Preconditioning Activities to Enhance Repeated High-Intensity Efforts in Elite Rugby Union Players
in International Journal of Sports Physiology and PerformanceClick name to view affiliation
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Purpose: To assess the effect of a rugby-specific high-intensity interval-training (HIITRugby) protocol on the repeated high-intensity-effort ability of young elite rugby union players and to verify the influence of 2 preconditioning sequences composed either of physical contacts (ie, tackles) or of additional runs on the magnitude of improvement. Method: Fourteen players (19 [1] y; 183.5 [8.6] cm; 95.6 [15.6] kg) underwent an HIITRugby protocol, consisting of 7 supervised training sessions over 4 weeks, each session including 3 or 4 sets of 1 to 2 minutes with 1-minute recovery. Prior to HIITRugby training, players underwent a preconditioning contact sequence or a preconditioning running sequence, to assess their influence on subsequent interval-training sessions. Results: The overall group showed a moderate improvement in total sprint time, sprints ≥90% of the best, and 20-m sprint (−3.91% [2.68%], P = .0002; 74.6% [123.7%], P = .012; −3.22% [3.13%], P = .003, respectively) and a large improvement in percentage decrement (−23.1% [20.5%], P = .005) following the 4-week training block. Relative improvements were similar between groups in total sprint time, 20-m sprint, and perceived difficulty, but the preconditioning running-sequence group exhibited a larger magnitude of gains in percentage decrement (−28.6% [20.2%] vs −17.6% [20.7%]; effect size = −1.01 vs −0.73). Conclusion: An HIITRugby training block was effective to improve repeated high-intensity-effort ability. A preconditioning contact sequence prior to HIITRugby can reduce subsequent long-interval running activity, which may attenuate the improvement of repeated high-intensity-effort indices related to the aerobic system.
Vachon, Berryman, and Bosquet are with Lab MOVE (EA6314), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France. Vachon and Paquet are with Stade Rochelais Rugby, La Rochelle, France. Berryman is also with the Dept des Sciences de l’activité physique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada; Inst national du sport du Québec, Montréal, Canada; and Dept of Sports Studies, Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Canada. Mujika is with the Dept of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Basque Country, and the Exercise Science Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile. Bosquet is also with the Dept of Kinesiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
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