Departamento Comunicación y Educación

Eccentric-concentric Ratio: A Key Factor for Defining Strength Training in Soccer

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Eccentric-concentric Ratio: A Key Factor for Defining Strength Training in Soccer Nuñez, Francisco Javier; de Hoyo, Moisés; Muñoz-López, Alejandro; Sañudo, Borja; Otero-Esquina, Carlos; Sánchez, Hugo; Gonzalo-Skok, Oliver The aims of this study were to analyse the effect of chronic strength training over concentric power (CON), eccentric power (ECC), ECC/CON ratio, and 20 m linear sprint performance in elite young soccer players. Twenty young elite Spanish soccer players were assigned to an experimental group (CPG) which performed a front-step exercise using a conical pulley, 2–3 sets of 6 repetitions each leg, during 9 weeks (CPG, n = 10) in addition to its usual strength training, or to a control group (CG, n = 10). The improvements in the ECC mean power (36 %, ES = 1.61), and ECC / CON ratio (17 %, ES = 1.77) were substantially greater in the CPG than in the CG while the CON mean power (16 %, ES = 0.83) was substantially greater in the CG than in the CPG. The sprinting time for 10 m (2.8 %, ES = 0.78) and the 10 m flying time between 10–20 m (1.72 %, ES = 0.41) were substantially enhanced in CPG and CG respectively. To be efficient when defining a functional strength training and performance increments using an inertial device, the mean power output need to be measured during the CON and ECC phases and an analysis of the ECC / CON ratio should be included.

Reliability, responsiveness, & construct validity of the V-cut test in football players

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Reliability, responsiveness, & construct validity of the V-cut test in football players Gonzalo-Skok, Oliver The present study aimed to assess the reliability, responsiveness, and age-related and competitive level differences of a 25-m change of direction (COD) maneuver (V-cut test) in football players. Two-hundred and eighty-nine male football players performed the V-cut test. Thirty-four players underwent the test on two occasions, separated by 5-7 days, to assess test-retest reliability. Eighty-six young players performed the V-cut test three times, separated by 12 weeks, to analyze responsiveness. Finally, 89 young players of different ages (U-15 to U-20) and 80 adult players of different competitive levels performed the V-cut test several times throughout the season to examine between-group differences. Reliability scores showed a high intraclass correlation coefficient ((ICC)=0.94) and a low coefficient of variation ((CV)=0.8%). The responsiveness was dependent on the maturity status, showing a positive response in those players who were pre- (short-term p < 0.05) or post-PHV (short- and long-term p < 0.05), though PHV did not exceed minimal detectable change. Age-related (Effect size [ES]:0.93-5.68) and competitive-level differences (ES: 0.57-1.96) analysis reported better V-cut test performance as age and competitive-level increased in football players. The V-cut test is reliable for assessing COD ability and can be used to monitor COD ability depending on maturity, allowing it to differentiate between players of different ages and levels.

Contextual factors affect match sprinting demands and effective playing time in Spanish professional football

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Contextual factors affect match sprinting demands and effective playing time in Spanish professional football Galiano, Carlos; Gómez-Piqueras, Pedro; Piernas, Alberto; Gonzalo-Skok, Oliver Sprinting demands are a key factor in football. While effective playing time seems to affect them, there is a lack of information related to contextual factors. The present study aimed to compare effective playing time according to the level of the opponent and competition division, and to compare sprinting distance and the number of sprints, accounting for effective playing time, in relation to contextual variables such as match location, match final outcome, and match difficulty across the First and Second Spanish Divisions. All matches from the 2021/22 season in the First (n = 380) and the Second (n = 462) Spanish Divisions were analysed. Two variables were used to determine the physical performance: the total distance covered at speeds above 24 km/h and the number of efforts made at speeds above 24 km/h relative to effective playing time (m · min−1 and sprints · min−1). Difficulty-4 matches (teams qualified 1st to 5th) exhibited higher effective playing time than all other difficulty levels in both the First (p < 0.001; ES > 0.71) and the Second Division (p < 0.004; ES > 0.30). The sprint demands showed a significant effect of difficulty (p < 0.001), with lower sprint activity recorded in level-4 matches, a significant effect of match outcome (p < 0.001), with winning teams performing a greater sprint activity and a significant effect of location (p < 0.001), with teams performing a greater sprint activity in home matches. Effective playing time and sprinting demands show variation according to when top-tier teams (1st to 5th) are involved. Finally, winning and playing at home may be related to slightly superior sprinting demands.

