E-Thesis 583 views 111 downloads
Development of a field test to estimate peak vertical mechanical power of elite male rugby union players. / Nicholas John Owen
Swansea University Author: Nicholas John Owen
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Abstract
Rugby union is an intermittent high intensity sport that requires players to demonstrate aerobic endurance, strength and power. Whereas the assessment of aerobic endurance and strength are well established, the assessment of rugby- specific muscle power is less well developed. A force platform can b...
| Published: |
2008
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| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Philosophy |
| Degree name: | M.Phil |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42516 |
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| Abstract: |
Rugby union is an intermittent high intensity sport that requires players to demonstrate aerobic endurance, strength and power. Whereas the assessment of aerobic endurance and strength are well established, the assessment of rugby- specific muscle power is less well developed. A force platform can be used to accurately measure mechanical power, produced by the legs, in a countermovement jump. However this is not a practical option for a field test. Consequently, a number of attempts have been made to predict leg power from the height jumped by a subject in a countermovement jump. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the validity of field tests, which predict leg power, based on the height jumped in a countermovement jump in elite rugby players. However, due to a lack of clarity with regard to methodology all existing prediction equations have questionable validity. There are a number of reasons for the lack of clarity, but one common reason is the absence of a well defined criterion method for measuring instantaneous vertical mechanical power of the whole body centre of gravity of a countermovement jump, using a force platform. Consequently it was necessary to develop and define a criterion method to measure instantaneous vertical mechanical power of the whole body centre of gravity of a countermovement jump, using a force platform. The criterion method specifies a sampling frequency of l000Hz, Simpson's rule for integration of the force record and body weight measurement and start time criterion based on force records during quiet standing prior to jumping. Once the criterion method had been defined, it was used to measure peak instantaneous mechanical power of the whole body centre of gravity of 59 elite under 21 year old male, rugby union players. Body mass and jump height were used as predictor variables and regression equations were developed to predict absolute and relative peak vertical mechanical power output. The regression equation developed using multiple regression was: peak estimated poweri (W) = [9026.19 x jump height (m)] + [48.96 x body mass (kg)] - 2910.9 (R2 = 0.681, p < 0.001, S.E.E. - 412 W). The regression equation developed using linear regression was: peak estimated power2 (W) = [body weight(N)]x[ 10.187xjump height (m) + 1.704] (R2 = 0.713, p < 0.001, S.E.E. = 388 W). The linear regression produced less error, an improvement of 5% over the multiple regression equation. The linear regression equation should be used in place of existing regression equations when estimating peak power in elite rugby players. Further studies should investigate then equations' ability to detect change in power after training intervention and their validity for use with different populations. |
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| Keywords: |
Kinesiology.;Biomechanics. |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |