65675 - Evaluation and Planning of Sports Training

Learning outcomes

A complete understanding of motor evaluation and testing methods is necessary to plan individual training, assess the efficacy of training programs, and for talent identification. Furthermore, motor assessments and tests are important methodological tools in applied research, both in the field and laboratory protocols. This course aims to provide the students a complete knowledge of motor tests, regarding their theoretical foundations, influencing factors, and source of measurements errors.

Course contents

Evaluation General part

To attend this course, basic knowledge of physics, statistics, biomechanics, exercise anatomy and physiology are needed.

Statistics:

• Statistical foundations for motor evaluation:
• Frequency distributions: class interval, histograms and frequency curves
• The normal curve, skewness and kurtosis
• Central tendency measures: mean, median and mode
• Dispersion measures: minimum, maximum, range, standard deviation, coefficient of variation
• Correlation measures and the regression line
• Standard error of measurement

Physics:

• Concepts, formulae and measurement units of length, force, work, mechanical power, moment of force, angular momentum, moment of inertia.
• Measurement theory and the measurement error.

Biomechanics:

• Software, devices, and tools for motion analysis (optical and optoelectronical systems, dynamometers, accelerometers, electromyographs, electrogoniometers, microsensors).

Exercise anatomy and physiology:

• Muscle anatomy and physiology
• Energy systems in different exercises and sports
• Respiratory and circulatory mechanisms during the exercise

Introduction and general principles of motor evaluation

• Definition of evaluation and measurement
• The evaluation scales: nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio

The evaluation process

• Definition
• Aims of the evaluation in sport:
• For diagnostic purposes relative to the performance model of the specific sport (analysis of motor characteristics and weaknesses of the athlete)
• To prescribe the training load
• To assess the state of shape
• For prognostic purposes (talent identification)
• To assess the individual motor curriculum
• To analyse the psychological and pedagogic aspects linked to motivation of the athlete and the coach
• To plan and modify training and didactic programs
• To verify the partial goals and effects of training cycles
• Research and experimentation of training techniques
• Selection of evaluation methods and contents:
• Questionnaires
• Selection grids
• Test batteries and their temporal organisation
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of sport tactic and technique through field and laboratory devices
• Bases of evaluation tools:
• Reliability (definition and methods: test-retest, parallel assessments, data splitting, reliability and variability coefficients)
• Objectivity (definition and determination of the objectivity coefficient)
• Validity (internal and external validity and validity measures)
• Content validity
• Criterion validity
• Structural validity
• Precision, costs and time required
• Organisation of a testing session:
• Devices and environments settings
• Trials succession
• Data collection sheets
• Data storage and elaboration on a spreadsheet
• Procedural norms and the protocol of the test:
• Technique of the motor execution
• Devices, measurement and observation systems
• Instruction and familiarisation of athletes
• Warm-up and motivation
• Reference norms:
• Normative sample and the frequency distribution curves
• Standard points
• Percentiles and other reference scales

Applied part Evaluation of endurance

• Technical characteristics of cycloergometers, treadmills, rowingergometers
• Differences between ergometric tests and field tests
• Relationships among mechanical power, speed and hear rate: assessment and data collection.
• Tutorial with heart rate monitors
• Devices calibration, validity and objectivity
• Aerobic and anaerobic (lactic and alactic) performances; factor influencing different kinds of performances
• Maximal tests in the field (Cooper and fixed distances) and in the laboratory (Wingate)
• Incremental tests: determination of VO2max and computation of VO2 relative to body mass; assessment of the anaerobic threshold using different methods (Conconi, Mader, and ventilatory thresholds)
• Submaximal test at constant load: Mognoni, Wilmor and verification of the anaerobic threshold
• Sport-specific ergometers

Evaluation of strength

• Physiological and biomechanical factors to consider for the evaluation of different strength categories
• Maximal strength: isometric dynamometry. Direct and indirect methods (maximum number of repetitions method) with the barbell and strength machines. Relative strength indices.
• Laboratory devices to assess dynamic and explosive strength: force plates, devices applied to machines and shoes.
• Isokinetic machines to assess strength, the strength/velocity relationship, endurance strength, electromyographic studies
• High- and long- jumps and throws as indices of explosive strength. Electronic devices for the assessment of flight and contact times (conductance mats, Optojump).
• Gym tests involving the repetition of movements of different body segments

Evaluation of the different aspects of speed

• Sprint
• Simple and complex motor reaction
• Cyclic and acyclic speed and the speed quotient according to Lehmann
• Maximal frequency tests: paper and pencil and tapping
• Examples of specific speed tests
• Evaluation of speed with optical methods (photocells, videorecorder)

