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This study aimed to optimise performance prediction in short-course swimming through Principal Component Analyses (PCA) and multiple regression. All women's freestyle races at the European Short-Course Swimming Championships were analysed. Established performance metrics were obtained including start, free-swimming, and turn performance metrics. PCA were conducted to reduce redundant variables, and a multiple linear regression was performed where the criterion was swimming time. A practical tool, the Potential Predictor, was developed from regression equations to facilitate performance prediction. Bland and Altman analyses with 95% limits of agreement (95% LOA) were used to assess agreement between predicted and actual swimming performance. There was a very strong agreement between predicted and actual swimming performance. The mean bias for all race distances was less than 0.1s with wider LOAs for the 800 m (95% LOA −7.6 to + 7.7s) but tighter LOAs for the other races (95% LOAs −0.6 to + 0.6s). Free-Swimming Speed (FSS) and turn performance were identified as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the longer distance races (200 m, 400 m, 800 m). Start performance emerged as a KPI in sprint races (50 m and 100 m). The successful implementation of PCA and multiple regression provides coaches with a valuable tool to uncover individual potential and empowers data-driven decision-making in athlete training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of flywheel squat training on lower body muscle function adaptations and sport-specific performance in collegiate club water polo players. Methods: Thirteen collegiate club water polo athletes (5 women, 8 men) performed flywheel squat training for 4 weeks. Isokinetic knee extension (KE) peak power (PP) and peak torque (PT), flywheel squat peak power (FPP) and mean power (FMP), countermovement jump (CMJ), in-water jump height (WJH) and foot speed were assessed at baseline (Pre1), 4 weeks (Pre2), and 8 weeks (Post) with the first 4 week block being a control period and the second 4 week block being the experimental training. Throughout the training period muscle soreness was assessed using a VAS scale, and FPP and FMP were assessed during every other session. Results: Isokinetic KE PP and PT increased from Pre1 to Post, and FPP and FMP increased between Pre1 and Post, and Pre2 and Post. CMJ and foot speed were unchanged. WJH displayed a change between Pre1 and Post. FPP increased 19% from session 2 to 4 and FMP increased 27% from session 2 to 6, and each remained elevated through session 8. Conclusion: 4 weeks of flywheel squat training in collegiate club water polo players elicited large gains (47–52%) in flywheel-specific squat power, but did not influence sport-specific performance measures including CMJ, WJH, and foot speed. Water-based exercises and stretch-shortening cycle movements (plyometrics) in combination with effective resistance training programs, which may include flywheel-based training, are likely needed for marked sport skill improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of endurance training individually guided by objective (Heart Rate Variability-HRV) or self-report measure of stress (DALDA-questionnaire) in comparison to predefined endurance training prescription for improving endurance performance in recreational runners. After a 2-week preliminary baseline period to establish resting HRV and self-reported measure of stress, thirty-six male recreational runners were randomly assigned to HRV-guided (GHRV;n = 12), DALDA-guided (GD; n = 12) or predefined training (GT; n = 12) prescription groups. Before and after 5-weeks of endurance training, participants performed a track field peak velocity (Vpeak_TF), time limit (Tlim) at 100% of Vpeak_TF and 5 km time-trial (5 km TT) tests. GD lead to higher improvements in Vpeak_TF (8.4 ± 1.8%; ES = 1.41) and 5 km TT (−12.8 ± 4.2%; ES = −1.97), than GHRV (6.6 ± 1.5% and −8.3 ± 2.8%; ES = −1.20; 1.24) and GT (4.9 ± 1.5% and −6.0 ± 3.3%; ES = −0.82; 0.68), respectively, with no differences for Tlim. Self-report measures of stress may be used to individualize endurance training prescription on a daily basis leading to better performance enhancement, which may be used with HRV for a holistic understanding of daily training-induce adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based in ethnographic fieldwork among high-performance speed skaters, this paper considers some of the structures and experiences of athlete development and training. As a racing sport, fast times in speed skating matter. Yet time is not simply quantified. It is also felt in various ways. There are qualities to time. Time is taken into the body and expended from the body. Inspired by Nancy Munn's contributions to temporalization, I explore time's embodiment, its strategic use, and the moral evaluations of time within speed skating. I further consider how potential underpins various temporal engagements and enactments, including the sequence of athlete development, cycles and rhythms of training and the experience of tapering prior to competition. Both time and potential, I argue, are sensed in the broadest meaning of that term. Lastly, I consider how the timely management of potential demands faith, suggesting that athletes and coaches have much in common with speculators in financial markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectricnanogenerators (TENGs) is an efficient mechanical-electrical energy conversion method based on contact electrification and electrostatic induction coupling effect. The research on the application of TENGs is very necessary and valuable. Long jump is an influential and rapidly developing sport in sports. In this work, we designed a novel cotton cloth-based triboelectric nanogenerator (CC-TENG) to both harvest mechanical energy and monitor long jump. The cotton cloth and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used as the triboelectric layer. The prepared CC-TENG device has the advantages of portability, flexibility and foldability. The CC-TENG can achieve the maximum output power of 1.53 mW at a load of 9 MΩ. Moreover, the excellent reliability of CC-TENG can be observed. The CC-TENG was designed as the array CC-TENG to monitor long jump. This design will help to improve athletes' training results and promote the development of intelligent sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are limited data pertaining to the effects of sex on sprint interval cycling (SIC) training session performance. Purpose: We investigated sex-based differences on sprint interval cycling (SIC) performance in collegiate soccer players. Methods: Twelve men and twelve women completed two identical lab trials, 7–14 days apart. The first lab session served as familiarization, "dry run," trial. Reported data were collected and analyzed during the second, "testing" SIC training trial. Each SIC training session was comprised of a warm-up, at 50 revolutions per min (RPM) with no resistance, and six repeated 30-s Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnT) separated by a 4-min recovery period between each sprint. Results: Significant (P ≤.05) sex differences were observed in peak power (PP), peak power relative to body mass (RPP), mean power (MP), mean power relative to body mass (RMP) but not in peak power relative to fat free mass (FFMPP). When WAnT bouts 2–6 were expressed as %Δ of WAnT1, there were no significant (P >.05) differences between the sexes across all performance variables. Further, Cohen's d statistics demonstrated only trivial and small effect size between the groups. Average HR and RPE were not significantly (P >.05) different between the sexes. Correlational analysis revealed a significant (P ≤.05) relationship between FFM, and PP and MP. Conclusion: Although overall performance may be affected by a number of physiological mechanisms, the results of the current study indicate that differences between men and women soccer players performing SIC training, are likely attributed to differences in body composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Simulated competition as a training tool has a relevant role in enhancement of exercise intensity, motivation and physical enjoyment. Including a competitive component into the agility training could represent another way to improve agility performance significantly more. