Grant Abt

University of Hull · Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science

Introduction A metabolic equivalent (MET) is one of the most common methods used to objectively quantify physical activity intensity. Although the MET provides an ‘objective’ measure, it does not account for inter-individual differences in cardiorespiratory fitness. In contrast, ‘relative’ measures of physical activity intensity, such as heart rate...

A small evidence base supports the use of virtual reality in professional soccer, yet there is a lack of information available on perceptions and desire to use the technology from those employed at professional soccer clubs. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare and quantify the perceptions of virtual reality use in soccer, and to model be...

The primary aims of this study were to examine the effects of bio-banding players on passing networks created during 4v4 small-sided games (SSGs), while also examining the interaction of pitch size using passing network analysis compared to a coach-based scoring system of player performance. Using a repeated measures design, 32 players from two Eng...

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of bio-banding on technical and tactical markers of talent identification in 11- to 14-year-old academy soccer players. Methods: Using a repeated measures design, 92 players were bio-banded using percentage of estimated adult stature attainment (week 1), maturity-offset (week 2) and a mixed-ma...

Despite the International System of Units (SI), as well as several publications guiding researchers on correct use of terminology, there continues to be widespread misuse of mechanical terms such as ‘work’ in sport and exercise science. A growing concern is the misuse of the term ‘load’. Terms such as ‘training load’ and ‘PlayerLoad’ are popular in...

This study aimed to (i) establish the concurrent validity and intra-unit reliability of a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit for monitoring soccer technical actions, (ii) quantify the within-microcycle inter-positional differences in the technical actions of professional soccer training, and (iii) determine the influence of drill category on th...

Objectives: This study aimed to (i) establish the concurrent validity and intra-unit reliability of a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit for monitoring soccer technical actions, (ii) quantify the within-microcycle inter-positional differences in the technical actions of professional soccer training, and (iii) determine the influence of drill c...

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of bio-banding on indicators of talent identification in academy soccer players. Seventy-two 11 to 14-year-old soccer players were bio-banded using percentage of estimated adult stature attainment (week 1), maturity-offset (week 2) or a mixed-maturity method (week 3). Players contested five maturity (...

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of bio-banding on indicators of talent identification in academy soccer players. Seventy-two 11 to 14-year-old soccer players were bio-banded using percentage of estimated adult stature attainment (week 1), maturity-offset (week 2) or a mixed-maturity method (week 3). Players contested five maturity (...

Background Recent concerns have cast doubt over the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation [CR] programmes for improving cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF] in patients with a history of cardiac disease in the United Kingdom [UK]. We aimed to characterise the weekly progression of exercise training dose over an 8-week Phase III CR programme as we felt...

Editorial paper on statistical power and precision

Background: This study examined the effects of the iPlayClean anti-doping intervention on attitudes towards doping and susceptibility, and whether delivery mode affected the results. Methods: A total of 1,081 high-level UK athletes (14-18 years old, 904 males, 177 females) were cluster-randomised to the control (11 teams/organisations/schools, 314...

This study examined the relative contribution of exercise duration and intensity to team-sport athlete’s training load. Male, professional rugby league (n = 10) and union (n = 22) players were monitored over 6- and 52-week training periods, respectively. Whole-session (load) and per-minute (intensity) metrics were monitored (league: session rating...

Presentation on the "The effect of bio-banding and pitch size on differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE)" by Kieran Short (@kieranshort812) for Playermakers Performance in the multi-disciplinary team: Research to practice webinar on March 26th 2020. Collaborators: Dr Chris Towlson – University of Hull (Twitter: @chrisptowlson) Dr Grant...

Osteoporosis is considered a major public health problem worldwide. In order to develop effective physical exercise protocols for the prevention of osteoporosis and ensure skeletal integrity, the intensity of the exercise must be quantified objectively and accurately. This study aimed to assess the validity of a wearable accelerometer-based activit...

Background: Intermittent mechanical loading generates greater bone adaptations than continuous mechanical loading in rodents but has never been evaluated in humans. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a continuous and intermittent countermovement jump (CMJ) intervention for attenuating early postmenopausal BMD loss. Methods: 41 healt...

