REPRODUCIBILITY AND VALIDITY OF INCREMENTAL MULTIBALL EXERCISE TABLE TENNIS TEST BASED ON THE MATCH STRUCTURE

The purpose of this study was to develop an incremental table tennis Multiball exercise protocol based on competitive match structure to evaluate players' specific table tennis skills and physiological capacities. The study evaluated the test's capacity to distinguish between players with varying performance levels (elite international, national, subelite) and weekly training hours (<12-14+ hours), to assess its discriminant and concurrent validity. Eighteen players took part in the study. The test was conducted three time within a 10-day period to assess the intersession reproducibility. The protocol included six distinct 90-second Multiball levels with varying ball placement and rotation (point situations), delivered by a table tennis robot at increasing balls/min frequencies with a 1-minute rest period between. The study assessed the accuracy and error rates, calculated the corresponding percentages, which were then transformed into a performance index. The test design and intensity were suitable, as evidenced by the significant changes observed in all the physiological parameters measured (Heart Rate variability, Lactate threshold and muscle oxygenation). Total accuracy score and errors show’s good reliability considering intersession reproducibility (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.9). The validity analyses using the Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed significant differences between players of varying performance levels in accuracy scores (H(2)=16.702, p= .000, ES=0.29) and error rates (H(2)=31.789, p= .000, ES=0.58), as well as differences based on weekly training time in accuracy (H(2)=27.661, p= .000, ES=0.50) and (H(2)=19.386, p= .000, ES=0.34), favoring higher-skilled players and those with more training hours. This study shows the test is reliable and reproducible.