
Javier Raya-GonzálezUniversidad de Córdoba · Departamento de Didácticas Específicas - Área de Expresión Corporal
Javier Raya-González
PhD
About
202
Publications
120,034
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
1,862
Citations
Introduction
Javier Raya-González currently works at the University of Córdoba as Lecturer.
Skills and Expertise
Publications
Publications (202)
There has been growing interest in understanding the injury profiles of young female soccer players due to their increasing participation in the sport and the unique risk factors they face. This narrative review examines the incidence, mechanisms, and location of injuries in this population, alongside the primary risk factors and effective preventi...
Objectives: This study uniquely examines the evolution of match running performance in official matches over four consecutive seasons (2019/2020–2022/23) within Spain’s top two professional soccer leagues (LaLiga). By analyzing differences between competitive league standards (First Division vs. Second Division), this research provides critical ins...
A diurnal nap during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) could significantly reduce fatigue. This study aimed to assess the effects of a 45-min daytime nap on hormonal and psychometric variables during an increased basketball game frequency period that crosses RIF. 28 participants from two professional basketball clubs were selected. Participants we...
Interlimb asymmetries have been widely studied with controversial results, suggesting that the magnitude of asymmetries is highly task-dependent and could be related to injury risk. This study aimed to establish an optimal method for assessing asymmetries and evaluate interlimb power performance and range of motion asymmetries in injured and non-in...
La aplicación de programas de entrenamiento de fuerza podría ser una estrategia crucial para reforzar el proceso de prevención de lesiones en fútbol. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar los efectos de un programa de entrenamiento de fuerza con cargas bajas de 12 semanas de duración sobre la incidencia lesional, el burden, y la condición física...
Velocity loss has been recognized as an effective fatigue index in resistance training. However, the physiological consequences of this fatigue should be described. Traditionally, researchers have debated the hormonal response to non-failure resistance training. Cortisol on salivary concentration was one of the hormones under study, which is linked...
BACKGROUNDː The aim of this study was fourfold: to describe the cardiovascular capacity of amateur trail runners measured by a maximum incremental test both in-laboratory and in-field conditions; to analyse the physical and physiological performance of the runners in a trail competition; to analyse the associations, if any, between the laboratory o...
Aims Flywheel resistance training has become more integrated within resistance training programs in a variety of sports due to the neuromuscular, strength, and task-specific enhancements reported with this training. This paper aimed to present the consensus reached by internationally recognized experts during a meeting on current definitions and gu...
This study analyzed workload variations (internal, external, and mental) in training sessions based on soccer players’ match participation. Thirty-six professional Brazilian players from a single team were categorized into three groups: starter (G1), non-starter (G2) and non-participant (G3) players. Monitoring during sessions involved assessing in...
Understanding food habits and nutritional knowledge in youth athletes could contribute to optimal recovery and improving performance in basketball. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the relationships between physical fitness, with food habits and nutritional knowledge in basketballers. Twenty-three healthy youth players to the same eli...
The study aimed to analyze the tactical sprint actions performed by Spanish professional soccer players, considering their playing positions and the match status at the time of each action. Thirty-two Spanish male professional soccer players from a LaLiga Spanish Second Division (LaLiga SmarthBank) team participated in this study. Actions above 85%...
In the pursuit of optimal athletic performance, a multitude of factors converge, each playing a crucial role in defining an athlete's capabilities. Central among these determinants is the methodology employed in training by coaches. The efficacy of training methodology pivots upon various dimensions, encompassing the intensity and distribution of t...
Background
The influence of external workload variables on the development of calf muscle strainsin football players has not been previously explored.
Hypothesis
Overloaded players would have an increased risk of calf muscle strain injury.
Study Design
Prospective observational study.
Level of Evidence
Level 4.
Methods
A total of 41 professiona...
This study aimed to characterize and compare force production and muscle activity during four flywheel deadlift exercises (bilateral [Bi] vs. unilateral [Uni]) with different loading conditions (vertical [Ver] vs. horizontal [Hor]). Twenty-three team-sport athletes underwent assessments for exercise kinetics (hand-grip force), along with surface el...
The pre-season plays a crucial role in the preparation of professional football players, as it allows for an extensive focus on training sessions compared to the more congested schedules during the in-season period, especially in professional football leagues. This study aimed to describe the workload during a 6-week pre-season in Belgian professio...
Study aim : This systematic review aimed to identify and analyze the available evidence about the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) interventions on endurance performance in handball players.
