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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

Physiological indicators of performance in squash

Wilkinson, Michael January 2009 (has links)
The aim of this thesis was to develop and validate squash-specific fitness tests to identify physiological determinants of repeat-sprint ability and performance in sub-elite and elite-standard squash players. Study one examined the validity of a squash-specific test of endurance capability and VO[2max]. Trained squash players and runners completed squash-specific and treadmill incremental tests to exhaustion. Squash players achieved greater VO[2max] on the squash-specific than the treadmill test while runners did not differ. Squash players exercised longer than runners on the squash-specific test despite similar VO2max. The squash test discriminated endurance capability between squash and non-squash players of similar fitness and elicited higher VO[2max] in squash players. The results suggest that it is a valid test of aerobic fitness in squash players. Study two assessed the reproducibility of physiological and performance measures from the squash specific test in county-standard players. Test-retest variability was low for all measures (Typical error < 5%) though the magnitude varied depending on the metric used. Studies three and four examined the validity and reproducibility of squash-specific tests of change-of-direction speed and multiple-sprint ability. County-standard squash players and footballers completed squash-specific and equivalent non-specific tests on separate days. Performance time was recorded. Participants repeated the tests seven days later to assess reproducibility. Squash outperformed non-squash players on the squash-specific tests despite similar non-specific capabilities. Squash-specific tests discriminated squash player rank while non-specific tests did not. Test-retest variability was low (Typical Error < 3%) for both tests. Squash-specific tests predicted ability in squash players and discriminated between squash and non-squash players of equal nonspecific fitness. The findings suggest that the squash-specific tests are valid for the assessment of high-intensity exercise capabilities in squash players. Studies five and six explored correlates of multiple-sprint ability and performance in sub-elite and elite squash players. Squash-specific and general tests were performed by regional league players ranging from division three to premier standard and elite players on three tiers of a national performance program. In sub-elites, multiple-sprint ability and endurance capability discriminated performance and multiple-sprint ability was related to change-of-direction-speed, VO[2max] and endurance capability. In world-ranked men and women, the ability to perform and sustain rapid changes of direction correlated with multiple-sprint ability and together with multiple-sprint ability discriminated performance. Aerobic fitness was not related to performance or multiple-sprint ability in elite players. Senior elites performed better than players on the talented athlete scholarship scheme (TASS) on all tests except VO[2max] and counter-movement jump. Drop-jump power and reactive strength discriminated senior and transition level from TASS players and indices from the multiple-sprint test discriminated seniors from transition and TASS players. This thesis has validated squash-specific tests of endurance and high-intensity exercise capabilities. These tests have shown that high-intensity exercise capabilities determine performance in elites while sub-elite performance is determined by multiple-sprint ability and endurance capability. The findings can be used to improve assessment of training effects and to inform the design of effective training methods.

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