196,382 research outputs found
Cognitive Training in Soccer: Where Is the Key Point?
No full textCognitive skills and executive function, in the last years become a golden reference to increase attention social skills and sport success. In particular, soccer is an open skills sport that requires a constant demand of cognitive skills and executive function because the unstable environment defines the decision making. Thus, modern soccer trainer changes the approach avoiding massive conditional exercises and introducing small side games. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what the cognitive training is and what could be an adequate stimulation to improve the executive function in soccer player
Fitness differences according to BMI categories: a new point of view.
No full textMany studies have reported negative association between fitness level and BMI categories but the lack of body weight correction and and the systematic use of physical endurance test made these differences controversial. Thus, the aim of this study was the assessment of physical fitness level associated to BMI using alternative tests.
METHODS:
BMI was calculated as body mass/stature2 while fitness level was assessed using field test. In particular, Sit and Reach (SAR), Standing Broad Jump (SBJ), Shuttle Run Test 5mx 10 (SHR), Sit ups (SUP), Bent arm hang (BAH) were assessed in 2545 students. Subsequently, normal weight/overweight/obesity/underweight/thinness students were classified according to the cut-off points defined in literature and then the relative fitness results.
RESULTS:
The performances in SBJ showed very low differences between BMI categories such as for SUP test. The effects size in SHR were low or close to moderate while in BAH thin students revealed high performance than normal/overweight peers. In SAR test no clear trends in the BMI categories were observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
All test (exluding BAH) were similar for normal, overweight and thin students. This finding can be useful to teachers to encourage over/under-weighted students to adopt active life style because they are close to normal weight counterparts
ROMS+BEC coupled model output for the northern Benguela upwelling system
No full textData from a coupled ROMS+BEC (Shchepetkin and McWilliams, 2006; Moore et al. 2013; Frischknecht et al. 2018) hindcast simulation for February-June 2018. The coupled model was run on a northern Benguela upwelling system regular grid of horizontal resolution of 3.3 km, using a vertical sigma-layer coordinate. Original model output was saved in the form of 3D daily means. These NetCDF files contain model output that was post-processed for the creation of figures included in a submitted manuscript (preliminary title "Mesopelagic particle layers of the hypoxic northern Benguela are shaped by diel vertical migration, zooplankton communities and near shore currents." by Lovecchio et al.). A description of the model setup and an evaluation of the model are provided in the manuscript and its supplement. This model run was created to complement and upscale in-situ glider SL405 data collected in the same period in the northern Benguela (published here doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.938221). ROMS-BEC_data_Figure8a_FigureSA6.nc file contains day-mean modelled particulate organic carbon, oxygen and velocities subsampled in proximity of glider SL405 for the entire model output period February-June 2018. ROMS-BEC_data_Figure8bcd.nc contains 2D fields of particulate organic carbon, velocities and oxygen averaged between 200-300 m depth or sliced vertically at 18S, in the proximity of the glider SL405 position, for day 08 May 2018 of the model simulation. ROMS-BEC_data_FigureSB* files contain February-June 2018 meanmodelled temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, sea surface height and oxygen fields used for model evaluation
Identifying the optimal body shape and composition associated with strength outcomes in children and adolescent according to place of residence: an allometric approach
No full textThe purpose of the study was to identify the optimal body shape and composition associated with physical fitness levels of children living in urban and rural areas of Italy. A total of 7102 children (11–14 years) were assessed for weight, height, percentage body fat (FM%), sit-and-reach flexibility (SAR), standing broad jump (SBJ) and sit-ups (SUP). A multiplicative allometric model, Y = a · massk1 · heightk2 ·ε, was used to predict the physical outcome variables Y = SBJ and SUP. The model was expanded to incorporate FM% and SAR as follows Y = a · massk1 · heightk2 · FM%k3 · exp(b· FM% + c· SAR) ·ε. Note that FM% was incorporated as a “gamma function” that allows an initial growth, and subsequent decline in Y as FM% increases in size. Although having an ectomorph body shape appears advantageous, being too thin appears detrimental to the strength outcomes. Being flexible would also benefit physical fitness levels. Finally, our results indicate that ursban children aged 11–14 have superior strength outcomes compared with rural children, having controlled for differences in body shape and composition, a finding that may be associated with rural environments having fewer exercise facilities compared with urban conurbations
Evaluation of bone strength in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using a multisite quantitative ultrasound device: a cross-sectional observational study
No full textBACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) si a multifactorialdisease whose pathogenetic and prognostic factors are yet to be disclosed. Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) was found in up to 30%of patients with AIS. Since the appropriateness of theuse of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for BMD si questioned ni pediatric popula- tion, several authors introduced theassessment ofbone strength using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) devices, which pro- vide complementary information about bone properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bone strength in terms of speed ofsound (SoS) on radius (m/s) and SoS tibia (m/s) in patients affected by AIS usingaQUS device. METHODS:In this cross-sectional observational study, the bone strength parameter of SoS(m/s) was assessed on non- dominant radius and tibia using a multisite QUS device ni 134 outpatients (109 females and 25 males) aged 10-17, diagnosed with AIS in 2019. Results were compared to the percentiles by age and gender, previouslyd e fi n e don a local healthy pediatric population reported in a previous study.
