Cesar Meylan

Canada Soccer · Physical Performance

The efficacy of a 14-day field-based heat acclimatization (HA) training camp in 16 international female soccer players was investigated over three phases: phase 1: 8 days moderate HA (22. 1°C); phase 2: 6 days high HA (34.5°C); and phase 3: 11 days of post-HA (18.2°C), with heart rate (HR), training load, core temp (Tc), and perceptual ratings reco...

Explosive actions are integral to soccer performance and highly influenced by the ability to generate maximal power. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between force-velocity profile, jump performance, acceleration and maximal sprint speed in elite female soccer players. Thirty-nine international female soccer players (24...

The aim of this study was to compare the distances at various intensity in matches and small-sided games in elite-young soccer players using the metabolic power approach and running speed methods through fixed and individual speed zones. The second aim was to investigate the difference in high intensity external workload (% of total distances cover...

Objectives Significant resources are invested in maximizing player performance without extensive knowledge of the athletic progression of elite female soccer players during their career. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate the change in physical performance characteristics in 12- to 34-year-old female soccer players in a natio...

Recently, there has been a proliferation of published articles on the effect of plyometric jump training including several review articles and meta-analyses. However, these types of research articles are generally of narrow scope. Furthermore, methodological limitations among studies (e.g., lack of active/passive control groups) prevent the general...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of match-factors on the match-running of elite female soccer players. Players from the same women’s national team (n = 45) were monitored during 47 international fixtures (files = 606) across four years (2012-2015) using 10-Hz global positioning system devices. A mixed model was used to analyse t...

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a short-term, soccer-specific, isothermic heat acclimation (HA) protocol on plasma volume (PV) expansion in international female soccer players. Subjects: Eighteen non-HA players trained for 5 days in the heat (34.8 ± 0.2°C; 36.6%rh). Methods: Heart rate (HR), core temperature...

Poster presentation at the Sport Innovation Summit in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2017.

Keynote presentation on the road to high performance, collaborating with coaches and players and maintaining high standard as an individual and as the team behind the team.

Numerous situational and environmental factors in a game may affect the movement of soccer players. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of match-factors on the match-running of elite female soccer players. Players from the same women’s national team (n = 45) were monitored during 47 international fixtures (files = 606) a...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the match-to-match variation of match-running in elite female soccer players utilising GPS, using full-match and rolling period analyses. Design Longitudinal study. Methods Elite female soccer players (n = 45) from the same national team were observed during 55 international fixtures across 5 ye...

Plyometric training and beta-alanine supplementation are common among soccer players, although its synergistic use had never been tested. Therefore, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to compare the effects of a plyometric training program, with or without beta-alanine supplementation, on maximal-intensity and endura...

Recent debate on the trainability of youths has focused on the existence of periods of accelerated adaptation to training. Accordingly, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to identify the age- and maturation-related pattern of adaptive responses to plyometric training in youth athletes. Thirty effect sizes were calculated from the data of 21 sour...

This meta-analysis investigated the maturation-related pattern of adaptations to resistance training in boy athletes. We included studies examining the effects of 4–16-week resistance training programmes in healthy boy athletes aged 10–18 years. Pooled estimates of effect size for change in strength across all studies (n = 19) were calculated using...

It is common practice amongst researchers and practitioners to monitor the effects of external load via electronic tracking systems. Both semi-automatic multiple camera systems and global positioning system technologies are used worldwide to quantify match-running. As soccer is a global game, the playing environments can differ, with heat and altit...

Purpose: The nature of international female soccer requires teams to compete during congested fixture periods, with as much as four games in seven days. Research has focussed on changes match-running performance of teams without taking a complete holistic approach using individualised wellness and neuromuscular fatigue data (1-3) Therefore, the aim...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a short-term, soccer specific, isothermic heat acclimation (HA) protocol featuring novel circuit training on plasma volume (PV) expansion and running performance in Olympic soccer players. Eighteen females trained for 5 days in the heat (34.8±0.2°C & 41.1±5.3%). Heart Rate (HR), core temp...

The aim of the current study was to identify the effect of these match-factors on the match-running of elite female soccer players. Forty-five Canadian national team players were monitored during 42 international fixtures. Velocity data of all outfield players was analyzed using global positional system (GPS) technology sampling at 10-hz. Match dat...

BACKGROUND: To compare maximal-intensity exercise adaptations in young basketball players (who were strong individuals at baseline) participating in regular basketball training versus regular plus a volume-based plyometric training program in the pre-season period. METHODS: Young basketball players were recruited and assigned either to a plyometri...

Objectives: to investigate the effects of a six-week plyometric training and creatine supplementation intervention on maximal-intensity and endurance performance in female soccer players during in-season training. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Methods: Young (age 22.9 ± 2.5 y) female players with similar training load a...

The aims of the current study were to examine the external validity of inertial based parameters (inertial movement analysis; IMA) to detect multi-planar explosive actions during maximal sprinting, change of direction (COD) and to further determine its reliability, set appropriate magnitude bands for match analysis and assess its variability during...

Purpose: Heat acclimation training (HA) protocols in laboratory and field settings have been shown to enhance aerobic capacity in hot and mild conditions and therefore, potentially beneficial to soccer. The purpose of this study was to undertake a field-based HA protocol using players from the Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team (WNT) during an a...