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of agility training performed in the form of competitive exercising on agility performance. Methods: Twenty-two athletes were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. Both groups completed the same eight-week agility training, but only the experimental group performed exercises in the form of head-to-head competition. Prior to and after the training, agility time in the Agility Dual test (performed in pairs in the form of head-to-head competition) and Agility Single test (performed individually) was measured. In addition, simple and two-choice reaction time and speed of step initiation were also assessed. Results: A significant group × time interaction effect was observed for agility time in the Agility Dual test only (p = .002). This effect occurred in favor of experimental group (18%, p < .01). No further significant interactions were detected. Conclusions: Competitive agility training led to significant improvement of agility time under competitive conditions only. This training does not contribute to more pronounced improvements of other reaction and speed abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of rehabilitation training methods after ligament injury has become an important factor restricting the future development of athletes. Therefore, the study of sports injuries and rehabilitation training methods for athletes in the new era still has important practical significance. This article mainly studies the effect of nano-ligament combined with sports rehabilitation training on the treatment effect of patients with ligament injury. In this paper, the experimental group received 10–15 minutes of rehabilitation training before each training, while the control group did not. Before and after the experiment, perform functional movement test (FMS) and Y-type balance test (YBT) to compare the differences between the physical functions of the two groups of athletes and the lower extremity exercise ability to test the effectiveness of the rehabilitation training method and help the athletes to recover quickly after injury restore. The score comparison between the two groups on the first day of treatment was p > 0.05, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups; the score comparison between the third day of treatment and four weeks after treatment was p < 0.05, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant, A the curative effect of the group was better than that of group B; the score comparison at eight weeks after treatment was p > 0.05, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the FMS test results and the YBT test results of the experimental group before the experiment. The test results of the experimental group after the experiment were significantly higher than the control group (significant difference), indicating that rehabilitation training helps improve and improve physical exercise ability, especially for improvement. The athlete's lower extremity athletic ability has obvious effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern biotechnology and nanotechnology are conducive to the selection and training of athletes, promote the development of Sports Biological Science, and effectively improve athletes' sports ability. In this paper, the main study of modern biology and nanotechnology on the impact of competitive sports. In this paper, eight boys were randomly divided into two groups, one group wore the swimsuit made of nanofiber materials, the other group wore the swimsuit made of common clothing materials for three swimming competitions. The experiment found that in the first competition, the results of the Nano group were mostly higher than the ordinary swimsuit group. Only the No. 3 player in the Nano group scored 9.23 s, which was lower than the 8.99 s of the No. 3 player in the ordinary group. In the second competition, the performance of the Nano group is still higher than that of the ordinary group, except that the No. 2 player in the Nano group has a score of 10.22 s. In the third time, the four members of the frontier Nano group achieved higher scores than the ordinary group. The No. 3 player in the ordinary group had a large error in the results, which was not meaningful.According to the results of the three competitions, under the control of variable factors, the results of nano group are much better than those of ordinary group. The results show that nanotechnology and modern biotechnology can effectively reduce the unnecessary energy consumption of athletes in the competition, save the competition time, and bring new vitality to competitive sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantitative evaluation of athletic training is one of the most important issues in the sports science, and its optimization problem between fitness and fatigue has to be considered. Although fitness is the gain of athletic training and athletes can acquire extensive fitness by hard training, they cannot continue such training for a long time because of fatigue. After the hard training which exceeds the physical capacity of athletes, a delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) appears and they cannot continue the same training hereafter. Because DOMS impedes the progress of training, it must be avoided when the training plan is made. By continuing training for a long period, the performance capacity of athlete body has enhanced and they can endure hard and long training with which it could not tolerate before, and such performance capacity enhancement is called supercompensation. In a planning athletic training, its optimization problem between fitness and fatigue should be discussed considering, both DOMS and supercompensation by forming probabilistic models of fitness and fatigue, optimal training plans which maximize the total fitness during training periods and minimize the occurrence of DOMS are discussed analytically and numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study aimed to investigate the exercise intensity and exercise characteristics of active video games (AVGs) by measuring various physiological responses, and to test whether AVGs can be used in components of training in sports branches. Methods: Twenty-two male athletes with good aerobic fitness level (age = 20.6 ± 2.2 years; maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) = 52.2 ± 3.5 ml.kg-1.min-1) visited the laboratory three times (D1, D2, and D3). After taking measurements during rest, the VO2max was assessed (D1). Traditional brisk walking and running exercises were performed consecutively (D2), and AVGs-dancing and fighting-were performed at random (D3); each exercise session lasted 20 minutes, and for each experiment session oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR) were recorded, VO2max%, metabolic equivalent (MET), and energy expenditure (EE) were calculated. Results: No significant differences were found between AVG-dancing and brisk walking (p > .05) for VO2 (25.96 ± 3.3 vs. 24.39 ± 2.3 ml.kg-1.min-1), HR (137.02 ± 20.15 vs. 125.61 ± 6.49 beats.min-1) VO2max% (49.99 ± 7.00 vs. 46.84 ± 4.06), MET (7.49 ± 0.94 vs. 6.96 ± 0.65), and EE (181.19 ± 27.65 vs. 171.21 ± 22.51 Kcal). Additionally, no significant differences were found between AVG-fighting and running (p > .05) for VO2 (33.96 ± 5.88 vs. 33.13 ± 2.52 ml.kg-1.min-1), HR (155.66 ± 15.05 vs. 153.30 ± 6.83 beats.min-1), VO2max% (65.05 ± 9.76 vs. 63.60 ± 3.51), MET (9.70 ± 1.68 