Effects of a 6-week detraining on repeated-sprint ability and power in competitive ultimate players

Poster

Abstract

Purpose: Ultimate frisbee is an invasion team sport played with a plastic flying disc, requiring high levels of agility, aerobic fitness, power and repeated-sprint ability (Palmer et al. 2020). As in other disciplines, it is important to limit detraining of players during the off-season period. The purpose of this study was therefore to analyze if performing two training session per week (based on running and strength training, respectively) was sufficient to maintain the end-season repeated-sprint ability (RSA) and power levels in competitive ultimate players.

Methods: 11 elite (1^st Italian league) female ultimate frisbee players (age: 19.6 ± 3.0 years; height: 166.8 ± 6.8 cm; weight: 58.2 ± 6 kg) and 10 sub-elite (2^nd Italian league) male players (age: 21.6 ± 3.2 years; height: 181.6 ± 6.0 cm; weight: 76.6 ± 9.5 kg) were involved. All athletes were tested before (T₀) and after (T₁) a 6-week detraining period, during which they performed no field training, but one body weight strength training session (focused on power and explosive strength) and one running training session (high-intensity interval training or sprint training) per week. All athletes were tested before and after the examined period. Tests included a CMJ test, a SJ test, and a 6 x 20+20m repeated-sprint ability test, in which velocity of the fastest sprint (RSA_BEST), average velocity (RSA_MEAN), and percentage decrement (RSA_DEC) across sprints, were examined.

Results: At T_1, RSA_BEST and RSA_MEAN showed significant (p<0.05) decreases of -0.19km/h (-1.04%) and -0.24km/h (-1.24%) respectively, with a trivial to small effect sizes (0.16 and 0.22), while RSA_DEC (-0.2%, ES= 0.16), CMJ (+1.36cm, +4.23%, ES= 0.15) and SJ (+0.95cm, +3.04%, ES= 0.12) showed no significant changes (p>0.05).

Conclusions: The results suggest that performing two training sessions per week, one based on running drills (with a duration of 40-50 minutes) and one based on body weight power exercises (with a duration of 60-70 minutes), can allow to maintain fitness levels in ultimate frisbee athletes during the off-season. Remarkably, running sessions should be focused on anaerobic rather than aerobic training, as RSA_BEST and RSA_MEAN were the only parameters tested with a significant, though trivial or small, decrement. The present findings also support the hypothesis that field-based ultimate-training, mostly performed during the competitive season, tends to improve anaerobic power rather than aerobic power.

KEY WORDS: ultimate frisbee, detraining, off-season, running, strength training, power, explosive strength, field training, body weight, high-intensity interval training, repeated sprint ability, sprint training, squat jump, countermovement jump, end-season, fitness, competitive players, anaerobic power, aerobic power