Our aim was to compare the effects of 6-weeks of vertical, horizontal, or combined vertical and horizontal plyometric training on muscle explosive, endurance and balance performance. Forty young soccer players between 10 to 14 y of age were randomly divided into: control (CG; n = 10), vertical plyometric group (VG; n = 10), horizontal plyometric gr...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of short-term plyometric training interposed with 24 hours or 48 hours of rest between training sessions on explosive and endurance adaptations in young soccer players. A total of 166 players, between 10 and 17 years of age were randomly divided into 3 groups: control (CG; n=55), plyometric tra...

The purpose of this study was to quantify the inter-session reliability of force-velocity-power profiling and estimated maximal strength in youth. Thirty-six males (11-15 years old) performed a ballistic supine leg press test at five randomized loads (80%, 100%, 120%, 140%, and 160% body mass) on three separate occasions. Peak and mean force, power...

Our aim was to compare the effects of 6-weeks of vertical, horizontal, or combined vertical and horizontal plyometric training on muscle explosive, endurance and balance performance. Forty young soccer players between 10 to 14 y of age were randomly divided into: control (CG; n = 10), vertical plyometric group (VG; n = 10), horizontal plyometric gr...

Power is thought as an essential physical characteristic in soccer, but no systematic and evidence-based model exists to develop this attribute in youth. Both the player's pathway and natural power development were discussed and integrated as conditioning factors to the model, where the player's pathway influenced training integration, block durati...

Meylan, CMP, Cronin, JB, Oliver, JL, and Rumpf, MC. Sex-related differences in explosive actions during late childhood. J Strength Cond Res 28(8): 2097-2104, 2014-The purpose of this study was to examine sex-related differences in explosive actions during late childhood, while accounting for body size and maturity, and determine the predictive mode...

Integrating spe-cific training methods to improve explosive actions and endur-ance in youth soccer is an essential part of players' development. This study investigated the efficiency of short-term vertical plyometric training program within soccer practice to improve both explosive actions and endurance in young soccer players. Seventy-six players...

The purpose of this study was to assess the possible contribution of 1RM leg-press strength and jump peak power to 20-m sprint time in young athletes in three maturity groups based on age relative to predicted age of peak height velocity (PHV): Pre (- 2.5 to -1.0 years; n=25), Mid (- 1.0 to 0.5 years; n=26) and Post (0.5 to 2.0 years; n=15). Allome...

Ramírez-Campillo, R, Meylan, C, Álvarez, C, Henríquez-Olguín, C, Martínez, C, Cañas-Jamett, R, Andrade, DC, and Izquierdo, M. Effects of in-season low-volume high-intensity plyometric training on explosive actions and endurance of young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 28(5): 1335-1342, 2014-Integrating specific training methods to improve explo...

Abstract Purpose: A soccer game includes numerous accelerations, decelerations and changes of directions (COD) (1). The ability to accurately quantify such movement would provide a better understanding of players’ activity and have subsequent application for monitoring soccer specific training and return to play algorithms. The objective of the cur...

Adjustment for body mass and maturation of strength, power and velocity measures of young athletes is important for talent development. Seventy-four youth male athletes performed a ballistic leg press test at five loads relative to body mass. The data were analyzed in maturity groups based on years from peak height velocity: -2.5 to -0.9 y (n = 29)...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of short-term plyometric training interposed with 24 hours or 48 hours of rest between training sessions on explosive and endurance adaptations in young soccer players. A total of 166 players, between 10 and 17 years of age were randomly divided into 3 groups: control (CG; n=55), plyometric tra...

The purpose of this study was to quantify the intersession reliability of Force-Velocity-Power profiling in youth using a ballistic incremental loading protocol on a supine squat machine. Thirty-six males between 11 and 15 years of age performed 3 ballistic squat jumps at 5 different loads (80, 100, 120, 140, 160% Body mass – BM) on three different...

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CON) kinematic and kinetic variables thought to be critical to jump performance during bilateral vertical countermovement jump (VCMJ) and horizontal countermovement jump (HCMJ) across children of different maturity status. Forty-two athletic male and femal...

Force plates are used to quantify kinematic and kinetic variables of countermovement jump (CMJ). The jump is initiated by an unloading phase resulting in the force-time curve to drop below body weight (BW). However, there is no consensus in the literature to determine the start of the analysis of the jump (i.e., start threshold). To determine the e...

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review around talent identification in soccer using physiological and technical testing procedures, and to summarise the issues associated with this process. The current research in soccer talent identification, among other sports, demonstrates a systematic bias in selection towards players born early in th...

The aims of this study were to: (1) assess the reliability of various kinetic and temporal variables for unilateral vertical, horizontal, and lateral countermovement jumps; (2) determine whether there are differences in vertical ground reaction force production between the three types of jumps; (3) quantify the magnitude of asymmetry between limbs...

In soccer, explosive actions such as jumping, sprinting, and changes of direction are essential to optimal performance not only in adults, but also in children's games. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the influence of a short-term plyometric training within regular soccer practice on explosive actions of early pubertal soc...

The purposes of this study were to determine the (a) magnitude of variability associated with certain eccentric variables (eccentric peak velocity, displacement, and ground contact time) during unilateral countermovement jump performance (vertical [VCMJ], horizontal [HCMJ], and lateral [LCMJ]); (b) differences between limbs as well as between jumps...

The purposes of this study were to determine the reliability of unilateral vertical, horizontal, and lateral countermovement jump assessments, the interrelationship between these tests, and their usefulness as predictors of sprint (10 m) and change-of-direction (COD) performance for 80 men and women physical education students. Jump performance was...

Eccentric strength is an important component of functional daily activity and athletic performance; therefore, assessing this capability is important. Typically, isokinetic dynamometers are used to assess eccentric force capability. However, because of the limitations associated with the contraction mode (i.e., constant velocity), limited informati...