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Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the 30-15 Intermittent Field Test (30-15IFT) with and without a ball. Methods: Twenty-four collegiate female soccer players (19.46 ± 1.22 years; 167.01 ± 7.23 cm; 60.95 ± 7.84 kg) performed 1 trial of the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery (YYIR) test, 3 trials of the 30-15IFT, and 3 trials of the 30-15IFT with a ball (30-15IFT-B), separated by a minimum 48 hours. Maximal intermittent running velocity (VIFT), heart rate at exhaustion (HRpeak), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between trials demonstrated good reliability during the 30-15IFT in VIFT (ICC = 0.88) and HRpeak (ICC = 0.89), in addition to the 30-15IFT-B VIFT (ICC = 0.83) and HRpeak (ICC = 0.87). VIFT was significantly reduced in 30-15IFT-B (15.82 km h-1) compared to 30-15IFT (17.52 km h-1; p < .001), regardless of trial. HR and RPE were significantly greater in 30-15IFT compared to 30-15IFT-B (p < .05). Estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) YYIR and estimated VO2max of 30-15IFT and 30-15IFT-B was very strongly (r = 0.82) and strongly (r = 0.68) correlated. Conclusion: The 30-15IFT is considered valid and reliable and the 30-15IFT-B was reliable in female soccer players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The application of a standardised submaximal fitness test on a treadmill has shown promising feasibility and efficacy in identifying clinical signs of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in Pugs. Although early diagnosis of this disease is necessary and exercise testing combined with functional assessment has been shown to be useful, there is no evaluation of the different brachycephalic breeds. In this study, 79 dogs of different brachycephalic breeds were included to complete the fitness test under standardised conditions. Most of the examined dogs quickly adapted to running on a treadmill, so they were well monitored and consistently exercised during the test. The trotting speed can be adjusted individually, so the test also showed good applicability with other breeds. The breathing noises that occurred partially worsened over time, and some dogs only showed clinical signs of being affected until the test duration progressed. Thus, this fitness test opens the possibility of identifying affected dogs of other breeds, even if the clinical signs are only shown under exercise. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in dogs challenges veterinary surgeons both with a complex clinical picture as well as wide-ranging ways to diagnose the disease, often not easily implemented nor standardised in clinical practice. The assessment of a combination of exercise testing, the occurrence of breathing noises, recovery time, and respiratory effort proved to be an appropriate method to identify Pugs with BOAS. The purpose of this study was to apply an established standardised, submaximal, treadmill-based fitness test for Pugs to other brachycephalic dog breeds. A total of 79 participants, belonging to 6 different brachycephalic breeds, trotted 15 min with an individual comfort speed of 3–7 km/h on a treadmill. Additionally, functional BOAS grading based on respiratory clinical signs before and after exercise was applied. The test was passed if the dogs presented with a BOAS grade of 0 or 1 and their vital parameters recovered to baseline within 15 min after exercise. A total of 68% showed a BOAS grade of 0 or 1 and passed the fitness test. Of the failed participants, 65% failed due to BOAS affectedness, 9% were categorised as not affected by BOAS and failed due to not passing the fitness test only, and 26% showed both failure criteria. The fitness test can be a useful method to identify BOAS-affected dogs in other brachycephalic breeds and to diagnose BOAS in dogs that only show clinical signs under exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of dogs and, with it, dog sports are growing in popularity, and the training of dogs begins at an early age. Although fitness testing is an imperative part of purposeful training and sports, to our knowledge, no objective field tests are available for measuring young dogs' endurance fitness. The aim of this study is to describe a simple, easy-to-repeat, and inexpensive way to test training intervention effects on endurance fitness in young Labrador Retrievers. Healthy client-owned 16-week-old Labrador Retrievers will be recruited and divided into test and control groups. The test group will have an eight-week training program followed by a four-week detraining period, while the control group will live a normal puppy life. All dogs will be tested for endurance fitness four times at four-week intervals: at baseline, one month later, two months later at the end of the training period, and one month after ending the training program. Each of the four testing sessions will be identical and will consist of four measurements of heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (BL): at baseline, after trotting 1000 m, after sprinting 200 m, and at recovery 5–8 min after the sprint. The training-induced changes in endurance fitness are evaluated by changes in HR and heart rate recovery times (HRR), BL, and running times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication and motivation from physical education teachers is an important part of physical education classes. Therefore, it is necessary to look for suitable and effective methods to maximize students’ effort and performance. This study aimed to investigate the changes in aerobic performance after applying verbal encouragement (VE) to the beep test for university students. A group of 397 male students with average body mass index (BMI) 24.81 ± 5.88 and age 19.1 ± 1.3 was randomly selected for this study. Students were divided into two groups: physically active (237 PAS) and non-active students (160 NAS). These students underwent a beep test with and without VE in a counterbalancing manner. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was employed to find differences between the distance covered, maximum oxygen uptake and maximum heart rates after verbal VE and without stimulus (WS) in a beep test. The results showed that all students improved in the distance covered after VE compared to WS in the beep test (47.3 m, 5.53%, p < 0.0001), NAS (34.2 m, 4.44%, p = 0.013) and PAS (60.2 m, 6.62%, p < 0.0001). All students also increased maximal heart rate (beats per minute—BPM) values after VE stimulus compared to WS in the same test (1.01 BPM, 0.51%, p = 0.001) and PAS (1.58 BPM, 0.80%, p = 0.001). Only the NAS group did not significantly improve in maximal heart rate. These findings indicate that VE (“go-go or faster-faster”) applied every 60 seconds is more effective for improving endurance than without any stimulus and that VE improved performance statistically the same in both groups (NAS, PAS). Therefore, the positive effect of VE is similar to NAS and PAS.

