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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new technical science that studies and develops theories, methods, techniques and application systems for simulating, extending and expanding human intelligence. This paper is based on the research of AI in the auxiliary guidance function of athletes' standard training in physical education. It aims to conduct data mining from different aspects such as different joint angular speeds, motion injury screening and different parts of sports injuries and then integrate these aspects. Create a way to reduce athletes' injuries and scientific training. In order to improve the recognition efficiency of athletes' movement patterns, nonlinear auto regressive neural networks are used to recognize the movement patterns of athletes' limb surface signals. Through this research work, it can provide a certain reference basis and practice platform for the research on the auxiliary guidance role of AI in the sports standard training of athletes in physical education. Performance design and implementation include four modules: Image acquisition, preprocessing, motion detection and human motion recognition. Between them, the image acquisition module uses a memory mapping path to determine the format of the camera frame image, and the image format conversion is completed through channel conversion. Experimental data shows that athletes' strength quality, speed of action response, technical continuity, psychological stability and physical control ability have all been greatly improved. Among them, the most obvious is that with the assistance of AI technology, the psychological stability has reached 9.2; the strength quality has reached 9.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on multilayer neural network theory has developed rapidly in recent years. It has parallel processing capabilities and fault tolerance and has aroused the interest of many researchers. The neural network has made great progress in the field of control, especially in model identification and control. It has been quickly applied in the fields of device design, optimized operation, and fault analysis and diagnosis. Neural network control, as an automated control technology in the 21st century, has been fully proved by theories and practices at home and abroad, and it is very useful in complex process control. Sports psychology is a discipline that studies the psychological characteristics and laws of people engaged in sports, and it is also a new development in sports science. The main task of sports psychology is to study people's psychological processes when participating in sports, such as feeling, perception, appearance, thinking, memory, emotion, and characteristics of will and its role and significance in sports. An important feature of multilayer neural networks is to achieve results that match the expected output through network learning. It has strong self-learning, self-adaptability, and fault tolerance. The multilayer neural network system evaluation method is unique with its extraordinary ability to deal with complex nonlinear problems and does not involve human intervention. This article presents a multilayer neural network algorithm, which classifies the samples of athletes, and studies the physical education training process, the psychological characteristics of related personnel in sports competitions, such as the psychological characteristics of the formation of sports skills, and the psychological training of athletes before the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential aim of this research study is to measure the effect of virtual reality and augmented reality on sport psychology. This research study based on the quantitative research and data based on primary data analysis. For this purpose, generate different questions related to the variables the virtual reality and augmented reality both are consider as independent variable the sport psychology is main dependent variable. This research study employed smart PLS software to run distinct outcomes connected to the indicators and it was based on primary data analysis. The R square, composite reliability, discriminant validity, the indicator correlation, the total effect analysis and smart PLS Algorithm model present the overall research study. The virtual reality and augmented reality both are play a vital role in sport psychology. According to the result the overall research founded that there are positive and significant impact of virtual reality and augmented reality on the sport psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to bring to the fore the importance of physical training in the youth segment. Starting from the idea that physical training has an essential role in the training process of athletes, we conducted a sociological survey based on a questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed written and online to a number of 56 coaches and theorists from the Physical Education faculties specialized in handball. The research methods used during this study were: the method of analyzing specialized and interdisciplinary literature, the pedagogical observation method, the survey method, the statistical-mathematical method, the graphic method and the tabular method. The results highlighted the fact that the didactic strategies designed to plan the physical training represent a defining element in the training process of the athletes during their sports training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proves the need to create an effective system of training athletes, which is the basis for ensuring higher achievements in sports and causes a certain rise in the field of scientific and pedagogical research on the problems of sports pedagogy, physical education, and education of youth. It urges one to optimize educational conditions for training future physical education teachers for physical and sports activities based on the latest neuropedagogical and didactic requirements. The research aims to experimentally verify the newly created or updated pedagogical conditions required to train future physical education teachers for sport and physical activity at secondary schools. Research methods are as follows: modelling, observations, tests, questionnaires, pedagogical experiment, tests determining the level of physical development, the PWCno test, anthropomorphological measurements (body weight, height, chest circumference, lung capacity), heart rate, respiratory rate; methods of mathematical statistics (Student's t-test, Pearson's ?2 criterion). The experimental group consisted of 180 respondents and the control group - 189 respondents. A high level increased by 16.5%, an average level - by 24.3%; a low level decreased by 40.8%. Conclusions. It has been found that the experimental group students have higher levels of readiness for sport and physical activity at secondary schools. Moreover, the indicated differences in the levels are not coincidental and are the result of the implementation of relevant pedagogical conditions. The international relevance of the article lies in expanding the formative and diagnostic instruction tools within the updated conditions, which corresponds to innovative technological and neuropedagogical approaches to developing a physical education teacher today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to gain a thorough understanding of the high school sport captaincy experience. Thirteen university freshmen (7 males, 6 females) who were high school sport captains the previous year participated in 60-90 min semistructured interviews. Hierarchical content analysis of the data revealed that the majority of participants believed that their captainship experience was positive, but also cited difficult aspects such as having responsibility/being held accountable, being scrutinized/meeting expectations, and staying neutral in conflict situations. The majority of captains also reported receiving little to no training from coaches for their captaincy role and indicated that they learned to lead largely from previous life experiences, such as by observing significant others and learning through trial and error. Results on perceived roles and duties, perceived effectiveness, attitudes toward formal leadership training, and recommendations for future captains are also provided. Implications for designing youth sport leadership development interventions and advancing research on youth leadership are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how athletic trainer educators should use evidence-based educational practices to meet the learning needs of their students. It is suggested that lectures, discourses, and experiential learning are some of the teaching methods that can improve student learning. The article also discusses the importance of teaching students about heat acclimatization, rapid cooling, and temperature assessment as they apply to athletes and physical training.

The article looks at the measurement of clinical instructor behaviors. The author feels that administrators of athletic training education programs need to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical instructors based on interpersonal and professional behaviors. A sound method of measurement for evaluating these behaviors is the key to developing athletic training programs.

This focus group study examined the sources of enjoyment and nonenjoyment among younger and older English children in the sampling years of sport participation (ages 7-12). Concurrent inductive and deductive content analysis revealed that, consistent with previous research, younger and older children reported sources of enjoyment such as perceived competence, social involvement and friendships, psychosocial support, and a mastery-oriented learning environment. Nonenjoyment sources included inappropriate psychosocial support, increasing competitive orientation, negative feedback and reinforcement, injuries, pain, and demonstrating a lack of competence. Differences between younger and older children's sources of enjoyment and nonenjoyment also emerged. Younger children reported movement sensations as a source of enjoyment and punishment for skill errors and low informational support as nonenjoyment sources. Older children reported social recognition of competence, encouragement, excitement, and challenge as sources of enjoyment with rivalry, overtraining, and high standards as sources of nonenjoyment. These differences underscore the importance of tailoring youth sport in the sampling years to the needs of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides tips for safe, effective and physical training program for athletes in Canada. Exercises for shoulder stabilizer muscles; Effectiveness of strength training sessions; Physical benefits of the program.

The relevance of physical education for sport to society is promoted by many states in order to achieve its social values, especially health, social inclusion, education and volunteering. For example, Liechtenstein regards sport as a cultural component in society, being perceived as being of public interest. The Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary emphasize through reforms implemented in the field of education and sports, encouraging young people to watch and take part in sporting events and to be informed about sports regularly. The economic aspects of sport, especially the sustainable financing of sporting activities for all and the elaboration of policies based on concrete elements, can be considered as strategic objectives of the Republic of Moldova. In this context, the adoption of normative acts that will lead to the establishment of a framework of national guidelines on double careers will have the effect of regulating those concrete measures regarding the education, work, health and financial means of athletes. At the same time, ensuring the continuation of physical activity levels and national policies in this area, as well as continuously promoting the regular exchange of information and good practice on the role of physical activities to improve the health of the population, are also objectives that can be Implemented at national level in close synergy and cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The training multiannual process of female athletes is governed by training and education general laws, as well as training specific general principles. The sports training principles, used in female sport is distinguished by a specific content being determined by age biological development peculiarities of the female body and social-psychological factors. In continuous developing of the training system of young female athletes, a special place has the early stages of girls' pubertal development. The sudden variation of functional, emotional condition, physical work capacity at various phases of OMC, requires the mandatory development of governing principles of training effort in all sports samples, that women can practice them. Also, in female sport, along with general principles of sports training is necessary to take into account other theoretical and methodological guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the use of writing, specifically writing in reflective journals, as a means to enhance learning in clinical athletic training education. Overview on a reflective journal or learning log; Journal format; Evaluation of athletic training reflective journals.

