Manuel Moya

Sport Research Centre Miguel Hernandez University · Sport Sciences

Objectives.-The COVID-19 crisis also affected elite sport severely, as elite athletes either stopped or drastically reduced their training regimen due to the lack of competitions and the mandatory lockdown. The aim of this study was to test whether heart rate variability was a reliable index of training load, which was dramatically altered due to t...

Enfoques pedagógicos alternativos como el aula invertida y la gamificación han demostrado mejoras en la motivación académica y el rendimiento en diferentes contextos académicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue informar sobre los efectos de la implementación de una actividad basada en los métodos del aula invertida y la gamificación en la calidad pe...

Objective: to examine the prospective dose-response association between handgrip strength and the incidence of hypertension in a representative sample of older European adults. Methods: We retrieved data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) waves 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Handgrip strength was measured and participant...

Purpose: Force production is crucial in football, and it is the main limitation of people with cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to describe the changes in sprint force-velocity (Fv) profile after a period of 25 weeks of regular training in international football players with CP. Methods: The sprint Fv profile and other physical performance...

Purpose: To conduct a review of the literature in order to identify the potential association between physical activity or exercise and the objective signs and/or subjective symptoms of dry-eye disease. Methods: A review of PubMed and Web of Science databases was performed, according to the PRISMA guidelines. The papers included in the review ad...

This study is the first study to show a cerebral palsy (CP) football physical performance preparation period for a World Cup. The physical performance improvement of fourteen international players belonging to the Spanish national team was assessed during five consecutive training camps (TCs) before the 2022 World Cup. The results revealed signific...

This study aimed to report the goal patterns in cerebral palsy (CP) football for a better understanding of the performance of this para-sport. All goals (270) of the 48 2019 IFCPF World Cup matches were analysed through match reports, and 65% of them were analysed by video footage. The results showed 5.6 goals per match. Teams that scored more and...

Heart rate variability (HRV) has allowed the implementation of a methodology for daily decision making called day-to-day training, which allows data to be recorded by anyone with a smartphone. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the validity and reliability of HRV measurements with a new mobile app (Selftraining UMH) in two resting cond...

In Bicycle Motocross (BMX) performance is determined by the riders’ sprint ability and power output. Therefore, descriptive and predictive performance assessments through laboratory and field tests are of interest. Twelve members of the Spanish BMX National Team performed 4 laboratory tests, including 1RM in squat, a Wingate test, a 5x6-s repeated...

The aim of this study was to investigate the training-induced effect on cardiac parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, assessed by resting heart rate variability (HRV) and postexercise heart rate recovery (HRR), in sedentary healthy people. Electronic searches were carried out in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Random-effects models of...

El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar el rendimiento académico durante cuatro cursos consecutivos en la asignatura de Fútbol del el grado en Ciencias del Deporte entre aquellos estudiantes que estuvieron involucrados en un tipo de evaluación continua y los que no lo hicieron, así como entre aquellos estudiantes que participaron voluntariamente e...

The objective of this research was to investigate whether heart rate variability (HRV)-guided training improves mortality predictors to a greater extent than predefined training in coronary artery disease patients. Twenty-one patients were randomly allocated to the HRV-guided training group (HRV-G) or the predefined training group (PRED-G). They me...

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation may be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for improving endothelial function in coronary artery disease patients. Therefore, this systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to (a) estimate the training-induced effect on endothelial and vascular smooth muscle function, assessed by flow-mediated dilati...

Purpose There is no consensus on the best exercise recommendation for women affected by severe obesity while they are waiting for bariatric surgery. For this reason, the effects of a combination of aerobic exercise performed at the intensity at which maximal fat oxidation is reached (Fatmax) with low-intensity resistance training were studied. Mat...

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las oscilaciones de la actividad cardíaca parasimpática (ACP) en un mesociclo de una atleta keniata. La variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca (VFC) se midió durante tres semanas. En la primera semana (W1) el volumen de entrenamiento fue 120,55 km, en la segunda (W2) 96,71 km y en la tercera (W3) 79,45 km. S...

This study assessed and described the Sprint Force-velocity (SFv) profile, and its validity and reliability in international cerebral palsy (CP) football players. Twenty international male CP football players (age: 26.9±7.4) performed a 30-m sprint, a vertical jump (CMJ), a change of direction (MAT), a dribbling and an intermittent endurance (Yo-Yo...