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in dogs challenges veterinary surgeons both with a complex clinical picture as well as wide-ranging ways to diagnose the disease, often not easily implemented nor standardised in clinical practice. The assessment of a combination of exercise testing, the occurrence of breathing noises, recovery time, and respiratory effort proved to be an appropriate method to identify Pugs with BOAS. The purpose of this study was to apply an established standardised, submaximal, treadmill-based fitness test for Pugs to other brachycephalic dog breeds. A total of 79 participants, belonging to 6 different brachycephalic breeds, trotted 15 min with an individual comfort speed of 3–7 km/h on a treadmill. Additionally, functional BOAS grading based on respiratory clinical signs before and after exercise was applied. The test was passed if the dogs presented with a BOAS grade of 0 or 1 and their vital parameters recovered to baseline within 15 min after exercise. A total of 68% showed a BOAS grade of 0 or 1 and passed the fitness test. Of the failed participants, 65% failed due to BOAS affectedness, 9% were categorised as not affected by BOAS and failed due to not passing the fitness test only, and 26% showed both failure criteria. The fitness test can be a useful method to identify BOAS-affected dogs in other brachycephalic breeds and to diagnose BOAS in dogs that only show clinical signs under exercise.

Purpose: This study aimed (1) to evaluate the test–retest reliability of a new agility test among children and (2) to determine the physical performance and anthropometric variables that may influence agility performance in this population. Methods: For aim 1, participants (n = 34) completed the Ladder Agility Test (LAT) twice, with a 2-week interval between the first and second test occasions. For aim 2, participants (n = 125) were assessed on the LAT as well as other measures thought to be necessary for agility such as motor coordination, explosive power of the lower extremity, dynamic balance, age, and body mass index. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient of the LAT total score was.94 (95% confidence interval,.88–.97). Cronbach alpha of.85 was found between the 4 test items. An R2 of.466 was found to represent the explained variance of the LAT total score by the predicting variables. Dynamic balance (2-legged side jumps) (P <.001), motor coordination (P <.01), and age (P <.06) were found to be the major predictors of the LAT total score. Conclusions: This study shows that the LAT is a reliable and valid field-based test that can be used to evaluate agility performance in children. Factors such as dynamic balance, motor coordination, and age may influence agility performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secara umum penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuat sebuah sumber referensi baru bagi para Lansia dengan membuat design aktifitas fisik yang aman dan menyenangkan bagi para Lansia agar mereka bisa melakukan aktifitas fisik dimana saja dan kapan saja dengan tujuan bisa meningkatkan kebugaran fisik mereka sehingga dengan meningkatknya kebugaran fisik mereka maka tingkat kekebalan tubuh mereka juga akan meningkat sehingga bisa menurunkan resiko terpapar virus khususnya virus corona. Tujuan ini juga membuat aplikasi tes TKJI khusus Lansia agar para Lansia bisa mengukur tingkat kebugaran jasmani mereka sendiri. Target khusus dari penelitian ini adalah masyarakat Desa Laut Dendang yang berumur 60 Tahun keatas. Aplikasi ini berisi tutorial pembelajaran tentang bagaimana melakukan aktifitas fisik yang aman dan menyenangkan bagi para Lansia lengkap dengan tutorial tentang bagaimana melakukan tes kebugaran jasmani yang dikemas dengan atraktif berbasis aplikasi android sehingga bisa diakses oleh para Lansia melalui smartphone mereka kapan saja dan dimana saja. Penelitian ini melibatkan dosen FIK Unimed sebagai model dalam pembuatan video yang berisi materi gerakan-gerakan aktifitas fisik yang aman bagi Lansia dan video-video yang ada di aplikasi ini nanti akan dibuat secara sederhana dan jelas dan akan melewati proses edit dengan software yang ada.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the validity, test–retest reliability and affective responses of a submaximal 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) stopped at 6 on the Eston–Parfitt (EP) scale. The secondary aim was to examine and compare two submaximal 20mSRT protocols with different RPE end points (EP6 vs. EP7) using previously published data.Twenty-five children (16 boys; 13.4 ± 1.0 years; 162.1 ± 8.7 cm; 49.1 ± 6.6 kg) completed three exercise tests (graded exercise test [GXT], 2 submaximal 20mSRT). The EP scale and Feeling scale were used to measure RPE and affect, respectively. The two submaximal 20mSRTs were stopped after participants reported EP6. Individual speed–RPE relationships from the submaximal 20mSRTs were linearly regressed to predict peak speed and then used to estimate VO2peak. Previously published data (n = 25) used comparable methods, except that the participants stopped at EP7.In the EP6 protocol, a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed non-significant Test and Sex main effects (p > 0.05). Reliability analysis revealed intraclass correlation coefficient of ~ 0.7 (95%CI [0.432,0.867], p < 0.001) between the submaximal 20mSRTs. Significant differences in end-test affect between the GXT and submaximal 20mSRTs were found (p < 0.001), with GXT more negative. ANOVA revealed no significant differences in end-test affect between EP6 and EP7 protocols; however, frequency count analysis revealed EP6 to result in more positive end-test affect.Submaximal 20mSRT utilising RPE may offer valid predictions in VO2peak while minimising negative affect. Test end points of EP6 and EP7 both offer valid predictions in VO2peak. EP6 may be more beneficial in avoiding negative affect, even though a reduction in test–retest reliability was observed.Methods: The purpose of the study was to explore the validity, test–retest reliability and affective responses of a submaximal 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) stopped at 6 on the Eston–Parfitt (EP) scale. The secondary aim was to examine and compare two submaximal 20mSRT protocols with different RPE end points (EP6 vs. EP7) using previously published data.Twenty-five children (16 boys; 13.4 ± 1.0 years; 162.1 ± 8.7 cm; 49.1 ± 6.6 kg) completed three exercise tests (graded exercise test [GXT], 2 submaximal 20mSRT). The EP scale and Feeling scale were used to measure RPE and affect, respectively. The two submaximal 20mSRTs were stopped after participants reported EP6. Individual speed–RPE relationships from the submaximal 20mSRTs were linearly regressed to predict peak speed and then used to estimate VO2peak. Previously published data (n = 25) used comparable methods, except that the participants stopped at EP7.In the EP6 protocol, a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed non-significant Test and Sex main effects (p > 0.05). Reliability analysis revealed intraclass correlation coefficient of ~ 0.7 (95%CI [0.432,0.867], p < 0.001) between the submaximal 20mSRTs. Significant differences in end-test affect between the GXT and submaximal 20mSRTs were found (p < 0.001), with GXT more negative. ANOVA revealed no significant differences in end-test affect between EP6 and EP7 protocols; however, frequency count analysis revealed EP6 to result in more positive end-test affect.Submaximal 20mSRT utilising RPE may offer valid predictions in VO2peak while minimising negative affect. Test end points of EP6 and EP7 both offer valid predictions in VO2peak. EP6 may be more beneficial in avoiding negative affect, even though a reduction in test–retest reliability was observed.Results: The purpose of the study was to explore the validity, test–retest reliability and affective responses of a submaximal 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) stopped at 6 on the Eston–Parfitt (EP) scale. The secondary aim was to examine and compare two submaximal 20mSRT protocols with different RPE end points (EP6 vs. EP7) using previously published data.Twenty-five children (16 boys; 13.4 ± 1.0 years; 162.1 ± 8.7 cm; 49.1 ± 6.6 kg) completed three exercise tests (graded exercise test [GXT], 2 submaximal 20mSRT). The EP scale and Feeling scale were used to measure RPE and affect, respectively. The two submaximal 20mSRTs were stopped after participants reported EP6. Individual speed–RPE relationships from the submaximal 20mSRTs were linearly regressed to predict peak speed and then used to estimate VO2peak. Previously published data (n = 25) used comparable methods, except that the participants stopped at EP7.In the EP6 protocol, a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed non-significant Test and Sex main effects (p > 0.05). Reliability analysis revealed intraclass correlation coefficient of ~ 0.7 (95%CI [0.432,0.867], p < 0.001) between the submaximal 20mSRTs. Significant differences in end-test affect between the GXT and submaximal 20mSRTs were found (p < 0.001), with GXT more negative. ANOVA revealed no significant differences in end-test affect between EP6 and EP7 protocols; however, frequency count analysis revealed EP6 to result in more positive end-test affect.Submaximal 20mSRT utilising RPE may offer valid predictions in VO2peak while minimising negative affect. Test end points of EP6 and EP7 both offer valid predictions in VO2peak. EP6 may be more beneficial in avoiding negative affect, even though a reduction in test–retest reliability was observed.Conclusion: The purpose of the study was to explore the validity, test–retest reliability and affective responses of a submaximal 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) stopped at 6 on the Eston–Parfitt (EP) scale. The secondary aim was to examine and compare two submaximal 20mSRT protocols with different RPE end points (EP6 vs. EP7) using previously published data.Twenty-five children (16 boys; 13.4 ± 1.0 years; 162.1 ± 8.7 cm; 49.1 ± 6.6 kg) completed three exercise tests (graded exercise test [GXT], 2 submaximal 20mSRT). The EP scale and Feeling scale were used to measure RPE and affect, respectively. The two submaximal 20mSRTs were stopped after participants reported EP6. Individual speed–RPE relationships from the submaximal 20mSRTs were linearly regressed to predict peak speed and then used to estimate VO2peak. Previously published data (n = 25) used comparable methods, except that the participants stopped at EP7.In the EP6 protocol, a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA revealed non-significant Test and Sex main effects (p > 0.05). Reliability analysis revealed intraclass correlation coefficient of ~ 0.7 (95%CI [0.432,0.867], p < 0.001) between the submaximal 20mSRTs. Significant differences in end-test affect between the GXT and submaximal 20mSRTs were found (p < 0.001), with GXT more negative. ANOVA revealed no significant differences in end-test affect between EP6 and EP7 protocols; however, frequency count analysis revealed EP6 to result in more positive end-test affect.Submaximal 20mSRT utilising RPE may offer valid predictions in VO2peak while minimising negative affect. Test end points of EP6 and EP7 both offer valid predictions in VO2peak. EP6 may be more beneficial in avoiding negative affect, even though a reduction in test–retest reliability was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The number of dogs and, with it, dog sports are growing in popularity, and the training of dogs begins at an early age. Although fitness testing is an imperative part of purposeful training and sports, to our knowledge, no objective field tests are available for measuring young dogs’ endurance fitness. The aim of this study is to describe a simple, easy-to-repeat, and inexpensive way to test training intervention effects on endurance fitness in young Labrador Retrievers. Healthy client-owned 16-week-old Labrador Retrievers will be recruited and divided into test and control groups. The test group will have an eight-week training program followed by a four-week detraining period, while the control group will live a normal puppy life. All dogs will be tested for endurance fitness four times at four-week intervals: at baseline, one month later, two months later at the end of the training period, and one month after ending the training program. Each of the four testing sessions will be identical and will consist of four measurements of heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (BL): at baseline, after trotting 1000 m, after sprinting 200 m, and at recovery 5–8 min after the sprint. The training-induced changes in endurance fitness are evaluated by changes in HR and heart rate recovery times (HRR), BL, and running times.