vs. 9.47 ± 0.72), and EE (236.75 ± 37.20 vs. 232.70 ± 27.06). Conclusions: AVG-dancing and fighting were defined as moderate (MET>7) and high (MET>9) intensity intermittent exercises, respectively. Consequently, AVGs can be a part of training for athletes; as a block, modified block or a traditional training cycle involving enjoyable alternative exercises, especially when the appropriate AVGs are chosen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was the analysis of incidence and type of injury in German elite powerlifters. A total of n = 57 competitive athletes of the German powerlifting federation completed a retrospective survey regarding acute and overuse injuries. With 224 total injuries, a mean incidence of 1.51 per 1.000 h or 0.49 per year was calculated. Most injuries affected the lower back (20.5%), elbow (11.2%), pelvic region (10.3) and the shoulder (9.8%). Regarding the type of injury acute inflammation (25.9%), muscle strains/sprains (20.5%) and skin lesions (13%) dominated. The mean incidence significantly declined with increasing age and training experience of the athlete. Athletes using a bench press shirt and various regenerative methods like sauna or swimming also showed decreased injury rates. There was no significant correlation between body weight, height or gender and injury incidence. Compared to other sports, the incidence of injuries and overuse syndromes is still low in powerlifting. Nonetheless, appropriate strategies in training, equipment, prevention and regeneration should be employed to protect the athlete from injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most professional and recreational athletes perform pre-conditioning exercises, often collectively termed a 'warm-up' to prepare for a competitive task. The main objective of warming-up is to induce both temperature and non-temperature related responses to optimize performance. These responses include increasing muscle temperature, initiating metabolic and circulatory adjustments, and preparing psychologically for the upcoming task. However, warming-up in hot and/or humid ambient conditions increases thermal and circulatory strain. As a result, this may precipitate neuromuscular and cardiovascular impairments limiting endurance capacity. Preparations for competing in the heat should include an acclimatization regimen. Athletes should also consider cooling interventions to curtail heat gain during the warm-up and minimize dehydration. Indeed, although it forms an important part of the pre-competition preparation in all environmental conditions, the rise in whole-body temperature should be limited in hot environments. This review provides recommendations on how to build an effective warm-up following a 3 stage RAMP model (Raise, Activate and Mobilize, Potentiate), including general and context specific exercises, along with dynamic flexibility work. In addition, this review provides suggestion to manipulate the warm-up to suit the demands of competition in hot environments, along with other strategies to avoid heating-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature suggests that, despite some challenges in their implementation, player/athlete-centred, inquiry-based approaches to teaching games and coaching team sport can improve game playing ability, increase player/athlete motivation and provide positive affective experiences of learning. A range of these approaches, including Teaching Games for Understanding, Game Sense, Play Practice and the Tactical-Decision Learning Model vary in detail but share enough in common to be referred as game-based or game-centred approaches. This includes the central role that dialogue, reflection and purposeful social interaction play in facilitating learning and the deep understanding that they can promote. While these approaches are widely referred to as instructional models for teaching and coaching consideration of the common pedagogical features they share offers an alternative conception that creates possibilities for promoting the same positive learning outcomes in sports beyond team games. In this article, we examine the concept of Positive Pedagogy as an extension of Game Sense pedagogy beyond games and team sports to explore what it has to offer coaching across a range of sports. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Exercise can induce circadian phase shifts depending on the duration, intensity and frequency. These modifications are of special meaning in athletes during training and competition. Melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland in a circadian manner, behaves as an endogenous rhythms synchronizer, and it is used as a supplement to promote resynchronization of altered circadian rhythms. In this study, we tested the effect of melatonin administration on the circadian system in athletes. Two groups of athletes were treated with 100 mg day−1of melatonin or placebo 30 min before bed for four weeks. Daily rhythm of salivary melatonin was measured before and after melatonin administration. Moreover, circadian variables, including wrist temperature (WT), motor activity and body position rhythmicity, were recorded during seven days before and seven days after melatonin or placebo treatment with the aid of specific sensors placed in the wrist and arm of each athlete. Before treatment, the athletes showed a phase-shift delay of the melatonin circadian rhythm, with an acrophase at 05:00 h. Exercise induced a phase advance of the melatonin rhythm, restoring its acrophase accordingly to the chronotype of the athletes. Melatonin, but not placebo treatment, changed daily waveforms of WT, activity and position. These changes included a one-hour phase advance in the WT rhythm before bedtime, with a longer nocturnal steady state and a smaller reduction when arising at morning than the placebo group. Melatonin, but not placebo, also reduced the nocturnal activity and the activity and position during lunch/nap time. Together, these data reflect the beneficial effect of melatonin to modulate the circadian components of the sleep–wake cycle, improving sleep efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a high prevalence of morning-types was reported among trained South African endurance athletes. Proposed explanations for this observation were that either the chronotype of these athletes is better suited to coping with the early-morning start times of endurance events in South Africa; or habitual early waking for training or endurance events may have conditioned the athletes to adapt and become morning-types. The South African endurance athletes also had earlier chronotypes compared to a control population of less active individuals, suggesting that individuals who are more physically active may have earlier chronotypes. However, since both the South African athlete and control groups showed an overrepresentation of morning-types compared to European and American populations, the South African climate may in part have explained this bias towards morningness. Given the latitude and climate differences between South Africa and the Netherlands, and that South African marathons typically start at about 06:30 while those in the Netherlands start later (±11:00), comparison of South African and Dutch marathon runners and active controls would allow for simultaneous assessment of the effects of marathon start time, degree of physical activity and climate on chronotype. Therefore, the primary aims of this study were: (i) to assess the effect of marathon start time on chronotype in marathon runners and (ii) to determine the extent to which either degree of physical activity or climate might explain the bias towards morningness observed in South African athletes and controls. A secondary aim was to determine whether any relationships exist between chronotype, PERIOD3 ( PER3) variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism genotype, habitual training habits and marathon performance. Trained