The aim of this systematic review was to analyse the studies centered on the effects of Olympic combat sports (OCS [i.e., boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling]) on older adults’ physical-functional, physiological, and psychoemotional health status. The review comprised randomised-controlled trials with OCS interventions, including older adults (>60 years), and measures of physical-functional, physiological, and/or psychoemotional health. The studies were searched through SCOPUS, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and EBSCO databases until 5 January 2021. The PRISMA-P and TESTEX scales were used to assess the quality of the selected studies. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42020204034). Twelve OCS intervention studies were found (scored ≥60% for methodological quality), comprising 392 females and 343 males (mean age: 69.6 years), participating in boxing, judo, karate, and taekwondo. The qualitative analysis revealed that compared to controls, OCS training improved muscle strength, cardiorespiratory capacity, agility, balance, movement, attention, memory, mental health, anxiety, and stress tolerance. Meta-analysis was available only for the chair stand test, and an improvement was noted after OCS training compared to control. In conclusion, OCS interventions improves older adults’ physical-functional, physiological, and psychoemotional health. Our systematic review confirms that OCS training has high adherence (greater than 80%) in older adults.

The present study aimed to verify the quarantine’s effects during a serious viral outbreak on the cardiovascular and performance associated with the Yo-Yo test in a sample of professional soccer players. 20 high-level soccer players (n = 20; age: 26 ± 4 years-old; weight: 76.85 ± 6.7 kg; height: 179 ± 6 cm) participated in this study. The intermittent Yo-Yo test was performed pre- and post- COVID-19 quarantine in a random order. During each test, the soccer players’ running performance outcomes were monitored using a portable 5-Hz GPS with a 100 Hz accelerometer and a paired t-test was conducted at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant differences between pre- versus post-COVID-19 quarantine in the following variables: relative distance (161.7 ± 5.9 > 141.1 ± 33.8 m/min), maximal speed (18.7 ± 0.9 > 18.2 ± 0.6 km/h), acceleration (60 ± 20 frequency > 52 ± 16 frequency), deceleration (34 ± 13 frequency > 27 ± 6 frequency), sprints > 19 km/h [0.8 (0.2;3)% >0.5 (0;0.5)%], and in high intensity running distance [16.48 (2.68;41.64)m > 0.827 (0.164;3.0)m]. We concluded that COVID-19-related restrictions and quarantine COVID-19 demonstrated adverse effects on professional soccer players’ Yo-Yo tests performance.

Background Nutritional ergogenic aids are foods or nutrients that can improve physical performance. Among these foods with ergogenic properties, caffeine has shown that it can increase the fat catabolism, strength, and improve the cognition and time reaction of an athlete, therefore, it is hoped that it can improve the performance of judokas. This study through a double-blind crossover (supplement X placebo) protocol, investigated the effects caffeine supplementation (single capsule containing 5 mg/kg body mass intake 60 min before the session) on biochemical, anthropometrical, physical, subjective and hemodynamic variables measured before, during and after two typical judo trainingcxs sessions (120-min: 40-min of gymnastics; 40-min of specific technics and; 40-min of judo combat). Methods 8 high-level athletes (21.4 ± 2.0 years; 83.6 ± 15.2 kg; 1.8 ± 0.1 m; 17.9 ± 7.0 Fat%) were evaluated before and after each training for body mass, hydration, upper and lower limb power, performance in the special judo fitness test (SJFT), free fatty acids (FFA) in plasma, uric acid, glucose, lactate, heart rate, and pain. In addition, heart rate, FFA in plasma, uric acid, glucose, lactate, rating of perceived exertion and pain were assessed during the training. Results At 120 min, supplementation resulted in a higher concentration of plasma FFA (1.5 ± 0.5 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3 mmol/L; p = 0.047) and lactate (4.9 ± 1.8 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2 mmol/L; p = 0.047), and a lower concentration of uric acid (5.4 ± 0.9 vs. 7.0 ± 1.5 mg/dL; p = 0.04). Supplementation also resulted in performance maintenance (fatigue index) in the SJFT (Δ0.3 ± 2.0 vs Δ1.7 ± 2.5, for caffeine and placebo respectively, p = 0.046). No adverse effects were observed. Conclusion Based on the applied dose, intake time, and sample of this study, we can conclude that caffeine produces an ergogenic biochemical effect, and improves performance in judo athletes.

