Physical and physiological demands of the 15-a-side rugby union (RU) game have increased since the sport attained professional status. However, little data are available on these variables concentrating on developing RU players (studentathletes). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the potential enhancement of two physical strength and nine performance variables of male New Zealand RU Academy student-athletes over 70-weeks, a 39-week subset of this duration, and compare with available data. Nine Otago Rugby Football Union student-athletes were part of the second-year Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) Academy Program. Over the initial 35-weeks and weeks 53 to 70, each week the student-athletes engaged in 25hours of actively supervised Academy training program and participated in 15-hours of rugby practice and game play. During weeks 36 to 52, the student-athletes trained on their own following their provided individualized training programs. Assessments sessions were scheduled over 52-weeks. Over 70-weeks, analysis of the mean data revealed increases in body weight and skinfold measurements with concurrent significant performance improvements in lower-body power (13.9%; ES = Large; p = 0.001), upper body strength bench press (22.1%; ES = Large; p = 0.005), bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.018), and anaerobic capacity PDT-Effort (6.8%; ES = Large; p = 0.026). Mean data over 39-weeks (weeks 31 to 70) demonstrated a 1.6% body weight increase with concurrent 2.7% decrease in skinfolds and significant performance enhancement in upper body strength bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.013) and PDT-Effort (7.4%; ES = Large; p = 0.050). Significant performance enhancement for lower-body power, upper-body strength, and PDT-Effort over 70-weeks is possible even with increases in body weight and skinfold measurements. In conclusion, over weeks 31 to 70, body weight continued to increase, skin-fold measurement decreased and performance improvement was noted in all variables, with significant development in upper-body strength and PDT-Effort. Also, the above results were recorded even after a non-active monitoring training period.
{"title":"Changes in Physical Strength and Performance of Rugby Union Male Student-Athletes over 70-Weeks and after the First 31-Weeks of Training","authors":"N. Rishiraj, B. Niven","doi":"10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-4","url":null,"abstract":"Physical and physiological demands of the 15-a-side rugby union (RU) game have increased since the sport attained professional status. However, little data are available on these variables concentrating on developing RU players (studentathletes). The purpose of this paper was to investigate the potential enhancement of two physical strength and nine performance variables of male New Zealand RU Academy student-athletes over 70-weeks, a 39-week subset of this duration, and compare with available data. Nine Otago Rugby Football Union student-athletes were part of the second-year Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) Academy Program. Over the initial 35-weeks and weeks 53 to 70, each week the student-athletes engaged in 25hours of actively supervised Academy training program and participated in 15-hours of rugby practice and game play. During weeks 36 to 52, the student-athletes trained on their own following their provided individualized training programs. Assessments sessions were scheduled over 52-weeks. Over 70-weeks, analysis of the mean data revealed increases in body weight and skinfold measurements with concurrent significant performance improvements in lower-body power (13.9%; ES = Large; p = 0.001), upper body strength bench press (22.1%; ES = Large; p = 0.005), bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.018), and anaerobic capacity PDT-Effort (6.8%; ES = Large; p = 0.026). Mean data over 39-weeks (weeks 31 to 70) demonstrated a 1.6% body weight increase with concurrent 2.7% decrease in skinfolds and significant performance enhancement in upper body strength bench pull (9.2%; ES = Large; p = 0.013) and PDT-Effort (7.4%; ES = Large; p = 0.050). Significant performance enhancement for lower-body power, upper-body strength, and PDT-Effort over 70-weeks is possible even with increases in body weight and skinfold measurements. In conclusion, over weeks 31 to 70, body weight continued to increase, skin-fold measurement decreased and performance improvement was noted in all variables, with significant development in upper-body strength and PDT-Effort. Also, the above results were recorded even after a non-active monitoring training period.","PeriodicalId":8622,"journal":{"name":"ATHENS JOURNAL OF SPORTS","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80012075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Gakis, P. Pardalos, Chang-Hwan Choi, Jae-Hyeon Park, Jiwun Yoon
Predictions of sports games have been recognized as an important area of study for its economic significance. The majority of models for such games cover two-player games and the resulting championships or study individual players or teams and their resulting comparative position. However, many sports involve race-type multicontestant games, which are more complex in modeling. In this paper we outline the difficulties associated with the study of such races
