International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports (IJPEFS)
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Soccer Specific Fitness Differences Across the Common Playing Position Players
Get PDFAs a complex team sport, success in soccer relies on individuals’ performance, collective performance, and most importantly on team performance. In soccer, players are usually assigned to a specific position based on the demands of the position and the corresponding qualities of the players. The performance factors are varied and interrelated. As such, whether speed, change-of-direction-speed (CODS) and repeated sprinting ability (RSA) are used to discriminate different position players is not well-established. The purpose of this study was to examine how different position players are different against these parameters. The study participants included 88 soccer players at the Ethiopian National Soccer League classified into six playing positions such as centerbacks, fullbacks, holding-midfielders, attacking-midfielders, outside-midfielders and strikers. The participant players speed, CODS and RSA were measured weekly for about five weeks. The authors analyzed the collected data using one-way ANOVA and Games-Howell multiple comparisons. Results indicated that the position discriminating power of the three measures, including speed, CODS and RSA was found minimal. Among the different position players, only outside-midfielders were significantly higher performers with these qualities measured. Therefore, it was concluded that the performance difference in speed, CODS and RSA among the six position players is not a good discriminator, except for outside-midfielders, who outperformed all other position players (excluding the fullbacks) with the studied parameters
A Required College Wellness Course Changes Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Physical Activity
Get PDFWe examined effects of a required college health and wellness course on students’ physical activity (PA) attitudes and behaviors. A survey based on models of behavior change was emailed (September 2016 – May 2017) to all students at a liberal arts college. Of 408 students who responded, 217 had completed the course and 191 had not. Students who had taken the course reported more confidence in their ability to improve their physical fitness; found more encouragement from cues to action; and met recommended guidelines for weekly PA more than students who had not taken the course. Compared to males, females had less confidence in their ability to increase PA and improve fitness and overall health. Females perceived barriers to PA as more discouraging and cues to action as less encouraging. Data showed a required college health and wellness course altered students’ PA attitudes and behaviors
Effectiveness of plyometric exercises to improve muscular strength and digital achievement for students in shot put
Get PDFTo identify the effectiveness of plyometric exercises to improve muscular strength and achievement in shot put event by students (20-22 years old). The researchers used an experimental method; the sample was formed by students belonging to the institute of physical education & sports, University of Mostaganem (Algeria). Thus it was the application of the experimental method was applied on a sample of third-year students (males) of 45 students divided into two groups, first control group of 22 students and an experimental group of 23 students. While the tests used were (strength test, achievement test). After the treatment of the results by statistical means, and through these results it have been reached several conclusions of them, plyometric Exercises to develop muscular strength and achievement in shot put [discussion significant difference (*p≤0.05)]. And best improve of the experimental sample based on plyometric exercises compared to the control sample, which rely more on the technical side only in shot put event
Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Executive Functioning, and Stress: Exploring a Process Model in Adolescents
Get PDFThe association of trait mindfulness with emotional well-being has been found to be mediated by executive functioning. However, there is little empirical evidence on this process in adolescents. Therefore, this study tested these associations using an adolescent sample participating in a physical education yoga class. This study extended previous research by also including self-compassion and state mindfulness in addition to trait mindfulness. A prospective design employed a pilot yoga curriculum in a high school physical education class. Adolescents (N = 20) completed assessments of trait mindfulness and self-compassion at baseline, state mindfulness experienced during yoga classes over the 12 week physical education yoga class, and six indices of executive functioning and stress at the end of the 12 weeks. Path analysis was used to test the process model found by Short with the extensions of self-compassion and state mindfulness. Self-compassion directly predicted problems with activity level impulse control and indirectly predicted stress. When self-compassion did not predict specific executive functioning indicators, state mindfulness experienced in yoga predicted stress. This study contributes preliminary evidence that suggests further research into the unique effects of trait and state mindfulness as well as self-compassion on adolescent cognitive and affective outcomes. Results support the use of contemplative practices, such as yoga, in adolescent physical education as a strategy to boost emotion regulation processes
Formation of the sensorimotor operation pattern from a system-theoretical perspective
Get PDFThe starting point to the analyzes presented in this paper is the fact that the primary task for the nervous system – both central and peripheral – of living creatures is the control of movements. The only result of any mental process, the only way to influence the environment, aimed at producing desired results in environment, is the movement. These issues make the subject of the discipline of science termed motor control. In this field, the efficiency of mathematics is highly disputable. On the other hand, the promising tool for knowledge ordering seems to be the systems theory. For its invention Ludwig von Bertalanffy is credited (1968). However, already in late 1940s such an approach has been presented by Nikolai A. Bernstein. His theory is commonly regarded as a cornerstone of modern motor control. Basing on evolutionary and neurophysiological knowledge, he invented a systemic model termed “brain skyscraper”, structural in its essence. It was possible to invent the slightly simplified, parallel model of functional nature, termed “modalities’ ladder”, founding upon information processing. The practical application of the ladder in teaching of motor operations, presented in this paper, is termed “one level higher” principle. An important outcome of the modalities’ ladder is also its specific, function oriented, systemic ordering of motor control terminology