Background The COVID-19 global pandemic caused a complete stop in sport participation which meant a detraining period for athletes. High-level athletes had to train at home guided by their coaches and conditioning trainers in an effort to maintain their physical fitness. The aim of maintaining the training adaptations and physical fitness during th...

Talent identification and selection process in young football is based on coaches' decisions regarding the players' performance at early ages. The aim of this study was to show how the maturity status and the relative age impact on young football players' physical performance and their coaches' efficacy expectations. The physical performance (1RM,...

Background: The evaluation of performance in endurance athletes and the subsequent individualization of training is based on the determination of individual physiological thresholds during incremental tests. Gas exchange or blood lactate analysis are usually implemented for this purpose, but these methodologies are expensive and invasive. The shor...

The aim of this study was to examine the possible differences on anthropometrics and strength performance between young basketball players with different maturity status. Thirty-one male players (12-15 years) participated in the study. Their maturity status was estimated by the years from/to their peak height velocity (PHV) and players were categor...

This case study aimed to report blood markers and resting respiratory rate (RR) oscillations at sea level, during a 5-wk 3900 m altitude sojourn, and after returning to sea level in a 36-year-old professional wheelchair marathoner. Outcome measures plasma erythropoietin (EPO) concentration, hemoglobin, reticulocytes count, erythrocytes and hematocr...

Background and objective : Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as a useful marker that can show the performance adaptation and optimize the training process in elite athletes. The development of wearable technology permits the measurement of this marker through smartphone applications. The purpose of this study is to assess the validity...

Purpose To find evidences of the potential association between physical activity/exercise (PA/E) and dry eye disease (DED). Methods A literature search was performed according to PRISMA guidelines on PubMed and Scopus, covering all the papers published up to May 2021. An extensive series of descriptors related to both, PA/E and dry eye were combin...

COVID-19 caused a total halt in sport competition during 2020. The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes between pre- and post-lockdown competitive periods in the players’ workload variables in competition. Seventeen professional football players were monitored using a WIMU PRO® inertial device throughout the 2019-20 season. Anthropometr...

Purpose: This systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to establish whether heart rate variability (HRV)-guided training enhances cardiac-vagal modulation, aerobic fitness, or endurance performance to a greater extent than predefined training while accounting for methodological factors. Methods: We searched Web of Science Core Collecti...

This study aimed to explore if the acute variations in plasma concentration of α-calcitonin gene-related peptide (αCGRP) induced by a single maximal exercise bout may be associated to cardiorespiratory fitness and carbohydrate oxidation in humans. Twelve young adult Caucasian men (24.3 ± 0.9 years-old; 179.2 ± 1.9 cm of height; 23.9 ± 0.6 kg·m−2 bo...

Altitude training is a common strategy to improve performance in endurance athletes. In this context, the monitoring of training and the athletes’ response is essential to ensure positive adaptations. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as a tool to evaluate stress and the response to training. In this regard, many smartphone application...

This study aimed to report possible anthropometrical and physical performance differences between youth soccer players with different maturity status and to report the coaches’ expectations, hypothesizing that coaches would expect more from players with advanced maturity. One hundred twenty-two (122) players completed a physical performance battery...

Under the current structure of soccer, young players are organized according to their chronological age, which may create physical differences between them within a same age-group. These differences influence the player talent identification and selection process and the strength and conditioning development as they give an advantage to those playe...

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 crisis also affected elite sport severely, as elite athletes either stopped or drastically reduced their training regimen due to the lack of competitions and the mandatory lockdown. The aim of this study was to test whether heart rate variability was a reliable index of training load, which was dramatically altered due to the...

In regular football, the players’ selection process involves an objective assessment based on their anthropometric and physical performance. However, available literature focused on players’ selection process in cerebral palsy (CP) football is scarce. Purpose: To describe the anthropometrical and physical performance profiles of the International S...

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 crisis also affected elite sport severely, as elite athletes either stopped or drastically reduced their training regimen due to the lack of competitions and the mandatory lockdown. The aim of this study was to test whether heart rate variability was a reliable index of training load, which was dramatically altered due to the...

Investigations into the sensitivity of heart rate‐ (HR) derived indices for tracking parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) changes in functionally overreached (F‐OR) endurance‐trained athletes have produced equivocal findings. Lack of clarity may be a result of methodological inconsistencies. Therefore, the aims of this systematic review and meta‐an...

