Outdoor exercise is beneficial for psychophysical well-being. Limited studies have compared outdoor and virtual reality (VR) indoor physical activities, especially in coastal settings. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of outdoor coastal walking and indoor walking in a VR simulation with a similar environment on physiological and psychological variables in healthy adults. A total of 26 subjects (14 M and 12 F, age 25.2 ± 2.5 years) voluntarily participated in this crossover randomized controlled and counterbalanced study and were allocated under three conditions: VR indoor walking (INVR), outdoor walking (OUT) and standard indoor walking (IN). IN and INVR conditions were performed on a treadmill (speed 4.5 km/h) and the OUT was performed on a seaside pedestrian road. The same outdoor environment was displayed in the visor during the INVR. Heart rate (HRmean/max), physical activity enjoyment (PACES-It) and state of mindfulness for physical activity (SMS-PA) were assessed at the end of each condition. The OUT condition showed significantly greater PACES-It scores and HRmean than IN and INVR (p < 0.001) and greater SMS-PA scores and HRmax than IN (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). No significant differences were found between OUT and INVR regarding HRmax and SMS-PA scores (p > 0.05). Findings suggest that physical activity in an immersive technology may lead to physiological loads comparable to the outdoor environment. OUT is more enjoyable than IN and INVR but exhibits a mindfulness response comparable to INVR. Therefore, INVR could be an alternative to OUT for those who cannot engage in outdoor activities for various reasons.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a 10-week online high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on body composition and aerobic and aerobic performance in physically sedentary women. A parallel, two-group, longitudinal (pre, post) design was used with physical tests performed before (preintervention) and after (postintervention) the 10-week intervention period. A total of forty-eight healthy and physically sedentary women (defined as an individual who lacks regular exercise or a structured fitness routine) were recruited to participate in this study. The participants were distributed in two groups: the experimental group (EG) with 24 women (mean ± SD: age 21.21 ± 2.15 years; weight: 61.16 ± 8.94 kg; height: 163.96 ± 4.87 cm; body mass index (BMI): 22.69 ± 2.49 kg/m2) and the control group (CG) with another 24 women (mean ± SD: age 20.50 ± 1.29 years; weight: 62.0 ± 6.65 kg; height: 163.92 ± 4.89 cm; body mass index: 23.04 ± 1.74 kg/m2). The EG performed an online HIIT program for 10 weeks, while the CG continued with their daily life routines. The repeated measures ANCOVA indicated a significant effect in the within-group analysis for weight (p = 0.001; d = −0.96) and for BMI (p = 0.001; d = 0.24), with a significant decrease in the experimental group (EG). The control group (CG) did not show any significant decrease in either body weight or BMI. Regarding the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) values, the EG exhibited a significant improvement (p = 0.001; d = −1.07), whereas the CG did not demonstrate a significant improvement (p = 0.08; d = −0.37). The EG’s power output (W) (p = 0.001; d = −0.50) and power output standardized by body weight (W/kg) (p = 0.001; d = −0.96) were significantly improved. The CG did not show a significant improvement in either power output (W/kg) or power output. Lastly, the within-group analysis with load revealed that the EG significantly improved (p = 0.001; d = −0.50), while CG did not show a significant improvement in load (p = 0.10.; d = −0.10). The present study showed that 10 weeks of HIIT in an online environment during the COVID-19 lockdown significantly improved maximum oxygen consumption and caused weight loss and a significant decrease in body mass index in physically sedentary women. These results suggest that HIIT may be used as a time-efficient strategy to improve body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness in sedentary women.

This study had two objectives: (i) to analyze the between-position differences in training:match load ratios and (ii) to test the relationships between the weekly training and match demands of male professional football players over a season. A cohort study lasting 43 weeks was performed. Nineteen professional football players (age: 27.5 ± 4.6 years old) used a 15-Hz global positioning system (GPS) unit integrating a 100-Hz tri-axial accelerometer. Total distance (TD), metabolic power average (MPA), new body load (NBL), accelerations (ACC), and decelerations (DEC) were considered. The training:match ratio was obtained for all the external load measures. Significant between-position differences were found only for DEC. Moderate correlations between the weekly training and match demands were found for NBL (r = 0.343 (0.19; 0.48); p < 0.008) and DEC (r = 0.472 (0.327; 0.595); p < 0.001). Moderate correlations between the mean training intensity and match demands of the same week were found for NBL (r = 0.454 (0.313; 0.575); p < 0.001) and DEC (r = 0.451 (0.304; 0.577); p < 0.001). This study did not show significant position differences for the overall training:match ratios. Significant position differences were revealed for left-back players compared to all other positions. Fullbacks performed four times more DEC during training sessions than during matches. It was revealed small to moderate associations between both the volume and intensity of the overall external load measures and their respective match running demands. However, such correlations are too weak to suggest a cause-and-effect relationship.

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to use an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to analyze variations in the jump outcomes concerning weekly training days, and the dependencies between the number of jumps per minute and the jump height. An experimental research design was adopted across three weeks of the final play-off of a volleyball championship. Through an IMU, the external load of seven male elite volleyball athletes of a top rating team from Portuguese 1st Division (age: 30.5 ± 3.5 years; height: 200.2 ± 6.3 cm; body mass: 93.0 ± 8.1 kg; BMI: 23.1 ± 2.3 kg/m2) was monitored. Repeated measures ANOVA was executed to compare the outcomes between training days. It was observed a similar density of jumps during the week. However, when comparing MD-1 to MD-2, a more significant average number of jumps per minute was observed in MD-1 (1.3 ± 0.2 vs. 1.0 ± 0.2). Additionally, a positive, large and significant correlation was registered between the number of jumps and the height of the jump. Those results highlight the benefits of the specific training, leading to greater stimulation and improvement, in a game-like context, of the stretching-shortening cycle, observed in every jump action in volleyball.

AbstractEven though running performance and positional profiles in football are well described, amputee football (AF) has different characteristics of the movement, pitch dimensions, and time played. There is a gap in the scientific literature about positional profiles based on running performance in AF. This study aimed to investigate the differences between positions, the influence of the amputation level or defect of the lower limb (LD), the differences in running performance between halves, and the relationship with the final match result. Thirteen AF National Team players were monitored by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), tracking 24 official international matches for 17 months. Values of top speed, peak acceleration, peak deceleration, average distance per minute, sprint mean speed, GPS load per minute, inertial load per minute (Gs load/min), number of sprints per minute, and a number of impacts per minute were analyzed for defenders (DEF), midfielders (MID) and forwards (FOR). Additional factors analyzed were amputation level (below the knee, low amputation—LA or over the knee, high amputation—HA or defect of the lower limb—LD) and the match's final result. Midfielders had significantly higher running performance parameters compared to other positions (greater top speed than DEF (+ 0.3 m/s; p