THE THIRD HALF: A REAL ISSUE

FOR POST-MATCH RECOVERY?

Yann LE MEUR

November 19th, 2014

Sevilla, Spain

@YLMSportScience

INTRODUCTION

To optimize
post-match
recovery,
identify the
origins of
fatigue first

MUSCLE DAMAGES & SORENESS

Football
Rugby 7s

Krustrup et al. EJAP 2011

Australian Football

-24h +24h +48h +96h

West et al. JSMS 2014

Promote muscle protein

synthesis
& Reduce muscle soreness

GLYCOGEN STORES DEPLETION

Football

Rugby

Krustrup et al. 2011

Jardine et al. 1988

Promote glycogen resynthesis

DEHYDRATION

20 high-profile soccer players were studied during

match play at 31.1C.
A large correlation was observed between the net
fluid loss during the game and the fatigue index in
the post-match sprint test (r=0.73).

Promote rehydration

MENTAL FATIGUE

10 semi-professional soccer players completed a 90-minute laboratorybased treadmill protocol replicating the activity profile of soccer match-play.
2 separate trials were performed in randomised order, with and without the
added stressor of a continuous grid-based vigilance task.

Facilitate
mental
recovery

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF POST-MATCH RECOVERY

 IDEAL POST MATCH RECOVERY PROTOCOL

End of the
match

Hydration

Milk
chocolate

Cold bath
10min at 12C

Sleep!

Meal: Soup, pasta,

meat/salmon, cake

THE REALITY!

End of the
match

Hydration

Fiesta

Milk
chocolate

Cold bath
10min at 12C
Sleep

THE REALITY!

ALCOHOL

PARTIAL SLEEP
DEPRIVATION

THE REALITY!

MUSCLE
REPAIR

GLYCOGEN
RESYNTHESIS

REDHYDRATION
MENTAL RECOVERY

POST MATCH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Large variability in alcohol use between sports,
Large variability in alcohol use between athletes,
Focus on alcool abuse reported in some studies
conducted in team sports players.

13 +19 rugby players, carried

out their usual post-game
behaviour

10g of alcohol

Prentice et al. JSMS 2014a, b

20 standard
drinks = 8 pints
of beer at 5%!

13 players: 2 ranked 5 & 8 ranked 6

19 players: 7 ranked 5 & 10 ranked 6 + 2 x <5

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLE RECOVERY

10 healthy males,
300 maximal eccentric contractions of the
quadriceps muscles,
1g of alcohol per kg bodyweight (as vodka and
orange juice) or an isocaloric, isovolumetric nonalcoholic beverage.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLE RECOVERY

Performance
parameters
unaffected by
ALC

Negative effect of ALC

Scrummaging
15m sprint
performance
Drill
performance

CMJ

MVC

CMJ
Peak torque
Time to peak Torque

Prentice et al.
JSMS 2014a

Customary behaviour
group (n=13), or
recommended
behaviour group (n=13),
after a rugby game

MVC
CMJ

Prentice et al.
JSMS 2014b

19 male rugby players

reproducing their
customary behaviour

6m & 40m
sprint perf
MVC

CMJ

References

Barnes et al. JSS

2012

Protocol

1 g of alcohol per kg of
body mass after a rugby
match

Murphy et al. JSCR

2012

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLE RECOVERY

Murphy et al. JSCR 2012

1 g of alcohol per kg of body

mass after a rugby match
= 3 pints of a beer at 5%
Minimal effect on muscle
damage or inflammation
markers during post-match
recovery

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLE RECOVERY

85 leg extension, 80% 1RM followed by continuous (30min
moderate intensity) & HIT cycling (1030s, 110% PPO).
500 mL of whey protein (25 g; PRO)
Alcohol (1.5 gkg body mass) co-ingested with protein (ALC-PRO)
or an energy-matched quantity of carbohydrate also with alcohol
(25 g maltodextrin; ALC-CHO).
80kg: 120g of alcohol = 150mL of alcohol ~ 5 pints of a beer at 5%

Parr et al. PloS One 2014

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON MUSCLE RECOVERY

10 healthy males,
300 maximal eccentric contractions of the
quadriceps muscles,
0.5 g of alcohol per kg bodyweight (as vodka
and orange juice) or an isocaloric, isovolumetric
non-alcoholic beverage.
80kg: 40g of alcohol ~ 1 pint of 5% beer
Barnes et al. EJAP 2011

Consumption of a low dose of alcohol after damaging

exercise appears to have no effect on the loss of force
associated with strenuous eccentric exercise

