Ricardo Franco Lima

• PhD - Sport Science
• Professor (Associate) at Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo

This study aimed to explore the relationship between internal and external loads and their associative value for the success of a professional men's volleyball team. An observational study involving 11 volleyball athletes from a team in the Portuguese 1st League (age: 20.4 ± 6.34 years). Athletes were monitored throughout the first phase of the 202...

This study investigated the effects of manipulating the net height in 4 vs. 4 small-sided games on the tactical-technical performance of professional female volleyball athletes. Eight professional female athletes participated in this study, playing 4 vs. 4 small-sided games at three net heights: 2.15 m, 2.24 m, and 2.33 m. The technical-tactical ac...

The purpose of this study was twofold: a) to analyze if the set speed can predict the attack efficacy of the outside hitter; and b) if the team level is a predictor of set speed and attack efficacy. A total of 32 games of elite competitions were observed, and 260 attack actions performed by the outside hitters from six national teams were analyzed...

Purpose: This cohort study aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective (wellness and internal training load [ITL]) and objective (neuromuscular fatigue) monitoring markers and performance aspects (reception quality [RQ] and attack efficiency [AE]) in professional female volleyball players. Methods: The study was conducted over an 8-wee...

Vertical jump is an important skill that influences volleyball performance. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between vertical jump performance and birth quartile of Brazilian male youth volleyball players. We calculated chi-square goodness-of-fit tests to compare the athletes' birthdate distributions in quarters of their birth years (Q1,...

O objetivo do estudo foi monitorar a carga interna de treino em diferentes métodos de treinamento em jovens atletas de voleibol de praia. Participaram do estudo 16 atletas, sendo seis da categoria sub-15 e 10 da categoria sub-17. O estudo teve duração de seis semanas, com um total de 18 sessões de treinamento. Foram analisadas a percepção subjetiva...

Purpose The aim of the present study was to analyse the within-week variations according to the internal (rate of perceived exertion [RPE], and session-RPE) and external (jump height average, minimum jump, maximal jump, range of jump, number of jumps and density) intensity. Methods Twelve male elite/international volleyball athletes from the Portu...

The objective of the present study was to analyze and compare the setter's decision-making (DM) in the offensive construction of the side-out (attack from the reception) in high-level men's volleyball. The sample consisted of the analysis of 132 games of the Brazilian men's volleyball Super-League 2021/2022, with 22 games for each team. The results...

The present study aimed to investigate the validity of a small inertial sensor (Vert IMU) for measuring vertical displacement and jump count in young female artistic roller skating athletes. Two separate investigations were completed. In the first, 12 subjects were asked to perform 24 jumps each, and jump heights were simultaneously assessed by the...

Our aim in this study was to analyze: (i) the presence of the relative age effect (RAE) on the Brazilian elite female futsal athletes according to their team’s final position in the National Championship, and (ii) the relationship between the presence of the RAE and the athletes’ tactical individual performance. Participants were 77 female Brazilia...

Football is one of the sports with more audience and women’s football has undergone a notable evolution at all levels. Scoring goals is the most relevant indicator of success in football. The aims of this study were to analyse, looking for patterns and/or differences in how gools are obtained through European elite women's teams. The goals were ana...

The stereotyped sequence of volleyball actions allows organising them into six game complexes (K), each with specific dynamics. The purpose of this study was to verify the game flow in high-level women's volleyball through the sequencing of game complexes, their relative importance within the game and their relationship to attack efficacy. Seven ma...

The purpose of this study was to use an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to analyze variations in the jump outcomes concerning weekly training days, and the dependencies between the number of jumps per minute and the jump height. An experimental research design was adopted across three weeks of the final play-off of a volleyball championship. Throug...

Purpose: Most high-intensity bouts of exercise in volleyball consist of jumping activities, which are responsible for inducing muscle damage, high levels of fatigue, and muscle soreness. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to quantify and analyze the training loads, neuromuscular fatigue, and perceptual well-being of a 5-week in-season mes...

The aim of the present study was twofold: (i) to analyze the relationship between weekly variations in ACWR, training monotony (TM), training strain (TS), s-RPE and the number of jumps; and (ii) to explore the association between tests based on the external and internal training intensity (TI) measures across weeks. An observational cohort study wa...

Background For a long time, in sports, researchers have tried to understand an expert by comparing them with novices, raising the doubts if the visual search characteristics distinguish experts from novices. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to review and conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the differences in visual search behavior betwee...

