The authors also wish to thank Rasit Yediveren for the valuable assistance during the data collection stage.
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, especially in Europe. Soccer is characterized by numerous short, explosive exercise bursts interspersed with brief recovery periods over an extended period of time (90 minutes) (Meckel et al., 2009). Soccer performance, http://www.selleckchem.com/products/Rapamycin.html which depends on the technical skills and physical fitness of the players, is known to significantly influence match performance. The simultaneous use of both technical skills and fitness in soccer training would produce extremely effective performance (Little and Williams, 2007). Agility, acceleration, change of direction, deceleration, and sprinting are regarded as critical technical skills and the main components of soccer training.

The ability to sprint and to change direction while sprinting are determinants of performance in field sports, as evidenced by time and motion analysis (Sheppard and Young, 2006). In many sports, including soccer, athletes are required to accelerate, decelerate, and change direction throughout the game (Docherty et al., 1988). Often, these movements are performed in conjunction with passing, dribbling and striking movements (Abernethy and Russell, 1987; Farrow et al., 2005; Sheppard et al., 2006). Differences between higher and lower performers in anticipation and efficient decision making in accordance with sport-specific stimuli have also been mentioned in relevant literature (Abernethy and Russell, 1987; Tenenbaum et al., 1996; Farrow et al., 2005).

In soccer agility, anticipating the direction and timing of the ball are crucial issues for success (Sheppard et al., 2006). However, few studies have evaluated sport-specific, physical performance tests of agility, including sprints, changes of direction and striking at the goal. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a novel test of agility and striking skill for soccer that involves sprint running, direction changing, and kicking stationary balls to the goal with accurate decision making. The classical T-drill agility test, developed by Semenick (1990), was implemented with four balls and the goal (Figure 1). Figure 1 A diagram and explanation of the new developed agility and skill test for soccer.

Material and Methods Subjects A total of 113 amateur (38) and professional (32) male soccer players from the Turkish League (Kirikkale-wide from Division 3 and 1st Amateurs) (mean �� SD: age: 21.2 �� 3 years; body height: 1.78 �� 5.4 m; body mass: 72.2 �� 8.2 kg; body fat: 12.2 �� 3.9 %; years of experience: 6.8 �� 2.43) and university Entinostat students (43) volunteered to participate in this study. The study protocol and methods were approved by the local institutional ethics committee of the University of Kirikkale, and all subjects gave written informed consent prior to participation.

The sample was randomly divided Crizotinib into two groups: the Stretching Group (n=15), which performed 6.5 minutes of stretching and the Control Group (n=15), which remained seated for the same period of time. Procedures The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards (Harriss and Atkinson, 2009). Moreover, the local Ethics Committee, in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration, approved all procedures prior to the start of this investigation. All volunteers completed a medical screening questionnaire and provided written informed consent prior to participation. The Stretching Group performed a bout of stretching focusing on their dominant quadriceps muscle, which included ten passive stretches lasting 30 s each with a 10 s rest between stretches (Torres et al., 2007).

All passive stretching was observed by the same examiner, who limited the stretch until he felt reasonable resistance or the subject reported discomfort (Johansson et al., 1999). The subject was in a standing position with one knee resting on a chair. The dominant leg was kept relaxed; the examiner passively stretched the quadriceps, flexing maximally the subject��s knee and extending the hip to a neutral position. If maximal knee flexion did not produce the sensation of a stretch or resistance against the movement, hip extension would be added in order to increase the stretch. No intervention was made in the Control Group, which remained seated while the stretching program was conducted. The dependent variables included knee JPS, TTDPM, and the sense of force, which were recorded in random order before, immediately afterward, and one hour after the stretching program.

The protocol for the JPS assessment involved passive positioning and active repositioning (passive-active test) of the dominant leg (Zhou et al., 2008). JPS measurements were performed with an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Shirley, NY, USA) (Callaghan et al., 2002). The Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer is a mechanically reliable instrument for the measurement of an angular position, isometric torque, and slow to moderately high velocities, with high intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC 2,K = 0.99 for each variable) (Drouin et al., 2004). Test instructions were given to the participants prior to their initiation and they were allowed to familiarise themselves with the Biodex System one day before the test.

