International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports (IJPEFS)
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Exploring the Influence of Sports on Student-Athletes’ Competitive Mindsets during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Full text linkSports aim to enhance an individual’s formation through organized physical and mental involvement. As sports participation promotes teamwork and dedication, athletes develop sportsmanship, mindfulness, and mental toughness, which brings out their confidence. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused distress and tested the resilience of people, the effects of the situation on student-athlete mindset and competitiveness remain unresolved. With Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory as its foreshadowing theory, this qualitative study focused on the experiences of 10 high school to collegiate student-athletes from a private university in Manila who were asked about their mindsets during the COVID-19 pandemic. After analyzing the data from the transcribed interviews through thematic analysis and the use of the Tracy Coding Matrix, findings revealed the effects of Bandura’s sources of self-efficacy expectations that influenced the student-athletes’ will to win, particularly performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal. The researchers found that sports affect student-athletes’ competitive mindsets by developing their traits, such as self-confidence, motivation, self-assurance, self-reformation, and wellness. Although sports participation also caused feelings of insecurity and pressure among the participants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, student-athletes were able to adapt, particularly through being supported by their environment. With this, some of the findings suggest that a social circle's presence may ignite student-athletes' drive for victory but may also demotivate them. Finally, the findings of the study may be used to understand student-athlete behavior and strategies such as positive reinforcement and goal-setting may be used to improve their mentalities
Life Skills Development Through Sports Among Student-Athletes: A Survey of Secondary Schools
Full text linkLife skills are applicable psycho-social skills and abilities to develop desirable qualities such as self-confidence and socialization. In this context, the research aims to investigate how participation in sportive activities during secondary education affects an individual's life skills. The sample group in the study consisted of 212 students, 99 female and 113 male students, studying at Private İstek 1915 Çanakkale Schools in Çanakkale province. Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS) scale was used to evaluate life skills acquired through sport. Statistical package program (SPSS 21 Version) was used to analyze the data obtained in the study. The findings of the research showed that there were differences in the life skills of the sample group according to the variables discussed. According to gender, the sub-dimension of goal setting is in favor of male students. It is seen that as the years of doing sports increase and those who play in the school team have higher life skills gains. In addition, students who play team sports have higher scores than those who play individual sports in all sub-dimensions of the scale except communication, which are time management, leadership, teamwork and goal setting. As a result, it is thought that secondary school students who play sports regularly, play in a club or school team and are directed to sports starting from an early age have more positive life skills in their future lives
Impact of Physical Education Curriculum on Academic Achievement of Higher Secondary School Students in India
Full text linkIn the present study, the researchers were mainly interested in investigating the impact of PE curriculum on the academic achievements of the Higher Secondary (HS) level (10+2) students belonging to two different educational boards in India i.e., West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). On the basis of simple randomization, one hundred eighty (N=180) HS level boys were selected from four schools (two schools from each board) as participants for the present study. Among 180 students, 120 students [60 from each educational board, WBCHSE acted as experimental Group-I (EGWB–I); CBSE acted as experimental Group-II (EGCB–II)] were so selected that they had PE as a compulsory subject and rest, 60 students [30 from each educational board, simultaneously acted as Control Group (CGWB+CB)] had either computer science or painting as a compulsory subject in place of PE. The students of EGWB–I & EGCB–II underwent two different PE curriculums as training interventions over an academic year (11 months). But the CGWB+CB did not receive any PE curriculum as a training intervention. The student’s academic achievement was measured by obtained marks in two common subjects (Bengali and English) for both boards. It was standardized through T-score and finally, composite T-score were calculated for all the subjects to draw statistical inference on academic achievement. Statistical inference on academic achievement among the groups in baseline and post-test were drawn through ANCOVA followed by Tukey's LSD post-hoc test. Significance was tested at p<.05 level. Both EGWB–I & EGCB–II showed a significant difference compared to the CGWB+CB in academic achievement. But no significant difference was observed between EGWB–I & EGCB–II. The academic achievement of the students having PE as a subject improved significantly compared to the students having no PE as a compulsory subject in both boards. But the PE curriculum in both boards was found to be equally effective for developing students' academic achievement
