title: The physiology and biomechanics of upper-body repeated sprints in ice sledge hockey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate performance and the associated physiological and biomechanical responses during upper-body repeated-sprint work.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve male ice sledge hockey players from the Norwegian national team performed eight 30-m sprints with start every 30 s and an active recovery between sprints. Time was captured every 10 m by photocells, cycle length and rate were determined by video analyses, and heart rate and blood lactate concentration were measured by conventional methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage sprint decrement was 7% over the 8 trials, with significant reductions in performance from the previous trial already on the second trial (all P < .05). Furthermore, cycle rate was reduced by 9% over the 8 trials (P < .05). Similar changes in performance and kinematic patterns were evident for all 10-m phases of the sprints. Heart rate gradually increased to 94% of maximal (178 ± 10 beats/min) over the 8 trials, and the mean reduction in heart rate was 7 ± 2 beats/min during the 22-24 s of active recovery for all trials (all P < .05). The blood lactate concentration increased to the athletes' maximal levels over the 8 sprints (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to investigate performance, physiological, and biomechanical aspects of self-propelled upper-body repeated-sprint work. The observed sprint decrement over the 8 trials was associated with reductions in cycle rates and high physiological demands. However, no kinematic and physiological characteristics were significantly correlated to repeated-sprint ability or the sprint decrement.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Human Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Øyvind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Sandbakk
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Gertjan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ettema
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bucher Sandbakk
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skovereng
authors.forename: Boye
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Welde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006688:Hockey / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid