2016 Volume 15 Pages 25-32
This study aimed to examine the turn characteristics in the multistage 20-m shuttle running test and to investigate method of define to turn characteristics by individual differences among rugby players. Fifteen university rugby players and 4 university long distance runners underwent the multistage 20-m shuttle running test. The head of each subject was digitized and its two-dimensional coordinate data was reconstructed by using the direct linear transformation method. The running locus and acceleration during the turns in the shuttle were calculated from the two-dimensional data. The turning locus of the rugby players was different from that of the long distance runners. Almost all the rugby players turned with a linear locus, whereas all long distance runners, in contrast, turned with an ellipsoidal locus. However, there were no individual differences among the rugby players. Therefore, using mixed models assessed difference in increases of acceleration among individuals. The results of model comparison suggest that the turn characteristics during shuttle running were determined by increases of acceleration during the turn because individual differences have an effect on this particular characteristic. Thus, in the multistage 20-m shuttle running test, an account of the turn characteristics was important, with the exception of the number of shuttles.