IntroductionInvestigate the effectiveness of short-term heat acclimation (STHA), over 5-days (permissive dehydration), on an intermittent sprint exercise protocol (HST) with females. Controlling for menstrual cycle phase.Materials and Methods Ten, moderately trained, females (Mean [SD]; age 22.6 [2.7] y; stature 165.3 [6.2] cm; body mass 61.5 [8.7]...

Purpose: To discuss the use of principal-component analysis (PCA) as a dimension-reduction and visualization tool to assist in decision making and communication when analyzing complex multivariate data sets associated with the training of athletes. Conclusions: Using PCA, it is possible to transform a data matrix into a set of orthogonal composi...

The aim of this poster is to briefly present some survey data, where we have explored the training load practices of both cricket coaches and practitioners within the UK.

Despite ‘bio-banding’ being introduced by national leagues and well received by players, there is a paucity of evidence on its application and long-term effectiveness as a means of identifying the technical, physical, and psychological determinants for ongoing talent (de)selection. For example, no studies have examined the influence of maturity sta...

Background In recent years, criticism of the percentage range approach for individualised exercise prescription has intensified and we were concerned that sub-optimal exercise dose (especially intensity) may be in part responsible for the variability in the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programmes in the United Kingdom (UK). The aim...

Photoplethysmographic imaging (PPG) is currently used to measure heart rate (HR) and the accuracy of PPG can be influenced by pigmentation of the skin; however, the effects of skin color-related artifacts on PPG during exercise remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the agreement between the Apple Watch photoplethysmography sensor and a criteri...

The aims of this study were to estimate the walking cadence required to elicit a VO2reserve (VO2R) of 40% and determine if fitness status moderates the relationship between walking cadence and %VO2R. Twenty participants (10 male, mean(s) age 32(10) years; VO2max 45(10) mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) completed resting and maximal oxygen consumption tests prior to 7...

...Since the times and works of William Sealy Gosset (1876–1937) and Ronald Aylmer Fisher (1890–1962), imperfections of conventional null-hypothesis significance testing and in particular, use of P-values to evaluate such testing (invariably referred to as inferential statistics), have been well recognised (Wasserstein & Lazar, 2016 Wasserstein, R....

High impact exercise can reduce postmenopausal bone loss, however stimulus frequency (loading cycles per second) can affect osteogenesis. We aimed to examine the effect of stimulus frequency on the mechanical loading of four common osteoporosis prevention exercises, measuring body acceleration and muscle activation with accelerometry and electromyo...

This investigation examined the effects of three pre-match and half-time cooling manoeuvres on physical performance and associated physiological and perceptual responses in eight University soccer players during a non-motorised treadmill based individualised soccer-specific simulation [intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT)] at 30°C. Four rand...

Purpose: To examine the relationship of external:internal training load ratios with fitness and assess the impact of fatigue. Method: Ten soccer players performed a lactate threshold test followed by two soccer simulations (BEAST90mod) 48 h apart. Recovery (TQR) and muscle soreness (DOMS) was measured before each trial. Internal Training load (T...

Background: Moderate fitness levels and habitual exercise have a protective effect for cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality. The Apple Watch displays exercise completed at an intensity of a brisk walk or above using a green "exercise" ring. However, it is unknown if the exercise ring accurately represents an exe...

This paper presents a novel approach, Adaptive Spectrum Noise Cancellation (ASNC), for motion artifacts removal in Photoplethysmography (PPG) signals measured by an optical biosensor to obtain clean PPG waveforms for heartbeat rate calculation. One challenge faced by this optical sensing method is the inevitable noise induced by movement when the u...

Introduction: Understanding the required training load to elicit improvements in intermittent running performance is a crucial process for strength and conditioning coaches. The aim was to investigate whether internal and external training load (TL) variables are related in a ‘dose-response’ manner with changes in 30-15 intermittent fitness test (3...

Maximal heart rate (HRmax) is a fundamental measure used in exercise prescription. The Apple Watch™ measures heart rate yet the validity and inter-device variability of the device for measuring HRmax are unknown. Fifteen participants completed a maximal oxygen uptake test while wearing an Apple Watch™ on each wrist. Criterion HRmax was measured usi...