Acute insulin response following exercise and its association to lipid changes in sedentary African-American women
Full text linkSedentary African-American (AA) women are at increased risk of hypertension, dyslipidemias, metabolic syndrome, and impaired insulin response to exercise. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise on fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations following 1464 kJ (350 kcal) of exercise and to determine if this response was associated with serum lipid concentrations in overweight AA women. Premenopausal AA women (n = 11, mean ± SD, age = 32.5 ± 4.8 yr., BMI = 29.8 ± 4.8 kg·m-2, % fat = 35.6 ± 6.3, VO2peak = 21.5 ± 3.6 ml·kg-1·min-1, total cholesterol = 4.8 ± 0.6 mmol·L-1, triglycerides = 0.60 ± 0.2 mmol·L-1, HDLC = 3.3 ± 0.5 mg·dL-1) performed 1464 kJ (350 kcal) of treadmill exercise at 60%-70%VO2peak. Fasting plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were collected 24-h prior to, and immediately, 24-h, and 48 h following exercise. Fasting insulin concentration increased immediately following exercise (Baseline=77.1 ± 10.42 vs. Immediately=117.4 ± 15.28 μU·mL-1, 95%CI= 32.71, 47.89; P<0.05). The change in insulin concentration from 24-h pre- to 24-h post-exercise was correlated with BMI (r= 0.51), VO2peak (r= -0.47), and the change in lipoprotein lipase activity (r=0.37) (P<0.05 for all). In conclusion, in sedentary AA women, the insulin response immediately following exercise may be elevated, and is not suppressed below pre-exercise concentrations during the 48-h following exercise. The insulin response 24-h following exercise is modestly associated with markers of lipoprotein metabolism
Acute Investigation of Maximal Strength, Power and Rapid Strength Production on Lower Compartment Circuit Resistance Training of International Female Wrestling Athletes
Full text linkThe circuit resistance training is high intense and high load repetition training method completed on different sport modalities for wrestling women. A total of 10 wrestling women age mean 17 yr, height 1.63 m, body mass 54 kg, training experience 10 yrs participated in this study. Equipment and methods: To circuit resistance training determined on 1RM maximal test, gradually increase rapid strength production and lower leg power to CMJ and SJ actualized on six resistance exercises; a) hip flexion (HP), b) ankle inversion (AI), c) squat (SQ), d) hip extension (HE), e) deadlift (DE), and f) ankle eversion (AE) for wrestling women athletes on team professional sport performance. The lower compartment circuit resistance training was provided on advanced maximal load and power performance by 85% of 1RM (6 rep) high training load and (10 repetition – 20 s interval) intensity. Compared to Pre-test and Post-test that lower compartment resistance training concluded increased maximal strength for acute training load repetition and rapid strength load lifting performance and lower leg power resulted to CMJ decreased for wrestling and SJ increased for wrestling, circuit resistance training promoted high resistance load variability and minimum short time recovery on the one session non-periodic exercises performance with strength and power development. Other, experimental results for different sport modalities may be performing on maximal strength and power performance change in short recovery training phase for minimum effort rapid strength performance
Effect of Physical Educators’ Appearance and Sex on Middle School Students’ Learning Outcomes and Perceptions of Teacher Effectiveness
Full text linkPhysical Education (PE) teachers can have a great impact on the future physical activity levels of their students, and later, as adults. Professional appearance of teachers has been shown through previous research to have influence on student learning outcomes and perceptions of teacher effectiveness. This research aimed to build on prior studies to investigate the interaction between formal and informal appearance and gender of physical education teachers with middle school student learning outcomes and teacher perspectives. Four 20-minute videos were produced on the non-traditional invasion sport Tchoukball. The four videos consisted of female informal appearance, female formal appearance, male informal appearance, and male formal appearance. The videos were randomly shown to 433 middle school students located in southeastern United States followed by a post-video content examination and a teacher perception survey. Factoral ANOVAs were performed to identify any significant main effects or interactions on overall content exam, two content areas (skill technique and game strategy), and three teacher perspectives (likability, competence, and teacher as a role model). There was no significant main effect for teacher appearance and student learning outcomes. When considering sex of the teacher, there was a significant main effect for overall examination (F(1, 428) = 9.45, p < .001, η2 = .022, 1-β = .866) and for strategies ((F(1, 428) = 17.22, p < .001, η2 = .039, 1-β = .985), while nothing was found for technique-related questions. On the three teacher perspectives, no significance was found between likability and competence, however there was a main effect on the survey questions about teachers as a role model when taking teacher appearance into consideration ((F(1, 424) = 5.01, p < .001, η2 = .025, 1-β = .612)
Quality of Life and Association with Running Habits in Middle-Aged Street Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study
