ECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP07
INTRODUCTION: Jumping events such as long jump, triple jump, and pole vault require the integration of high approach velocity, effective force transmission, and stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) utilization. Sprint capacity, elastic-explosive ability, and maximal strength are widely regarded as key physical qualities underpinning performance; however, their relative contributions within elite cohorts remain insufficiently quantified. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between distinct physical capacity domains and competitive performance in elite jumping athletes. METHODS: Sixteen elite Chinese jumping athletes (long jump n = 8, triple jump n = 4, pole vault n = 4; mixed sex) were assessed during the pre-competition phase. The testing battery included 60 m sprint and flying 20 m sprint (sprint capacity), standing five-bound jump and short-approach jump (9–10 steps) (elastic-explosive ability), and standing long jump, backward medicine ball throw, 1RM power clean, and 1RM back squat (maximal strength). Physical test results were converted into standardized scores according to the official Chinese Athletics Association scoring system. To allow cross-event comparison, official competition results were transformed into standardized performance scores using the World Athletics Scoring Tables. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to determine relationships between physical capacity scores and competitive performance. RESULTS: Sprint capacity showed the strongest association with competitive performance. The 60 m sprint score was significantly correlated with performance (r = 0.72, p < 0.01), explaining approximately 52% of performance variance. The flying 20 m score also demonstrated a strong relationship (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Elastic-explosive indicators were significantly correlated with performance, with the five-bound jump score at r = 0.69 (p < 0.01) and the short-approach jump at r = 0.61 (p < 0.05). In contrast, maximal strength measures showed weaker associations (power clean r = 0.41; back squat r = 0.33). The composite fitness score correlated with performance at r = 0.66 (p < 0.01). Overall, speed- and SSC-related capacities demonstrated stronger associations with performance than maximal strength indicators. CONCLUSION: Within this elite jumping cohort, sprint capacity emerged as the primary physical correlate of competitive performance, while elastic-explosive ability provided an important complementary contribution. Maximal strength, although foundational, demonstrated comparatively limited discriminatory value. These findings suggest that, once adequate strength levels are achieved, training emphasis in elite jumpers may benefit from prioritizing sprint and SSC-based elastic-explosive development.
Read CV Pengfei WeiECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP07
INTRODUCTION: HYROX is a rapidly growing global fitness competition combining 8 km of running with eight standardized strength- and endurance-based exercises. Despite its rapid professionalization, empirical evidence on the longitudinal development of performance and underlying determinants of success remains limited. METHODS: All publicly available race data (n = 11,842 female and n = 27,854 male results) from individual HYROX PRO and ELITE competitions from Seasons 1-7 (2018/19–2024/25) were systematically collected using a custom Python script for automated web scraping, representing the largest dataset analyzed in HYROX research to date. Empirical cumulative distribution functions were used to derive season-specific percentile curves of PRO results. For the top 100 results per season (Top 100), linear mixed-effects models were applied to assess changes in absolute and relative discipline performance data. Discipline importance was further examined using rank-based reshuffling metrics and univariate quantile regression models across multiple performance quantiles. ELITE performance trends, performance convergence and Top 5 retention were additionally analyzed. RESULTS: From Season 4 onward, PRO finishing times improved notably across the entire performance distribution. At the median, male and female PRO athletes improved by approximately 8-10 min between Seasons 4 and 7, with larger gains at the 25th to 75th percentiles than at the 90th percentile. In the Top 100, total race time improved by ~13 min (≈19%) in males and ~17 min (≈21%) in females from Season 1 to Season 7. These improvements were primarily driven by faster running (~8 min in males; ~10 min in females), which still accounted for ~50% of total race time and showed a low discrepancy between discipline-specific and overall rankings. Strength-determined disciplines exhibited greater rank reshuffling and stronger quantile-dependent effects, indicating larger absolute increases in total race time among slower performers. ELITE median performance improved from 01:06:24 to 00:57:17 h in males, and from 01:11:09 to 01:03:22 h in females, with the coefficient of variation declining from >10% to <5%, indicating increasing competitive density. CONCLUSION: HYROX has rapidly evolved into a highly competitive, endurance-dominated sport in which success is associated with the ability to sustain fast running under cumulative metabolic and neuromuscular fatigue. Accordingly, practitioners should prioritize the development of aerobic capacity while maintaining sufficient strength capacity. These findings provide the first large-scale evidence of longitudinal evidence of performance development in HYROX and offer a data-driven foundation for training prioritization in competitive athletes.
Read CV Tim WiedenmannECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP07
INTRODUCTION: Field hockey is a team sport that requires a lot of technical, tactical and physical activity [1]. The 2015 new FIH rules have increased the requirements of physical demands of players in matches [2]. Tapering strategies have been widely used in the preparation period for team sports competitions [3]. Thus, optimized tapering strategy in field hockey and revealing the effects of different tapering strategies on the physical demands during matches is crucial important. METHODS: 2 national level tournaments of 22 elite Chinese females field hockey athletes [Age: (23.5±4.9) years; Height: (168.5±4.6) cm; Weight: (62.4±5.3) kg; BMI: (22.0±1.7) kg/m2] were recorded by GPS/IMA units (Optimeye S5, Catapult Sports, Australia, 10Hz). Two different tapering strategy (3 Weeks) were used in two different tournaments (interval by 6 weeks) with the same opponents, competition schedule and tactical strategies. Similar weekly total running distance and high-speed running distance were recorded by GPS/IMA units during two tapering period, while they performed M-M-M (tapering strategy A, TSA) and M-M-L (tapering strategy B, TSB) in weekly total distance, L-H-M (TSA) and M-M-M (TSB) in weekly total high speed distance respectively (L, low; M, medium; H, high). The independent-sample T-test was used to compare the differences between different tapering strategies and different quarters, significant difference was set at P < 0.05, and very significant difference was set at P < 0.01. RESULTS: Regarding to the GPS running data and IMA data of whole matches, TSA performed significantly higher match time (50.2±15.4 vs. 43.6±12.7 min), total distance (5566.4±1494.3 vs. 4818.9±1079.1 m), low-speed running distance (4996.1±1402.3 vs. 4276.5±1036.9 m), total PlayerLoadTM (470.7±121.6 vs. 406.1±97.1 AU), PlayerLoadTM 2D (278.8±71.4 vs. 252.4±61.8 AU), total M&H IMA (58.2±24.8 vs. 47.9±20.1 times) compared with TSB (P<0.05). Regarding to the GPS and IMA data across different quarters, TSA performed significant lower high speed running distance percentage (9.6±3.4% vs. 12.0±6.0%), sprint distance (36.9±23.5 vs. 48.8±35.4 m), running distance per min (103.2±14.0 vs. 111.3±19.3 m/min) than TSB in Quarter 4 (P<0.05). In addition, TSA performed significantly decreasing on running distance per min, high speed running distance per min, PlayerLoadTM per min in Quarter 4 when compared with Quarter 1-3 (P<0.05). However, TSB performed no significant difference on most parameters across 4 quarters. CONCLUSION: TSA showed higher volume on low intensity movements than TSB during matches on elite female field hockey players. However, compared with TSA, TSB revealed better physical performance of elite female field hockey players in Quarter 4. In summary, TSA could generate high physical volume on matches’ performance with high physical fatigue; TSB could perform more stable physical performance across quarters with less physical fatigue, especially on Quarter 4.
Read CV Xudan CaiECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP07