Pre-season in soccer: a paradox between a high volume of technical/tactical training and improvement in the neuromuscular performance of elite women soccer players.

BACKGROUND: there is a paradox between the development of strength-power abilities and the high volume of technical/tactical training in elite soccer players during the pre-season. This concurrent effect between aerobic and neuromuscular training regimes induce impairment in power performance. METHODS: this study aimed to investigate the effect of an equalized program of strength-power training (4-5 sessions/week) and soccer training (4-6 sessions/week) in power and aerobic performance during 8-weeks of pre-season in elite women soccer players. Vertical jumps [squat jump (SJ); countermovement jump (CMJ)] and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test (YOYO-R1) were assessed pre- and post pre-season. A paired sample t-test was used to compare differences between pre and post pre-season (Δ%). The level of significance was established at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: the women soccer players improved the SJ (p<0.001; Δ%=12), CMJ (p<0.001; Δ%=8.5), and YOYO-R1 (p<0.001; Δ% =28.5). There was a body recomposition observed, lower body fat (p = 0.004; Δ%=15), higher fat free mass (p = 0.001; Δ%=5). CONCLUSIONS: our results demonstrated that it is possible to develop aerobic and power abilities of elite women soccer players during pre-season using an equalized ratio of soccer training and strength-power training schedules.

Young culm of Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa tuldoides and B. Vulgaris as source of hemicellulosic dietary fibers for the food industry.

Bamboo is a grass that has gained economic attention in the food industry as a source of dietary fiber, and the young bamboo culm may be an alternative to supply fibers to the market. The objective was to evaluate and characterize different portions (bottom, middle and top) of the young bamboo culm fibrous fractions from Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa tuldoides and B. vulgaris regarding their color parameters, physicochemical composition and hemicellulosic polysaccharide characterization. Fibrous fractions were obtained after starch extraction and results showed high amounts of total dietary fiber (79-89%). The hemicellulosic polysaccharide contents (35.4-41.5%) demonstrated great potential for commercial extraction and so, we extracted them with alkali and fractionated regarding their solubility in cold-water. Insoluble polysaccharides (KP fractions) were obtained in higher yields (from 21.2% to 38.5%) than the soluble ones (KS fractions, yields from 2.3% to 5.2%). Monosaccharide composition showed mainly xylose and arabinose, with some minor amounts of mannose and galactose in some fractions. In a detailed NMR analysis, the presence of neutral xylans and arabinoxylans could be observed in all studied bamboo species, which can be used in food products and also in the production of xylooligosaccharides (XOS), biomaterials and biofuels.