Sarah M. Hughes

A Sensing Platform for Physiological and Contextual Feedback to Tennis Athletes

In this paper we describe our work on creating a multimodal sensing platform for providing feedback to tennis coaches and players. The platform includes a fixed installation around a tennis court consisting of a video camera network and a localisation system as well as wearable sensing technology deployed to individual athletes. We describe the various components of this platform and explain how we can capture synchronised multi-modal sensor data streams for games or training sessions. We then describe the content-based retrieval system we are building to facilitate the development of novel coaching tools. We provide some examples of the queries that the system can support, where these queries are chosen to be suitably expressive so as to reflect a coach’s complex information needs regarding tennis-related performance factors.

Fitness profiling of elite level adolescent Gaelic football players

Abstract Cullen, BD, Cregg, CJ, Kelly, DT, Hughes, SM, Daly, PG, and Moyna, NM. Fitness profiling of elite level adolescent Gaelic football players. J Strength Cond Res 27(8): 2096–2103, 2013—The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anthropometric characteristics and fitness levels of elite level under 18 (U-18) Gaelic football players to establish normative centile scores for selected fitness parameters and to compare the physical and fitness characteristics relative to each playing position. A total of 265 male U-18 Gaelic football players (age: 16.96 ± 0.7 years; height: 178.11 ± 6.27 cm; weight: 72.07 ± 8.68 kg) participated in the study. According to positional roles, players were categorized as goalkeepers (n = 13), defenders (n = 113), midfielders (n = 30), and forwards (n = 109). Height and weight were measured, and skinfolds were taken before participants sequentially performed a sit and reach test (S&R), countermovement jump (CMJ), standing long jump (SLJ), 5- and 20-m speed test, and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT1). The percentage body fat was higher (p < 0.01) in goalkeepers than the other playing positions. Goalkeepers had a higher body mass index than defenders (p < 0.05) and forwards (p < 0.01). Midfielders and goalkeepers were taller (p < 0.01) and heavier (p < 0.01) than defenders and forwards. The total distance covered in the YYIRT1 was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in goalkeepers than the other playing positions. There was no significant positional difference in the performance scores in the S&R test, CMJ, SLJ, and 5- and 20-m running speed. The study findings indicate minimal differences in the anthropometric and physiological characteristics between playing positions in elite youth level Gaelic football players. The norm-referenced percentile scores will enable conditioning coaches to benchmark elite performance and design training programs.

Effect of Self-Regulated Exercise Intensity on Endothelial Function in Men with Coronary Artery Disease: 2663

Background: Physiologically based exercise prescriptions normally involve identifying an intensity range that elicits a predetermined VO2 or heart rate. In many instances prescribed exercise that exceeds an individual’s preferred level of intensity may establish a negative attitude toward physical activity. Longitudinal studies report that participants tend to deviate from physiologically based prescribed levels of intensity in favour of their apparently preferred levels. Self-regulated exercise intensity may increase enjoyment and promote adherence by allowing individuals successfully complete an activity within their perceptual preference range and without undue physiological strain. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-regulated exercise intensity on endothelial function (a validated surrogate measure of early atherosclerosis) in men with coronary artery disease. Methods: Eight men with coronary artery disease (65.7 ± 4.5 yr, VO2max 18.6 ± 4.1 ml/kg/min, BMI 29.7±3.3 kg/m-2) underwent 20 min of treadmill walking at a self-regulated intensity. Endothelial dependent dilation of the brachial artery was assessed before and 1 h following the acute bout of exercise. Vessel diameter was determined using high resolution vascular ultrasonography (SonoSite, MicroMaxx) from flow mediated dilation (FMD) following 5 min of forearm occlusion. Endothelial independent vasodilation was measured at min 3, min 4 and min 5 following the administration of glyceryl trinitrate (0.4 mg). Results: The subjects self-selected an average treadmill walking speed of 5.3 km/h and a grade of 0.7%. This intensity equated to 65.7% VO2max, and an RPE-O of 12.0. Compared to baseline, FMD was significantly increased (1 min (4.6 v 10.7%) and 3 min (6.2 v 11.0) post occlusion) at 60 min following the acute bout of self regulated exercise. There was no change in endothelial independent dilation in response to the acute bout of exercise. Conclusion: These results indicate a beneficial effect of self-regulated exercise on endothelial dependent vascular function in men with coronary artery disease.