Full text linkThe study aimed to assess quality of life (QOL) and its association with running habits in middle-aged street runners. This is a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 33 amateur street racers (20 men and 13 women), selected for convenience in a running group in Porto Alegre-RS. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all data collection was performed online. Two questionnaires, one to assess running habits, with objective questions about the time, weekly hours of practice, and weekly training frequency, and the other to assess QoL (WHOQOL-bref) were won. As a result, street runners’ pair good levels of overall QoL (average: 77 points), as well as in the different domains of QoL (physical domain: 80 points, psychological: 78 points, social: 76 points, and environmental: 75 points, in media). The time of practice was directly associated with higher scores in the overall QoL and physical domain (P <0.01) regardless of age, weekly hours, and weekly frequency. No associations existed between age and running habits in the psychological, social, and environmental domains. The street runners in the running group evaluated showed good QoL, especially in the physical, psychological and overall QoL domains, which was directly and positively associated with the time of practice in the modality
Exploring the Developmental Practice Environment Experiences of High Performing Athletes
Full text linkThe influence and interaction of perceived experience on athlete development during deliberate practice activities is unknown. The current study aimed to explore the developmental experiences of high performing athletes during deliberate practice. Participants were 15 Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme Dual Career athletes (8 females, 7 males, aged between 17 to 18 years) enrolled in full-time UK tertiary education. Experiential data was collected through semi-structured interviews and thematically analyzed. Ten overarching themes were developed: Enjoyable Low-Pressure Practice Environment, Simulated Competition Against Others, Practice Performance Success, Challenging Environment, Supportive Relationships and Sanctuaries, Exposure to Higher Level Athletes and Different Practice Environments, Ability Status within the Practice Group, High Intensity Climate, Disruption to Practice Routine, and Practice Performance Failure. Findings revealed practice experiences to contain significant infrequent positive and consistent low-level negative experiences. To avoid spiraling negativity, participants accepted failure and used successful performance to enhance self-belief. Practitioners working within athlete development can review study findings to enhance their deliberate practice environment
Effects of Three Training Methods on the Physical Fitness in Adult Cameroonian Boxers
Full text linkThis study aimed to evaluate three training methods on the physical capacity of Cameroonians boxers in other to propose the best method for their preparation. Thus, thirty-six boxers aged twenty-three to twenty-six were recruited and divided into three groups of twelve boxers each. They were submitted to training session for eight weeks using the continuous method, the intermittent method and the mixed method for group one, two and three respectively. Anthropometric (weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI)) and physiological (Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2max), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Blood Glucose Levels (BGL) and Blood Lactic Acid concentrations (BLA)) parameters were measured before and after the training session program. Results at the end of the program showed no significant variation of Blood Glucose Level of boxers between the three groups as well as inside the same group (p>0.05). On the other hand, significant differences (p<0.05-p<0.001) in weight, BMI, SBP, DBP, VO2max and Blood Lactic Acid concentrations were observed. Indeed, weight, BMI, SBP and DBP decreased significantly (p<0.05-p<0.001), while VO2max increased significantly in the three experimental groups (p<0.05-p<0.001). The analysis of these results reveals that the group having practiced the mixed training method showed the strongest rates of increase in VO2max (67.8±5.00 ml/min/kg). In addition, their VO2max at the end of the experimentation is largely above the average value defined by literature (64.8 ml/min/kg). This can justify the choice of the mixed training method for the physical preparation of Cameroonian boxers
Effects of A 3-Week Modified Complex Training on Athletic Performance of Women's National Basketball Players
Full text linkBasketball is one of the popular sports in the world, and physical performance is becoming increasingly important in basketball as the game evolves. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a 3-week modified complex training on athletic performance of women's national basketball players. An experimental study involved the participation of 12 highly trained female basketball players (national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Observed variables before and after 3-weeks of modified complex training were 300 yards test, 20-yards test, lane agility and beep test. Means and standard deviations for each of the variables were calculated, and differences pre-to-post performance changes were examined using a paired sample t-test. Three weeks of specific complex training sessions show a statistically significant increase in all tested variables, 300 yards (p≤.001); 20 yards (p≤.001); Lane agility (p≤.001) and beep test (p=.028). It can be concluded that applied complex training program has significantly improved studied parameters of condition preparation of elite female basketball players