Evaluation of flexibility

• Static and dynamic flexibility
• Examples of linear and angular tests for the main joints (hip, shoulder and back)
• Analysis of biomechanical factors limiting the movements in the most important tests

Evaluation of coordination capacities

• Dexterity circuits
• Kinesthetic differentiation: gradual muscle tension, range of movements
• Time-space orientation: estimation of distances, perception of trajectories etc.)
• Motor combination and coupling (eye-hand and foot coordination, coordination between body segments
• Balance: static (with the exclusion of different analysers), dynamic and flight
• Examples of linear and angular tests for the main joints (hip, shoulder and back)
• Rhythm: reproduction of rhythmical structures, rhythm of movements, constant rhythm
• Capacity of transformation

Methods for the evaluation of the technique

• Technical tests for the evaluation of sport gestures
• Technical questionnaires
• Observation grids, qualitative evaluation of videoclips and the reference model.
• Kinesthetic differentiation: gradual muscle tension, range of movements
• Quantitative evaluation of spatial, time, kinematic and dynamic parameters relative to the technical gesture through biomechanical analysis systems

Evaluation of complex tactical situations

• Evaluation of tactics through the recognizing of tactical situations
• Questionnaires and tactical problems to solve
• Manual and electronic scores and the match analysis

Training planning Program

Performance model studies during training and in competition: starting the training planning.

- The study of the competition in the individual and team sports: partial of competition, number and duration of the actions and recovery times, biomechanics and physiological analysis, the electronic scores databases.

- The performance study through the field and laboratory tests with representative athlete samples of different levels.

- The training planning on the base of the sport performance model and the objective evaluation of the single athlete characteristics.

- The training control and the load effects.

The control of the performance athlete's condition, the training plan control and the strategic choices of the methods and the times for the different sport performance increase.

^ Endurance:

° Tools for the inside load study (cardio-meter, lactic dosages), metabolic parameters (VE, VO2, VCO2) and EMG during field training.

° The external load determination (volume & speed with GPS and other tools, length and frequency of the footstep, accelerations, strength and power etc.)

^ Strength, Speed and Technique

° Forces, power, speed and linear and angular kinematics with different tools (photoelectric cells, sensory, accelerometers, optoelectronic technologies etc.)

The purpose of this course part is to provide the theoretical knowledge, the state-of-the-art and the practical competences for the use of the tools for the control of the training. It will be important to integrate the informations with the Bioengineering course.

The training organization for different sport disciplines.

- Historical introduction on the training planning.

- General common fundaments of the training planning.

- Heterocronism of the adaptations for a long, middle and short term and the biological rhythms of the different organs and apparatuses.

- The training cyclical structure and the different typologies of: micro-cycles, meso-cycles, macro-cycles.

- The simple and complex single session of training: temporal sequences of the activities according to the sport and the performance level.

- Planning and typology of the micro-cycles in the seasonal phases, criteria to construct for different levels and sport classes, numeric symbols of intensity used for planning.

- Planning and typology of the meso-cycles in the seasonal phases, for middle term different objectives and for different sport classes, duration, components and structural consideration.

- The macro-cycles planning with 1, 2 or more pecks in the different competitive season typologies and trends of the form conditions, the factors of peaking, phases of training.

- The long term planning, quadrennial plan forms

- The performance in function of volume, intensity, training specificity, frequency and importance of the competitions.

- The planning for the strength, power and speed sports.

- The planning for the endurance sports.

- The planning in the combat sports.

- The planning in the team sports.

- The planning in the technical composition sports.

- The overtraining and overreaching problem list: the interaction between physician and sport trainer.

Specific Seminars.

- The youth training problem list: development of the motor abilities and sensitive phases, precocious specialization and/or multilaterality, objectives and models of the youth planning.

- The gender differences in the performance of the different sports and the relative planning of the training.

- General and special endurance training for different sport disciplines, particularly the Cycling model.

- The high altitude training for the endurance sports and for the other sports, and also for a high altitude competition or to improve the performance to sea level.

- The biochemical adaptations in the different types of training and the control of the biological parameters for the training planning.

- The strength, endurance, rapidity special training examples and applications for the different individual and team sports.

The computer use for the elaboration of training data and performance database.

- The training diary, different type of variables, possibility of statistical and graphical computer elaborations and the use of Microsoft Excel.

- The relationship among performance and training variables: the different types of regression and the correlation coefficients.

- The graphical data representation with: lines, columns, dispersion points, and lines or curves interpolating.

- The study of the temporal series in the short, middle and long period and simple methods of statistical trend analysis: linear and polynomial regression, the mobile averages.

The purpose of this part of the program is to highlight the necessary notions and competences for elaborating, previously and subsequently, the diary of training and related to the planning data, with electronic support.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Merni

See the website of Rocco Di Michele