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The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a weekend of swimming competition on various physiological parameters in a group of elite female swimmers. Eight female swimmers (age, 16.6 +/- 0.5 years) participated in this study. Resting blood lactate (Bla) and heart rate (HR) were taken at the beginning of each testing session. Testing involved a discontinuous incremental peak VO2 treadmill test during which on-line, measures of VO2 were obtained. HR and Bla measurements were taken at the end of each exercise increment. A 30-s leg Wingate test (WAnT) was used to measure anaerobic power. Paired t-tests were carried out on all data. Resting HR was significantly higher and submaximal and maximal HR were significantly lower comparing pre- and postcompetition (p < .005). Resting Bla and submaximal VO2 were significantly higher postcompetition (p < .005). The results suggest that swimming competition causes a number of the recognized symptoms related to excitatory (acute) overtraining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were twofold: 1. to compare the strength of four muscle groups ot the lower limb (quadriceps [Q], hamstrings [H], plantar flexors [PE], and dorsiHexors [DF]) between female adolescent ballet dancers (BALs) and basketball players (BBs) over three angular velocities (30°, 60° and 90°/sec) and cwo types of contraction (eccentric and concentric); and 2. to compare peak and mean power between the BALs and BBs. Eleven BALs (age: 15.8 ± 1.2 years; stature: 163.9 ± 6.2 cm; body mass: 56.3 ± 5.7 kg; Tanner stage 4: N = 10, stage 5: N = 1) and ten BBs (age: 15.8 ± 1.0 years; stature: 172.5 ± 5.8 cm; body mass: 63.2 ± 10.0 kg; Tanner stage 4: N = 7, stage 5: N = 3) volunteered to participate. Each participant performed one habituation session and one testing session on a Blodex isokinetic dynamometer to determine peak torque. Three angular velocities (30°, 60° and 90°/sec) were used for each muscle group. To determine absolute and relative peak and mean power, participants performed a 30 second anaerobic Wingate test on a cycle ergometer. There were no significant differences in peak torque for Q, H, PF, and DF between the groups. Basketball players produced greater absolute peak power [569.7 ± 82.2 vs. 454.6 ± 79.3 W (p < .05)1, relative peak power [9.1 ± 1.3 vs. 8.1 ± 1.0 W/kg body mass (p < .05)] absolute mean power [428.4 ± 53.9 vs. 333.7 ± 68.2 W (p < .05)! and relative mean power [6.83 ± 0.7 vs. 5.9 ± 0.7 W/kg (p < .05)1 than BALs. Ballet dancers and BBs had similar isokinetically measured lower extremity muscular strength, but BALs generated lower levels of peak power and mean power compared to BBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing tendency for young children to participate in training and competitive running. The impact long-term training has upon stimulating functional physiological adaptation has yet to be fully understood. In this study cardio-respiratory and kinematic differences were assessed at submaximal and maximal exercise intensities in run-trained and non-run-trained boys. Thirty three pre-pubertal boys volunteered to take part in the study. The subjects were in two groups: 15 run-trained subjects [age 11.7+/-1.06 yrs, mean+/-SD] and 18 non-run-trained (control) subjects [age 11.3+/-0.90 yrs]. Two separate (4x3 min) submaximal protocols were used for the trained and non-run-trained groups, with two of the speeds overlapping for comparison purposes. In addition, all boys also performed a maximal oxygen consumption test. Mean VO2max value for the run trained group was 60.5+/-3.3 ml/kg/min and for the control group 51.1+/-4.3 ml/kg/min, (p<0.001). No significant differences were found for submaximal running economy at either comparison speed. In addition, no significant (p>0.05) differences were noted between the groups for any of the kinematic variables at the two comparison speeds. However, selected physiological differences did exist at the submaximal running speeds. The source of the differences that did exist between the two groups may be the result of training, genetic pre-selection or developmental differences between the groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]