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Key somatic variables associated with, and differences between the 4 swimming strokes
Get PDFThis study identified key somatic and demographic characteristics that benefit all swimmers and, at the same time, identified further characteristics that benefit only specific swimming strokes. Three hundred sixty-three competitive-level swimmers (male [n = 202]; female [n = 161]) participated in the study. We adopted a multiplicative, allometric regression model to identify the key characteristics associated with 100 m swimming speeds (controlling for age). The model was refined using backward elimination. Characteristics that benefited some but not all strokes were identified by introducing stroke-by-predictor variable interactions. The regression analysis revealed 7 “common” characteristics that benefited all swimmers suggesting that all swimmers benefit from having less body fat, broad shoulders and hips, a greater arm span (but shorter lower arms) and greater forearm girths with smaller relaxed arm girths. The 4 stroke-specific characteristics reveal that backstroke swimmers benefit from longer backs, a finding that can be likened to boats with longer hulls also travel faster through the water. Other stroke-by-predictor variable interactions (taken together) identified that butterfly swimmers are characterized by greater muscularity in the lower legs. These results highlight the importance of considering somatic and demographic characteristics of young swimmers for talent identification purposes (i.e., to ensure that swimmers realize their most appropriate strokes)
The Effects of Integrating Children From Lower And Upper Primary School Years During Lunch Times On Physical Activity And Social Behavior
Get PDFThe present study examined physical activity (PA) and play behaviors of primary school children (N = 210) during segregated and mixed age group play. We hypothesised that providing more choice regarding who to play with would (1) increase PA and (2) reduce anti-social behaviors among children. In a mixed-method design, lunch time observations were recorded using the System for Observing Children’s Activity and Relationships during Play (SOCARP, Ridgers et al., 2010). These were completed whilst children were physically separated by lower (hereafter referred to as key-stage-one: four-seven years of age) and upper (hereafter referred to as key-stage-two: eight-11 years of age) primary year play, and following integrated age group play. Two playground supervisors and the head teacher were interviewed to ascertain perceptions of behavior under the two conditions. Observational results indicated moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) increased significantly for mixed play. Significant reductions in anti-social physical behaviors were also observed post-integration. Qualitative results indicate playground supervisors and the head teacher perceived increased post-integration PA to improve post lunch break classroom behavior and reduce anti-social physical and verbal behaviors. Findings illustrate the benefits of mixed age group play for increased physical activity and pro-social behaviors
The influence of COVID-19 measures in the United Kingdom on physical activity levels, perceived physical function and mood in older adults: A survey-based observational study
Get PDFIn early 2020, the spreading Coronavirus (COVID-19) prompted the government in the United Kingdom to introduce self-isolation and social distancing measures to reduce its transmission. By doing so, opportunities for physical activity were likely reduced, potentially causing detrimental effects to older adults. Therefore, the present study investigated the influence of the initial six weeks of lockdown on physical activity levels, perceived physical function and mood in older adults. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods, observational study was conducted using self-administered, fortnightly online surveys throughout the UK between 21st March–4th May 2020. A total of 117 participants (52 males [age: 76±4 years] and 65 females [age: 76±4 years]) completed all surveys. Highly active older adults (n=58) maintained their activity levels, while those with low (n=7)/ moderate activity (n=52) levels increased their physical activity during lockdown (ps=99.85%). Subsequently, perception of physical function was maintained across lockdown. Although, the aspect of mood; depression increased for both sexes during lockdown (ps=95.90%;>0.3 AU), there was a weak relationship between mood subscales and physical activity. Despite the maintenance/ increase in PA of our sample, depression continued to increase over the course of lockdown
Deportment, Emotion and Moderation at the Glasgow Assembly, 1638
Get PDFThis article explores emotion and behaviour at the Glasgow Assembly in 1638. Whereas the assembly is usually viewed as a masterclass of gerrymandering and control, this article investigates the ways in which participants at the assembly understood the importance of how they behaved, as well as what they said. While both Covenanters and supporters of the Crown were eager to emphasise the ways they moderated their behaviour, they also witnessed intense bouts of emotional drama. The unrestrained nature of these outbursts underlines the complex relationship between utterance, behaviour and emotion in early modern Calvinism and in Covenanted Scotland, in particular
Losing Oneself: Tutorial Innovations as potential drivers of extrinsic motivation and poor wellbeing in university students.