Subtle instructional changes that direct attentional focus can lead to changes in performance, potentially hindering a fitness assessment. An external attentional focus has been found to improve motor performance, however less is known about instructional effects on performance and the physiological response during an isometric endurance test. To better understand how attentional focus effects endurance fitness tests, two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 showed that an external focus instruction (68.41 sec, SD = 34.20) led to significantly higher endurance performance compared to an internal instruction (60.22 sec, SD = 34.54). Experiment 2 revealed that heart rate during the internal condition (M = 117.51 bpm, SD = 14.19) was higher compared to the external (M = 114.17 bmp, SD = 13.19) and control (M = 115.40 bpm, SD = 16.85). Additionally, performance was greater during external instructions (M = 107.01 sec, SD = 46.35) compared to internal (M = 95.25 sec, SD = 38.19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared different groups yearly based on the different annual quota of Physical Education (PE) classes in anthropometric parameters, physical fitness tests, and grades achievements. The study included adolescents from 14 to 18 years of age, at the Croatian Industrial School in Slavonski Brod. They were 225 participants in the 2015-2016 academic year, 213 in 2016-2017, 200 in 2017-2018, and 318 in 2017-2018. Groups were determined yearly by the different annual quota of PE classes (1 or 2 per week) in the teaching program. Anthropometric measures (body height, body weight, BMI), physical fitness tests (standing long jump, sit-ups, run for 1000 m), grade in the PE class, and the general achievement grade at the end of the school year were conducted. Data collected from the 2015-2016 until the 2018-2019 academic year. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the differences between groups for each school year separately. Results for sit-ups and run for 1000 m test in 2015-2016, BMI in 2018-2019, and the grade of PE class in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic year indicated significant differences between groups (p

Introduction : The level of parents' knowledge and ability to evaluate a child's health condition is crucial when making decisions concerning physical activity levels and dietary patterns. Aim : This study assessed parents' views versus the actual health status of their children using anthropometric examinations and performance test results. Material and methods: The research involved an examination of 8369 children aged 6-7 years and an analysis of responses provided by parents to a questionnaire of the general health status of children, their physical activity, and estimated average time spent passively. Responses were compared to the results of a performance test and anthropometric measurements, classified according to centile grids for a given age and sex. Results and discussion: In total, 85% of guardians did not notice obesity in a child whose BMI was in the 95th percentile or above. Guardians of children with very bad physical performance evaluated their general health condition as very good (42%) or good (50%), which means that 92% of guardians were not aware of their child's very low exercise capacity. In total, 75% of guardians of children with very poor fitness believed that their child had a sufficient amount of physical activity during the day. Conclusions: Parents or guardians of children with excessive body weight have a low level of awareness of obesity and have no awareness of their children's very low physical performance. We conclude that there is a great need for comprehensive education of societies regarding the importance of physical activity and nutrition for the health of children and youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Repeated change of direction (R-CoD) is an important capacity in basketball. In this study, we evaluated the potential applicability of the two specific ergogenic methods, listening of preferred music, and verbal encouragement, regarding its effectiveness in improving R-CoD in elite youth basketball players. Results showed beneficial effects of both methods, but with no significant differential effects. As R-CoD in basketball is directly related to competitive success, these findings should be translated into regular basketball training to benefit competitive success. Verbal encouragement (VE) and listening to preferred music (PM) are considered effective ergogenic methods in strength and conditioning, but studies examining the effectiveness of these two methods simultaneously are lacking. This study analyzed the influence of PM and VE on repeated change-of-direction performance (R-CoD) in elite young basketball players. On alternate days, 18 elite young basketball players (17.2 ± 0.61 years; 189.8 ± 7 cm; 71.6 ± 6.7 kg; body fat: 12.3 ± 2.5%) were assessed on R-CoD under three randomized conditions: team-selected PM, VE, and control condition. Total time (TT), peak time (PT), and fatigue index were registered and compared across conditions. Significant differences across conditions were evidenced for TT and PT (F-test = 6.96 and 4.15, p < 0.05; large effect size), with better results in VE and PM than in the control condition and no significant differences between VE and PM. No correlations were evidenced between changes that occurred as a result of VE and those which occurred as a result of PM, indicating individual responsiveness of the players to VE and PM. The results evidenced positive acute effects of VE and PM on R-CoD performance, indicating the usefulness of these training methods in the conditioning of youth basketball players. Future studies should evaluate the applicability of VE and PM in the training of other conditioning capacities and the individual responsiveness of players toward VE and PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium are often used as dental materials, pure titanium present low strength and titanium alloy is reported poor biocompatibility, respectively. To overcome