An Investigation into the Acute Effects of a Weighted Football Place-Kicking Protocol on Subsequent Place-Kick Distance
Keywords:
Overload, Kinematics, Warm-Up, Motor Learning, Motor Performance, Skill AcquisitionAbstract
Weighted implement training induces positive effects on motor skills, however, there is a dearth of studies examining the acute effects of weighted footballs on place-kicking. Kick distance is important in Gaelic football to enhance passing and scoring opportunities. This study’s purpose was to examine the acute effects of a 600g (25% heavier) weighted Gaelic football on place-kick distance among elite and sub-elite male Gaelic football players (n=12). An exploratory kinematic analysis (Phase-1) of the maximal-effort place-kick was measured at pre-test, post-test, and 3-day retention-test around a 5-session, 50-trial weighted football training intervention to determine if weighted footballs altered how place-kicks were performed. Mixed ANOVAs revealed no significant changes to knee and hip angular velocities, and range of motion (p>0.05). Phase-2 explored the acute effects of the weighted football on place-kick distance with a standard Gaelic football. Male university students (n=30) performed 5-maximal effort place-kicks with a weighted (WF) or standard (SF) Gaelic football immediately prior to 5 standard football place-kicks. An ANCOVA revealed the WF did not significantly acutely enhance kick distance compared to SF (p>0.05). Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed no significant differences among the mean kick distance of pre-test trials and each post-test trial per group (p>0.05). However, a transient increase from 30-seconds to 2-minutes post WF place-kicks was evident, suggesting greater distance may be achieved with extended time periods. In conclusion, although a 5-trial weighted football place-kicking protocol does not significantly enhance kick distance, a transient increase occurs as time intervals increase, thus providing practitioners with an efficacious means of enhancing kickout distance.
References
Ball, K. (2008a). Use of weighted balls for improving kicking for distance. In: Reilly, T. and Feza, K. (Eds.) Science and Football VI: The Proceedings of the Sixth World Congress of Science and Football (pp. 285–289). Hoboken, NJ: Routledge.
Ball, K. (2008b) Biomechanical considerations of distance kicking in Australian Rules football. Sports Biomechanics, 7(1), 10-23, doi: 10.1080/14763140701683015.
Banister, E.W., Morton, R.H., & Fitz-Clarke, J. (1992). Dose/response effects of exercise modelled from training: Physical and biochemical measures. The Annals of Physiological Anthropology, 11(3), 345–356.
Cormier, P., Freitas, T.T., Rubio-Arias, J.A., & Alcaraz, P.E. (2020). Complex and Contrast Training: Does Strength and Power Training Sequence Affect Performance Based-Adaptations in Team Sports? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(5), 1461-1479, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003493.
Daly, D., & Donnelly, R. (2018). Data Analytics in Performance of Kick-out Distribution and Effectiveness in Senior Championship Football in Ireland. Journal of Sports Analytics, doi: 10.3233/JSA-160158.
Dawson, D. (2017). Development & Validation of an Improved Biomechanical Model for Motion Analysis. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland.
DeRenne, C. (1991). The donut: Does it improve bat velocity? National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal, 13(3), 43-45.
DeRenne, C., & Szymanski, D.J. (2009). Effects of Baseball Weighted Implement Training: A Brief Review. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 31(2), 30-37, doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e31819d3396.
DeRenne, C., Ho. K.W., Hetzler, R.K., & Chai, D.X. (1992). Effects of Warm-Up with Various Weighted Implements on Baseball Bat Swing Velocity. Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, 6(4), 214-218.
Duthie, G.M., Young, W.B., & Aitken, D.A. (2002). The Acute Effects of Heavy Loads on Jump Squat Performance: An Evaluation of the Complex and Contrast Methods of Power Development. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(4), 530-538, doi: 10.1519/1533-4287(2002)016<0530:TAEOHL>2.0.CO;2.
Fleisig, G.S., Phillips, R., Shatley, A., Loftice, J., Dun, S., Drake, S., Farris, J.W., & Andrews, J.R. (2006). Kinematics and kinetics of youth baseball pitching with standard and lightweight balls. Sports Engineering, 9(3), 155-163, doi 10.1007/BF02844117.
Gaelic Athletic Association (2017), GAA Official Guide, available: https://www.gaa.ie/api/pdfs/image/upload/jgcddqyasv0l5i7264y4.pdf [accessed 12 January 2019].
Gamble, D., Bradley, J., McCarren, A., & Moyna, N.M. (2019). Team performance indicators which differentiate between winning and losing in elite Gaelic football. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 19(4), 478-490, doi: 10.1080/24748668.2019.1621674.
Kim, Y., & Hinrichs, R. (2008). A new approach to baseball bat swing warm-up. International Conference on Biomechanics in Sports, Seoul, Korea. ISBC Proceedings XXVI, 546–549.
Laughlin, W.A., Fleisig, G.S., Aune, K.T., & Diffendaffer, A.Z. (2016). The effects of baseball bat mass properties on swing mechanics, ground reaction forces, and swing timing. Sports Biomechanics, 15(1), 36-47, doi 10.1080/14763141.2015.1123762.
Loren, C., & Jacques, B.L. (2003). The Fitness Fatigue Model Revisited: Implications for Planning Short- and Long-Term Training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 25(6), 42-51, doi: 10.1519/1533-4295(2003)025<0042:TFMRIF>2.0.CO;2.