The aim of the current study was to compare and verify factors associated with gender in combat phases, techniques and biomechanical leversused during judo matches, and performance probabilities in those same matches. We evaluated high-level judo athletes from each weight division who qualified for the Olympic Games. 773 male and 638 female bouts were analyzed based on the motor actions during approach, gripping, attack, defense, groundwork and biomechanics of techniques. The current results demonstrated significant differences between male and female bouts in pause frequencies [7(4;12); 9(4;13); p≤0.05], and approach with displacements [1(0; 6); 3(0;9); p≤0.05]. Female athletes used higher frequencies of techniques with different biomechanical levers for attacks (i.e. trunk leg lever attempts; waist lever variable attempts, waist lever variable effective and attempts, and maleolo lever effective and attempts; p≤0.05), while men used more variations of gripping (i.e. left collar, left collar and sleeve, both collars, right sleeve, left sleeve and both sleeves; p≤0.05) and groundwork attacks (i.e. Osae-waza, kansetsu-waza and shime-waza attempts; p≤0.05). The regression analysis demonstrated that female performance probabilities are associated positively with the use of Osae-waza, Variable/medium length attempted and scored, Arm/foot lever, Minimum lever attempted and scored and negatively with the grip on both collars, while male performance probabilities are associated positively with the use of Variable/medium length scored, Arm/foot lever scored, Minimum lever attempted and negatively with the grip on the right sleeve. The present data can be applied by coaches and athletes to elaborate the training programs focused on competitive strategies that increase the chances of winning.

Introducción. Debido a la actual pandemia por COVID-19, muchos países tomaron medidas de control y prevención como el confinamiento obligatorio, y los futbolistas profesionales no fueron la excepción; este tipo de medidas puede tener un impacto negativo en su bienestar y en su percepción sobre las cargas de entrenamiento. Objetivo. Determinar los efectos de las medidas de confinamiento por COVID-19 en la percepción de las cargas de entrenamiento y el grado de bienestar de jugadoras de fútbol profesional de Chile. Materiales y métodos. Estudio transversal, exploratorio-descriptivo realizado en 32 jugadoras de la selección nacional de fútbol de Chile. La percepción de la carga de entrenamiento y el grado de bienestar se evaluaron mediante la escala de percepción subjetiva del esfuerzo (PSE), y un cuestionario desarrollado en 2010, respectivamente. Tanto la aplicación del cuestionario, como el registro continuo de la PSE se realizaron en dos periodos de 12 semanas: periodo preparatorio regular (12/12/2019-10/03/2020) y periodo de confinamiento (16/03/2020-07/06/2020). Los datos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva y la prueba de Wilcoxon se utilizó para determinar si hubo diferencias significativas entre ambos periodos. Resultados. Se encontraron diferencias significativas (p<0.05) y umbrales de tamaño del efecto (TE)=1.2, 2.0 y 4.0 (grande, muy grande y extremadamente grande, respectivamente) entre ambos periodos en todas las variables evaluadas por el cuestionario de bienestar (a excepción de calidad de sueño): dolor muscular y nivel de estrés (TE=1.9), fatiga percibida (TE=2.5), bienestar general (TE=2.4) y estado de ánimo (TE=4.2). No se observaron diferencias en la percepción de la carga de entrenamiento (TE=0.1) entre ambos periodos. Conclusión. El confinamiento obligatorio afectó negativamente el grado de bienestar de las participantes, por lo que es necesario que los cuerpos técnicos monitoreen constantemente, de manera individual y colectiva, el grado de bienestar de los futbolistas profesionales durante el confinamiento; si bien la percepción en la carga de entrenamiento no se vio afectada, no es posible asegurar que un periodo mayor de confinamiento no la disminuya y esto resulte en una baja del rendimiento.