the problem, we fabricated high-strength multi-directional forged (MDF) titanium with improved mechanical properties without changing the chemical composition and evaluated its applicability in prosthetic crowns. Cutting tests: the average absolute value of the difference before and after cutting was calculated as the uncut amount. Surface evaluations: MDF titanium, pure titanium, and the Ti-6Al-4V alloy were the surface properties (the surface roughness, the contact angles, glossiness) of the samples were evaluated. The fitness test used digital data. These demonstrated that the good workability of high-strength MDF titanium. The surface-roughness and contact-angle properties of MDF titanium and pure titanium were similar. The fitness test showed no significant differences between MDF titanium and pure titanium crowns. These results suggest that MDF titanium is promising for fabricating prosthetic crowns in dental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined adolescents' interest in aerobic fitness testing and its relation to the test performances. Adolescents (N = 356) from three middle schools participated in the study. The participants took two aerobic fitness tests: the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) and One-Mile Run (1MR) with a two-day interval, and completed two interest scales immediately after each test. Test performances, interest, and body mass index data were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance/covariance, and hierarchical regression analyses. Student situational and personal interests were low-to-moderate overall in both aerobic fitness tests. Boys reported significantly higher situational interest than girls, but there was no gender difference in personal interest. Personal interest was a significant predictor for PACER (b=.27) and 1MR (b=-.37). The predictability of situational interest to testing performances varied between PACER and 1MR. PACER and 1MR might have rendered distinct motivational stimuli that led to the varied predicting power of situational interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of this study is to compare the results between 2 groups of male and female participants for pushups and squats during a 120 trial of a standardized training protocol. Methods. We used 2 groups consisting of 31 female and 18 male subjects, aged 30 to 40 years old that had memberships at the Orhideea Sport center. We applied 3 tests, at day 1, 60 and 120, during which we gathered the data and analyzed it using the Wilcoxon test and Friedman test for repeated measurements. Results. We recorded an average of 8,07,10,00 and 12,67 repetitions for the first, second and third test of the women group and an average of 10.00, 15.75 and 21.75 repetitions for the men group for the push up test. For the squat test, we recorded an average of 14.13, 20.13 and 25.13 repetitions for the first, second and third test of the men group and an average of 12,00, 15,67 and 19,80 repetitions for the women group for the squat test. Conclusions. The men group recorded better improvements over the duration of our test for the push up test, but for the squat test the results were similar between the 2 groups. This shows us that men improve the upper body strength faster than women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a fitness assessment test battery to help evaluate individual performance in untrained individuals. In the current paper, we will discuss how the heart rate has evolved in two groups of men and women over a period of 120 days, during which the subjects followed a standardised training protocol. For our research, we monitored the heart rate of each subject during a standardised treadmill test. We used a test that we developed especially for untrained individuals, which required them to walk on a treadmill with a 15% incline for 10 minutes, at a constant speed of 5 km/h. We tested the subjects on days 1, 60 and 120. After conducting our experiment, we found a decrease in resting heart rate of 6.4 beats per minute in men and 3.4 beats per minute in women. Exercise heart rate recorded a drop of 9.4 beats per minute in the male group and 8.8 beats per minute in the female group throughout the 120 days of the training programme. We noted that the group of men recorded a greater improvement in resting heart rate than the group of women, with a difference of 4.84%, while exercise heart rate had almost similar values, with a difference of only 0.03% between the two groups at the end of the 120 days of the test period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine whether a recently developed inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based hip flexion strength-power test could be an indicator of sprint performance, step length (SL) and frequency (SF) during sprinting using sprinters. Sixteen well-trained male sprinters performed 60-m sprints and an IMU-based hip flexion test which consisted of five serial hip flexion-extension motions for each leg with three different conditions (unweighted, 0.75 or 1.5 kg ankle weighted). Running speed, SL and SF from the start to the 50-m mark were measured using a long force platform system. The hip flexion strength-power test variables were collected using one IMU attached to the lateral thigh. The right hip flexion positive work in the 1.5 kg weighted condition was positively correlated with running speed from the 9th−12th to 21st−22nd step sections (r = 0.588–0.761) and with SF at the 17th−20th step section (r = 0.526). The right hip flexion positive mean power in the 1.5 kg weighted condition was positively correlated with running speed from the 13th−16th to 21st−22nd step section (r = 0.547–0.638) and with SF from the 13th−16th to 21st−22nd step section (r = 0.501–0.553). The current results demonstrate that, among well-trained male sprinters, hip flexion positive work and mean power measured using IMU-based strength-power test in the 1.5 kg weighted right leg condition can be a determinant of better sprint performance through higher SF during the later acceleration section approaching maximal speed.

