter-session reliability and familiarisation in an acceptable time frame. Due to the large CV% values reported in the current study, practitioners need to be aware that balance interventions need to achieve improvements greater than the CV% in this cohort.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the intra- and inter-day reliability of flywheel cluster set training in concentric power (CON), eccentric power (ECC), and ECC overload during the Romanian deadlift exercise (RDL). A secondary aim was to assess the acute effect of internal and external attentional focus instructions on mean power when performing the flywheel RDL. Fourteen collegiate male field sport athletes (age, 23.3 ± 3.7 years; mass, 80.8 ± 9.9 kg; height, 1.79 ± 0.06 m) were randomized into internal (n = 7) or external (n = 7) attentional focus groups and attended four testing sessions, with a between-session separation of 7 days. Sessions consisted of four cluster sets of fifteen repetitions “excluding momentum repetitions” (4 × (5 + 5 + 5)) using a specific inertial load (0.025, 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 kg·m−2) for a given set in a randomized ascending or descending order. Cluster sets were separated by a 45 s intra-set rest period. Both instructional focus groups attained familiarization, although the time taken to achieve familiarization (outcome stability) differed between groups. The external instructional group attained familiarization post-session 2 (Cohen’s d (ES), ES = 0.11–0.65) with little volatility between performance measures (CV% = 4.61–9.59). Additionally, the internal group reported inconsistencies among all inertial loads, reporting large differences in MP in the 0.100 kg·m−2 inertial load from day 2 to day 3 (ES = 1.22) and both 0.050 kg·m2 (p = 0.010) and 0.075 kg·m−2 (p = 0.016) between day 3 and day 4. The flywheel RDL cluster set approach is a reliable training modality for maintaining mean power output during cluster set repetitions.

The aims of this study were to (i) estimate the intra- and inter-day reliability of mean concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) power at different inertial loads during a flywheel quarter-squat using a cluster set approach and (ii) to determine the acute effect of internal and external attentional focus on mean power when performing the flywheel quarter squat. Twelve collegiate field sport male athletes (age 22.4 ± 3.2 years, weight 81.4 ± 10.3 kg, height 1.81 ± 0.06 m) attended four cluster set testing sessions separated by 7 days. Sessions consisted of 4 sets of 15 repetitions using 4 inertial loads (0.025, 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 kg·m2). A cluster block consisted of 5 repetitions, including “momentum repetitions” (4 × 5 + 5 + 5). Mean power (MP), CON power, ECC power, and ECC overload were recorded for both internal and external attentional focus groups. The external instructional group attained familiarization after two flywheel sessions (ES = 0.03–0.15) with little volatility between performance measures (CV% = 3.39–9.22). The internal instructional group showed large differences in MP output from session 2 to session 3 for all loads (ES = 0.59–1.25). In conclusion, the flywheel cluster set approach is a reliable training modality for maintaining MP output during all repetitions.