The participants were seated in the dynamometer chair at 90 degrees of hip flexion with their eyes closed. They were given headphones and were fitted with an GSK-3 air cushion above the leg, which was inflated to a pressure of 40 mmHg to minimize cutaneous sensory information (Callaghan et al., 2002). All participants had the ��hold�� button in one hand so that they could stop the dynamometer��s lever arm with their thumb when they thought it was at the target angle (Willems et al., 2002).

In this study, the authors investigated Ruxolitinib supplier the lactate and glucose dynamics during a Greco-roman wrestling match in three different weight classes. The objective of this research was to determine whether there were significant differences in the measured concentrations of lactate and glucose before, during, and after a wrestling match between lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight youth wrestlers. Material and Methods Subjects The study was conducted with 60 youth wrestlers, 15�C20 years old, who were junior and cadet (according to international wrestling rules) members from 13 Croatian wrestling clubs. Each of the subjects participated in the Croatian Greco-Roman wrestling championship for juniors or cadets and placed between the first and tenth place.

Wrestlers that placed below the tenth position were not considered for this study because some of them were beginners and it was unclear whether we could measure the impact of wrestling training. Differences in anaerobic energy production from glycolysis occur in later years ( Korhonen et al., 2005 ). Therefore, it is reasonable to observe these age categories as a group. The sample was divided into three weight categories: lightweight (n = 20; 57 �� 6 kg), middleweight (n = 20; 70 �� 2 kg) and heavyweight (n = 20; 88 �� 13 kg). The study protocol was approved by the ethical committee of the Faculty of Kinesiology in Split (Croatia) and written informed consent to participate in the study was signed by each subject or his parents prior to commencement.

Measures Ten physiological variables for each weight category were measured: Lactate concentration before the match��after the warm-up, Lactate concentration after the first bout, Lactate concentration after the second bout, Lactate concentration after the third bout, Lactate concentration in the 5th min of recovery, Glucose concentration before the match��after the warm-up, Glucose concentration after the first bout, Glucose concentration after the second bout, Glucose concentration after the third bout, Glucose concentration in the 5th min of recovery. Procedures The concentration of lactate in blood was measured using the Accutrend lactate device; the validity was established by Baldari ( Baldari et al., 2009 ). The amount of glucose in blood was determined using an Accu-Chek Active device, and validity was established by Freckmann ( Freckmann et al.

, 2010 ). Heart rate was measured using the Polar PE3000 Heart Rate Monitor (Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland). For the purpose of calculating body mass index, the subjects�� body mass and height were measured. Body mass was measured with a medical scale and a Martin��s Drug_discovery anthropometer was used for measuring body height. Subjects were instructed to follow a normal lifestyle by maintaining daily habits and avoiding any medication, alcohol, and caffeine as well as vigorous exercise within 24 hours of the test.

, 2007). Kerksick et al. (2007) suggested that intensive resistance-training reduces the availability of essential amino acids, which than in turn, may decrease the rate of tissue repair and growth. Ingestion of whey protein via post training supplementation would subsequently generate a rapid increase in the plasma volume levels of amino acids, producing elevated protein synthesis, and little change in protein catabolism (Kerksick et al., 2006). Whey protein supplementation is purported to elicit a higher blood amino acid peak and prevent protein degradation (Kerksick et al., 2007). The amount of whey protein in our study (i.e. 60 g/d) was higher compared to other studies on multi-ingredient supplementation and resistance training (13 g serving (Chromiak et al., 2004); 7 g serving (Schmitz et al.