El pensamiento crítico frente a la desinformación: desarrollo de una intervención educativa basada en la evidencia en estudiantes universitarios

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

El pensamiento crítico frente a la desinformación: desarrollo de una intervención educativa basada en la evidencia en estudiantes universitarios Marcos Vílchez, José Manuel La desinformación se ha consolidado como un problema estructural de alcance global, capaz de erosionar la confianza pública, condicionar decisiones y debilitar la cohesión social, con impacto directo en la calidad democrática. Hoy figura entre las principales preocupaciones ciudadanas y es prioridad para gobiernos, organismos internacionales y la academia. Su magnitud obedece a la convergencia de varios factores: la digitalización del ecosistema informativo y los nuevos hábitos de consumo; el descrédito de medios tradicionales frente a la expansión de internet y las redes sociales (RR.SS.); la intermediación algorítmica y la economía de la atención en entornos de sobreabundancia informativa; y la irrupción de la inteligencia artificial (IA) generativa, entre otros. Esta concurrencia amplifica el fenómeno y diversifica sus manifestaciones, que van desde errores no intencionales hasta estrategias coordinadas con fines políticos o económicos, operando incluso en campañas transnacionales y como amenazas híbridas ligadas a conflictos geopolíticos. El resultado es un incremento de la vulnerabilidad social, especialmente entre la población joven, más expuesta a las plataformas y RRSS, que configura un desafío multifactorial y exige respuestas coordinadas. Como parte de la solución, la educación cumple una función esencial al promover capacidades y destrezas que permiten comprender, evaluar y actuar en entornos informativos complejos, construyendo resiliencia mediante la alfabetización mediática e informacional (AMI) y el pensamiento crítico (PC). En particular, el PC se considera una competencia clave del siglo XXI, imprescindible para evaluar la credibilidad de las fuentes, argumentar con rigor, autorregular sesgos y tomar decisiones informadas. No obstante, es un constructo complejo cuya operacionalización y evaluación plantean desafíos, especialmente al aplicarlo al problema de la desinformación y al articularlo, sin confundirlo, con la AMI. Una formulación de referencia es la de Peter Facione (1990), quien, tras un consenso de expertos, definió el PC como un juicio intencional y autorregulado que integra habilidades cognitivas (interpretación, análisis, evaluación, inferencia, explicación y autorregulación) junto con disposiciones (búsqueda de la verdad, apertura de mente, sistematicidad, sentido analítico, curiosidad intelectual, confianza en la razón y prudencia/madurez de juicio). La evidencia indica que su desarrollo es más eficaz cuando ambas dimensiones se abordan de forma explícita, sistemática e intencional, mediante metodologías de enseñanza-aprendizaje activas y cooperativas que implican al alumnado en tareas auténticas sobre casos reales. En este contexto, la educación superior (ES) asume la responsabilidad de formar profesionales y ciudadanos íntegros y críticos, capaces de desenvolverse y tomar decisiones en escenarios de posverdad. Desde esta necesidad, la tesis sostiene la hipótesis de que desarrollar el PC es una respuesta educativa eficaz para reducir la vulnerabilidad a la desinformación y reforzar la resiliencia social, situando a la universidad como actor clave del empoderamiento ciudadano, con especial atención al alumnado de Comunicación y Periodismo (el futuro de los medios).; En abierto se puede consultar la parte no embargada de la Tesis Doctoral