Material and methods : The search for relevant literature was conducted across prominent databases, including PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, an...
Objective: To compare the physical performance and official match demands of soccer
players following a warm-up session that involved small-sided games with weighted
vests of varying loads.
Equipment and methods: This study involved fifteen highly trained male soccer players
(age: 17.8 ± 0.5 years; height: 173.4 ± 6.3 cm; body mass: 66.1 ± 7.4 kg;...
This study aimed to analyze the effects of contextual variables (i.e., match location and match outcome) and season periods on match load (i.e., internal and external load) in professional Brazilian soccer players. Thirty-six professional players from the same soccer team participated in this study. The season was split into four phases: matches 1–...
Handball is a sport that involves high-intensity actions throughout the game, such as sprints, jumps, landings, and high-speed, repeated throws. This, along with competitive and tactical factors, congested schedules, and the need to maintain a high level of performance throughout the season, contributes to a high injury rate. This study aimed to an...
Background
Flywheel resistance training has become more integrated within resistance training programs in a variety of sports due to the neuromuscular, strength, and task-specific enhancements reported with this training.
Objective
This paper aimed to present the consensus reached by internationally recognized experts during a meeting on current d...
This study aimed to analyse the influence of the match status on the conditional characteristics of tactical sprint actions among Spanish professional soccer players, considering playing positions. Thirty-two Spanish male professional soccer players from a LaLiga Spanish Second Division (LaLiga SmarthBank) team participated in this study. Actions a...
Introducción
La enfermedad de Huntington (EH) es un trastorno raro neurodegenerativo. La información fiable del estado nutricional, especialmente de la composición corporal, es crítica en clínica y en investigación. La facilidad de aplicación y portabilidad del análisis de la bioimpedancia de múltiples frecuencias (mfBIA) la convierten en una herra...
Introduction: Huntington´s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder. Reliable information about nutritional status, especially body composition from individuals with HD is critical for clinical care and research. The ease of application and portability of multiple frequencies bioelectrical impedance analysis (mfBIA) make it an attractive t...
Purpose: To compare the effects of unilateral flywheel training (FT), using a rotational conical pulley, including multidirectional movements with either preplanned or random unanticipated/unexpected executions on functional performance in football players. Methods: A total of 32 young male football players were randomly assigned to an FT program i...
The aims of the study were to analyze the effects of a 12-week maximal strength- training program on injury incidence, injury burden, and physical fitness in semi-professional soccer players and to compare the perceived exertion load and well-being state between injured and non-injured soccer players. Twenty semi-professional male soccer players pa...
This study aimed to analyze the changes in match physical demands in professional soccer players after sustaining a hamstring injury, which was categorized based on injury severity. Seventy-two hamstring injuries involving sixty-four professional soccer players from the Spanish LaLiga™ were considered for this study. All injuries were classified ac...
Background
Increased basketball game frequency may affect athlete performances, especially during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF). The objective of the present investigation was to assess the impacts of increased game frequency periods crossing the RIF on body composition, sleep habits, indices of well-being, recovery state, and dietary intake i...
Background
In the sports context, coaches must be able to improve their players physically, psychologically, and socially. Hence, a fundamental part of this process is the athlete’s individual resilience (IR).
Methods
Three hundred and fifteen youth team-sport players (boys: n = 283; Mage = 16.02, SD = 0.56; and girls: n = 32; Mage = 15.92, SD = 0...
(1) Background: Cyberbullying is a growing problem among adolescents, and deeper knowledge of this phenomenon could facilitate the implementation of adequate prevention and intervention strategies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between victimization and aggression patterns in cyberbullying and physical fitness le...
Due to the chaotic nature of current professional soccer, it seems necessary to find strategies that allow soccer players to optimize the assessment of the fitness performance of their athletes. Thus, the main objective of this study was to analyze the specific relationships between fitness tests in professional soccer players, including novel test...
This study aimed to analyse the influence of different physical fitness levels of youth basketball players on match-related physical performance, using Random Forest clustering to distinguish between high-fitness level players and low-fitness level players. Twenty male youth basketball players completed the following physical performance tests in t...
Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la influencia de la edad en variables como el número de participaciones, confederación de clubes, confederación de selecciones nacionales, posición de juego, rendimiento del equipo, celebración del año y minutos totales jugados durante la Copa Mundial de la FIFA (FWC) de 1998 a 2018. La muestra estuvo compue...