, 2010) or comparable (Burke et al., 2001)). In that study, Burke et al. (2001) found no effect on knee flexion peak torque, 1-RM for the bench press and squat exercises were unaffected. The amount of HMB in our study (3 g/d) was similar to the study by Panton et al. (2000). HMB is a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine. It may enhance gains in strength associated with resistance training (Slater and Jenkins, 2000). HMB has been suggested to act as an anti-catabolic agent, minimizing protein degradation, and muscular cell damage as a result of high-intensity resistance-training, stimulating increased gains in strength. It was reported that short-term HMB supplementation during resistance training significantly enhanced upper body strength (Panton et al., 2000).

Not all research supports gains in muscular function with HMB supplementation (for a review see Wilson et al., 2008). During 4-weeks of HMB supplementation, in comparison to a placebo, no significant changes in strength, expressed as gains in total weight lifted in a maximal repetition test at a load equal to 70% of 1RM, for the BP, squat, and power clean exercises were reported (Kreider et al., 1997). It was concluded that HMB supplementation during training provides no ergogenic value to experienced resistance-trained athletes (Kreider et al., 1997). Although our groups had at least one year of experience with resistance training exercises, our group of participants could not be considered experienced resistance-trained athletes.

Besides creatine monohydrate, whey protein and HMB, Cyclone contains ingredients for which there is no strong evidence to be beneficial for enhancement of strength and/or endurance adaptations by resistance training. Glutamine has been suggested Brefeldin_A to enhance protein synthesis and minimise catabolic responses during heavy resistance-training, increasing muscular hypertrophy, and reducing exercise-induced immunosuppression (Kreider, 1999) but others reported no effect of glutamine supplementation in combination with a six-week resistance-training program (Candow et al., 2001).

The indoor cycling trainer orders an intensity to reach in each music track and ref 3 the participants have to adjust the tension on the flywheel. Indoor cycling classes are usually very demanding because this activity is viewed as an exercise where a large number of calories is burned. Therefore, a lot of sedentary people participate in this activity in order to lose weight; it is a motivating activity for them. In this sense, Valle et al. (2009; 2010) reported that indoor cycling associated with a restricted diet is an excellent option in controlling obesity and serum lipids. Bianco et al. (2010) found a decrease in body weight, without any restriction on food consumption, and an improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness in young overweight women.

However, these authors fundamentally recommend training protocols which are intense and length specific to the fitness level of the participants. Several studies have reported that indoor cycling is a strenuous physical activity (Battista et al., 2008; Caria et al., 2007; Foster et al., 2006; L��pez-Minarro and Muyor, 2010; Muyor and L��pez-Mi?arrro, 2012; Richey et al., 1999) which may be inappropriate for novice subjects (Battista et al., 2008; Caria et al., 2007; Foster et al., 2006). Moreover, in literature there are some rhabdomyolysis cases due to the practice of indoor cycling (Montero et al., 2009; Young and Thompson, 2004). Battista et al. (2008) found in two simulated indoor cycling classes that there are some moments of the session when the VO2 exceeded the VO2max observed during incremental testing. Crumpton et al.

(1999) found that the HR response was 83% of the subjects�� age-predicted maximum in 40 minutes of indoor cycling. Kang et al. (2005) found that a Spinning? (indoor cycling) session resulted in a greater VO2 in comparison to a constant intensity protocol in cycling. L��pez-Mi?arro and Muyor (2010) found mean values of the % heart rate reserve (%HRR) around 72% in the cardiovascular phase in novice subjects. Recently, Muyor and L��pez-Mi?arro (2012) found a %HRR of around 80% in subjects who had 6 months experience in the indoor cycling. Most fitness centers do not have a physiological department and biomedical instruments such as an electrocardiogram or VO2 equipment to evaluate the physiological responses in their users because it is quite expensive and requires qualified staff.

For these reasons, it is common to use a heart rate monitor or rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scales. The RPE is a recognized marker of intensity and of homeostatic disturbance during exercise (Eston, 2012). In fact, previous studies have shown strong relationships between RPE and physiological parameters such as blood lactate Entinostat response (Irving et al., 2006) and VO2 (Eston et al., 2006; Eston et al., 2005). Other studies have evaluated the validity and reliability of RPE for elite swimmers (Psycharakis, 2011), Australian footballers (Scott et al.