@article{ZinnerSperlichWahletal.2015, author = {Zinner, Christoph and Sperlich, Billy and Wahl, Patrick and Mester, Joachim}, title = {Classification of selected cardiopulmonary variables of elite athletes of different age, gender, and disciplines during incremental exercise testing}, series = {SpringerPlus}, volume = {4}, journal = {SpringerPlus}, number = {544}, doi = {10.1186/s40064-015-1341-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-126275}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Incremental exercise testing is frequently used as a tool for evaluating determinants of endurance performance. The available reference values for the peak oxygen uptake \((VO_{2peak})\), \% of \(VO_{2peak}\) , running speed at the lactate threshold \((v_{LT})\), running economy (RE), and maximal running speed \((v_{peak})\) for different age, gender, and disciplines are not sufficient for the elite athletic population. The key variables of 491 young athletes (age range 12-21 years; 250 males, 241 females) assessed during a running step test protocol \((2.4 m s^{-1} ; increase 0.4 m s^{-1} 5 min^{-1})\) were analysed in five subgroups, which were related to combat-, team-, endurance-, sprint- and power-, and racquet-related disciplines. Compared with female athletes, male athletes achieved a higher \(v_{peak}\) (P = 0.004). The body mass, lean body mass, height, abs. \(VO_{2peak} (ml min^{-1})\), rel. \(VO_{2peak} (ml kg^{-1} min^{-1})\), rel. \(VO_{2peak} (ml min^{-1} kg^{-0.75})\), and RE were higher in the male participants compared with the females (P < 0.01). The \% of \(VO_2\) at \(v_{LT}\) was lower in the males compared with the females (P < 0.01). No differences between gender were detected for the \(v_{LT}\) (P = 0.17) and \% of \(VO_2\) at \(v_{LT}\) (P = 0.42). This study is one of the first to provide a broad spectrum of data to classify nearly 500 elite athletes aged 12-21 years of both gender and different disciplines.}, language = {en} } @article{ZinnerSperlichKruegeretal.2015, author = {Zinner, Christoph and Sperlich, Billy and Krueger, Malte and Focke, Tim and Reed, Jennifer and Mester, Joachim}, title = {Strength, Endurance, Throwing Velocity and in-Water Jump Performance of Elite German Water Polo Players}, series = {Journal of Human Kinetics}, volume = {45}, journal = {Journal of Human Kinetics}, doi = {10.1515/hukin-2015-0015}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-148812}, pages = {149-156}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to assess the eggbeater kick and throwing performance using a number of water polo specific tests, 2) to explore the relation between the eggbeater kick and throwing performance, and 3) to investigate the relation between the eggbeater kick in the water and strength tests performed in a controlled laboratory setting in elite water polo players. Fifteen male water polo players of the German National Team completed dynamic and isometric strength tests for muscle groups (adductor, abductor, abdominal, pectoralis) frequently used during water polo. After these laboratory strength tests, six water polo specific in-water tests were conducted. The eggbeater kick assessed leg endurance and agility, maximal throwing velocity and jump height. A 400 m test and a sprint test examined aerobic and anaerobic performance. The strongest correlation was found between jump height and arm length (p < 0.001, r = 0.89). The laboratory diagnostics of important muscles showed positive correlations with the results of the in-water tests (p < 0.05, r = 0.52-0.70). Muscular strength of the adductor, abdominal and pectoralis muscles was positively related to in-water endurance agility as assessed by the eggbeater kick (p < 0.05; r = 0.53-0.66). Findings from the current study emphasize the need to assess indices of water polo performance both in and out of the water as well as the relation among these parameters to best assess the complex profile of water polo players.}, language = {en} } @article{SperlichHolmbergReedetal.2015, author = {Sperlich, Paula F. and Holmberg, Hans-Christer and Reed, Jennifer L. and Zinner, Christoph and Mester, Joachim and Sperlich, Billy}, title = {Individual versus standardized running protocols in the determination of VO\(_{2max}\)}, series = {Journal of Sports Science and Medicine}, volume = {14}, journal = {Journal of Sports Science and Medicine}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-151890}, pages = {386-393}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The purpose of this study was to determine whether an individually designed incremental exercise protocol results in greater rates of oxygen uptake VO\(_{2max}\) than standardized testing. Fourteen well-trained, male runners performed five incremental protocols in randomized order to measure their VO\(_{2max}\): i) an incremental test (INC\(_{S+I}\)) with pre-defined increases in speed (2 min at 8.64 km.h\(^{-1}\), then a rise of 1.44 km.h\(^{-1}\) every 30 s up to 14.4 km.h\(^{-1}\)) and thereafter inclination (0.5.every 30 s); ii) an incremental test (INC\(_{I}\)) at constant speed (14.4 km.h\(^{-1}\)) and increasing inclination (2 degrees every 2 min from the initial 0 degrees); iii) an incremental test (INC\(_{S}\)) at constant inclination (0 degrees) and increasing speed (0.5 km.h\(^{-1}\) every 30 s from the initial 12.0 km.h\(^{-1}\)); iv) a graded exercise protocol (GXP) at a 1 degrees incline with increasing speed (initially 8.64 km.h\(^{-1}\) + 1.44 km.h\(^{-1}\) every 5 min); v) an individual exercise protocol (INDXP) in which the runner chose the inclination and speed. VO\(_{2max}\) was lowest (-4.2\%) during the GXP (p = 0.01; d = 0.06 - 0.61) compared to all other tests. The highest rating of perceived exertion, heart rate, ventilation and end-exercise blood lactate concentration were similar between the different protocols (p < 0.05). The time to exhaustion ranged from 7 min 18 sec (INC\(_{S}\)) to 25 min 30 sec (GXP) (p = 0.01). The VO\(_{2max}\) attained by employing an individual treadmill protocol does not differ from the values derived from various standardized incremental protocols.}, language = {en} }