This week in the world of sports science, here’s what happened…
- The latest research on My Jump Lab
- Should footballers wear runners/trainers or football boots in the pre-season?
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s spitting habit
The latest research on My Jump Lab
In the past, we have highlighted the My Jump Lab application favourably (see here). However, new research has surfaced evaluating the app’s validity and reliability. This research simultaneously measured participants’ countermovement jumps (CMJ) using force plates (ForceDecks) and the My Jump Lab app with its AI setting activated.
Interestingly, the findings revealed that while My Jump Lab is reliable, it tends to overestimate CMJ height compared to the force plates. Although this discrepancy is somewhat concerning, the app’s relatively low cost compared to force plate systems means that teams and athletes with tighter budgets can still gain valuable insights by using My Jump Lab for monitoring and assessment. Just as long as people are aware of the app’s tendency to overestimate CMJ height readings compared to force plates.
So, My Jump Lab certainly has a use for teams and athletes on a budget! If your team is on a budget, check out our relevant blog 4 Ways to Monitor an Athlete’s Load on a Budget.
Should footballers wear runners/trainers or football boots in the pre-season?
A highly informative Instagram post by Jack Grimes (known as jjshighperformance on Instagram) sheds light on the ongoing debate about whether footballers should train in runners/trainers or traditional football boots during pre-season.
Grimes emphasises that runners greatly aid shock absorption, helping to prevent overuse injuries such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis, while also reducing the likelihood of blisters. However, he raises a crucial point: using runners in pre-season can leave players severely underprepared for the intensity of the actual game. This is because runners offer less traction, which means players can’t transfer as much force into the ground, negatively impacting their ability to accelerate, decelerate, and change direction at high speeds. He also mentions that the mechanics of kicking with runners are very different from those in football boots.
Grimes recommends that while runners can be beneficial for warm-ups and longer runs, players should definitely opt for football boots for everything else! His post is definitely worth a view, especially since it includes excellent visual examples highlighting the differences between runners and football boots.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s spitting habit
It’s often mentioned among casual fans that football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has a curious habit of sipping a drink and then spitting it out. While some may find this behaviour peculiar or even rude, a recent Instagram post by 433 on the topic generated over a million likes!
As 433 pointed out, what Ronaldo is actually doing is mouth rinsing rather than drinking. He takes a sip of a carbohydrate-based beverage, swirls it around in his mouth, and spits it out. The proposed reason for mouth rinsing is that a quick rinse activates receptors in the mouth, which signal to the brain that energy is coming. This may lead to reduced fatigue and enhanced focus, all without the discomfort of having a full stomach of fluids or encountering digestive issues.
Although the science behind mouth rinsing may be somewhat mixed, it’s clear now that there’s a method behind Ronaldo’s spitting, and it’s not just a matter of bad manners! If you would like to learn more about the role of carbohydrates, check out our excellent courses Carbohydrates For Team Sports and Understanding Carbohydrate Intake in Sport.
From us this week:
>> New course: Fundamental Movements in Youth
>> New podcast: Finding the Competitive Edge: Elite Performance with FC Midtjylland’s Niklas Virtanen
>> New infographic: Deceleration
>> New article: Hydrotherapy
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