The most important operation for well though-out projects, getting the goals, requires applying a way of thinking model by objectives able to order and rationalize deploying all teaching-learning-instruction-evaluation. It is assumed that the identification of confusions and ambiguities in the development of operational objectives will generate the correct development of their physical education at technical universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current image of sports is fundamentally negative. However, the connection between education and sports should be reinforced, while recognizing it as being hypothetical rather than automatic, and subject to the necessary educational controls. Each sport has its own perfection and can contribute to the moral, social, intellectual and ethical development of human beings. The analysis considers some of the areas where that development occurs and underscores a few of the more relevant problems (early competition, education for life, impact of the mass media, etc.) to be addressed for the sake of establishing progress later on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Athletic training education program directors (ATEPDs) often manage their time among students, program administration, and patient care. Objective: To assess the level of burnout in ATEPDs and to determine the relationship between burnout and various demographics of ATEPDs. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Public and private colleges and universities nationwide. Patients or Other Participants: Two hundred forty-nine ATEPDs of undergraduate athletic training education programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Intervention(s): We administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to all participants. Main Outcome Measure(s): The MBI consisted of 21 items assessing 3 characteristics of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Another component of the survey requested demographic information about the ATEPDs. We used univariate, multivariate, and factorial analyses of variance with the α level set a priori at .05. We also calculated Pearson product moment correlation coefficients. Results: Women had greater emotional exhaustion than men (20.67 ± 9.43 and 16.47 ± 9.64, respectively) (P = .001). The difference between tenure-status groups for emotional exhaustion was significant (P = .014), with tenure-track ATEPDs scoring higher on emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients revealed a weak negative relationship among emotional exhaustion and age (r = -0.263, P < .001), years of program director experience(r= -0.157, P= .013), and years at current job (r = -0.162, P = .010), indicating that as ATEPDs aged, gained more experience, and stayed in their current jobs, their emotional exhaustion scores decreased. There was also a weak negative relationship between age and depersonalization (r = -0.171, P = .007). There was a weak positive relationship between years at current job and personal accomplishment (r = 0.197,P= .002). Conclusions: We found that ATEPDs experienced a moderate form of emotional exhaustion burnout and low depersonalization and personal accomplishment burnout, with women experiencing greater emotional exhaustion than males. Additionally, ATEPDs in tenure-track positions experienced greater emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. The ATEPDs need to obtain healthy coping strategies early within their directorships to manage components related to burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The success of any academic program, including athletic training, depends upon attracting and keeping quality students. The nature of persistent students versus students who prematurely leave the athletic training major is not known. Understanding the profiles of athletic training students who persist or leave is important. Objective: To (1) explore the relationships among the following variables: anticipatory factors, academic integration, clinical integration, social integration, and motivation; (2) determine which of the aforementioned variables discriminate between senior athletic training students and major changers; and (3) identify which variable is the strongest predictor of persistence in athletic training education programs. Design: Descriptive study using a qualitative and quantitative mixed-methods approach. Setting: Thirteen athletic training education programs located in District 3 of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Patients or Other Participants: Ninety-four senior-level athletic training