Lifting the Mind: A Case Study of Applied Sport Psychology in Powerlifting
Get PDFThe sport of powerlifting has extensive research within the areas of physical and physiological training and the impact these factors have on competitive performance, yet there is a lack of research examining the impact applied mental training has on meet performance. Over the course of this four-month sport psychology intervention, the case of Matt highlights the positive psychological, emotional, and competitive effects applied mental training can have on an elite powerlifter. Examining topics such as training burnout and staleness, competitive goal setting and self-talk, and in – competition arousal control and energy management, this study’s results suggests the importance the growing field of applied sport and exercise psychology may play in the emerging sport of powerlifting. Though case study in nature, the qualitative reports and significant quantitative results of this case will hopefully reshape the way trainers, coaches, and athletes think about powerlifting meet preparation, on and off the platform
Solving the Acoustic Issue in Physical Education Settings
Get PDFThe audibility of teachers and peers is an essential factor in determining the academic performance of school children. However, acoustic conditions in physical education settings are less than optimal and have been viewed as “hostile listening environments” that undermine the learning of children in school. While typical classroom teachers are faced with many voice concerns, gymnasiums with poor acoustics, covered areas, and outdoor teaching environments can be more challenging to the voices of physical education teachers. They often rely on shouting instructions over noises and hope their students will hear and understand. This article reviews current acoustic research in classrooms and in physical education settings and future actions designed to improve sound issues and their related policies
Physical performance measures following ten weeks of taekwondo training in children: A pilot study
Get PDFThe primary purpose was to examine changes in balance, lower extremity (LE) power and flexibility following 10 weeks of taekwondo (TKD) training and to determine if this was different in children classified as healthy weight (HW) and overweight (OW)/obese. Participants included 17 children (HW: n = 11, OW/obese: n = 6). Data were collected on balance, LE power and flexibility at baseline and 10 weeks. Balance was assessed with eyes open in normal (NSEO), tandem (TSEO), single (SLEO) stances and with eyes closed for normal (NSEC) and tandem (TSEC) stances. Center of pressure displacements in mediolateral (Xavg) and anteroposterior (Yavg) directions; and average velocity (Vavg) were calculated. Analyses included two-way ANOVA and Mann Whitney U tests (P < 0.05). Balance data indicated significant interaction effects for Xavg in NSEO, Yavg in TSEO; time effects for Yavg in NSEO, NSEC and SLEO and Vavg in SLEO conditions. A significant group effect was shown for Vavg in the NSEO, NSEC and TSEO and for Yavg in TSEC conditions. Flexibility decreased significantly with TKD. Findings suggest that 10 weeks of TKD training may improve balance in children, and OW/obese group may have greater improvements in balance with eyes open compared to their peers
The more sleep – the better the physical state? An analysis from running
No full textStudies focusing on effects of sleep on physical performance respectively running are sparse. In the younger past knowledge evoked that sleep debt has many effects on dietary intake and predisposes adiposity or diabetes. It is suggested that the current obesity epidemic is also caused by sleep dept which influences endocrine homeostasis (Leptin, Ghrelin, Neuropeptide Y, galanin, orexin, and insulin homeostasis) and affects eating behavior in consequence. Especially glucose homeostasis is strongly coupled with endurance capacity respectively running performance. Sleep debt goes in with a dysregulation of the Melatonin system affecting ACTH-Cortisol Homeostasis while having effects on running performance. Running has positive effects on sleep quality but the counter mechanism that good sleep improves running performance is only partly elucidated. However, sufficient sleep is of highest importance for improving personal best times and hard training days are only possible with adequate sleep. When looking forward newest findings indicate that hard training days go in with a reduced sleep efficiency underlying the complex mechanism remaining to be elucidated
Internal load in elite young soccer players during a whole season according to playing positions
Get PDFThe aims of this study were 1) to compare the internal load, measured as session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE), between training sessions and official matches among playing positions in young elite soccer players and 2) to analyze the s-RPE association between training and official match-play. Nineteen young elite soccer players who competed in the Spanish First Division Under-19 Championship participated in this study. Internal load was registered during 120 training sessions and during 30 official matches. Only the players who participated in all the weekly sessions and played at least 70 min were included in the further analysis. No significant differences (P > 0.05, ES = -0.57/0.62) among playing positions were found in the s-RPE registered by soccer players in training sessions, official matches nor in the total sessions. On the other side, higher s-RPE was observed during trainings in comparison to matches in each playing position (P < 0.001, ES = 5.51-30.77). However, no association was observed between training s-RPE and match s-RPE for the whole of the players (P = 0.60, r = 0.04), nor for each specific playing positions (P = 0.29-0.89, r = -0.11/0.16). These findings could be useful for coaches in order to plan the distribution of the weekly training load. Nonetheless, it is also suggested that internal load monitoring cannot be confidently used, in isolation, as a tool to detect differences in the matchplay demands, attending to playing positions, in young soccer players. Thus, the use of both internal (i.e., s-RPE) and external (i.e., global positioning system measures) load is suggested to manage the training and match load and to prescribe the training sessions appropriately