The main aim of this research was to develop a greater understanding of the effects of prior moderate and intense exercise on sports-related performance. The research developed through five related studies that examined the effects of exercise on key aspects of sports performance. Each study was conducted in appropriate field-based settings, using protocols that have relevance to the chosen sports and performance tasks that display ecological validity. Three intensities were examined across each of the five studies; rest, moderate and intense exercise. The preliminary study explored the effects of moderate and intense exercise on soccer passing performance in collegiate level players (n = 20). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant (p = 0.010) effect of prior exercise on passing performance. Following on from this investigation, the effects of prior exercise on basketball passing performance in expert (n = 10) and non-expert players (n = 10) was examined. A 3 x 2 mixed ANOVA revealed a highly significant exercise intensity effect (p 0.001) as well as a highly significant exercise intensity by level of expertise interaction (p = 0.010). No between-group differences were observed however. This study nevertheless revealed that the expert players maintain a better level of performance compared to non-expert players following moderate and high-intensity exercise conditions. The third study explored the effects of moderate and intense exercise on coincidence-anticipation timing in expert (n = 11) and non-expert (n = 9) Gaelic games players. The 3 x 2 mixed ANOVA revealed no overall exercise intensity effect (p > 0.05) but there was a significant exercise intensity by level of expertise interaction (p = 0.031). Highly significant between-group differences (p < 0.001) were found, with the expert players maintaining a higher level of anticipation following moderate and intense exercise conditions. Study four comprised a small-scale study (n = 12) examining the effects of moderate and intense exercise on attention using the Stroop Colour-Word Test. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant (p = 0.030) effect of prior exercise on attention. This study identified that attention following moderate-intensity exercise is equivalent to that at rest. However, following intense exercise attention deteriorates to a level below that at rest. The final study examined the effects of exercise intensity on groundstroke accuracy in expert (n = 13) and non-expert (n = 17) tennis players and comprised the most ecologically valid design. A range of 3 x 2 mixed ANOVAs were conducted revealing highly significant (p < .001) main effects for exercise intensity as well as highly significant (p = 0.003) between-group effects. No exercise intensity by level of expertise interaction was found however. In general, the findings suggest that performance following moderate-intensity exercise is equivalent to that at rest. However, significant decrements in key aspects of sports-related performance were observed following intense exercise. The findings of this research indicate that the theories of arousal cannot by themselves account for the outcomes of this work and the relationship between exercise and arousal needs to be explored further. Future research is imperative employing ecologically valid protocols and sport-specific performance tasks. The ensuing results in this case will have much more application and relevance to trainers, coaches and players.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:628923 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Lyons, M. |
| Publisher | Coventry University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open/items/5cf904e2-2558-40b8-b13d-54c22d10e6e8/1 |
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