• Admin Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing
    • Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing
    • Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of WIRECommunitiesTitleAuthorsIssue DateSubmit DateSubjectsTypesJournalDepartmentPublisherThis CollectionTitleAuthorsIssue DateSubmit DateSubjectsTypesJournalDepartmentPublisher

    Administrators

    Admin Login

    Local Links

    AboutThe University LibraryOpen Access Publications PolicyDeposit LicenceCOREWIRE Copyright and Reuse Information

    Statistics

    Display statistics

    Seasonal variation in fitness parameters in competitive athletes

    • CSV
    • RefMan
    • EndNote
    • BibTex
    • RefWorks
    Authors
    Koutedakis, Yiannis
    Issue Date
    1995
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    In many sports, training for successful competition has become virtually a year-round endeavour. To assist in better preparation, a competitor's year may be divided into phases such as off-season and in-season, indicating reduced or increased competition commitments, respectively. A number of studies have described the effects of seasons or periods of competition, training, detraining and reduced training on aspects of physical fitness. Depending on performance level, the type of sport and the fitness parameter in question, the swings in fitness variables reported may be as high as 18% from one season to another. In elite competitors, anaerobic parameters, heart frequencies, subcutaneous fat, flexibility and haemoglobin levels remain relatively unchanged throughout the year. Aerobic metabolism and muscular strength may demonstrate noticeable (mostly unfavourable) changes, and plasma hormonal levels normally follow changes in training intensities. Aspects related to long term fatigue and genetics, and to appropriate training are just a few explanations for these observations. It is still not known whether greater fitness gains attainable with longer off-season training programmes can be successfully maintained over the duration of the competition season. However, the consensus would seem to be that specialised training (based on technique and competition tactics only) is inadequate for fitness maintenance and/or improvements. This is perhaps supported by the general trends found in the literature regarding muscular strength: while supervised off-season conditioning programmes may result in significant improvements for both recreational and competitive athletes, no such changes are normally observed after competition seasons. These findings may reflect, amongst other factors, a lack of optimal training intensity to bring about strength increases during in-season periods. In novices and in athletes at low competitive levels, training seasons may lead to considerable functional improvements of the cardiorespiratory system, coupled with occasional increases in muscular strength and decreases in body fat. Relatively low fitness levels at the beginning of training have been put forward as an explanation for these improvements. Seasons of training and competition result in no significant changes in flexibility measurements. Similar changes to those found in novices and in athletes at low competitive levels may also be seen in children and adolescents engaged in sport, although their fitness improvements are consistent with normal patterns of growth and development. No differences have been identified between male and female athletes participating at different competition levels.
    Citation
    Koutedakis, Y. (1995) 'Seasonal variation in fitness parameters in competitive athletes', Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine, 19 (6) pp. 373-92
    Journal
    Sports Medicine
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/2436/111439
    PubMed ID
    7676099
    Type
    Journal article
    Language
    en
    ISSN
    0112-1642
    Collections
    Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing

    entitlement

    Related articles

    • Relationships between training load, injury, and fitness in sub-elite collision sport athletes.
    • Authors: Gabbett TJ, Domrow N
    • Issue date: 2007 Nov
    • Short-term Periodization Models: Effects on Strength and Speed-strength Performance.
    • Authors: Hartmann H, Wirth K, Keiner M, Mickel C, Sander A, Szilvas E
    • Issue date: 2015 Oct
    • Recreational sports participation is associated with enhanced physical fitness in children.
    • Authors: Hoffman JR, Kang J, Faigenbaum AD, Ratamess NA
    • Issue date: 2005 Apr-Jun
    • Effects of Soccer Training on Anthropometry, Body Composition, and Physical Fitness during a Soccer Season in Female Elite Young Athletes: A Prospective Cohort Study.
    • Authors: Lesinski M, Prieske O, Helm N, Granacher U
    • Issue date: 2017
    • Physical, hematological, and exercise response of collegiate female equestrian athletes.
    • Authors: Meyers MC, Sterling JC
    • Issue date: 2000 Jun
    DSpace software (copyright © 2002 - 2023)  DuraSpace
    Quick Guide | Contact Us
    Open Repository is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV
     

    Export search results

    The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Different formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.

    By default, clicking on the export buttons will result in a download of the allowed maximum amount of items.

    To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.

    After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.