The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of sprint and power performance
on physical fitness and small-sided game-related physical performance in youth
male soccer players, using a median split analysis to separate faster and slower
players, and powerful and weaker ones. Thirty youth male soccer players (age =
16.9 ± 1.4 years; height =...
Abstract. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of playing several friendly matches on consecutive days affects neuromuscular fatigue evaluated with countermovement jump (CMJ), session rate of perceived effort (sRPE) and wellness in young male soccer players. Participants: Forty-four young male soccer players from Under 1...
Background. Optimizing the soccer players' match preparation is one of the most relevant concerns of coaches for strength and conditioning training. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of three pre-match warm-up structures on the physical condition of male professional soccer players.
Materials & Methods. Seventeen male professi...
Futsal is one of the most harmful sports due to its great physical demands. The asymmetries
have been proposed as one of the most important risk factors of suffering an injury. However, no
study has analysed the relationship between neuromuscular assessment and its implication on the
likelihood of suffering injuries comparing male and female player...
Background:
In soccer, the day of the week with the highest external load is match day (MD), with starters (>60 minutes per match) showing higher levels of physical fitness and seasonal high-intensity loading. It is necessary, therefore, to determine training strategies to reduce the differences between starters and nonstarters. The aim of this st...
Purpose: Physical fitness has shown to be positively related with young people's general mental health, mainly due to the changes in body composition derived from a regular sportive practice. Thus, the aim of this study was three-fold: 1) to analyze the relationship between physical fitness with the mental health status assessed as physical self-co...
Flywheel (isoinertial) resistance training is a valid strength training method that has been incorporated in sport for decades, yet little is known about how therapists working in sport apply flywheel resistance training. We aimed to describe and understand current application and perception of flywheel resistance training amongst therapists workin...
One of the most often-used task constraints in designing small-sided games (SSGs) is the manipulation of pitch size to promote increases or decreases in the relative area per player. Such adjustments cause changes in the acute responses during SSGs. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of smaller vs. larger pitch s...
Heading Background: The end of a sports career requires a readjustment of habits and demands the need to plan for the medium-term future on the part of female athletes. Hypothesis: H1: Elite athletes with greater social support tend to have higher career aspirations and expectations for retirement. H2: Elite athletes with higher self-esteem tend to...
The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) analyze the variation of kinematic measures between using preferred and non-preferred legs while braking during the 5–0–5 change of direction test; and (ii) test the relationships between kinematic measures, and change-of-direction deficit (CODD). A cross-sectional study using twenty adult male soccer players...
Background
Knowing the impact of injuries is essential for their adequate management during reconditioning programs.
Objective
This study aimed to analyze the changes in match performance parameters in professional soccer players after sustaining an injury, which was defined according to injury severity.
Methods
Two-hundred and seven injuries rel...
This study aimed to analyze the isolated and combined effects of non-modifiable factors on adolescents' physical fitness. This cross-sectional, descriptive study involved 1475 adolescents, aged 12 to 19 years, of whom 721 were girls, from four public schools in southern Spain. Physical activity, birth weight and breastfeeding time, and physical fit...
The present study presents a novel specific multi-joint isometric test to assess upper limb strength impairment for evidence-based classification in wheelchair sports. Sixteen wheelchair athletes participated in this study and were classified according to their type of physical impairment and health condition as follows: athletes with neurological...
Accelerometers can estimate the intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity in healthy adults. Although thresholds to distinguish varying levels of activity intensity using the Actigraph wGT3X-B have been established for the general population, their accuracy for Huntington’s disease (HD) is unknown. We aimed to define and cross-validat...
Background
High metabolic load distance provides global information about the soccer players’ total high-intensity activities. Thus, this study aimed to examine the Spanish professional soccer players’ high metabolic load distance profile, comparing competitive level and playing positions.
Methods
A total of 18,131 individual match observations we...
The aim of this paper was to examine how contextual factors affect match demands in amateur referees. Twenty-three field referees participated in this study. Match physical and physiological demands were monitored. Results showed that referees recorded greater total distance (p<0.01), Powermean (p<0.01), Speedmean (p<0.05) and Cadencemean (p<0.05)...
Background
Consumer and research activity monitors have become popular because of their ability to quantify energy expenditure (EE) in free-living conditions in a cost-efficient way. However, there is not research on the validity of this devices in people with Huntington’s disease (HD).
Aims
To determine the accuracy of the Actigraph and Fitbit co...