students and 31 college students who changed majors from athletic training to another degree option. Data Collection: Data were collected with the Athletic Training Education Program Student Retention Questionnaire (ATEPSRQ). Analysis: Data from the ATEPSRQ were analyzed via Pearson correlations, multivariate analysis of variance, univariate analysis of variance, and a stepwise discriminant analysis. Open-ended questions were transcribed and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures. Member checks and peer debriefing techniques ensured trustworthiness of the study. Results: Pearson correlations identified moderate relationships among motivation and clinical integration (r = 0:515, P < .01) and motivation and academic integration (r = 0.509, P < .01). Univariate analyses of variance showed that academic integration (F1,122 = 8.483, P < .004), clinical integration (F1,119 = 30.214, P < .001), and motivation (F1,121 = 68.887, P< .001) discriminated between seniors and major changers. Discriminant analysis indicated that motivation was the strongest predictor of persistence in athletic training education, accounting for 37.2% of the variance between groups. The theoretic model accurately classified 95.7% of the seniors and 53.8% of the major changers. A common theme emerging from the qualitative data was the presence of a strong peer-support group that surrounded many of the senior-level students. Conclusions: Understanding student retention in athletic training is important for our profession. Results from this study suggest 3 key factors associated with student persistence in athletic training education programs: (1) student motivation, (2) clinical and academic integration, and (3) the presence of a peer-support system. Educators and program directors must create comprehensive recruitment and retention strategies that address factors influencing students' decisions to stay in the athletic training profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate whether a neuromuscular training programme is effective in preventing non-contact leg injuries in female floorball players. Design Cluster randomised controlled study. Setting 28 top level female floorball teams in Finland. Participants 457 players (mean age 24 years)—256 (14 teams) in the intervention group and 201 (14 teams) in the control group—followed up for one league season (six months). Intervention A neuromuscular training programme to enhance players' motor skills and body control, as well as to activate and prepare their neuromuscular system for sports specific manoeuvres. Main outcome measure Acute non-contact injuries of the legs. Results During the season, 72 acute non-contact leg injuries occurred, 20 in the intervention group and 52 in the control group. The injury incidence per 1000 hours playing and practise in the intervention group was 0.65 (95% confidence interval 0.37 to 1.13) and in the control group was 2.08 (1.58 to 2.72). The risk of non-contact leg injury was 66% lower (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.34, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.57) in the intervention group. Conclusion A neuromusculartraining programme was effective in preventing acute non-contact injuries of the legs in female floorball players. Neuromuscular training can be recommended in the weekly training of these athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses an assessment on hydration status of Kenyan endurance runners in their training period. It includes a study on the hydration status of fourteen elite Kenyan endurance runners for 5 days training period by monitoring their body mass, urine osmolality, total body water and daily fluid intake. The researchers also monitored the runners' dietary sodium (Na) intake using a 5 day nutritional diary and biochemical analysis. Results show that daily fluid intake was consistent with previous observations. It also mentions that mean total body water and pretraining body mass were maintained day to day although there was a body mass loss during the morning, interval and afternoon training.

The article discusses a study on the comparison between incline and level training sessions used in 400 meter-runners elite long sprint running. It includes a study of stride kinematics and muscular activity measurements of nine runners from international and French national level. The results showed that incline ground induces a decrease in running velocity as compared to level ground. The author mentions that lower limbs were more flexed during incline ground running as indicated in the kinematics analysis.

