Reid Reale

The Effects of the Removal of Electronic Devices for 48 Hours on Sleep in Elite Judo Athletes

Abstract Dunican, IC, Martin, DT, Halson, SL, Reale, RJ, Dawson, BT, Caldwell, JA, Jones, MJ, and Eastwood, PR. The effects of the removal of electronic devices for 48 hours on sleep in elite judo athletes. J Strength Cond Res 31(10): 2832–2839, 2017—This study examined the effects of evening use of electronic devices (i.e., smartphones, etc.) on sleep quality and next-day athletic and cognitive performance in elite judo athletes. Over 6 consecutive days and nights, 23 elite Australian judo athletes were monitored while attending a camp at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). In 14 athletes, all electronic devices were removed on days 3 and 4 (i.e., for 48 hours: the “device-restricted group”), whereas 9 were permitted to use their devices throughout the camp (the “control group”). All athletes wore an activity monitor (Readiband) continuously to provide measures of sleep quantity and quality. Other self-reported (diary) measures included time in bed, electronic device use, and rate of perceived exertion during training periods. Cognitive performance (Cogstate) and physical performance (single leg triple hop test) were also measured. When considering night 2 as a “baseline” for each group, removal of electronic devices on nights 3 and 4 (device-restricted group) resulted in no significant differences in any sleep-related measure between the groups. When comparing actigraphy-based measures of sleep to subjective measures, all athletes significantly overestimated sleep duration by 58 ± 85 minutes (p = 0.001) per night and underestimated time of sleep onset by 37 ± 72 minutes (p = 0.001) per night. No differences in physical or cognitive function were observed between the groups. Conclusion: This study has shown that the removal of electronic devices for a period of two nights (48 hours) during a judo camp does not affect sleep quality or quantity or influence athletic or cognitive performance.

Regain in Body Mass After Weigh-In is Linked to Success in Real Life Judo Competition

We examined the relationship between the regain of body mass (BM) after weigh-in and success in real-life judo competition. Eighty-six (36 females, 50 males) senior judoka volunteered for this observational study of an international judo competition. Subjects were weighed at the official weigh-in and one hour before their first competition fight (15-20 hr later). Regain in BM after weigh-in was compared between medal winners and nonmedalists, winners and losers of each fight, males and females and across weight divisions. Heavyweights were excluded from analysis. Prefight BM was greater than BM at official weigh-in for both males and females, with % BM gains of 2.3 ± 2.0 (p ≤ .0001; ES= 1.59; CI95% [1.63, 2.98]) and 3.1 ± 2.2 (p ≤ .0001; ES = 2.03; CI95% [2.30, 3.89]), respectively. No significant differences were found between weight divisions for post weigh-in BM regain. Differences in post weigh-in BM regain were significantly higher in medal winners than nonmedalists for males and females combined (1.4 ± 0.4% BM; p = .0026; ES= 0.69; CI95% [0.05, 2.34]) and for males alone (1.5 ± 0.6% BM; p = .017; ES= 0.74; CI95% [0.02, 2.64]), but not for females (1.2 ± 0.7% BM; p = .096; ES = 0.58; CI95% [-0.02, 2.31]). Differences in BM regain after weigh-in between winners and losers were significant across all fights (0.9 ± 0.3% BM; p = .0021; ES= 0.43; CI95% [0.31, 1.41]) but not for first round fights (0.8 ± 0.5% BM; p = .1386, ES = 0.38; CI95% [-0.26, 1.86]). Winners showed a greater regain in BM post weigh-in than losers. This may reflect the greater magnitude of the BM loss needed to achieve weigh-in targets which also relates to the experience level of successful athletes.

Individualised dietary strategies for Olympic combat sports: Acute weight loss, recovery and competition nutrition

Abstract Olympic combat sports separate athletes into weight divisions, in an attempt to reduce size, strength, range and/or leverage disparities between competitors. Official weigh-ins are conducted anywhere from 3 and up to 24 h prior to competition ensuring athletes meet weight requirements (i.e. have ‘made weight’). Fighters commonly aim to compete in weight divisions lower than their day-to-day weight, achieved via chronic and acute manipulations of body mass (BM). Although these manipulations may impair health and absolute performance, their strategic use can improve competitive success. Key considerations are the acute manipulations around weigh-in, which differ in importance, magnitude and methods depending on the requirements of the individual combat sport and the weigh-in regulations. In particular, the time available for recovery following weigh-in/before competition will determine what degree of acute BM loss can be implemented and reversed. Increased exercise and restricted food and fluid intake are undertaken to decrease body water and gut contents reducing BM. When taken to the extreme, severe weight-making practices can be hazardous, and efforts have been made to reduce their prevalence. Indeed some have called for the abolition of these practices altogether. In lieu of adequate strategies to achieve this, and the pragmatic recognition of the likely continuation of these practices as long as regulations allow, this review summarises guidelines for athletes and coaches for manipulating BM and optimising post weigh-in recovery, to achieve better health and performance outcomes across the different Olympic combat sports.