Practitioners prescribe numerous training modes to develop the varied physical qualities professional rugby league players must express during competition. The aim of the current study was to determine how the magnitude of external and internal training load per minute of time differs between modes in professional rugby league players. This data we...

This study aims to investigate the effect of training mode (conditioning and skills) on multivariate training load relationships in professional rugby league via principal component analysis. Four measures of training load (internal: heart rate exertion index, session rating of perceived exertion; external: PlayerLoad™, individualised high-speed di...

We examined the validity and reliability of the Apple Watch heart rate sensor during and in recovery from exercise. Twenty-one males completed treadmill exercise while wearing two Apple Watches (left and right wrists) and a Polar S810i monitor (criterion). Exercise involved 5-min bouts of walking, jogging, and running at speeds of 4 km.h−1, 7 km.h−...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the dose-response relationship between measures of training load (TL) and changes in aerobic fitness in academy rugby union players. Methods: Training data from ten academy rugby union players was collected during a six-week in-season period. Participants completed a lactate threshold (LT) test whic...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the dose-response relationships between different training load methods and aerobic fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists. Method: Training data from 15 well-trained competitive cyclists were collected during a 10-week (December - March) pre-season training period. Before and after the...

This study assessed the between- and within-match variability of external training load measures during two consecutive Twenty20 cricket seasons in professional fast bowlers. Global positioning system (GPS) and accelerometer data (PlayerLoad™) were collected from eight fast bowlers in 17 matches of domestic Twenty20 competition. Using GPS-accelerom...

Training load measures that demonstrate a strong dose-response relationship will provide coaches with a greater understanding of how players may respond to a given training session (Manzi et al., 2009). Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the dose-response relationship between training load measures and changes in aerobic fitness in aca...

Introduction While it is known that acute intense exercise promotes the generation of oxidative stress (OS), the role of intermittency in this paradigm is unclear. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the impact of exercise intermittency on markers of OS. Methods Nine (n = 9) healthy males of an average age of 22.6 yrs (range 21 – 27 y...

Purpose: To examine tibial acceleration and muscle activation during overground (OG), motorised treadmill (MT) and non-motorised treadmill conditions (NMT) when walking, jogging and running at matched velocities. Methods: An accelerometer recorded acceleration at the mid-tibia and surface EMG electrodes recorded rectus femoris (RF), semitendinos...

The effects of heat and/or hypoxia have been well-documented in match-play data. However, large match-to-match variation for key physical performance measures makes environmental inferences difficult to ascertain from soccer match-play. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the hot (HOT), hypoxic (HYP), and hot-hypoxic (HH) mediated-decr...

Barefoot running has been linked to a reduction in landing impact force (Lieberman et al., 2010) and improved running economy (Perl et al., 2012, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise), its effect on performance is unreported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of barefoot running on 5 km running performance. With inst...

In spite of the Système International d'Unitès (SI) that was published in 1960, there continues to be widespread misuse of the terms and nomenclature of mechanics in descriptions of exercise performance. Misuse applies principally to failure to distinguish between mass and weight, velocity and speed, and especially the terms "work" and "power." The...

EFFECTIVENESS OF SHORT-TERM HEAT ACCLIMATION ON INTERMITTENT EXERCISE IN THERMONEUTRAL AND HOT ENVIRONMENTS Fiona Nation, Matt Birkett, Damien Gleadall-Siddall, Rachel Burke, Christopher Towlson, James Bray, Grant Abt, Andrew Garrett* Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Exercise Health and Human Performance Research Group, University...

Introduction: It is well-established that repetition of heat stress exposure has been shown to facilitate adaptations to the heat but these protocols have tended to be of a fixed work intensity, continuous exercise, long-term in duration (>7 days) and use hydration. Secondly, there is limited information on the potential use of heat acclimation as...

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of tyrosine (TYR) ingestion on cognitive and physical performance during soccer-specific exercise in a warm environment. Methods: Eight male soccer players completed an individualised 90 min soccer-simulation intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT), on a non-motorised treadmill, on...