male marathon runners from South Africa ( n = 95) and the Netherlands ( n = 90), and active but non-competitive male controls from South Africa ( n = 97) and the Netherlands ( n = 98) completed a questionnaire capturing demographics, training and race history, as well as the Horne-Östberg morningness-eveningness personality questionnaire. All participants donated buccal cell samples from which genomic DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to genotype them for the PER3 VNTR polymorphism, which has previously been associated with chronotype. The main finding was that South African runners were significantly more morning-orientated than Dutch runners suggesting that participation in an endurance sport with an earlier start time may influence chronotype. Secondly, both the South African and Dutch runners were significantly more morning-orientated than their respective control groups, indicating that individuals who train for and participate in recreational endurance sport races have an earlier chronotype than physically active but non-competitive males. Thirdly, mean chronotype scores were similar between the South African and Dutch control groups, suggesting that climate does not seem to affect chronotype in these groups. Fourthly, the PER3 VNTR polymorphism distribution was similar between the four groups and was not associated with chronotype, suggesting that the difference in chronotype between the four groups in this study is not explained by the PER3 VNTR genotype. Lastly, in the South African runners group, a higher preference for mornings was associated with a better personal best half-marathon and current marathon performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elite athletes often take part in group trainings and use teammates as learning resources. Despite this, research on the training and learning of elite athletes tends to characterise this training and learning as primarily individual. Purpose: This study, explores interrelated learning processes among elite athletes by exploring the performance-related learning that takes place between elite trampoline athletes in their training environment. The case will be made that such learning may be described most accurately as apprenticeship learning. Participants: The research focuses on a case study involving two Danish synchronised trampoline jumpers, Daniel and Peter, and their training as part of the Danish national trampolining team. Data collection: The data were generated through participant observation. During 10 days of observations, the principal researcher held informal talks with the athletes and the coach and took descriptive field notes. At the conclusion of the observation period, each athlete submitted to an individual, semi-structured interview. Data analysis: A theoretical reading of the data was carried out to facilitate interpretations that went beyond observations and the athletes' own descriptions, in order to reach a deeper understanding of how practice facilitates learning. Results: We encircle the athletes' interrelated learning processes by introducing the training environment of the national team and situations in which the athletes guide each other verbally or by jumping together. Discussion: We argue that the practice of the Danish national trampolining team can be considered a community of practice. Taking point of departure in our theoretical perspective we discuss how verbal and tacit bodily exchanges between athletes become opportunities for learning. Conclusion: In a practice containing varied resources for learning, we show that athletes can be each others' performance analysts, guiding each other through the use of metaphors and cues which disclose the practical meaning of how to overcome specific practical challenges. We also show that the athletes can be each others' sparring partners when they perform their sport together. In this form of interaction they directly feel and impact the other's performance, which means that both athletes encounter opportunities for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to provide some rich insights into how an elite ice-hockey player responded to his coaches' pedagogical delivery of video-based feedback sessions. Data for this study were gathered through a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a reflective log relating to those interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim with the text being subject to the process of inductive analysis. The results highlighted how the pedagogical application of performance analysis technology is far from a sequential and unproblematic process. Indeed, the participant's perceptions of, and respect for, his coaches' practices appeared to influence whether learning occurred in the video-based feedback sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Over the past decade a small evidence base has highlighted the potential importance of seemingly innocuous variables related to one's hands, such as hand dominance and the relative length of the second and fourth digits (2D:4D ratio), to success in sport. This study compared 2D:4D digit ratio and handedness among handball players selected to advance in a national talent development system with those not selected. Participants included 480 youth handball players (240 females and 240 males) being considered as part of the talent selection programme for the German Youth National team. Hand dominance and digit ratio were compared to age-matched control data using standardt-tests. There was a greater proportion of left-handers compared to the normal population in males but not in females. There was also a lower digit ratio in both females and males. However, there were no differences between those selected for the next stage of talent development and those not selected on either handedness or digit ratio. These results add support for general effects for both digit ratio and handedness in elite handball; however, these factors seem inadequate to explain talent selection decisions at this level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the early development of expert athletes compared to a group of athletes that did not achieve an expert level of performance despite being involved in youth events with their national squads. In particular, the activities, training patterns, and psychosocial influences that characterized their paths in competitive sports were examined. Male and female participants (N = 42) from different sports were interviewed. Overall, athletes showed several commonalities. However, experts were selected to national squads later and also started thinking about investing in becoming elite athletes later. Non-experts revealed more parental pressure and less individual training with coaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intriguing quality of our brain is that when actions are imagined, corresponding brain regions are recruited as when the actions are actually performed. It has been hypothesized that the similarity between real and simulated actions depends on the nature of motor representations. Here we tested this hypothesis by examining S.D., who never used her legs but is an elite wheel chair athlete. Controls recruited motor brain regions during imagery of stair walking and frontal regions during imagery of wheel chair slalom. S.D. showed the opposite pattern. Thus, brain simulation of actions may be grounded in specific physical experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on the issue regarding the performance gap in an athlete who exhibits good sport skills during practice but not in the actual competition. The author discusses several strategies on how to improve the abilities of athletes needed in an actual competition, such as the development of decision-making skills and high-intensity training. The author mentions the role of a coach in the performance of a team and the value of the coach's leadership and competence.