The aims of the present study were to analyse the relationship between the physical performance and the match load in cerebral palsy (CP) football players, and to analyse the possible impact of the Spanish League format (playing two matches on two consecutive days) on the players’ match load. Data for a Spanish CP football team (n=10; age: 31.0 ± 8...

The aims of the present study were to analyse the relationship between the physical performance and the match load in cerebral palsy (CP) football players, and to analyse the possible impact of the Spanish League format (playing two matches on two consecutive days) on the players’ match load. Data for a Spanish CP football team (n=10; age: 31.0 ± 8...

BACKGROUND: Pedalling asymmetries are a topic of interest to cycling coaches and athletes due to a potential link with performance and injury prevention. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to describe the bilateral asymmetry of professional cyclists during two editions of a Grand Tour. METHODS: Here we set out to determine the power balance (powe...

The influence of muscular fatigue on tennis serve performance within regular training sessions is unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the within-session sequence of the tennis serve in youth tennis. Twenty-five young male (14.9 ± 0.9 years) and female (14.5 ± 0.9 years) players participated in this within-subject crossov...

The aims of this study were to report the relative age effect in different competitive levels and field positions and to analyse the differences within and between different competitive levels and field positions. Data for 203 young soccer players (14.2 ± 1.1 years) included anthropometrics and physical performance (Countermovement jump [CMJ], 30-m...

Background: Exercise dependence is a phenomenon characterized by behavioral, physiological and psychological symptoms similarly to substance use disorders. Although exercise addiction is not classified as a mental health disorder. A descriptive study of exercise dependence in two different countries, Italy and for the first time Japan was performe...

Previous meta-analyses have shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is more suitable than moderate continuous training (MCT) for improving peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak) in patients with coronary artery disease. However, none of these meta-analyses have tried to explain the heterogeneity of the empirical studies in optimizing cardiac reh...

PurposeThe effects of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on parasympathetic modulation are controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to (a) determine the effect of exercise-based CR on heart-rate-derived indices associated with cardiac parasympathetic modulation in resting and post-exercise conditions in coronary artery d...

Weight regain is one of the most common problems in the long-term after bariatric surgery. It is unknown if high-intensity exercise programs applied in late phases of post-surgical follow-up could counteract this trend. After a 3-year follow-up, 21 patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy were randomized into an exercise group (EG, n = 11), that perfo...

This study aimed to compare the effects of 6-week resisted sprint (RST) versus conventional (unresisted) sprint training (CG) on sprint time, change of direction (COD) speed, repeated sprint ability (RSA) and jump performance (countermovement jump (CMJ) and standing long jump (SLJ)) in male young tennis players. Twenty players (age: 16.5 ± 0.3 year...

Background The role of exercise to achieve weight reductions in patients awaiting bariatric surgery has been little studied. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of an exercise program on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients awaiting bariatric surgery. Methods Twenty-three patients awaiting bariatric surgery w...

Abstract Background Altitude training is a common practice among middle-distance and marathon runners. During acclimatization, sympathetic drive may increase resting metabolic rate (RMR), therefore implementation of targeted nutritional interventions based on training demands and environmental conditions becomes paramount. This single case study re...

Predefined training programs are common place when prescribing training. Within predefined training, block periodization (BP) has emerged as a popular methodology due to its benefits. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as an effective tool for prescribing training. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of HRV guided-training ag...

Strength training is crucial for soccer players’ long-term development at early ages and the biological maturation may influence specific strength-training adaptations. The aim of this study was to propose a strength-training programme for the strength development of prepubertal players and to analyse the adaptations to this training programme in p...

Strength training is crucial for soccer players' long-term development at early ages and the biological maturation may influence specific strength-training adaptations. The aim of this study was to propose a strength-training programme for the strength development of pre-pubertal players and to analyse the adaptations to this training programme in...

Bariatric surgery (BS) is considered the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. Preoperative body weight is directly associated with a higher surgical morbimortality and physical activity could be effective in the preparation of patients. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a six-month exercise training program (ETP), combini...

Bariatric surgery is considered the gold-standard therapeutic intervention for severe obesity, a form of obesity that is steadily increasing in Western societies. However, surgery must be accompanied by interventions aimed at changing the patients’ lifestyle, with special emphasis on increasing their physical activity levels. The optimal characteri...