Introduction. This systematic review was conducted to (1) characterize the main elements of studies of velocity-based training (VBT) (e.g., training protocols) conducted in soccer, (2) summarize the main physiological and physical effects of VBT on soccer players, and (3) provide future directions for research. Methods: A systematic review of Cochr...

This study aimed to analyze the reliability of the tests included in the motor competence assessment (MCA) battery and compare the effects of the number of trials per test. Thirty female volleyball players (14.6±1.3 years of age) were tested. The participants performed two or three trials of each test. Intra-class correlation (ICC) was calculated,...

This study aimed to analyze the reliability of the tests included in the motor competence assessment (MCA) bat- tery and compare the effects of the number of trials per test. Thirty female volleyball players (14.6 ± 1.3 years of age) were tested. The participants performed two or three trials of each test. Intra-class correlation (ICC) was calculat...

The purpose of the study was to test the within-week variations of the internal and external training intensity outcomes organized by days of the week. An 8-month observational period was conducted during the 2020–2021 season. The training sessions and matches of an elite volleyball team were monitored daily. The data comes from 14 players (two set...

The purpose of this study was to describe weekly variations in the type and duration of training, as well as wellness-related parameters, in elite volleyball players. Twenty-four youth elite volleyball players from the French national team (age: 17.8 ± 1.0 y.o.) were monitored daily, and the type of training, training duration, participation in mat...

This study investigates the relationships between the internal and external load demands imposed on elite female volley- ball players during training and matches. Fourteen elite female world champion volleyball league players participated in this study (mean 6 standard deviation (SD); age, 22 6 0.9 years; height, 195.1 6 7.6 cm; body mass, 71.4 6 6...

Studies on small-sided games (SSG) in team sports have increased in recent decades. However, the literature concerning this training strategy in volleyball is sparse. This study aims to summarize and analyse the scientific evidence on SSG in volleyball. For this purpose, electronic searches were conducted in August 2021 in PubMed, Scielo, ScienceDi...

ABSTRACT Physical Educations classes represent a unique opportunity to develop motor competence, sports skills and foster healthy life. Blue spaces environments provide an alternative location for high-quality outdoor educational experiences. Throughout, surfing is an aquatic outdoor sport, that takes place in the natural setting, proved as an impo...

The purpose of this study was to understand the differences between male and female motivations and experiences of being football referee. A semi-structure qualitative interview was made to eighth football referees (4 male and 4 female) with ages between 19 and 27 years (23.4±3.10). The participants were refereeing regional and national Portuguese...

Introduction: The relative age effect is prevalent in different elite team sports. However, little is known about this phenomenon in high-level adult male futsal players. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of relative age effect in Brazilian male elite futsal players, and its relationship with playing position and goals scor...

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/...

High-intensity actions play a key role in soccer, since most of them are related to a better performance during matches, specially sprinting in all of its manifestations (i.e., linear, curvilinear, with change of direction, repeatedly and agility). Thus, knowing the most appropriate tests, in terms of validity and reliability, will allow practition...

This chapter presents a summary of a great variety of physical tests that can be implemented on both amateur and professional athletes from different sports. To give a practical reading of this chapter, all the physical test dimensions will be described in an order best suited to follow during a battery of tests. That is, the less metabolic demandi...

The purpose of this section is to discuss the validity and reliability of field-based soccer tests for aerobic capacity in youth and adult soccer players. In this section, results from previous studies carried out on youth and adults will be presented. Whilst there were 21 studies demonstrating the validity and/or reliability of tests related to ae...

The aims of this chapter were to analyse validity and reliability of several types of strength and power tests, as well as their usefulness in the context of soccer field. To provide a better context to the reader, by strength tests, we are referring to the maximal isoinertial tests [that include external free weights (bars or dumbbells)], isometri...

Purpose This study aimed to analyse the correlations between individual technical determinants and the overall team performance in rink hockey sport. Methods Retrospective observational data were collected from 182 matches played by 14 teams competing at the first division of the Portuguese national senior rink hockey championship (full season, 20...

A significant differences between the first and the second trials were found for jumping sideways (t(29)=-4.108, p<0.01), standing long jump (t(29)=-3.643, p<0.01) and shuttle run (t(29)=-3.139, p<0.01). Meanwhile, the shifting platforms presented no significant difference between the first and second trials (p>0.05). Also, no significant differenc...

