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- ⚽ Glute Bridges Enhance Sprint Performance in Adolescent Soccer Players
⚽ Glute Bridges Enhance Sprint Performance in Adolescent Soccer Players
PLUS: Visual Biofeedback Maximizes Quadriceps Muscle Activation in Rehab
Haresh Suppiah
April 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
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Welcome, science enthusiasts.
In today’s edition:
• Effects of hip thrust and glute bridge on sprint performance
• Impact of verbal cues on muscle activity in exercises
• World record case study for marathon runner over 75
• Daily steps and gait after ACL surgery
• Flexibility’s role in running economy for older runners
• Parenting’s effect on sports participation
• Coaching education challenges and perceptions
• Sponsorship influence in esports
• Performance predictions in endurance cycling based on speed
• Relationship of hip joint sense to walking performance
and several more…
FEATURED ARTICLES 🌭
Key finding:
Glute bridge exercises can effectively enhance sprint performance in adolescent soccer players, similar to hip thrusts.
How they did it:
Methodology: The study involved 40 adolescent male soccer players divided into three groups (Hip Thrust Group: 13, Glute Bridge Group: 13, Control Group: 14) who underwent sprint tests (10m, 20m, and 30m) before and after post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) protocols at 84% and 60% of their one-repetition maximum (1-RM) loads with a 7-minute rest in between.
Results: PAPE protocols using both hip thrust and glute bridge exercises resulted in moderate effects on components of horizontal force-velocity (F0rel, Pmaxrel, FVslope, DRF) and small effects on sprint performance measures (S10m, S20m, S30m), while the control group showed trivial effects across these parameters.
Significant Findings: The hip thrust and glute bridge exercises at 84% 1-RM exhibited moderate improvements in F0rel (approximately 19.5% increase) and Pmaxrel (approximately 13.1% increase), while showing minor differences in sprint performance when compared against the control group.
Innovations: This research introduced the glute bridge exercise as a viable alternative to hip thrust exercise for inducing post-activation performance enhancement in young soccer players, highlighting its specific benefit for muscle activation and sprint mechanics.
Implications: The findings suggest that incorporating glute bridge exercises into training programs could improve sprint performance and kinetic properties, emphasizing the importance of targeted exercises that align with the biomechanical demands of soccer sprinting.
Why it matters:
These findings underline the potential of incorporating glute bridge exercises as an alternative to traditional hip thrusts in enhancing sprint performance for adolescent soccer players. With moderate effects observed in sprint kinetics, these insights can help coaches tailor training regimens, as implementing the right load—such as 84% of 1-RM—could yield relevant improvements in sprint times and horizontal force production.
Key finding:
Using visual biofeedback or pressing into a strap maximizes muscle engagement during quadriceps setting exercises.
How they did it:
Methodology: The study involved 30 healthy individuals who performed a quadriceps setting exercise using different verbal cues—internal, external, and visual biofeedback—in a randomized order to assess their impact on electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus lateralis muscle.
Results: Visual biofeedback yielded the highest normalized EMG activity at 83.2%, followed by pressing into a strap at 76.8%. Both techniques significantly outperformed common internal cues like “tighten thigh” (52.7%) and “push knee down” (53.2%) at a statistical significance of P < .001.
Statistical Findings: Post hoc comparisons revealed a large effect size (Cohen’s d > 0.92) for differences between visual biofeedback and the internal cue conditions, demonstrating the most effective method for muscle activation during rehabilitation.
Innovation: The research’s unique approach included using real-time visual biofeedback to enhance muscle performance during rehabilitation exercises, marking a notable shift from traditional internal focus cues that elicited lower EMG activation.
Participant Insights: The study found that 67% of participants achieved their highest EMG activity during the visual biofeedback condition, indicating a preference for this method over others for maximizing muscle engagement during the exercise.
Why it matters:
These findings highlight the importance of using specific verbal cues during quadriceps setting exercises to maximize muscle activation. Notably, visual biofeedback resulted in an impressive 83% EMG activity, significantly outperforming traditional cues like “tighten your thigh,” which averaged only around 52%. This evidence offers practitioners a clear strategy for enhancing rehabilitation effectiveness, ensuring that patients receive optimal guidance for muscle engagement post-injury or surgery.
QUICK BITES 🍤
Aging and Athletic Longevity
-Reduced flexibility may improve running efficiency more in older runners than in younger ones.
Biomechanics
-Early gait biomechanics after ACL reconstruction are linked to daily step behaviors, influencing knee joint health during recovery.
Biomechanics
-Muscle-tendon dynamics significantly influence leg stiffness during hopping, allowing for efficient adjustments at higher frequencies.
Biomechanics
-Hip joint position sense during active flexion is key for better adaptive walking performance over obstacles.
Female Athlete
-A 76-year-old female world-record holder demonstrates exceptional endurance performance comparable to younger elite runners.
Physical Education and Pedagogy
-Learner-centered teaching in coach education enhances student engagement and responsibility for learning through collaborative and reflective strategies.
Sport and Society
-Becoming a parent reduces women’s sports participation initially, while men’s participation remains unaffected.
Sport Engineering
-CFD and analytical models for a shoulder amputee cyclist show no significant differences in aerodynamics.
Sport Management
-Holistic training for personal trainers is essential to improve client health outcomes and promote long-term engagement in Serbia.
Sport Management
-Perceived fit between sponsors and esports events significantly enhances brand awareness and drives consumer purchasing behavior.
Sport Physiology
-Incorporating cycling cadence into metabolic models significantly improves the accuracy of endurance performance predictions.
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Curated by Haresh Suppiah