No abstract

Canoe slalom requires technical ability, well-developed energetics, a high level of maximum force production, and range of movement to perform a variety of complex paddle stokes, while maneuvering through a challenging whitewater course. The strength and conditioning (S&C) coach should provide strategic direction across a network or department including S&C coaches working toward identified outcomes and measures. S&C coaches should collaborate with a multidisciplinary support team (i.e., sport coaches, physiotherapists, physiologists, etc.) to develop a technical framework. The technical framework may allow for development of training strategies that provide a clear breakdown of the outcomes, adaptations, exercises, and testing methods. The current article articulates this process related to a canoe slalom national performance program.

Objective: Quantifying differences in locomotor characteristics of training between two competition levels and between training days within elite female soccer players. Methods: Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit (Playermaker) data were collected from 293 players from three Women's Super League (WSL; n = 76) and eight Women's Championship (WC; n = 217) teams over a 28-week period. Data were analysed using partial least squares correlation analysis to identify relative variable importance and linear mixed effects models to identify magnitude of effects. Results: WSL players performed more high-speed running distance (HSR; >5.29 m•s −1 ), sprint distance (SpD; >6.26 m•s −1 ), acceleration (ACC; >3 m•s −2 ) and deceleration (DEC; <-3 m•s −2 ) distance than WC players. The largest difference between WSL and WC in HSR and HSR per minute occurred on (354.7 vs. 190.29 m and 2.8 vs. 1.7 m•min −1 ). On MD-2, WSL players also covered greater SpD (44.66 vs. 12.42 m), SpD per minute (0.38 vs. 0.11 m•min −1 ) and HSR per minute (1.67 vs. 0.93 m•min −1 ). Between training days both WSL and WC teams reduced HSR and SpD but not ACC and DEC distance from MD-4 to MD-2, with MD-4 the highest training day of the week. Conclusion: MD-4 is a key training day discriminating between competitive level. HSR and SpD volume and intensity is tapered in WSL and WC players, however there is less clear taper of ACC or DEC. As such, WC teams could increase the volume and intensity of HSR on MD-4 to mimic locomotor activities of those at a higher standard.

No abstract