Train the engine or the brakes? Influence of momentum on the change of direction deficit

Fernandes, Rebecca, Bishop, Chris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1505-1287, Turner, Anthony N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5121-432X, Chavda, Shyam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7745-122X and Maloney, Sean (2020) Train the engine or the brakes? Influence of momentum on the change of direction deficit. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance . ISSN 1555-0265 [Article] (Accepted/In press)

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Abstract

Purpose: Currently, it is unclear which physical characteristics may underpin the change of direction deficit (COD-D). This investigation sought to determine if momentum, speed-, and jump-based measures may explain variance in COD-D.

Methods: Seventeen males from a professional soccer academy (age: 16.76 ± 0.75 years; height: 1.80 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 72.38 ± 9.57 kg) performed 505 tests on both legs, a 40-m sprint and single leg countermovement and drop jumps.

Results: Regression analyses did not reveal any significant predictors for COD-D on either leg. “Large” relationships were reported between COD-D and 505 time on both limbs (r = 0.65-0.69; p < 0.01) but COD-D was not associated with linear momentum, speed- or jump-based performances. When the cohort was median split by COD-D, effect sizes suggested that the sub-group with the smaller COD-D were 5% faster in the 505 test (d = -1.24; p < 0.001) but 4% slower over 0-10-m (d = 0.79; p = 0.33) and carried 11% less momentum (d = -0.81; p = 0.17).

Conclusion: Individual variance in COD-D may not be explained by speed- and jump-based performance measures within academy soccer players. However, when grouping athletes by COD-D, faster athletes with greater momentum are likely to display a larger COD-D. It may therefore be prudent to recommend more eccentric-biased or technical focused COD training in such athletes and for coaches to view the change of direction action as a specific skill that may not be represented by performance time in a COD test.

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