This study aimed 1) to examine the validity of inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based hip flexion strength test, and 2) to investigate the hip flexion strength test as an indicator of sprint performance. Eight males performed five repeated hip flexion-extension, while leg motion was recorded using an IMU and a motion capture system (Mocap). As the second experiment, 24 male athletes performed the IMU-based hip flexion strength test and sprinted 50 m, during which step-to-step ground reaction force (GRF) was recorded. The strength test variables were calculated using IMU and Mocap data including angular impulse, mean moment, and positive and negative work and power. Using GRF data, step-to-step spatiotemporal variables were obtained. The results showed high intra-class correlation coefficient and correlation coefficient (both >0.909) between IMU and Mocap for angular impulse, mean moment, positive work and power. The hip flexion mean moment showed significant correlation with running speed from the 5th–8th step section onwards. The angular impulse, mean moment, positive work and power are recommended to be used for the IMU-based hip flexion strength test variables in terms of accuracy and validity. Moreover, the proposed IMU-based hip flexion strength test can be an indicator for better sprinting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verbal encouragement (VE) and listening to preferred music (PM) are considered effective ergogenic methods in strength and conditioning, but studies examining the effectiveness of these two methods simultaneously are lacking. This study analyzed the influence of PM and VE on repeated change-of-direction performance (R-CoD) in elite young basketball players. On alternate days, 18 elite young basketball players (17.2 ± 0.61 years; 189.8 ± 7 cm; 71.6 ± 6.7 kg; body fat: 12.3 ± 2.5%) were assessed on R-CoD under three randomized conditions: team-selected PM, VE, and control condition. Total time (TT), peak time (PT), and fatigue index were registered and compared across conditions. Significant differences across conditions were evidenced for TT and PT (F-test = 6.96 and 4.15, p < 0.05; large effect size), with better results in VE and PM than in the control condition and no significant differences between VE and PM. No correlations were evidenced between changes that occurred as a result of VE and those which occurred as a result of PM, indicating individual responsiveness of the players to VE and PM. The results evidenced positive acute effects of VE and PM on R-CoD performance, indicating the usefulness of these training methods in the conditioning of youth basketball players. Future studies should evaluate the applicability of VE and PM in the training of other conditioning capacities and the individual responsiveness of players toward VE and PM.

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 393-401, 2019. The Polar A300 fitness watch includes a feature termed the 5-minute fitness test. This feature claims to estimate maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in healthy adults. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Polar A300 "Fitness Test" VO2max estimation feature. Nineteen recreationally active young adult males (n=9) and females (n=10) completed a Bruce protocol treadmill protocol to assess VO2max, followed by two separate 5-minute Polar Fitness Test (VO2max estimation) trials. A Pearson's r test was used to determine the relationship between VO2max from the Bruce Test to each Polar watch VO2max estimate, as well as to a non-exercise VO2max prediction equation. Additionally, a One Way ANOVA assessed differences in absolute group means of the Polar results to the Bruce Test, and non-exercise prediction model. There was a statistically significant, moderate-strong relationship between the Polar and the criterion Bruce VO2max estimations with the first Polar Test (n=19; r=.635; p<.05), as well as the second (n=19; r=.645; p<.05). The average VO2max of the two Polar tests and the Bruce test show greatest positive correlation (n=19; r=0.655; p<0.001). The reliability of the Polar watch indicated significance between the test-retest results (n=19; r=.907; p<.05). Lastly, the positive correlation between the non-exercise predicted model and the Bruce Test was weaker than the polar predictions (n=19; r=.522; p<.05). Preliminary results conclude that the Polar A300 Fitness watch is a valid tool for estimation of VO2max. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sitting volleyball is a Paralympic team sport in which players use their upper limbs and hands to move and slide across the playing court. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the differences in physical performance tests between the men and women of Brazilian sitting volleyball national team players. Methods: Fifteen sitting volleyball national team players, (seven men, age = 33.7 ± 6.2 years; body mass = 88.4 ± 21.4 kg; body height = 1.74 ± 0.36 m) and (eight women, age = 29.6 ± 8.3 years; body mass = 75.9 ± 17.1 kg; body height = 1.73 ± 0.08 m) with similar time and volume of training, participated in this study. As a physical performance evaluation, five test trials were conducted for each player which included (1) modified agility t-test (MAT), (2) speed & agility test (SAT), (3) speed & endurance test (SET), (4) seated chest pass (SCP) and (5) handgrip (HG). Data were analyzed for normality, using Shapiro-Wilk's test, and then a student t-test was used to examine the discrepancy of performance tests among the male and female players. Cohen's effect size (d) was calculated for each result. Results: There were statistically significant differences, between the men and women of the Brazilian sitting volleyball players with higher values for men in MAT (27%, P = 0.001), SAT (22%, P = 0.008), SET (23%, P = 0.008) and SCP (19%, P = 0.03) scores. Conclusions: Results showed that male players had higher scores in the five performance tests, but according to the effect size