This study examined the effects of baseline flexibility and vertical jump ability on straight leg raise range of motion (ROM) and counter-movement jump performance (CMJ) following different volumes of stretching and potentiating exercises. ROM and CMJ were measured after two different warm-up protocols involving static stretching and potentiating exercises. Three groups of elite athletes (10 male, 14 female artistic gymnasts and 10 female rhythmic gymnasts) varying greatly in ROM and CMJ, performed two warm-up routines. One warm-up included short (15 s) static stretching followed by 5 tuck jumps, while the other included long static stretching (30 s) followed by 3x5 tuck jumps. ROM and CMJ were measured before, during and for 12 min after the two warm-up routines. Three-way ANOVA showed large differences between the three groups in baseline ROM and CMJ performance. A type of warm-up x time interaction was found for both ROM (p = 0.031) and CMJ (p = 0.016). However, all athletes, irrespective of group, responded in a similar fashion to the different warm-up protocols for both ROM and CMJ, as indicated from the lack of significant interactions for group (condition x group, time x group or condition x time x group). In the short warm-up protocol, ROM was not affected by stretching, while in the long warm-up protocol ROM increased by 5.9% ± 0.7% (p = 0.001) after stretching. Similarly, CMJ remained unchanged after the short warm-up protocol, but increased by 4.6 ± 0.9% (p = 0.012) 4 min after the long warmup protocol, despite the increased ROM. It is concluded that the initial levels of flexibility and CMJ performance do not alter the responses of elite gymnasts to warm-up protocols differing in stretching and potentiating exercise volumes. Furthermore, 3 sets of 5 tuck jumps result in a relatively large increase in CMJ performance despite an increase in flexibility in these highly-trained athletes. © Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

The lipid profile of elite basketball and soccer athletes was evaluated and compared with that of inactive individuals. Total cholesterol (T-C), low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) concentration were measured in the morning and after a soccer or a basketball match. All parameters of lipid profile measured at a fasted and resting state, except HDL-C, were lower in the athletes compared with the controls (p < 0.01). The soccer match resulted in a greater decrease in TG (78.3 ± 6.7 to 70.7 ± 6.3, p < 0.01), T-C (179.3 ± 10.7 to 171.6 ± 9.6, p < 0.01), LDL-C (110.9 ± 8.9 to 103.5 ± 7.5, p < 0.01) compared with the basketball match that resulted only in a decrease in LDL-C (126.8 ± 9.5 to 117.3 ± 9.1, p < 0.01) and an increase in HDL-C that was similar to that observed after the soccer match (9-12%). These findings support the beneficial effects of basketball and soccer on cardiovascular health. © 2013 © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

This study investigated the effects of muscle action type during conditioning activity (half-squat) on subsequent vertical jump performance. Fourteen track and field athletes (relative half-squat of 2.3 ± 0.3 times their body weight) completed 4 main trials in a randomized and counterbalanced order 5-7 days apart: (a) concentric (CON) halfsquats: 7.5 ± 1.2 repetitions against 90% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM), (b) eccentric (ECC) half-squats: 9.3 ± 1.5 repetitions against 70% of 1RM, and (c) 3 sets of 3-second maximal isometric (ISO) half-squats, (d) a control (CTRL) trial, where subjects rested for 10 minutes. The number of repetitions in CON and ECC was adjusted so that the impulse of the vertical ground reaction force was similar to ISO. Countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) performance was evaluated for 21 minutes after each main trial. Countermovement vertical jump performance in ISO was higher than CTRL from the second to the 10th minute of recovery, whereas CMJ performance in ECC was higher than CTRL from the sixth and 10th minute of recovery. Analysis of the peak individual responses revealed an increase in CMJ performance compared with baseline only in ISO (3.06 1.2%; p = 0.045), whereas no significant increases were observed in ECC and CON. Peak CMJ performance for all subjects in ISO and ECC was achieved within 2-10 minutes after the conditioning muscle actions. Isometric were more effective than CON and ECC muscle actions in increasing explosive leg performance when the impulse of the ground reaction force of the conditioning exercise was equated. © 2014 National Strength and Conditioning Association.