This paper presents a particular form of reflective practice used with elite French acrobatics athletes since 1999. The practice is based on course-of-experience theory, which provides a methodology for analysing athletes' activity in relation to the stream of their situated and pre-reflexive consciousness that emerges during performance. Traces of past activity and self-confrontational interviews provide the elements of this experience, as well as support for the reflective practice in articulation with training. Five orientations for intervening to enhance performance shape the process of learning or help athletes with performance blocks are identified and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the effects of verbal and visual guiding of attention on the decision-making performance particularly on situations that involve 3-on-2 soccer. It analyzes the effectiveness of flicker cueing and verbal instruction method in improving decision-making performance in sport games. The methods and the results of the study are presented. The study reveals the negative impact of verbal instruction on decision-making performance based on the given situations.

Optimal exercise performance in well trained athletes can be affected by arterial oxygen saturation failure. Noninvasive detection of this phenomenon when performing a routine ergometric, test can be a valuable toolfor subsequent planning of the athlete's training, recovery, and nutrition. Oximetry has been used to this end. The authors studied 339 athletes performing a similar exercise trial under well controlled environmental conditions. Maximum speed, oxygen uptake, and heart rate levels were simultaneously measured. From the obtained data, six patterns were found: (a) athletes in whom oxygen saturation is constant (⩾95%) during test execution; (b) athletes displaying a progressive desaturation with incremental exercise intensities; (c) athletes presenting a transient desaturation in the anaerobic threshold region;' (d) athletes starting with a mild-to-moderate desaturation at the beginning of the test, but reaching normal saturation values at the end; (e) athletes displaying mild-to-moderate desaturation levels throughout the whole test; and (17 athletes displaying a transient desaturation in the anaerobic threshold region and a new desaturation at the end of the test. In conclusion, it is believed that establishment of desaturation patterns by validated oximetry could be a first approach to evaluate the adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system to exercise intensity, helping to improve results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key element of the physical preparation of athletes is the taper period in the weeks immediately preceding competition. Existing research has defined the taper, identified various forms used in contemporary sport, and examined the prescription of training volume, load, intensity, duration, and type (progressive or step). Current limitations include: the lack of studies on team, combative, racquet, and precision (target) sports; the relatively small number of randomized controlled trials; the narrow focus on a single competition (single peak) compared with multiple peaking for weekly, multi-day or multiple events; and limited understanding of the physiological, neuromuscular, and biomechanical basis of the taper. Future research should address these limitations, together with the influence of prior training on optimal tapering strategies, and the interactions between the taper and long-haul travel, heat, and altitude. Practitioners seek information on how to prescribe tapers from season to season during an athlete's career, or a team's progression through a domestic league season, or multi-year Olympic or World Cup cycle. Practical guidelines for planning effective tapers for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympics will evolve from both experimental investigations and modelling of successful tapers currently employed in a wide range of sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of active and passive recovery on repeated-sprint swimming bouts was studied in eight elite swimmers. Participants performed three trials of two sets of front crawl swims with 5 min rest between sets. Set A consisted of four 30-s bouts of high-intensity tethered swimming separated by 30 s passive rest, whereas Set B consisted of four 50-yard maximal-sprint swimming repetitions at intervals of 2 min. Recovery was active only between sets (AP trial), between sets and repetitions of Set B (AA trial) or passive throughout (PP trial). Performance during and metabolic responses after Set A were similar between trials. Blood lactate concentration after Set B was higher and blood pH was lower in the PP (18.29 ± 1.31 mmol · l-1 and 7.12 ± 0.11 respectively) and AP (17.56 ± 1.22 mmol · l-1 and 7.14 ± 0.11 respectively) trials compared with the AA (14.13 ± 1.56 mmol · l-1 and 7.23 ± 0.10 respectively) trial (P < 0.01). Performance time during Set B was not different between trials (P > 0.05), but the decline in performance during Set B of the AP trial was less marked than in the AA or PP trials (main effect of sprints, P < 0.05). Results suggest that active recovery (60% of the 100-m pace) could be beneficial between training sets, and may compromise swimming performance between repetitions when recovery durations are short (< 2 min). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overload training resulting in an overreached state is common in elite sports, and if undetected can develop into an overtraining syndrome. This risk is accentuated by the lack of reliable measures of overreaching. Coaches and scientists therefore have to use a combination of tests in the monitoring process. This article presents a case study of the recovery from underperformance of a young elite endurance athlete and the work of a multidisciplinary sport science support team. When it was determined that the athlete's performance had deteriorated, and that this was due solely to the stress of training, training load was radically reduced for a period of 14 days. A combination of physiological, biochemical, and psychological measurements were then used to monitor the recovery process. The purpose of this article is to describe how coaches and sport science teams can help in monitoring training and recovery in practical settings, allowing detection of the early signs of overreaching before a more serious overtraining syndrome develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to gain an insight into the use of imagery by Finnish synchronized skaters. A total of 269 skaters (senior=85, junior=98, novice=86) simultaneously completed the original and a translated version of the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall, Mack, Paivio, & Hausenblas, 1998) twice, first at the beginning of the pre-season (July-August 2002) and then during the competitive season (January 2003). Multivariate analyses of variance revealed (all P<0.05) that senior skaters used more cognitive specific (CS), motivational general-arousal (MG-A), and motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery than junior skaters; differences in CS, cognitive general (CG), MG-A, and MG-M imagery were found between senior and novice skaters; between junior and novice skaters, differences were found in CG and MG-A imagery. Time