Weight Regain: No Link to Success in a Real-Life Multiday Boxing Tournament

PURPOSE Combat-sport athletes acutely reduce body mass (BM) before weigh-in in an attempt to gain a size/strength advantage over smaller opponents. Few studies have investigated these practices among boxers and none have explored the impact of this practice on competitive success. METHODS One hundred (30 women, 70 men) elite boxers participating in the Australian national championships were weighed at the official weigh-in and 1 h before each competition bout. Regain in BM after weigh-in was compared between finalists and nonfinalists, winners and losers of each fight, men and women, and weight divisions. Boxers were surveyed on their pre- and post-weigh-in nutrition practices. RESULTS The lightest mens weight category displayed significantly greater relative BM regain than all other divisions, with no difference between other divisions. BM prebout was higher than official weigh-in for men (2.12% ± 1.62%; P < .001; ES = 0.13) and women (1.49% ± 1.65%; P < .001; ES = 0.11). No differences in BM regain were found between finalists and nonfinalists, winners and losers of individual bouts, or between preliminary or final bouts. BM regain was significantly greater (0.37% BM, P < .001; ES = 0.25) before an afternoon bout compared with a morning bout. CONCLUSIONS Boxers engage in acute BM-loss practices before the official competition weigh-in, but this does not appear to affect competition outcomes, at least when weight regain between weigh-in and fighting is used as a proxy for the magnitude of acute loss. While boxers recognize the importance of recovering after weigh-in, current practice is not aligned with best-practice guidance.

Urine specific gravity as an indicator of dehydration in Olympic combat sport athletes; considerations for research and practice

ABSTRACT Urine specific gravity (USG) is the most commonly reported biochemical marker used in research and applied settings to detect fluid deficits in athletes, including those participating in combat sports. Despite the popularity of its use, there has been a growing debate regarding the diagnostic accuracy and the applicability of USG in characterizing whole-body fluid status and fluctuations. Moreover, recent investigations report universally high prevalence of hypohydration (∼90%) via USG assessment in combat sport athletes, often in spite of stable body-mass. Given the widespread use in both research and practice, and its use in a regulatory sense as a ‘hydration test’ in combat sports as a means to detect dehydration at the time of weigh-in; understanding the limitations and applicability of USG assessment is of paramount importance. Inconsistencies in findings of USG readings, possibly as a consequence of diverse methodological research approaches and/or overlooked confounding factors, preclude a conclusive position stand within current combat sports research and practice. Thus the primary aim of this paper is to critically review the literature regarding USG assessment of hydration status in combat sports research and practice. When taken on balance, the existing literature suggests: the use of laboratory derived benchmarks in applied settings, inconsistent sampling methodologies, the incomplete picture of how various confounding factors affect end-point readings, and the still poorly understood potential of renal adaptation to dehydration in combat athletes; make the utility of hydration assessment via USG measurement quite problematic, particularly when diet and training is not controlled.

Water Loading in Combat Sport Athletes as a Means to Acutely Manipulate Body Mass: 2426 Board #8 June 2 9

Athletes in weight category sports practice various methods of acute weight loss, with recent research and long standing “grey literature” demonstrating the popularity of ‘water loading’ (the consumption of large volumes of fluid for several days, prior to withholding intake) as a means to increase body water losses following fluid restriction. No research has examined this technique or its risk of causing hyponatremia. PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness and safety of water loading and assess potential mechanisms. METHODS: Male combat sport athletes (n=21, 77.5±8.1kg 177.5±6.1cm, 26.6±4.0years) were separated into a control (CON, n=10) and water loading (WL, n=11) group. Subjects were fed a standardised isoenergetic diet based on fat free mass (assessed via DXA scan) controlling for macronutrient, sodium and fibre content for 6 days. Day 1-3 fluid intake was 40mL/kg CON and 100mL/kg WL. Day 4 fluid intake was 15mL/kg CON and WL. Day 5 no fluid was consumed until midday with both groups following the same rehydration protocol until day 6. Urine sodium, specific gravity (USG) and volume were recorded alongside training sweat losses and sleep quality/ duration (measured via actigraphy) throughout. Renal hormones (vasopressin, renin, and aldosterone), blood urea and electrolytes (U+Es) and body mass (BM) were measured each morning (fasted) and evening following 30 min supine rest. Physical performance was assessed pre and post intervention. Two way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess differences between groups. RESULTS: Following fluid restriction, significant differences with large effect sizes were found in fluid input/output ratio (39.11%, p < 0.01, ES=1.2) and BM loss (0.6%BM, p=0.02, ES=0.82). No differences in sleep or performance measures existed. Time had a significant effect on USG, all U+Es and renal hormones (p < 0.05). An interaction effect existed between time and intervention on blood sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, creatinine, USG and vasopressin (p < 0.05) but not on other hormones or electrolytes. No mean U+Es differed from reference range or approached critical values. CONCLUSION: Water loading appears to be a safe and effective method of acute BM loss under the conditions utilised in this study. Changes in vasopressin may in part underlie the mechanism facilitating this technique.