{This study investigated the effects of short-term eccentric exercise training using a custom-made isokinetic leg press device, on concentric and eccentric strength and explosiveness as well as jumping performance. Nineteen healthy males were divided into an eccentric (ECC

This study examined the effects of baseline flexibility and vertical jump ability on straight leg raise range of motion (ROM) and counter-movement jump performance (CMJ) following different volumes of stretching and potentiating exercises. ROM and CMJ were measured after two different warm-up protocols involving static stretching and potentiating exercises. Three groups of elite athletes (10 male, 14 female artistic gymnasts and 10 female rhythmic gymnasts) varying greatly in ROM and CMJ, performed two warm-up routines. One warm-up included short (15 s) static stretching followed by 5 tuck jumps, while the other included long static stretching (30 s) followed by 3x5 tuck jumps. ROM and CMJ were measured before, during and for 12 min after the two warm-up routines. Three-way ANOVA showed large differences between the three groups in baseline ROM and CMJ performance. A type of warm-up x time interaction was found for both ROM (p = 0.031) and CMJ (p = 0.016). However, all athletes, irrespective of group, responded in a similar fashion to the different warm-up protocols for both ROM and CMJ, as indicated from the lack of significant interactions for group (condition x group, time x group or condition x time x group). In the short warm-up protocol, ROM was not affected by stretching, while in the long warm-up protocol ROM increased by 5.9% ± 0.7% (p = 0.001) after stretching. Similarly, CMJ remained unchanged after the short warm-up protocol, but increased by 4.6 ± 0.9% (p = 0.012) 4 min after the long warmup protocol, despite the increased ROM. It is concluded that the initial levels of flexibility and CMJ performance do not alter the responses of elite gymnasts to warm-up protocols differing in stretching and potentiating exercise volumes. Furthermore, 3 sets of 5 tuck jumps result in a relatively large increase in CMJ performance despite an increase in flexibility in these highly-trained athletes. © Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

The lipid profile of elite basketball and soccer athletes was evaluated and compared with that of inactive individuals. Total cholesterol (T-C), low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) concentration were measured in the morning and after a soccer or a basketball match. All parameters of lipid profile measured at a fasted and resting state, except HDL-C, were lower in the athletes compared with the controls (p < 0.01). The soccer match resulted in a greater decrease in TG (78.3 ± 6.7 to 70.7 ± 6.3, p < 0.01), T-C (179.3 ± 10.7 to 171.6 ± 9.6, p < 0.01), LDL-C (110.9 ± 8.9 to 103.5 ± 7.5, p < 0.01) compared with the basketball match that resulted only in a decrease in LDL-C (126.8 ± 9.5 to 117.3 ± 9.1, p < 0.01) and an increase in HDL-C that was similar to that observed after the soccer match (9-12%). These findings support the beneficial effects of basketball and soccer on cardiovascular health. © 2013 © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

This study investigated the effects of muscle action type during conditioning activity (half-squat) on subsequent vertical jump performance. Fourteen track and field athletes (relative half-squat of 2.3 ± 0.3 times their body weight) completed 4 main trials in a randomized and counterbalanced order 5-7 days apart: (a) concentric (CON) halfsquats: 7.5 ± 1.2 repetitions against 90% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM), (b) eccentric (ECC) half-squats: 9.3 ± 1.5 repetitions against 70% of 1RM, and (c) 3 sets of 3-second maximal isometric (ISO) half-squats, (d) a control (CTRL) trial, where subjects rested for 10 minutes. The number of repetitions in CON and ECC was adjusted so that the impulse of the vertical ground reaction force was similar to ISO. Countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) performance was evaluated for 21 minutes after each main trial. Countermovement vertical jump performance in ISO was higher than CTRL from the second to the 10th minute of recovery, whereas CMJ performance in ECC was higher than CTRL from the sixth and 10th minute of recovery. Analysis of the peak individual responses revealed an increase in CMJ performance compared with baseline only in ISO (3.06 1.2%; p = 0.045), whereas no significant increases were observed in ECC and CON. Peak CMJ performance for all subjects in ISO and ECC was achieved within 2-10 minutes after the conditioning muscle actions. Isometric were more effective than CON and ECC muscle actions in increasing explosive leg performance when the impulse of the ground reaction force of the conditioning exercise was equated. © 2014 National Strength and Conditioning Association.

{This study investigated the effects of short-term eccentric exercise training using a custom-made isokinetic leg press device, on concentric and eccentric strength and explosiveness as well as jumping performance. Nineteen healthy males were divided into an eccentric (ECC

The lipid profile of elite basketball and soccer athletes was evaluated and compared with that of inactive individuals. Total cholesterol (T-C), low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) concentration were measured in the morning and after a soccer or a basketball match. All parameters of lipid profile measured at a fasted and resting state, except HDL-C, were lower in the athletes compared with the controls (p < 0.01). The soccer match resulted in a greater decrease in TG (78.3 ± 6.7 to 70.7 ± 6.3, p < 0.01), T-C (179.3 ± 10.7 to 171.6 ± 9.6, p < 0.01), LDL-C (110.9 ± 8.9 to 103.5 ± 7.5, p < 0.01) compared with the basketball match that resulted only in a decrease in LDL-C (126.8 ± 9.5 to 117.3 ± 9.1, p < 0.01) and an increase in HDL-C that was similar to that observed after the soccer match (9-12%). These findings support the beneficial effects of basketball and soccer on cardiovascular health. © 2013 © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.