of season analyses revealed skaters used more CG, MS, and MG-M imagery during the competitive season than at the beginning of the pre-season. No significant interaction effect between competitive level and time of season was observed. The results are discussed in relation to the applied model of imagery (Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999). To make competitive level transitions less demanding, the results suggest that a psychological skills training programme should be introduced for novice synchronized skaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess responses to taper in elite athletes using computer simulations. Parameters of a non-linear model were derived from training and performance data over two seasons for eight elite swimmers. The fit between modelled and actual performances was statistically significant for each swimmer (r2 = 0.56 ± 0.06; P < 0.01). The simulations were used to estimate characteristics of step and progressive tapers that would maximize performance either (1) after regular training only or (2) after overload training of a 20% step increase in regular training for 28 days. The highest performance with a step taper was greater with than without prior overload training (101.4%, s = 1.6 vs. 101.1%, s = 1.4 of personal record; P < 0.01) but required a longer taper duration (22.4 days, s = 13.4 vs. 16.4 days, s = 10.3; P < 0.05). The optimal progressive taper led to a better performance only after the overload period (101.5%, s = 1.5; P < 0.001). Negative and positive influences of training were estimated as indicators of fatigue and adaptations to training respectively. During the optimal taper, the negative influence was completely removed, independently of the prior training, whereas the positive influence increased only after overload training. Our computer simulations show that the characteristics of an optimal training reduction in elite athletes depend on the training performed in the weeks prior to a taper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of training is to prepare the distance athlete to perform at his or her best during major competitions. Whatever the event, nutrition plays a major role in the achievement of various factors that will see a runner or walker take the starting line in the best possible form. Everyday eating patterns must supply fuel and nutrients needed to optimize their performance during training sessions and to recover quickly afterwards. Carbohydrate and fluid intake before, during, and after a workout may help to reduce fatigue and enhance performance. Recovery eating should also consider issues for adaptation and the immune system that may involve intakes of protein and some micronutrients. Race preparation strategies should include preparation of adequate fuel stores, including carbohydrate loading for prolonged events such as the marathon or 50-km walk. Fluid and carbohydrate intake during races lasting an hour or more should also be considered. Sports foods and supplements of value to distance athletes include sports drinks and liquid meal supplements to allow nutrition goals to be achieved when normal foods are not practical. While caffeine is an ergogenic aid of possible value to distance athletes, most other supplements are of minimal benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of various training approaches in team ball sports for the development of tactical creativity. Altogether, 135 children aged about 7 years took part in a 15-month field-based study. They participated either in non-specific treatment groups, a specific handball, soccer or field hockey group, or a control group. General and game-oriented tactical creativity were chosen as outcome measures. Our analysis of treatment-related effects showed that the non-specific groups displayed improvements in general creativity, whereas the specific groups showed improvements in the game-oriented creativity in which they were trained. Furthermore, clear transfer-related effects were observed. The analysis of group-related effects indicated no differences between the approaches. Only the soccer-specific group performed better in nearly all creative values. In conclusion, a non-specific concept appears to be a promising alternative to traditional specific treatments. This is further substantiated by several pedagogical, psychological, and medical arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether quality of self-determined motivation at the start of the competitive season in elite athletes and symptoms of overtraining can predict athlete burnout propensity at the end of the season. The participants were 141 elite winter sport athletes. In September, at the beginning of the season, the athletes responded to a self-determined motivation questionnaire, while they answered questions assessing overtraining symptoms and burnout in March, at the end of the season. Findings indicated that self-determined motivation and symptoms of overtraining were negatively and positively linked respectively to dimensions of athlete burnout. The results suggest that self-determined motivation and symptoms of overtraining are both independently linked to signs of burnout in elite athletes and that although no moderating effect was found, pairing self-determined motivation with symptoms of overtraining increased the prediction of burnout in athletes at the end of the season. Our findings are in line with those of recent research (Cresswell & Eklund, 2005; Lemyre, Treasure, & Roberts, 2006) and support a motivational approach to study burnout in elite athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of altering the rest period on adaptations to high-repetition resistance training is not well known. Eighteen active females were matched according to leg strength and repeated-sprint ability and randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group performed resistance training with 20-s rest intervals between sets, while the other group employed 80-s rest intervals between sets. Both groups performed the same total training volume and load. Each group trained 3 days a week for 5 weeks [15- to 20-repetition maximum (RM), 2 - 5 sets]. Repeated-sprint ability (5×6-s maximal cycle sprints), 3-RM leg press strength, and anthropometry were determined before and after each training programme. There was a greater improvement in repeated-sprint ability after training with 20-s rest intervals (12.5%) than after training with 80-s rest intervals (5.4%) (P = 0.030). In contrast, there were greater improvements in strength after training with 80-s rest intervals (45.9%) than after training with 20-s rest intervals (19.6%) (P = 0.010). There were no changes in anthropometry for either group following training. These results suggest that when training volume and load are matched, despite a smaller increase in strength, 5 weeks of training with short rest periods results in greater improvements in repeated-sprint ability than the same training with long rest periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were to modify the training impulse (TRIMP) method of quantifying training load for use with intermittent team sports, and to examine the relationship between this modified TRIMP (TRIMPMOD) and changes in the physiological profile of team sport players during a competitive season. Eight male field hockey players, participating in the English