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to examine the impact of an educational innovation, here Personal Development Planning (PDP), on student attitudes to learning when located within tutorial processes across a range of departmental and institutional settings at a single UK university. Departments were purposively chosen in accordance with Clegg & Bradley’s (2006) conceptualizations of PDP as relating to the type of development being sought from their students, here framed as employment, academic or professional. Drawing on a Sartrean Existential ontology and Self-Determination Theory, interviews with staff and students were analysed using Giorgio’s (1975) existential phenomenological method in order to explore the relationship between PDP, the tutor process and their impact on the intrinsic motivation of students. The study found that the presence of PDP within the tutor systems explored commonly alienated students from the tutor/tutee process. External or structural requirements too often replaced student need and with that the relevance of the tutor process was diminished. The study also found that the projection of lecturer identities and expectations were reinforced through the introduction of PDP to tutor support systems, and that due to perceived incongruences between individual students and the characteristics held by those lecturers as academic and professional exemplars the perceived significance of tutoring was still further reduced. The conclusion was reached that the application of external outcomes to the tutor process reduced student autonomy, competence and relatedness and subsequently produced anxiety in many students through a perceived inability to act in accordance with those external demands
The dose–response relationship between training-load measures and aerobic fitness in elite academy soccer players
Get PDFThe aim of the current study is to examine the dose-response relationships between training load (TL) measures and the consequent changes in aerobic fitness. Data were collected over the 6-week pre-season period in elite youth soccer players. Participants completed a lactate threshold test to identify changes in treadmill speed at 2 mmol·l-1 (S2) and 4 mmol·l-1 (S4). Internal TL was quantified with the following training impulse (TRIMP) methods: Banister TRIMP, Edwards TRIMP, Lucia TRIMP, individual TRIMP (iTRIMP) and rate of perceived exertion was also collected. External TL measures were total distance, PlayerLoad, high speed running (14.4-19.8 km·h-1), very high-speed running (19.8-25.2 km·h-1) and maximal sprint distance (>25.2 km·h-1). Individual high-speed distance was derived from each participants treadmill speed at S4. Different Bayesian regression models were run with different likelihood functions. The best fitting models with both the lowest out-of-sample prediction error and the highest variance explained (R2) were used. iTRIMP had the strongest relationships with changes in S2 (r=0.93, R2=0.90) and S4 (r=0.88, R2=0.82). Explained variance ranged from 10%-69% and 11%-38% for all other internal TL measures and external measures respectively. In summary, the iTRIMP method demonstrates a dose-response relationship with changes in aerobic fitness in elite youth soccer players
Assessing the Wider Implementation of the SHARP Principles: Increasing Physical Activity in Primary Physical Education
Get PDFTo assess the wider application of the SHARP (Stretching whilst moving, High repetition of
skills, Accessibility, Reducing sitting and standing, and Promotion of physical activity) Principles
intervention on children’s moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in physical education (PE),
when applied by teachers and coaches. A quasi-experimental intervention was employed in nine
primary schools (experimental, n = 6: control, n = 3) including teachers (n = 10), coaches (n = 4),
and children (aged 5 to 11 years, n = 84) in the West Midlands, UK. Practitioners applied the SHARP
Principles to PE lessons, guided by an innovative behaviour change model. The System for Observing
Fitness and Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to measure children’s MVPA in 111 lessons at pre-
(n = 60) and post-intervention (n = 51). Seven interviews were conducted post-intervention to explore
practitioners’ perceptions. Two-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) revealed that teachers increased
children’s MVPA by 27.7%. No statistically significant change in children’s MVPA was observed when
taught by the coaches. The qualitative results for teachers were ‘children’s engagement’, a ‘pedagogical
paradigm shift’, and ‘relatedness’; and for coaches ‘organisational culture’ and ‘insufficient support
and motivation’. The SHARP Principles intervention is the most effective teaching strategy at
increasing MVPA in primary PE when taught by school based staff (rather than outsourced coaches),
evidencing increases almost double that of any previously published study internationally and
demonstrating the capacity to influence educational policy and practice internationally
Exploring methods of training the actor/puppeteer in healthcare: a Socratic dialogue
Get PDFThis article explores the role of Puppetry as an engaging tool in Applied Theatre practice with children in Healthcare. Inspired by the Socratic Dialogue, the authors have chosen to explore their experiential understanding and how this forms their views of performing in clinical settings in the form of a dialogue between the pedagogue and the student. Together they refer to experience gained during the Community and Applied Drama Laboratory (CADLab) projects in hospital. They explore possible methods of training community actors and puppeteers who may be interested in working with children in-patients. Questions were cultivated throughout the dialogue as evidence of a spontaneous and democratic communication between the pedagogue and the student about a shared passion
“I needed to go backwards before going forwards”: A psychosocial case study exploring the interweaving of desistance and professional youth worker identity formation.
Get PDFThis paper seeks to illuminate some implications of the promotion of men with their own history of violence as role models to young men involved in violence by exploring the interweaving of desistance and professional youth worker identity formation. It does this via an in-depth, longitudinal case study of a man (Mark) undergoing professional youth work training in the UK. It follows Mark for 5 years as he attempts to leave his violent offending as a football hooligan behind him and construct a new non-violent professional identity as a youth worker. A psychosocial reading of Mark’s story explores the psychic and social forces that drove his violent behaviour; how removing one-self permanently from violent social milieus can be difficult for men like Mark, and the challenges of moving into a professional youth worker role. I argue that the case study exemplifies how other trainee youth professionals like Mark may struggle to meet the demands inherent in professional roles such as youth work. If not given the time and space to “go backwards before going forwards” and build high levels of reflexive awareness, there is a risk that their practice may have limited desistance promoting potential and even that they may return to the more troubling aspects of their former selves. The paper concludes that training and continuing professional development regimes, when designed with men like Mark in mind, might benefit from the distinctive perspectives on violence, identity formation and desistance that psychosocial analysis can offer