Combined training (CT) may combine strength and endurance training within a given time period, but it can also encompass additional protocols consisting of velocity, balance, or mobility as part of the same intervention. These combined approaches have become more common in soccer. This systematic review was conducted to (1) characterize the trainin...

Background: The spike is a key action in volleyball, and the landing technique and its asymmetries are commonly associated with an increased risk of injury. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to assess how male and female volleyball players land (i.e., unilaterally, or bilaterally) after spike jumps in matches and analytical settings...

Purpose To compare the duration of exercise and magnitude of external load per type of exercise (warm-up, small-sided games, position games – movements with/without ball but without the dynamics of a real game, simulations of real games – 11 vs. 11, fitness exercises, large-sided games, technical drills) during different training days in profession...

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to test the relationship of volume and weekly training intensities with match-running demands of professional male soccer players. Methods: The training volume and intensity load and match demands of 18 professional soccer players (age: 20.7 ± 1.8 years) were monitored daily for 15 weeks. Results: Ma...

The purpose of this study was to compare the external load, internal load, and technical efficacy between the first and the second matches (M1 and M2) occurring in congested fixtures (two matches in two days) using the number of sets as a moderating factor. An observational analytic research design was adopted. Data from official volleyball matches...

The purpose of the study was threefold: (i) to describe ball speed and arm speed during power jump serve in volleyball; (ii) compare the outcomes among playing positions, and (iii) analyze the relationships among outcomes. One middle blocker (MI), three opposites (OP), three setters (S), and six outside hitters or receiver-attackers (RA) youth elit...

The present study aimed to check if there is an association between fitness performance variables and to analyze the variation of fitness levels between playing positions university soccer players. Twenty university soccer players were selected (20.95 ± 1.84 years; 71.60 ± 11.65 kg; 176.85 ± 7.28 m) divided into defenders, midfielders and attackers...

This systematic review aimed to (1) identify and summarize studies that have examined the validity of apps for measuring human strength, power, velocity, and change-of-direction, and (2) identify and summarize studies that have examined the reliability of apps for measuring human strength, power, velocity, and change-of-direction. A systematic revi...

This study compared athletes' rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and the number of their technical-tactical actions in small-sided basketball games (SSG) played within the same relative area with adjusted bout durations in (a) varied game formats; and (b) in two successive bouts of different formats. Ten young female basketball players (14.3±1.3 year...

Study aim : To assess changes in physical fitness of amateur soccer players after a pre-season training period and baseline fitness dependencies. Material and methods : Twenty-one amateur soccer players were assessed during the pre-season. The following physical variables were assessed before and after a two-month pre-season training period: (i) ca...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze variations of selection for competition between late and early mature players and test the relationships between anthropometry, body composition, maturation, and selection for competition. Methods Seventy-nine youth soccer players from under-11 to under-14 participated in this study, over 6 months....

The aims of this study were: (i) to describe weekly variations of acute load (AL), acute:chronic workload ratio, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and fatigue; (ii) to analyze variations of weekly workload and well-being in three periods of the season (P1, P2, and P3); and (iii) to analyze the relationships between workload and well-being measu...

Introduction. This was a cross-sectional study aiming to test the reliability of a new reactive agility test designed for youth volleyball players to improve both reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Material and methods. Twenty-four youth volleyball athletes (15 girls and 9 boys) were recruited to participate in this study (age: 11.58 ± 2.20 y...

Introduction. Volleyball is a team sport in which a mistake made by a player on one team gives a point to the opponent. This fact requires coaches to think of all volleyball skills as having the same level of importance. Aim of Study. The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare variations of the technical actions of players’ in-game r...

Introduction. Motivation and decision-making are important variables of sports performance. In this perspective, identifying whether motivation is associated with decisions made by athletes is essential to provide environments that facilitate the achievement of better performances. Aim of Study. The objective was (a) to analyze the decision-making...

The purpose of this study was to examine if only child show differences on somatic growth and physical fitness compared to be a child with siblings. The participants included 542 children (boys: N = 270; girls: N = 270) between 7 and 15 years of age. Somatic growth (height, weight, body mass index) and physical fitness (handgrip strength; flexed ha...

The aim of this study was twofold: (i) to examine the variations of estimated maximal aerobic speed between non, low and high responders and (ii) to analyze the relationships between accumulated training load parameters and variations of maximal aerobic speed in children soccer players. Forty-four male soccer players were assessed three times durin...