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]

The tropical climate imposes a high level of physiological stress during exercise. As a result of this stress, adaptations maybe induced and could benefit athletes upon return to a neutral climate. To test this hypothesis, climate effects on swimming performance were assessed in 16 swimmers: 6 trained for 8 days in a tropical climate, 6 trained for 8 days at altitude, and 4 served as a tapering group. The swimming performance was assessed during a 400-m freestyle before the experimental period, and at 10 days and 30 days after. The results demonstrated that only the tropical group increased performance (10.0±4.2%, p<0.03 for the tropical group 30 days after return). No significant change in performance was noted for the two other groups 10 or 30 days post-training. The results of the present study demonstrated that training in a tropical climate significantly enhances performance in swimmers 30 days after return to neutral climate. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of such a climate on performance in other sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies point to the preventive efficacy of low-intensity endurance training in terms of cardiovascular risk factor modification and mortality reduction. In addition, it is frequently recommended as a means of stimulating fat metabolism. It was the intention of this study to clarify if endurance training effectiveness remains unimpaired when exercise intensity is reduced by a certain amount from ‘moderate’ to ‘low’, but total energy expenditure held constant. For this purpose, 39 healthy untrained subjects (44 ± 7 yrs, 82 ± 19 kg: 173 ± 9cm) were stratified for endurance capacity and sex and randomly assigned to 3 groups: ‘moderate intensity’ (MOD, n = 13, 5 sessions per week, 30 mm each, intensity 90% of the anaerobic threshold [baseline lactate + 1.5 mmol/l]), ‘low intensity’ (LOW, n=13, 5 sessions per week, intensity 15 bpm below MOD, duration proportionally longer to arrive at the same total energy output as MOD), and control (CO, n = 13, no training). Training was conducted over 12 weeks and each session monitored by means of portable heart rate (HR) recorders. Identical treadmill protocols prior to and after the training program served for exercise prescription and documentation of endurance effects. V̇O2max improved similarly in both training groups (MOD + 1.5 ml∙min-1∙kg-1 LOW + 1.7∙ ml∙min-1∙kg-1 p = 0.97 between groups). Compared with CO (- 1.0 ml∙min-1∙kg-1) this effect was significant for LOW (p <0.01) whereas there was only a tendency for MOD (p = 0.07). However, objective criteria (HRmax, maximal blood lactate) indicated that a different degree of effort was responsible for this finding. In comparison with CO (mean decrease of 3 bpm), average HR during incremental exercise decreased significantly by 9 bpm (MOD, p<0.05 vs. CO) and 6 bpm (LOW, p = 0.26), respectively. However, there was no significant difference between MOD and LOW (p = 0.60), but for changes in oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold (V̇O2AT) it was observed that MOD was significantly more effective than CO (p=0.048) and LOW (p = 0.04). It is concluded that within a middle-aged population of healthy untrained subjects, endurance training effectiveness might be slightly impaired when the training heart rate is chosen 15 bpm lower as compared to moderate intensity, but the total energy output held equal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Technique and Games approaches on girls' soccer performance and motivation. The Technique approach focuses on technique instruction using drills, whereas the Games approach places emphasis on tactic instruction with modified games. 37 girls, 12 to 13 years old, were taught 15 soccer lessons by the Technique approach and 35 girls by the Games approach. At the beginning and at, the end of the research soccer matches were videotaped and evaluated by Oslin, Mitchell, and Griffin's Game Performance Assessment Instrument. Girls' motivation was assessed on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. The Games group had significantly better scores after training on tactical behaviour and intrinsic motivation than the Technique group. There were no significant differences in skill execution between groups trained under the two approaches. Considering the importance of intrinsic motivation for a lifelong, physically active lifestyle, researchers could focus study on the approaches and girls' motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to its size and the extent of its neural activation, a muscle's geometry (the angles and lengths of its fibres or fascicles) strongly influences its force production characteristics. As with many other tissues within the body, muscle displays significant plasticity in its geometry. This review summarises geometric differences between various athlete populations and describes research examining the plasticity of muscle geometry with physical training, immobilisation/ detraining, growth and aging. Typically, heavy resistance training in young adults has been shown to cause significant increases in fascicle angle of vastus lateralis and triceps brachii as measured by ultrasonography, while high-speed/ plyometrics training in the absence of weight training has been associated with increases in fascicle length and a reduction in angles of vastus lateralis fascicles. These changes indicate that differences in geometry between various athletic populations might be at least partly attributable to their differing training regimes. Despite some inter-muscular differences, detraining/unloading is associated with decreases in