Four-Week Unstructured Break Improved Athletic Performance in Collegiate Rugby Players

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Athletic Performance

Background:

• Collegiate athletes often undergo seasonal breaks.
• The impact of unstructured breaks on athletic performance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in athletic performance and anthropometric characteristics in collegiate male club rugby athletes after a 4-week unstructured winter break.

Main Methods:

• 14 collegiate male club rugby athletes underwent testing before and after a 4-week break.
• Measurements included body composition (BMI, hydrostatic weighing) and performance metrics (V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, vertical jump, sprint, squat max, bench press max).
• Participants self-reported nutrition and activity logs.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (5.0%), vertical jump (6.8%), and squat max (14.3%).
• Body mass increase was not significant, but body fat percentage increased by 19.3%.
• Self-reported logs indicated >3 days/week of moderate-to-intense activity but poor dietary habits.

Conclusions:

• Collegiate rugby athletes may not require prescribed exercise during breaks.
• Structured nutritional advice could be beneficial during unsupervised periods to mitigate body composition changes.