O excesso de tarefas diárias, bem como a rotina estressante, faz parte da rotina de algumas atividades ocupacionais, principalmente em professores universitários. Além disso, essas tarefas influenciam diretamente na falta de atividades físicas dessa população. Assim, estudos surgiram com a preocupação de entender a relação entre atividade física, q...

The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of exercise programs using agility ladders and to assess the quality of available evidence. Search was conducted in October of 2019 using the following databases: Cochrane Library, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Study eligibility criteria included randomized trials or randomi...

The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) characterize the external and internal training load of professional volleyball players with a focus on intra-week changes and (ii) test the relationships between internal and external load measures. Eight male professional players (age: 23.0±5.22 yo; body mass: 84.5 ± 7.58 kg; height: 193.0±9.71 cm; BMI:...

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to (1) analyze the variations of acute and chronic training load and well-being measures during 3 periods of the season (early, mid, and end) and (2) test the associations between weekly training load and well-being measures during different periods of the season. Methods: Thirteen professional volleyball...

The aim of this study was twofold: i) to compare the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and the frequencies of technical actions per minute in different small-sided games (SSGs) between under-14 and under-16 age groups, and ii) to compare the RPE and the frequencies of technical actions per minute between 1 x 1, 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 4 x 4 and 5 x 5 formats...

The purpose of this study was to compare the match performance between the best ranked senior and junior Judo athletes. Twenty men athletes were analyzed (senior: N= 10; age: 27.7 ± 2.8 years junior: N=10; age: 19.3 ± 0.6 years). The twenty-four most recent matches per athlete were analyzed. The most recent matches were considered in a balanced way...

Falar de Voleibol, é falar de um dos desportos mais completos, quer a nível físico e a nível tático. Para se compreender algumas das caraterísticas particulares desta modalidade, apresentam-se algumas caraterísticas diferenciadoras de todos os outras modalidades: a) É um dos desportos coletivos onde a exigência e a competência técnica é fundamental...

The aims of this research were (i) to describe variations in the internal load and well-being between regular (one official match) and congested (two official matches) weeks in senior professional roller-hockey players and (ii) to analyse the variations of these determinants, within weeks, for an entire season. Ten professional roller-hockey player...

The purpose of this study was threefold: (i) to test the between-sessions variability of 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 formats in under-11 players, (ii) to assess the within-session variability of 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 formats, and (iii) to investigate the variations of technical actions between formats. Sixteen soccer players (10.1 ± 0.3 years old) participat...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the age and inter-and intra-position differences in the anthropometric variables and physical performance in young female players of Brazilian women's volleyball. Fifty-eight female volleyball players participated, divided into 3 age groups: (a) 14 and under (n=20; mean age = 12.6±0.7 years), (b) between...

Study aim : The purpose of this study was twofold: (i) to compare total attacks, points in the defense phase and attack efficiency between playing positions; and (ii) to identify the main predictors of overall volleyball teams’ success related to points made during the game. Material and methods : 282 sets with a total of 33 174 actions and 8 231 p...

Volleyball is considered a very explosive and fast-paced sport in which plyometric training is widely used. Our purpose was to review the effects of plyometric training on volleyball players' performance. A systematic search was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using P...

The aim of the present study was (a) to describe the anthropometric profile of a large group of soccer players based on different age groups and their playing positions on the field, and (b) to examine the variations of body composition among adult soccer players using diverse equations based on skinfold thickness. A total of 618 Greek soccer playe...

The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the external jump-training load of different playing positions in male professional volleyball players during regular competitive microcycles. Five male elite volleyball players participated in this study. The sample was composed by five male elite volleyball players of a team from Portugal’s firs...

The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the external jump-training load of different playing positions in male professional volleyball players during regular competitive microcycles. Five male elite volleyball players participated in this study. The sample was composed by five male elite volleyball players of a team from Portugal's firs...

The purpose of this study was to analyse the variations of technical actions and efficacy of national teams' volleyball players according to their sex and playing positions. The study included 8,541 rallies played in 74 volleyball matches (37 matches for each sex, 2018 European Volleyball Golden League). The variables studied were: sex (male or fem...

Purpose. This study purposes were: (i) to analyse variations of individual frequencies of technical actions between two small-sided game (SSG) formats (3 × 3 and 6 × 6) in under-8 soccer players; (ii) to test the variability of technical actions executed by very young players during 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 SSG formats. Methods. Overall, 12 young male footb...