This study compared the intensity distribution of time-motion analysis data, when speed zones were categorized by different methods. 12 U18 players undertook a routine battery of laboratory- and field-based assessments to determine their running speed corresponding to the respiratory compensation threshold (RCT), maximal aerobic speed (MAS), maxima...

This study investigated the effect of training mode on the relationships between measures of training load in professional rugby league players. Five measures of training load (Internal - iTRIMP, session-RPE; External - Bodyload, high-speed distance, total impacts) were collected from 17 professional male rugby league players over the course of two...

To determine the effects of acute short-term creatine (Cr) supplementation on physical performance during a 90 minute soccer-specific performance test. A double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental design was adopted during which 16 male amateur soccer players were required to consume 20 g of Cr per day, for seven days or a placebo. A ball-sport...

: The current study investigated the reliability and validity of a novel non-motorised treadmill (NMT) based soccer simulation utilising a novel activity category called a 'variable run' to quantify fatigue during high-speed running. Twelve male University soccer players completed three familiarisation sessions and one peak speed assessment before...

The role of the referee is far from minimal in the economy of soccer, as very often, particularly in professional soccer, a wrong judgment may have profound implications on the outcome of the game. In this regard, a better knowledge of soccer refereeing can obviously benefit the game. Recent studies have shown that during a competitive match, an el...

This study examined the relation between field-test results and match performance in elite Italian soccer referees. Subjects (n = 22) were all experienced elite-level referees enrolled in the Commissione Arbitri Nazionali (CAN) and thus officiating in the Serie A and B Italian championships. Referees were, on separate occasions, tested for fitness...

Elite soccer referees usually achieve the peak of their officiating careers at an average age that is considerably older than that observed in competitive matched soccer players. As ageing has been reported to negatively affect physical performance, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ageing on fitness performance in elite-level...

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the relationships of fitness in soccer players with a novel integration of internal and external training load (TL). Design: Ten amateur soccer players performed a lactate threshold (LT) test followed by a soccer simulation (Ball-Sport Endurance and Sprint Test [BEAST90mod]). Methods: The results from the LT...

Purpose: To report the intensity distribution of Premier League soccer players' external loads during match play, according to recognized physiological thresholds. The authors also present a case in which individualized speed thresholds changed the interpretation of time-motion data. Method: Eight outfield players performed an incremental treadm...

Abstract Previous studies examining methods of monitoring the training and match load in soccer players have simply compared those methods to each other, not to changes in fitness. Training and match load measures from nine professional youth soccer players were collected for a period of six weeks. A lactate threshold test was conducted before and...

The training impulse (TRIMP) quantifies training dose by weighting heart rate according to the relationship between fractional elevation in heart rate (ΔHR) and blood lactate concentration (BLa). This study compared the physiological responses to intermittent and continuous exercise and their influence on TRIMP weightings. Repeated measures crossov...

It is unclear if a constant sprint-to-rest ratio allows full performance recovery between repeated sprints over different distances. This is important for the development of sprint-training programs. Additionally, there is conflicting evidence on whether active recovery enhances sprint performance. Three repeated sprint protocols were used (22 × 15...

The current study investigated the effects of wearing whole-body compression garments (WBCGs) on prolonged high-intensity intermittent exercise (PHIIE) performance. Eight male team-sport athletes ([X +/- SD] 20.6 +/- 1.2 years; 72.9 +/- 5.9 kg; 57.5 +/- 3.7 ml.kg.min) completed a prescribed 45-minute PHIIE protocol on a nonmotorized treadmill in ra...

The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of a 90-minute soccer performance test: Ball-sport Endurance and Sprint Test (BEAST90). Fifteen healthy male amateur soccer players participated and attended 5 testing sessions over a 10-day period to perform physiologic and soccer-specific assessments. This included familiarizatio...

As with other match analysis systems, ProZone uses an absolute speed threshold to identify running speeds at "high-intensity". In this study, we examined the use of an individualized high-intensity speed threshold based on the speed at the second ventilatory threshold (VT(2speed)) for assessment of the distance run at high-intensity during matches....