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No study has assessed supramaximal (over 100% 1RM) back squat variations as a potentiating stimulus in collegiate throwers. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a supramaximal Anderson (bottom-up) quarter squat potentiating stimulus would improve discus throw performance in Division I throwers compared to a dynamic warm-up alone. Nine NCAA division I thrower athletes (age: 20.1±1.4 years; 1RM back squat/body weight: 2.5±0.4 kg) randomly completed two sessions separated by at least 72 hours. One session involved a standardized dynamic warm-up alone (DyWU) followed by three trials of maximal discus throwing. The other session involved a dynamic warm-up with a supramaximal (105% 1RM) Anderson (bottom-up) quarter-squat set of 5 repetitions post activation performance enhancement stimulus (DyWU+PAPE) followed by three trials of maximal discus throwing. A two-way (warm-up strategy x time) ANOVA with repeated measures for each time point was used, with significance set at p< 0.05. There were no significant (p> 0.05) differences between DyWU alone versus DyWU+PAPE stimulus for discus throw distances at either 8 min. (31.7±5.6 vs 30.6±6.5 meters, respectively; d = -0.18), 11 min. (33.4±3.6 vs 31.3±4.7 meters, respectively; d = -0.52), or 14 min. post warm-up (34.1±3.9 vs 32.3±5.3 meters, respectively; d = -0.40). Compared to a dynamic warm-up alone, supramaximal Anderson quarter-squats following a dynamic warm-up had trivial/small to moderate detrimental effects on discus throw performance between 8-14 minutes post stimuli in Division I trained throwers, likely due to excess fatigue/PAPE inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to excel in the National Football League (NFL) it would seem reasonable to assume an athlete has grit which consists of the constructs of consistency of interest and perseverance of effort. Grit-like qualities such as endurance, urgency and intensity, self-confidence, need for encouragement, and self-criticality may be of particular value for the athlete playing the Quarterback (QB) position. The purpose of the study was to assess the 5 grit-like constructs of endurance, urgency and intensity, self-confidence, need for encouragement, and self-criticality among NFL QBs. The Flippen ProfileTM assessment was administered to 29 NFL QBs and the 5 grit-like constructs were recorded. Each of the 5 grit-like constructs were scored on a scale of 0-100, where high scores were considered desirable for endurance, urgency and intensity, and self-confidence, while lower scores were considered as desirable for need for encouragement, and self-criticality. The scores for each of the 5 grit-like constructs were then partitioned by three categories of QB years played: 1-2 (n=8), 3-7 (n=13), and =8 (n=8) years. Four key findings emerged following the analysis: the NFL QBs scored favorably on all of the 5 grit-like constructs independent of years played, QBs with =8 years' experience scored the most favorably for endurance and the need for encouragement, QBs with 1-2 years' experience scored the most favorably for self-criticality. These results may provide coaches and athletes aspiring to play QB in the NFL with benchmarks regarding the 5 grit-like constructs that are associated with successful NFL QBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States Marines Corps (USMC) have installed a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) to measure physical fitness levels and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT) to assess a Marine's functional fitness as it relates to the demands of combat operations. The PFT involves three events; pull-ups/push-ups (PU), two-minute abdominal crunches/sit-ups (AC), and a timed three-mile run (RUN). The CFT also involves three events; Movement to Contact (MTC), two-minute Ammunition Lift (AL), and Maneuver-Under-Fire (MANUF). It is of interest to determine if the PFT and CFT are both necessary. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of relationships between PFT (PU, AC, RUN, and total) and CFT (MTC, AL, MANUF, and total) scores of active duty Marines. The PFT and CFT scores from 19,678 active duty enlisted USMC males (age 22.5±1.3 years, height 1.77±0.07 m, body mass 79.4±10.3 kg) were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated between the PFT and CFT total scores as well as individual events. The PFT mean±sd scores were as follows: PU=18.0±5.0 (pull-ups), AC=111.2±9.0 (repetitions), RUN=1377.0±131.4 sec, PFT total=249.6±29.6. The CFT mean±sd scores were as follows: MTC=172.5±16.3 sec, AL=113.2±10.4 repetitions, MANUF=138.3±17.2 sec, CFT total=271.6±25.6. Moderate significant (p<0.01) correlations were found between: the PFT total and MTC (r=-0.47), PFT total and MANUF (r=-0.42), PFT total and CFT total (r=0.50), RUN and MTC (r=0.46), RUN and CFT total (r=-0.43), & PU and CFT total (r=0.41). Other correlations between variables yielded "no to low" association but were also significant due to the large sample size. Within the parameters of this study, PFT and CFT event scores demonstrated no to moderate correlations suggesting that different fitness characteristics are being assessed and supports the need for both the PFT and CFT assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if cold-water swimmers have substantial differences in BMI, which might have a protective effect against heat loss during swims in cold water without wetsuits, and to determine if obesity is more or less prevalent in cold-water swimmers, we compared the body mass index (BMI) values of 103 recreational open-water swimmers (mean age 54.3 ±10.8 years) to data from various population groups. Swimmers swam consistently throughout the winter months, in the San Francisco Bay (water temperature range: 9.6° C [49.3 ° F] to 12.6° C [54.7 ° F]), without wetsuits. After matching for age and sex, the average BMI of cold-water swimmers (25.9 kg/m²) was lower than the corresponding predicted U.S. average BMI (29.2 kg/m²; p<.001), the predicted California state average BMI (28.0 kg/m²; p<.001), and the predicted San Francisco city average BMI (26.6 kg/m²; p=.047). The average BMI value for cold-water swimmers (25.9 kg/m²) was not significantly different from values of North American masters pool swimmers (25.1 kg/m²; p=.15) or international masters pool swimmers (25.3 kg/m²; p=.16). 10.7% of cold-water swimmers were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) vs. 35.7%, 25.8%, and 11.8% of the U.S., California, and San Francisco populations, respectively. The lower or similar BMI values of our swimmers suggest that successful recreational swimming in cold water is influenced by factors other than body habitus, such as acclimatization, heat production while swimming, and most importantly, limiting immersion time. The relatively low prevalence of obesity in our swimmers suggests that cold-water swimming could contribute to a healthy lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable biometric technology use has increased in recent years. The Hexoskin biometric shirt is a wearable technology that monitors heart rate (HR), ventilatory rate (VR), minute ventilation (VE), step count, and energy expenditure (EE). It is unknown whether the Hexoskin biometric shirt produces valid results in the field. Participants (N = 26) completed a self-paced 1.6 km trail run wearing the Hexoskin biometric shirt and the COSMED K4 b2 portable metabolic system. Data for HR, VR, and VEwere analyzed in six one-minute increments occurring the first three minutes and the last three minutes of the run. Data for step count and energy expenditure were analyzed for the entire trail run. HR, VR, VE, step count, and EE data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation with significance atp < .05. HR, VE, step count, and EE measures at all time points were not significantly correlated. VR measures at all time points were significantly correlated (p < .001). Our results indicate the Hexoskin biometric shirt provides valid measures of VR. For all other measures, the Hexoskin does not provide valid real time results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the influence of speed on the metabolic and the mechanical cost to run a given distance. Trained male runners (n=12) performed 2 treadmill run trials of 8 min duration at each of 6 speeds (range 2.33 to 4.0 m/s). Oxygen uptake values were normalized for running speed providing a metabolic task cost variable (MBTC, ml/kg/m). Mechanical work was calculated from digitized video records using three different algorithms. Values were normalized for running speed giving mechanical task cost variables (MTC, J/kg/m). No change in the group mean metabolic task cost was found across speeds (p=0.25). In contrast, mechanical task cost decreased as running speed increased (p<0.001). The three mechanical work algorithms resulted in MTC characteristics that were significantly different from each other (p<0.001). This study suggests that metabolic cost per distance remains relatively constant across running speeds while mechanical cost per distance decreases as speed increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]