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is considered as a cornerstone of non-pharmacological treatments in cardiac patients and several previous studies have been performed with this population to know the effects of this treatment. The main goal of these researches has been to analyse the influence of different training modalities, such as enduranc...

The purpose of this study was to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) oscillations before and after a marathon which involved trans-meridian air travel and substantial time zone differences in a professional wheelchair athlete with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. The natural logarithm of the root mean square difference between adjacent normal R-...

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the influence of a training load (TL), oxygen saturation (SO 2) and blood pressure (BP) on mood states in a wheelchair marathoner during (7 weeks at sea level (SL), 5 weeks at 3860 m altitude, 1 week returning to SL). TL was obtained with Foster's equation while mood states were obtained with the Pr...

Aims: To analyse performance across the menstrual cycle using optimal load and a velocity-based training, and to check the impact of dysmenorrhea in this type of training. Methods: Five eumenorrheic women with a normal menstrual cycle participated in four performance tests: 20-meter linear sprint, counter-movement jump, bench-press and half-squat....

Purpose: The talent identification and selection process in young male soccer players is mainly focused on anthropometrics and physical performance, but social factors are also considered in this process. The purpose of this study was to test the existence of the relative age effect and its possible influence on anthropometrics and physical perfor...

Quantification models aim to accurately reflect the magnitude of the training stress imposed to the athlete, especially in sports with high training volumes, such as road cycling. The aim of this study was to explore the concurrent validity of a new whole-body bioenergetic TRIMP model (Hayes & Quinn, 2009) correlating the obtained training load sco...

Sanz-Quinto, S, López-Grueso, R, Brizuela, G, Flatt, AA, and Moya-Ramón, M. Influence of training models at 3,900-m altitude on the physiological response and performance of a professional wheelchair athlete: A case study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-This case study compared the effects of two training camps using flexible planning (FP...

Purpose: Road cycling is a sport with extreme physiological demands. Therefore, there is a need to find new strategies to improve performance. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been suggested as an effective alternative for prescribing training load against predefined training programs. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of training...

Background It has been suggested that strength training effects (i.e. neural or structural) vary, depending on the total repetitions performed and velocity loss in each training set. Purpose The aim of this study is to compare the effects of two training programmes (i.e. one with loads that maximise power output and individualised repetitions, and...

The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of a 5-week neuromuscular training (NMT) implemented before or after a tennis session in pre-pubertal players on selected components of physical fitness. Sixteen elite and well-trained tennis players with a mean age of 12.9 ± 0.4 years participated in this study, and were assigned to either a...

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Background: The selection and validation of age- and gender-specific criterion-referenced cut-points for abdominal endurance are still unclear. Objective: To stablish normative values for abdominal endurance in adolescents by age and gender using the Bench Trunk Curl-up Test (BTC). Additionally, the reliability of the BTC was analyzed. Methods:...

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of playing two tennis matches on the same day on physical performance in young tennis players. Twelve well-trained young tennis players took part in a simulated tennis competition consisting of two tennis matches on the same day (morning and afternoon sessions). Before and the day after the compe...

Purpose: To compare the effect of 4-week unknown vs known loads strength training intervention on power output performance and throwing velocity in junior team handball players. Methods: Twenty-eight junior team-handball players (17.2 ± 0.6 years, 1.79 ± 0.07 m, 75.6 ± 9.4 kg)were divided into two groups (unknown loads: UL; known loads: KL). Bot...

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Purpose: This study compared the effects of combining high-intensity training (HIT) and sport-specific drill training (MT) versus sport-specific drill training alone (DT) on fitness performance characteristics in young tennis players. Methods: Twenty young tennis players (14.8 ± 0.1 years) were assigned to either DT (n=10) or MT (n=10) for 8 wee...

Despite the large number of studies that have examined the acute effects of different warm up modalities (WU) on physical performance, none of them have documented the time course of potential performance recovery in tennis players. The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to analyze and compare the acute effects of two different WU modalities (tradi...

The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of the repeated sprint ability (RSA) training load increase on the mood states in young tennis players. Thirty tennis players (15.78±1.58 years) took part in this training program (7 weeks). The subjects were divided into 3 groups: G1, specific tennis training and an increase of 8.3% of RSA trainin...

Purpose: Rapid force development is a key factor influencing performance and injury risk in movements where little time is available for force production; thus there is a need to develop interventions that enhance this ability. In the present study, the influence of load knowledge on mechanical output [rate of force development; (RFD) and power] a...