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE HYDRATION STATUS

Shirreffs et Maughan JAP 1997

There appears to be no difference in recovery from dehydration whether the

rehydration beverage is alcohol free or contains up to 2% alcohol, but drinks
containing 4% alcohol tend to delay the recovery process

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE HYDRATION STATUS

1h

Weight loss x 1.5

2.3%
4.8%

Desbrow et al. IJNSEM 2014

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE GLYCOGEN RESYNTHESIS

Burke et al. JAP 2003

The most important effects of alcohol

intake on glycogen resynthesis are likely
to be indirect, by interfering with the
athletes ability or interest to achieve the
recommended amounts of CHO required
for optimal glycogen restoration.
Athletes are therefore guided to follow
the guidelines for sensible use of alcohol
in sport, in conjunction with the wellsupported recommendations
for recovery eating.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE

9 male Rugby players,
2 matches: a control or alcohol ingestion session.
4 h post-match, 1 g of ethanol per kg bodyweight or a
caloric and taste-matched nonalcoholic beverage.
Testing before the match, immediately post-match, 2
hours post-, and 16 hours
Cognitive test (modified Stroop test).

Murphy et al. JSCR 2013

POST-MATCH SLEEP
13 +19 rugby players, carried out their usual post-game
behaviour

Prentice et al. JSMS 2014a,b

13 players: mean score was 2.3 = 1 4 hours!
19 players: mean score was 2.9 = 3 hours!

SLEEP DEPRIVATION & MENTAL FATIGUE

Sleep restriction can be

generally associated with:
Cognitive Performance
Alertness
Reaction Time
Memory
Decision Making
Sleepiness
Overall Mood States

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON SLEEP

Normal social drinking
(0.3 g of alcool / blood L)
Short-term moderate alcohol
consumption did not
significantly alter objective or
subjective parameters of sleep

Alcohol abuse
(1.0 g of alcool / blood L)
Influences sleep in the first half
of the night, resembling the
effectsof a short-acting hypnotic
drug, including a suppression of
phasic aspects of REM sleep.

Presence of withdrawal effects

(increased light sleep) during the
latter part of these nights

Feige et al. ECSR 2006

SLEEP DEPRIVATION & GLYCOGEN RESYNTHESIS

Baseline session and 2

consecutive-day experimental
trials separated either by a
normal nights sleep (Control) or
no sleep (SDEP1 and SDEP2)
Each session included a 30-min
graded exercise run and 50-min
intermittent-sprint exercise
protocol, including a 15-m
maximal sprint every minute and
self-paced exercise
bouts of varying intensities.

Glycogen concentration (mmol/kg dw)

10 male team-sport athletes

400
350
300
250
Sleep deprivation

200

Control

150
100
50
0

Pre

Post

Skein et al. MSSE 2011

+30h

SLEEP DEPRIVATION & GLYCOGEN RESYNTHESIS

-7 professional soccer
players,

It may be of particurar concern after a

match inducing muscle damages

- Biopsies pre, post +24h,

+48h & +72h post match.
- Controlled High CHO
diet (9.5g/kg/day)

Krustrup et al. EJAP 2011

SLEEP DEPRIVATION & GLYCOGEN RESYNTHESIS

Glycogen resynthesis (mmol/kg dw/h)

18
16
14

Gunnarsson et al. SJMSS 2013

Kiens & Richter AJP 1998
It may be of particurar concern after a
match inducing muscle damages
Cycling

12

Soccer

10
8
6
4
2
0

0-24h

24-48h

This phenomenon may be related to muscle damages.

Key role of eccentric training to reduce muscle damages!

EXCESSIVE THIRD-HALF CAN DESTROY POSTMATCH RECOVERY

Keep in mind
that recovery is
mainly about
education
Find the best way
to convince your
players!

GUIDELINES TO SURVIVE A NIGHT WITH TEAM MATES

GUIDELINES TO SURVIVE A NIGHT WITH TEAM MATES

OVERREACHING

32

TYPICAL SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH

OVERREACHING IN SOCCER PLAYERS

Brink et al. SJMSS 2012

MOST COMMON PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF NON FUNCTIONAL

OVERREACHING & THE OVERTRAINING SYNDROME

Matos et al. MSSE 2011

Potentialy exacerbated by excessive
and/or frequent third-halfs

THIRD HALF PERIODIZATION!

THIRD-HALF PERIODIZATION!
Intensive
periods of the
season,
especially when
early signs of
overreaching
are experienced

At Christmas
break & End of
the season
(with limits!)

Injured player
Occasionally during easy competitive / training periods
1 pint of beer max associated with water, protein & CHO
intake, without compromising usual bedtime

THANKS FOR YOUR

ATTENTION

@YLMSportScience
Yann LE MEUR
(page)