fascicle angle, although little change was shown in muscles such as vastus lateralis and triceps brachii in studies examining the effects of prolonged bed rest. No research has examined the effects of other interventions such as endurance or chronic stretching training. Few data exist describing geometric adaptation during growth and maturation, although increases in gastrocnemius fascicle angle and length seem to occur until maturation in late adolescence. Although some evidence suggests that a decrease in both fascicle angle and length accompanies the normal aging process, there is a paucity of data examining the issue; heavy weight training might attenuate the decline, at least in fascicle length. A significant research effort is required to more fully understand geometric adaptation in response to physical training, immobilisation/detraining, growth and aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overtraining syndrome (OTS) is a major threat for performance and health in athletes. OTS is caused by high levels of (sport-specific) stress in combination with too little regeneration, which causes performance decrements, fatigue and possibly other symptoms. Although there is general consensus about the causes and consequences, many different terminologies have been used interchangeably. The consequences of overreaching and overtraining are divided into three categories: (i) functional overreaching (FO); (ii) non-functional overreaching (NFO); and (iii) OTS. In FO, performance decrements and fatigue are reversed within a pre-planned recovery period. FO has no negative consequences for the athlete in the long term; it might even have positive consequences. When performance does not improve and feelings of fatigue do not disappear after the recovery period, overreaching has not been functional and is thus called NFO. OTS only applies to the most sever cases. NFO and OTS could be prevented using early markers, which should be objective, not manipulable, applicable in training practice, not too demanding, affordable and should be based on a sound theoretical framework. No such markers exist up to today. It is proposed that psychomotor speed might be such a marker. OTS shows similarities with chronic fatigue syndrome and with major depression (MD). Through two meta-analyses, it is shown that psychomotor slowness is consistently present in both syndromes. This leads to the hypothesis that psychomotor speed is also reduced in athletes with OTS. Parallels between commonly used models for NFO and OTS and a threshold theory support the idea that psychomotor speed is impaired in athletes with NFO or OTS and could also be used as an early marker to prevent NFO and/or OTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fifteen elite male handball players were studied to examine the effects of an entire season of play on physical fitness and throwing velocity. Methods: One repetition maximal bench press (1RMBP), jumping explosive strength, power-load relationship of the leg and arm extensor muscles, 5- and 15-m sprint running time, endurance running, and handball throwing velocity (standing and three-step running throw) were assessed on four times (T1, T2, T3, and T4), during a 45-wk season. Individual volumes and intensities of training and competition were quantified for 11 activities. Results: From T1 to T3, significant increases occurred in free fatty mass (1.4%), 1RMBP (1.9%), standing throwing velocity (6.5%), and three-step throwing velocity (6.2%). No significant changes were observed throughout the season in endurance running and explosive strength-related variables. Significant correlations (P<0.05-0.01) were observed between strength training time and changes in standing throwing velocity as well as between high-intensity endurance training time and changes in endurance running. In addition, linear inverse relationships were observed between low-intensity endurance training time and changes in muscle power output of the lower extremities. Conclusion: The handball season resulted in significant increases in maximal and specific strength of the upper-extremity but not in the lower-extremity actions. The correlations observed suggest that training time at low intensity should be given less attention, whereas the training stimuli for high-intensity endurance running and leg strength training should be given more careful attention in the full training season program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of manipulating the motivational climate in athletics lessons to be mastery oriented on pupils' perceptions of the motivational climate, achievement goal orientations and cognitive and affective responses, A total of 153 male and female secondary school pupils were involved in the study over a period of seven weeks, Eighty pupils participated in the mastery intervention programme (experimental group) which implemented Epstein's (1989) TARGET teaching structures, while 73 pupils experienced the existing athletics teaching programme (control group), The pupils completed a pre- and post-intervention survey assessing their achievement goal orientations, beliefs about the causes of success, task choice, satisfaction, boredom and attitude towards athletics, Additionally the post-intervention survey assessed the pupils' perceptions of the motivational climate, Results revealed pupils' perceptions of a mastery climate and significant increases in their task orientation, preference for challenging tasks, satisfaction and positive attitude as a result of experiencing the mastery programme, These findings are discussed with regard to the implications for physical educators. [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.