Rationale
Risk for or established malnutrition is frequent in Huntington´s disease (HD), accompanied by functional limitations, increased morbidity, and mortality. Phase angle is associate with changes in the structure of the cell membrane of soft tissue mass, alterations in fluid balance and it has been shown as an indicator of prognostic clinic i...
Rationale
Sarcopenia is associated with frailty, and dependence in older patients. Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) is one of the best models for healthy eating, associated with a better life quality in Huntington´s disease (HD). Targeted physical activity intervention has been identified as beneficial in several health disorders, including sarcopenia. Ou...
Background
Thermoregulation is the maintenance of a relatively constant core body temperature which influences tolerance to physical activity. Brown adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and hypothalamus are components involved in this process. Transgenic animal models of Huntington’s disease (HD) have provided informative models of thermoregulatory dis...
BACKGROUND
Among the different clinical manifestations, weight loss and energy balance (EB) deficit have been described frequently in Huntington's disease (HD), contributing to HD progression. To develop a therapeutic approach to prevent weight loss and EB deficit in HD, we will conduct a study designed to validate the usefulness of accelerometers...
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a nutritional education program combined with the FIFA 11+ program on physical fitness attributes, physical activity levels, food and nutritional habits and nutritional knowledge in young basketball players. Twenty-three under 14 elite basketball players (13 males and 10 females) belonging to a pr...
This umbrella review aimed to analyze the different variables of resistance training and their effect on hypertrophy, and to provide practical recommendations for the prescription of resistance training programs to maximize hypertrophy responses. A systematic research was conducted through of PubMed/MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science following...
This book systematically summarizes the accuracy, precision, and repeatability levels of field-based tests applied in soccer. It considers such details as the effectiveness of tests for different age categories and sexes. In this book, the readers will be able to check all the field-based tests conceived for fitness assessment in soccer through a l...
Flywheel (FW) resistance training is a valid and time-efficient method to improve force production and muscular hypertrophy. However, no definitive consensus exists regarding FW parameters for optimizing chronic training responses. Therefore, this review aims to examine the FW training literature and provide evidence-based conclusions and practical...
This study aimed to analyze the effects of a 16-week jump training program on the physical performance and lower extremities injury profile in semi-professional male soccer players. Participants were randomly assigned to the control group (CG; n=13; age = 21.7 ± 3.6 years) or the experimental group (EG; n=10; age = 22.3 ± 3.5 years). Countermovemen...
The theory and methodology of training combine different factors that support the coach’s intervention for maximizing the athlete’s performance. Among these factors can be included the testing and monitoring, the definition of targets and structure of intervention, the planning, and the intervention itself or in a larger concept a hybrid model fact...
This study analyzes the inter- and intra-differences in external load across the microcycle in professional female soccer players. External load during four consecutive microcycles (i.e., M1, M2, M3, and M4) and training sessions (i.e., MD-4, MD-3, MD-2, and MD-1) and a match day (i.e., MD) were registered in seventeen female professional soccer pl...
The theory and methodology of training combine different factors that support the coach’s intervention for maximizing the athlete’s performance. Among these factors can be included the testing and monitoring, the definition of targets and structure of intervention, the planning, and the intervention itself or in a larger concept a hybrid model fact...
The aim of this umbrella review was to provide a detailed summary of how flywheel training enhances strength and physical capacities in healthy and athletic populations. The eleven reviews included were analyzed for methodological quality according to the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Review 2 (AMSTAR 2) and the Grading of Reco...
The main objective of this study was to analyse the changes in external demand parameters (e.g., total distance, high-speed running distance, accelerations/decelerations) in Spanish professional soccer teams after the COVID-19 lockdown considering their on-field ranking (i.e., teams whose ranking worsened after the COVID-19 lockdown [WRS] vs. teams...
El objetivo fue analizar los efectos de la suplementación con zumo de remolacha (ZR) sobre el rendimiento deportivo en triatletas amateur, medido mediante un protocolo de media sentadilla bilateral y unilateral, y con una prueba de salto con contramovimiento (CMJ), en situación de fatiga. Doce triatletas amateurs participaron en este estudio aleato...
This systematic review followed the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. The systematic review strategy was conducted according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. The PICOS (Population, Intervention/exposure, Comparator, Outcome, Study design) was defined as follows: (P) soccer players from any...
The current chapter will focus in to present the main findings of validity and reliability levels of physical fitness assessment tests in soccer. The structure of the presentation will split the main findings in young & youth and adults whilst splitting into cardiorespiratory tests and tests focusing on sprinting, change-of-direction, and strength/...