RESULTS: In general, SoS was significantly higher in females than in males (P=0.025). Both for radius and tibia sites the
percentageso fsubjects under the 25th percentile of reference values were remarkable.
CONCLUSIONS: Among the proposed factors implicated in AIS etiopathogenesis,bone strength appeared the only modifiable one (e.g., by diet or lifestyle variation).OmnisenseTM (Sunlight Medical Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel) Multisite QUS allows to measure bonestrength through the evaluation of bone quality and could be proposed as a screening tool in patients during routine clinical examinations for AIS
Cooper and shuttle run test in young students : results and correlations
No full textYoung people performance is often used to de ne the well-being and physical activity level. Several studies were assessed in school environments where more sedentary students were recruitable. As such, over 3800 students were tested with Shuttle Run Test (5m x 10) and Cooper endurance test during Physical Education classes. Shuttle Run Test was assessed according to the instructions given by Euro t battery while the endurance trial was run in the playing eld of each school. All phases of the test were run by teachers who collected data. During growth, males and females followed different trends: females showed the highest peak between 11 and 12 years while males between 13 and 14 years. Between 11 and 14 females increased their weight by about 10 kgs, while males gained 16 kgs. During Shuttle Run Test, the mean time spent performing the trial was 19,27 sec (M) and 20,25 sec (F). In both sexes the 13 and 14 year-old students were quickest while the 12 year-old students were the slowest. Males performed the test between 3200 m and 810 m while females performed 1795 m (on average). Statistical differences were found only between Cooper test and gender in all age groups. Disinclination for active life style is widespread however school education programs could reach all young people and arrange the tendency of students towards sport and well being
Strength in Decline? Strength Performance's Secular Trends of Italian Middle School Children
No full textGatti, A, Giuriato, M, Pirazzi, A, Vandoni, M, Pellino, VC, and Lovecchio, N. Strength in decline? Strength performance's secular trends of Italian middle school children. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024 - It is well known that there is a concerning decline in overall physical fitness (PF) levels among youth. Despite these, studies on trends in muscle strength (MS) yield conflicting results. Moreover, continuous temporal data focusing on children and adolescents are lacking, with limited consideration of factors such as body mass and maturity timing in MS trend analyses. This study addressed these gaps by examining the secular trends in MS performance among Italian school children while considering the influence of body mass index (BMI) z-score and peak height velocity (PHV). A repeated cross-sectional study spanning 21 years (1988-2009) was conducted, involving 3,761 Italian children aged 11-13 years. Physical fitness assessments were conducted annually and secular trends were analyzed using weighted least squares regression, adjusting for BMI z-score and PHV. Sit-up performance showed a steady trend (trend [95% confidence interval]: -0.72 [-0.73 to -0.71]; -4.76% [-4.79 to -4.73]; -0.16 effect size [ES] [-0.17 to -0.15]), while push-up performance showed a small-to-moderate decline (-1.01 [-1.03 to -0.99]; -5.77% [-5.81 to -5.73]; -0.26 ES [-0.27 to -0.25]). Girls exhibited consistent declines, however, trends differed among boys depending on the test used. This study contributes valuable insights into secular trends in MS among Italian school children, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive approaches to promoting physical activity and the importance of standardized assessments to accurately monitor fitness trends. Addressing these disparities is critical for the creation of interventions aimed at reducing the economic burden associated with low PF levels and improving overall public health
Capacità fisiche e capacità cognitive
No full textCapacità intellettive e motorie sono spesso viste in antitesi, anche se molti esempi sono favorevoli ad andamenti simili nelle due performance. Un’indagine ha valutato le possibili relazioni tra le capacità fisiche e quelle cognitive attraverso test validati: nel complesso le relazioni tra test motori e cognitivi non sono risultate significative, ma dividendo gli andamenti secondo fasce di livello alcune relazioni sembrerebbero indicative di alcune tendenze. Quindi, in base ai nostri risultati si consigliano, per soggetti maschi, esercitazioni con un elevato carico cognitivo, mentre per le ragazze si potrebbe attuare una progettazione mirata allo sviluppo della capacità di resistenza
- …