MacIntosh, B.R., Robillard, M.E., & Tomaras, E.K. (2010). Should postactivation potentiation be the goal of your warm-up? Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism, 37(3), 546-550, doi: 10.1139/h2012-016.
Mangan, S., Ryan, M., Devenney, S., Shovlin, A., McGahan, J., Malone, S., O’ Neill, C., Burns, C. & Collins, K. (2017). The relationship between technical performance indicators and running performance in elite Gaelic football. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 17(5), 706-720, doi 10.1080/24748668.2017.1387409.
Marsh, J.A., Wagshol, M.I., Boddy, K.J., O’ Connell, M.E., Briend, S.J., Lindley, K.E., & Caravan, A. (2018). Effects of a six week weighted-implement throwing program on baseball pitching velocity, kinematics, arm stress, and arm range of motion. PeerJ, 6(2), e6003, doi: 10.7717/peerj.6003.
Miller, R.M., Heishman, A.D., Freitas, E.D., & Bemben, M.G. (2017). Evaluating the effects of underloaded and overloaded warm ups on subsequent swing velocity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(4), 1071-1077, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002206.
Montoya, B.S., Brown, L.E., Coburn, J.W., & Zinder, S.M. (2009). Effect of Warm-Up with Different Weighted Bats on Normal Baseball Bat Velocity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(3), 1566-1569, doi: 0.1519/JSC.0b013e3181a3929e.
Morimoto, Y., Ito, K., Kawamura. T., & Muraki, Y. (2003). Immediate effect of assisted and resisted training using different weight balls on ball speed and accuracy in baseball pitching. International Journal of Sport and Health Science, 1(2), 238-246.
Prieske, O., Behrens, M., Chaabene, H., Granachar, U., & Maffiuletti, N. (2020). Time to Differentiate Postactivation “Potentiation” from “Performance Enhancement” in the Strength and Conditioning Community. Sports Medicine, 50(9), 1559–1565, doi: 10.1007/s40279-020-01300-0.
Reilly, T., & Collins, K. (2008). Science and the Gaelic sports: Gaelic football and hurling. European Journal of Sport Science, 8(5), 231-240, doi: 10.1080/17461390802251851.
Reinold, M.M., Macrina, L.C., Fleisig, G.S., Aune, K., & Andrews, J.R. (2018). Effect of a 6-Week Weighted Baseball Throwing Program on Pitch Velocity, Pitching Arm Biomechanics, Passive Range of Motion, and Injury Rates. Sports Health, 10(4), 327-333, doi 10.1177/1941738118779909.
Reyes, G.F., & Dolny, D. (2009). Acute Effects of Various Weighted Bat Warm-Up Protocols on Bat Velocity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(7), 2114-2118, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b3dd32.
Robbins, D.W. (2005). Postactivation potentiation and its practical applicability: A brief review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(2), 453-458.
Southard, D., & Groomer, L. (2003). Warm-up with baseball bats of varying moments of inertia: effect on bat velocity and swing pattern. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 74(3), 270-276.
Szymanski, D.J., Bassett, K.E., Beiser, E.J. Till, M.E., Medlin, G.L., Beam, J.R., & DeRenne, C. (2012). Effect of Various Warm-Up Devices on Bat Velocity of Intercollegiate Softball Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(1), 199-205.
Szymanski, D.J., Beiser, E.J., Bassett, K.E., Till, M.E., Medlin, G.L., Beam, J.R., & DeRenne, C. (2011). Effect of Various Warm-Up Devices on Bat Velocity of Intercollegiate Baseball Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(2), 287-292, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318202e31e.
Tillin, N.A., & Bishop, D. (2009). Factors modulating post-activation potentiation and its effect on performance of subsequent explosive activities. Sports Medicine, 32(9), 147-166.
Van den Tillaar, R., & Ettema, G. (2011). A comparison of kinematics between overarm throwing with 20% underweight, regular, and 20% overweight balls. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 27(3), 252-257.
Van Huss, W.D., Albrecht, L., Nelson, R., & Hagerman, R. (1962). Effect of Overload Warm-Up on the Velocity and Accuracy of Throwing. Research Quarterly, 33(3), 472-475.
Van Sint Jan, S. 2007. Color Atlas of Skeletal Landmark Definitions (1st Ed.). Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, Edinburgh, pp. 208.
Williams, C.C., Gdovin, J.R., Wilson, S.J., Cazas-Moreno, V.L., Eason, J.D., Hoke, E.L., Allen, C.R., Wade, C., & Garner, J.C. (2017). The Effects of Various Weighted Implements on Baseball Swing Kinematics in Collegiate Baseball Players, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(5), 1347-1353, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002020.
Wilson, J.M., Miller, A.L., Szymanski, D.J., Duncan, N.M., Andersen, J.C., Alcantara, Z.G., Morrison, T.J., & Bergman, C.J. (2012). Effects of various warm-up devices and rest period lengths on batting velocity and acceleration of intercollegiate baseball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(6), 2317-2323, doi: 0.1519/JSC.0b013e31823daebf.
Yang, W.W., Liu, W.C., Lu, L.C., Chang. H.Y., Chou, P.P.H., & Liu, C. (2013). Performance Enhancement Among Adolescent Players After 10 weeks of Pitching Training With Appropriate Baseball Weights. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(12), 3245-3251, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31828ddfeb.
Young, W.B., & Rath, D.A. (2011). Enhancing Foot Velocity in Football Kicking: The Role of Strength Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(2), 561-566, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181bf42eb.