Recently, endurance athletes have used several novel approaches and modalities for altitude training including: normobaric hypoxia via nitrogen dilution (hypoxic apartment); supplemental oxygen; hypoxic sleeping devices; and intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE). A normobaric hypoxic apartment simulates an altitude environment equivalent to approximately 2000 to 3000m (6560 to 9840ft). Athletes who use a hypoxic apartment typically ‘live and sleep high’ in the hypoxic apartment for 8 to 18 hours a day, but complete their training at sea level, or approximate sea level conditions. Several studies suggest that using a hypoxic apartment in this manner produces beneficial changes in serum erythropoietin (EPO) levels, reticulocyte count and red blood cell (RBC) mass, which in turn may lead to improvements in postaltitude endurance performance. However, other studies failed to demonstrate significant changes in haematological indices as a result of using a hypoxic apartment. These discrepancies may be caused by differences in methodology, the hypoxic stimulus that athletes were exposed to and/or the training status of the athletes. Supplemental oxygen is used to simulate either normoxic (sea level) or hyperoxic conditions during high-intensity workouts at altitude. This method is a modification of the ‘high-low’ strategy, since athletes live in a natural terrestrial altitude environment but train at ‘sea level’ with the aid of supplemental oxygen. Limited data regarding the efficacy of hyperoxic training suggests that high-intensity workouts at moderate altitude (1860m/6100ft) and endurance performance at sea level may be enhanced when supplemental oxygen training is utilised at altitude over a duration of several weeks. Hypoxic sleeping devices include the Colorado Altitude Training (CAT) Hatch (hypobaric chamber) and Hypoxico Tent System (normobaric hypoxic system), both of which are designed to allow athletes to sleep high and train low. These devices simulate altitudes up to approximately 4575m/15 006ft and 4270m/14 005ft, respectively. Currently, no studies have been published on the efficacy of these devices on RBC production, maximal oxygen uptake and/or performance in elite athletes. IHE is based on the assumption that brief exposures to hypoxia (1.5 to 2.0 hours) are sufficient to stimulate the release of EPO, and ultimately bring about an increase in RBC concentration. Athletes typically use IHE while at rest, or in conjunction with a training session. Data regarding the effect of IHE on haematological indices and athletic performance are minimal and inconclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies factors that college coaches associate with athletic achievement and tests deliberate practice theory predictions for practice relevance, effort and pleasure. Tendency of coaches to attribute achievement to innate talents than to practice; Extension of previous research on perceptions of the relevance, effort and pleasure associated with practice from participants to coaches.

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]

Athletes and soldiers must both develop and maintain high levels of physical fitness for the physically demanding tasks they perform; however, the routine physical activity necessary to achieve and sustain fitness can result in training-related injuries. This article reviews data from a systematic injury control programme developed by the US Army. Injury control requires 5 major steps: surveillance to determine the size of the injury problem; studies to determine causes and risk factors for these injuries; studies to ascertain whether proposed interventions actually reduce injuries; implementation of effective interventions; and monitoring to see whether interventions retain their effectiveness. Medical surveillance data from the US Army indicate that unintentional (accidental) injuries cause about 50% of deaths, 50% of disabilities, 30% of hospitalisations and 40 to 60% of outpatient visits. Epidemiological surveys show that the cumulative incidence of injuries (requiring an outpatient visit) in the 8 weeks of US Army basic training is about 25% for men and 55% for women; incidence rates for operational infantry, special forces and ranger units are about 10 to 12 injuries/100 soldier-months. Of the limited-duty days accrued by trainees and infantry soldiers who were treated in outpatient clinics, 80 to 90% were the result of training-related injuries. US Army studies document a number of potentially modifiable risk factors for these injuries, which include high amounts of running, low levels of physical fitness, high and low levels of flexibility, sedentary lifestyle and tobacco use, amongst others. Studies directed at interventions showed that limiting running distance can reduce the risk for stress fractures, that the use of ankle braces can reduce the likelihood of ankle sprains during airborne operations and that the use of shock-absorbing insoles does not reduce stress fractures during training. The US Army continues to develop a comprehensive injury prevention programme encompassing surveillance, research, programme implementation and monitoring. The findings from this programme, and the general principles of injury control therein, have a wide application in civilian sports and exercise programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on using hypoxic air machines for performance enhancement in sports. Opinion on scientific full time training; Sentiment which could explain why the resistance to doping is more recalcitrant than the opposition to training; Opinion on the ethos of sport.