Complex network applied to athletes and moderately active subjects' of both sexes in 30-second all-out test

Complex network analysis (CNA) has been widely used to identify the most influential parameters in athletic performance. Therefore, the 30-second all-out running test (AO30) on a non-motorized treadmill (NMT) is the most used protocol in this type of analysis. However, fitness level and subject's sex may influence which parameters are most decisive in the result of this test. Thus, the aim of the study was to analyze the performance parameters most associated with AO30 in subjects of different conditioning levels and sex.

Data from 72 participants (36 men and 36 women; age: 21±5 years, body mass: 73.22±12.26 kg; height: 1.79±0.1 m); classified as moderately active and basketball athletes were accessed. Mechanical (force, power, velocity and their respective fatigue indexes), anthropometric (body mass, height and BMI) and physiological parameters (blood lactate concentration and estimation of lactic anaerobic energy contribution) data obtained were analyzed. In sequence, the centrality metrics degree, betweenness, eigenvector and PageRank calculations for scenarios moderately active men (MMA), men basketball athletes (MPA), moderately active women (WMA) and women basketball athletes (WPA) were made.

There was a great influence of mean power for MMA and WPA. On the other hand, WMA a presented blood lactate relative to body mass as the most influential variable and MPA obtained body mass, maximum power and mean force as the most prestigious variables in the CNA.

Sex and conditioning level can influence the most important parameters in the AO30 in NMT.