Premier Division, took part in the study (mean±s: age 26±4 years, body mass 80.8±5.2 kg, stature 1.82±0.04 m). Participants performed three treadmill exercise tests at the start of the competitive season and mid-season: a submaximal test to establish the treadmill speed at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol · l-1; a maximal incremental test to determine maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2max) and peak running speed; and an all-out constant-load test to determine time to exhaustion. Heart rate was recorded during all training sessions and match-play, from which TRIMPMOD was calculated. Mean weekly TRIMPMOD was correlated with the change in [Vdot]O2max and treadmill speed at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol · l-1 from the start of to mid-season (P<0.05). The results suggest that TRIMPMOD is a means of quantifying training load in team sports and can be used to prescribe training for the maintenance or improvement of aerobic fitness during the competitive season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent developments of theories for teaching decision making in sport offer a large variety of applications for the context of physical education. Purpose: This review of current models of teaching tactical skills concludes that most models incorporate different cognitive learning mechanisms, such as implicit and explicit learning, and are either domain specific or domain general. Yet, most models ignore the structure of the environment when defining in which situation a specific cognitive process will be beneficial and in which situations it will fail. Findings: From an ecological rationality perspective the experimentally validated SMART (Situation Model of Anticipated Response consequences of Tactical training) model is presented; this model identifies in which situation a particular learning mechanism should be beneficial. Conclusions: It is crucial to acknowledge that no one model of teaching decision making is the best but rather that choosing the appropriate model depends on the task and persons involved. The SMART model provides selection criteria for models of teaching decision making used in the domain of sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers studying the experiences of individuals in human care settings propose the burnout syndrome consists of three central characteristics: emotional exhaustion, reduced accomplishment and depersonalization (Maslach, 1982). The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which this broadly accepted multi-dimensional conceptualization of burnout is appropriate for elite rugby players. Fifteen purposefully sampled professional players were interviewed about their rugby-related experiences. The experiences described by some players included cognitive and affective states reminiscent of the sport-specific burnout syndrome conceptualization forwarded by Raedeke and Smith (2001) (i.e., exhaustion, reduced accomplishment and sport devaluation) that was grounded in the original human care literature (e.g., Maslach, 1982). Players associated these negative experiences with a variety of perceptions and events related to their rugby involvement (e.g., injury, perceptions of the team environment and training loads). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training and nutrition are highly interrelated in that optimal adaptation to the demands of repeated training sessions typically requires a diet that can sustain muscle energy reserves. As nutrient stores (i.e. muscle and liver glycogen) play a predominant role in the performance of prolonged, intense, intermittent exercise typical of the patterns of soccer match-play, and in the replenishment of energy reserves for subsequent training sessions, the extent to which acutely altering substrate availability might modify the training impulse has been a key research area among exercise physiologists and sport nutritionists for several decades. Although the major perturbations to cellular homeostasis and muscle substrate stores occur during exercise, the activation of several major signalling pathways important for chronic training adaptations take place during the first few hours of recovery, returning to baseline values within 24 h after exercise. This has led to the paradigm that many chronic training adaptations are generated by the cumulative effects of the transient events that occur during recovery from each (acute) exercise bout. Evidence is accumulating that nutrient supplementation can serve as a potent modulator of many of the acute responses to both endurance and resistance training. In this article, we review the molecular and cellular events that occur in skeletal muscle during exercise and subsequent recovery, and the potential for nutrient supplementation (e.g. carbohydrate, fat, protein) to affect many of the adaptive responses to training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In soccer, the players perform intermittent work. Despite the players performing low-intensity activities for more than 70% of the game, heart rate and body temperature measurements suggest that the average oxygen uptake for elite soccer players is around 70% of maximum ( &Vdot; O 2max ). This may be partly explained by the 150 – 250 brief intense actions a top-class player performs during a game, which also indicates that the rates of creatine phosphate (CP) utilization and glycolysis are frequently high during a game. Muscle glycogen is probably the most important substrate for energy production, and fatigue towards the end of a game may be related to depletion of glycogen in some muscle fibres. Blood free-fatty acids (FFAs) increase progressively during a game, partly compensating for the progressive lowering of muscle glycogen. Fatigue also occurs temporarily during matches, but it is still unclear what causes the reduced ability to perform maximally. There are major individual differences in the physical demands of players during a game related to physical capacity and tactical role in the team. These differences should be taken into account when planning the training and nutritional strategies of top-class players, who require a significant energy intake during a week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential for the occurrence of multiple-role relationships is increased when professors also consult with athletic teams on their campuses. Such multiple-role relationships have potential ethical implications that are unclear and largely unexplored, and consultants may find multiple-role relationships both difficult to deal with and unavoidable. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the nature of teacher–practitioner multiple-role relationships. Participants ( = 35) were recruited from Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) certified consultants (CCs) who were also affiliated with a university ( = 68). All participants completed a 28-item survey exploring the incidence and relevant issues pertaining to multiple-role relationships. Chi-square analyses revealed that licensed mental health practitioners (i.e., psychologists and counselors) were more likely than nonlicensed AAASP CCs to believe that multiple-role relationships were never appropriate in sport psychology, χ2(1, = 30) = 12.80, < .001, and to have never taken part in a multiple-role relationship, χ2(1, = 33) = 12.44, < .001. Independent samples tests revealed that mental health practitioners also reported that they would have higher levels of concern for both the practitioner, (30) = –2.77, = .009, and the client, (30) = –2.50, = .018, in such a relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing sport psychology services to athletes and coaches before and during the Olympic Games presents a number of ethical concerns and challenges for the practitioner. These challenges are amplified by the nontraditional way in which sport psychology services are delivered, requiring careful attention to maintaining ethical behavior no matter the setting. The purpose of this article is, from the perspective of sport psychology consultants employed by the U.S. Olympic Committee, to outline specific challenges, including prolonged travel with teams, multiple relationships, and such Olympic Games-related issues as dealing with the media, team identification, servicing multiple teams simultaneously, and practitioner self-care. Strategies for coping with these challenges, as well as questions to ponder, are also presented as a way to increase awareness of this field's unique challenges for the aspiring practitioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The training and competition regimen of elite athletes demands rapid feedback about their performance. The aim of this study was to determine if real-time visual ipsative (comparison with oneself) feedback of instantaneous kinematic consistency improves overall kinematic consistency in rowing. Accelerometry-based data, representing the upper and lower body kinematics, were determined for 13 experienced rowers. Kinematic consistency data -- represented by percentage time outside the acceptable performance bandwidth, performance consistency -- represented by power-stroke dispersion and several performance indicators were acquired for all the rowers for three 2000 m time trials on a RowPerfect ergometer with three different visual feedback interventions: no feedback, detailed feedback, and summary feedback. Results indicated significantly increased performance consistency for detailed feedback than for both no feedback (p < 0.01 j and summary feedback (p < 0.05). No significant difference between summary feedback and no feedback was found (p = 0.173). We deemed feedback of detailed information to enhance kinematic consistency significantly more than both no feedback (p < 0.01) and summary feedback (p < 0.01) interventions, although summary feedback was shown to enhance kinematic consistency more than no feedback (p < 0.01). No improvements were found for performance-related parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-water running is performed in the deep end of a swimming pool, normally with the aid of a flotation vest. The method is used for purposes of preventing injury and promoting recovery from strenuous exercise and as a form of supplementary training for cardiovascular fitness. Both stroke volume and cardiac output increase during water immersion: an increase in blood volume largely offsets the cardiac decelerating reflex at rest. At submaximal exercise intensities, blood lactate responses to exercise during deep-water running are elevated in comparison to treadmill running at a given oxygen uptake (&:Vdoti;O 2 ). While &:Vdoti;O 2 , minute ventilation and heart rate are decreased under maximal exercise conditions in the water, deep-water running nevertheless can be justified as providing an adequate stimulus for cardiovascular training. Responses to training programmes have confirmed the efficacy of deep-water running, although positive responses are most evident when measured in a water-based test. Aerobic performance is maintained with deep-water running for up to 6 weeks in trained endurance athletes; sedentary individuals benefit more than athletes in improving maximal oxygen uptake. There is some limited evidence of improvement in anaerobic measures and in upper body strength in individuals engaging in deep-water running. A reduction in spinal loading constitutes a role for deep-water running in the prevention of injury, while an alleviation of muscle soreness confirms its value in recovery training. Further research into the applications of deep-water running to exercise therapy and athletes' training is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the responsibility of athletes and coaches in the improvement of the quality of individual and team training. Principles of an effective practice; Approaches that coaches can use to create an atmosphere that fosters a quality attitude and quality execution; Role of the athletes in the improvement of the quality of training.

Examines the effectiveness of using preperformance routines in self-paced acts performed by young athletes. Benefits and instructional limitations of the routines; Psychological factors contributing to success; Guidelines for preperformance phases; Recommendations for physical educators and coaches.

An intervention based on the predictions of Maddux's revised Theory of Planned Behaviour was designed to improve fitness training adherence of a group of elite netball players. The intervention consisted of a persuasive communication and time management workshop, which targeted the social cognitive constructs of the theory. We adopted a multiple baseline across-individuals design over 14 weeks with 17 elite netball players. Baseline training adherence data were collected over the first 7 weeks. The targeted social cognitive constructs were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up. Large effect sizes for changes in training adherence from baseline to post-intervention were noted for 13 players (76%). Post-intervention analysis revealed significant changes in two of the targeted variables, perceived vulnerability and attitude towards current behaviour, suggesting that the intervention was associated with cognitive changes. Data from an intervention check provided additional evidence to support the efficacy of the intervention. A follow-up assessment over an additional 7 weeks showed that players' training frequency remained improved. The results support the view that the revised Theory of Planned Behaviour can help inform interventions that enhance the training adherence of elite netball players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study concerning elite athletics and the commercialization and globalization of sports. Experiences of an amateur rowing coach who participated in a world championship event; Information on the training and attitudes of athletes; Importance of self-perception and the We-I balance in team sports.

Determines whether anticipatory skill of novice racquet sport players could be made more expert-like through using a combination of video-based and knowledge-based training. Selective enhancement of anticipatory skills for the group receiving perceptual training; Methodological problems that limit existing studies; Potential value of perceptual training.

Claims that intense multiple training sessions do not lead to greater fitness or performance gains for athlete based on a study by David L. Costill. Study of a group of swimmers who trained once a day and a group who trained twice a day for eight weeks; Athletes perform better when training is restricted to one session per day; Effect of large volume training on performance.