Purpose The study was intended to describe the correlations between speed performance (11 m, 22 m, and 33 m) and agility test in skates with determinants of muscular power (squat jump, countermovement jump) in young Portuguese roller hockey athletes involved in a regional selection. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 10 male rolle...

RESUMO: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que teve por objetivo averiguar as percepções de seis professores portugueses de Educação Física (EF), com mais de 15 anos de carreira, sobre a sua importância e responsabilidade na transmissão de valores na sociedade atual. Como instrumento foi utilizado a entrevista e os resultados expressaram três dim...

Purpose The purpose of the study was to analyse possible determinants of Portuguese middle and high school students’ attitudes toward physical education (PE). Methods The total of 949 students (48.6% male, 51.4% female) aged 13.96 ± 1.96 years participated in the study. Out of these, 50.9% practised sports 2 or 3 times a week. The exploratory facto...

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between anthropometric (height and weight), fitness status (aerobic capa- city, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test – level 1, YYIRT-L1; counter- movement jump performance, CMJ) and perceived exertion (RPE) of twenty youth (under-14 and under-16) male basketball players and their technical act...

A avaliação consiste na recolha de informações necessárias para um melhor desempenho do processo de aprendizagem dos alunos. O presente estudo teve como objetivos: i) conhecer até que ponto os professores do ensino secundário recorrem à avaliação formativa; ii) perceber a importância que os professores de Educação Física atribuem à avaliação format...

A avaliação consiste na recolha de informações necessárias para um melhor desempenho do processo de aprendizagem dos alunos. O presente estudo teve como objetivos: i) conhecer até que ponto os professores do ensino secundário recorrem à avaliação formativa; ii) perceber a importância que os professores de Educação Física atribuem à avaliação format...

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the types and intensity of the jumps that professional male volleyball players executed. Seven male elite volleyball players participated in this study. The sample was composed of 1599 jumps performed in 15 sets of five official matches of the regular season of a professional team. A descriptive pilot s...

The evaluation consists of collecting information for a better performance of the students' learning process. The present study had the following objectives: to know the extent to which the teachers of the secondary education resort to the formative evaluation; perceive the importance that physical education teachers attribute to formative evaluati...

This is a cross‐sectional, observational, quantitative study whose objective was to analyze students’ perceptions and attitudes regarding Physical Education, comparing the sexes and the different age groups. To that end, a questionnaire validated and adapted from Al‐Liheibi (2008) was applied to 812 students belonging to 5 middle and high schools i...

Volleyball required specific skills and more developed athletes. Besides that, agility, speed reaction, explosive strength and body height are also main factors to be a elite volleyball player (Petroski et al., 2013). The purpose of this study is to analyze the anthropometrics characteristics and the lower limb strength from young volleyball athlet...

Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa com o objetivo retratar a percepção de cinco professores-estagiários-PE portugueses sobre sua própria formação acadêmica, por meio do grupo focal e a análise de conteúdo. Os resultados demonstraram que os PE sentem a necessidade de um maior contato com a realidade escolar durante a formação acadêmica e que suas...

RESUMO Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa com o objetivo de retratar a percepção de cinco professores-estagiários-PE portugueses sobre sua própria formação acadêmica, por meio do grupo focal e a análise de conteúdo. Os resulta-dos demonstraram que os PE sentem a necessidade de um maior contato com a realidade escolar durante a forma-ção acadêmica...

La adquisición de un ocio físico deportivo habitual es uno de los objetivos que debe conseguir nuestra sociedad para lograr que nuestros jóvenes tengan una salud adecua­da y mejoren su calidad de vida. A su vez, la práctica de ocio deportivo es reconocida como una herramienta de primer orden para lograr la socialización de los jóvenes potencialment...

RESUMO Os jogos desportivos coletivos constituem uma grande parte do currículo das aulas de Educação Física e são abordados nas universidades formadoras de professores de Educação Física. O objetivo deste estudo foi observar como é lecionada esta matéria e verificar se a experiência profissional determina os métodos de ensino. Participaram no estud...

Resumo Introdução: Existem avaliações, em regime de competição, das ações técnicas que implicam o salto no Voleibol. Contudo, existe pouca evidência científica no que respeita às avaliações em regime de treino. Desta forma, o presente estudo pretende realizar uma avaliação da variação do número de saltos por treino em voleibolistas da elite naciona...