calculations there was no significant difference between male players and female players in HG performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the reliability and validity of 1-mile walk tests for estimation of aerobic fitness (VO2max) in 10- to 13-year-old children and to cross-validate previously published equations. Participants (n = 61) walked 1-mile on two different days. Self-reported physical activity, demographic variables, and aerobic fitness were used in multiple regression analyses. Eight models were developed with various combinations of predictors. The recommended model for fitness testing in schools was: VO2max = 120.702 + (4.114 × Sex [F = 0, M = 1]) - (2.918 × 1-mile Walk Time [min]) - (2.841 × Age), R = .73, standard error of estimate = 6.36 mL·kg−1·min−1. Cross-validation of previously published equations demonstrated lower correlations with measured VO2max than the newly developed walk tests. Evidence of reliability and validity for 1-mile walk tests to estimate VO2max in young children was provided. The model that included 1-mile walk time, age, and sex may be appropriate for youth fitness testing in physical education, particularly for unmotivated or overweight young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rivers may be source of antibiotics contamination that could support spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) to the population. It is important to understand to what extent the presence of pollutants in urban rivers influences fitness of ARB. In an exercise to estimate this contribution, microcosms were generated from Thames river (London, UK) from different locations: upstream and downstream the city center. The concentration of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) benzo(a)pyrene, pyrene and phenantrene was found to be 128, 171 and 128 times higher in downstream sector when compared to upstream sector, respectively. Filtered microcosms for each sector were enriched with tetracycline at lethal (10 μg/mL) and sub-lethal (10 ng/mL) concentrations and the fitness of an isogenic pair of Shigella flexneri 2a YSH6000 (tet R ) and S. flexneri 2a 1363 (tet S ) was then measured. In the presence of selective pressure in upstream microcosms, the resistant strain outcompeted the sensitive one, as expected. In contrast, sensitive S. flexneri tet S was found to significantly compete with resistant S. flexneri tet R at lethal concentrations of tetracycline in downstream microcosms, where levels of PAHs were the highest. Further experiments showed that PAHs rendered the resistant S. flexneri tet R ∼20% more sensitive to tetracycline. Sensitive S. flexneri tet S strain was able to persist at lethal concentration of tetracycline in downstream microcosms, at higher concentrations of PAHs. Our findings suggest that in a polluted river sensitive S. flexneri cells may still thrive in presence of selective pressure. Fitness tests provide an additional tool to measure bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valid assessments of physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are essential in epidemiological studies to define dose-response relationship for formulating thorough recommendations of an appropriate pattern of PA to maintain good health. The aim of this study was to validate the Danish step test, the physical activity questionnaire Active-Q, and self-rated fitness against directly measured maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). A population-based subsample (n=125) was included from the 'Diet, Cancer and Health-Next Generations' (DCH-NG) cohort which is under establishment. Validity coefficients, which express the correlation between measured and 'true' exposure, were calculated, and misclassification across categories was evaluated. The validity of the Danish step test was moderate (women: r=.66, and men: r=.56); however, men were systematically underestimated (43% misclassification). When validating the questionnaire-derived measures of PA, leisure-time physical activity was not correlated with VO2max. Positive correlations were found for sports overall, but these were only significant for men: total hours per week of sports ( r=.26), MET-hours per week of sports ( r=.28) and vigorous sports (0.28) alone were positively correlated with VO2max. Finally, the percentage of misclassification was low for self-rated fitness (women: 9% and men: 13%). Thus, self-rated fitness was found to be a superior method to the Danish step test, as well as being less cost prohibitive and more practical than the VO2max method. Finally, even if correlations were low, they support the potential for questionnaire outcomes, particularly sports, vigorous sports, and self-rated fitness to be used to estimate CRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how the combination of workload and fatigue affected the frequency components of muscle activation and possible recruitment priority of motor units during skating to exhaustion. Ten male competitive speed skaters performed an incremental maximal test on a slide board. Activation of six muscles from the right leg was recorded throughout the test. A time-frequency analysis was performed to compute overall, high, and low frequency bands from the whole signal at 10, 40, 70, and 90% of total test time. Overall activation increased for all muscles throughout the test (p < 0.05 and ES > 0.80). There was an increase in low frequency (90 vs. 10%,p = 0.035, ES = 1.06) and a decrease in high frequency (90 vs. 10%,p = 0.009, ES = 1.38, and 90 vs. 40%,p = 0.025, ES = 1.12) components of gluteus maximus. Strong correlations were found between the maximal cadence and vastus lateralis, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius activation at the end of the test. In conclusion, the incremental skating test lead to an increase in activation of lower limb muscles, but only gluteus maximus was sensitive to changes in frequency components, probably caused by a pronounced fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]