Abstract des Autors

Many sports require short duration (ca. 5-7 s) maximal or near-maximal sprints to be regularly repeated over an extended period of time (70-120 min). Performance tests of repeated sprint ability (RSA) are not well established despite their specificity for measuring the fitness of team sport players. Therefore, sprint cycling (6 x 6 s efforts, departing every 30 s) and running (6 x 40 m efforts, departing every 30 s) RSA tests were developed and initially trialled for reliability in amateur male team sport players. Test-retest correlations were significant (p<0.01) for the absolute RSA test scores, (i.e., total work done (cycling, n=16; r=0.973) and total time taken (running, n=15; r=0.942) for six efforts), and also for the relative RSA test score, (i.e., the percentage decrement (%Dec.) recorded over six efforts (cycling, r=0.875; running, r=0.745)). Repeat scores for individual repetitions within tests were also highly correlated (r=0.81-0.97) for each mode of exercise, and produced low technical error of measurement scores (cycling: 2.5-4.0%; running: 1.0-1.7%). Therefore, both the cycling and running RSA tests were found to have suitable test-retest reliability. The degree of association between the two modes of RSA test was then assessed in male field hockey players (n=15). The best single cycling effort (kJ or J/kg work done in 6 s) was not significantly correlated with the best running effort (best 40 m time). The absolute RSA test scores (Total kJ or J/kg work done versus Total Time) were only correlated when the cycling score was expressed per kg of body mass (r=-0.684, p<0.01). The relative test scores (%Dec. on each test) were moderately associated (r=0.622, p<0.02). Therefore, exercise mode appears to be a determining factor in best single effort and absolute RSA test scores, but less so in relative test performance. The degree of fatigue demonstrated within team sport players over repeated sprint efforts may be similar when either cycling or running efforts are performed. General comments about the testing and scoring of sprint RSA are made. Verf.-Referat