{"title":"Simulation of a Probabilistic Model for Multi-Contestant Races","authors":"K. Gakis, P. Pardalos, Chang-Hwan Choi, Jae-Hyeon Park, Jiwun Yoon","doi":"10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-1","url":null,"abstract":"Predictions of sports games have been recognized as an important area of study for its economic significance. The majority of models for such games cover two-player games and the resulting championships or study individual players or teams and their resulting comparative position. However, many sports involve race-type multicontestant games, which are more complex in modeling. In this paper we outline the difficulties associated with the study of such races","PeriodicalId":8622,"journal":{"name":"ATHENS JOURNAL OF SPORTS","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76694205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Lanoue, Jean-François Desbiens, Vincent Grenon, François Vandercleyen
How do professionals' behaviors and physical activity (PA) contexts relate with the motivational processes in adult recreational PA? Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study investigates relationships between personal characteristics, environmental characteristics, sociocontextual variables (autonomy support, structure and involvement) and basic psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence and relatedness) in various adult PA groups. A sample constituted of 452 adults, enrolled in 44 different groups of PA, answered a questionnaire regarding sociocontextual variables and basic psychological needs. Comparative analysis and multiple regressions were used to explore relationships between the targeted variables. The results suggest that significant differences exist between some of the characteristics considered (e.g. participants’ age, frequency of PA, classes level of difficulty) and that a complex web of relationships surrounds the motivational processes in PA. For instance, the class level of difficulty and group size are positively related to autonomy support while instructors’ certification and instructors’ experience are negatively related to that same variable. Meanwhile, class type is positively related while group size is negatively related to involvement. Furthermore, instructors’ gender and participants’ age are negatively related to competence, whereas participants’ PA frequency is positively related to competence. Finally, class type is negatively related to relatedness while participants’ age and perceived instructor involvement are positively related to relatedness. This study supports the SDT postulate that sociocontextual variables are associated with basic psychological needs satisfaction. However, it also shows that the sociocontextual variables should not be conceptualized as an ensemble, like many previous studies have proposed, mainly because personal and environmental variables seem to interact with these individual variables. Therefore, when leading groups, professionals in PA contexts must consider many characteristics, such as participants’ age or group size, in order to adapt their behaviors regarding autonomy support, structure and involvement. This gives them the ability to support their participants’ motivational processes.
{"title":"Exploring Perceived Sociocontextual Variables and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction within Adult Group Exercise Classes","authors":"S. Lanoue, Jean-François Desbiens, Vincent Grenon, François Vandercleyen","doi":"10.30958/ajspo.5-2-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/ajspo.5-2-2","url":null,"abstract":"How do professionals' behaviors and physical activity (PA) contexts relate with the motivational processes in adult recreational PA? Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study investigates relationships between personal characteristics, environmental characteristics, sociocontextual variables (autonomy support, structure and involvement) and basic psychological needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence and relatedness) in various adult PA groups. A sample constituted of 452 adults, enrolled in 44 different groups of PA, answered a questionnaire regarding sociocontextual variables and basic psychological needs. Comparative analysis and multiple regressions were used to explore relationships between the targeted variables. The results suggest that significant differences exist between some of the characteristics considered (e.g. participants’ age, frequency of PA, classes level of difficulty) and that a complex web of relationships surrounds the motivational processes in PA. For instance, the class level of difficulty and group size are positively related to autonomy support while instructors’ certification and instructors’ experience are negatively related to that same variable. Meanwhile, class type is positively related while group size is negatively related to involvement. Furthermore, instructors’ gender and participants’ age are negatively related to competence, whereas participants’ PA frequency is positively related to competence. Finally, class type is negatively related to relatedness while participants’ age and perceived instructor involvement are positively related to relatedness. This study supports the SDT postulate that sociocontextual variables are associated with basic psychological needs satisfaction. However, it also shows that the sociocontextual variables should not be conceptualized as an ensemble, like many previous studies have proposed, mainly because personal and environmental variables seem to interact with these individual variables. Therefore, when leading groups, professionals in PA contexts must consider many characteristics, such as participants’ age or group size, in order to adapt their behaviors regarding autonomy support, structure and involvement. This gives them the ability to support their participants’ motivational processes.","PeriodicalId":8622,"journal":{"name":"ATHENS JOURNAL OF SPORTS","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73289526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The adoption of a health-oriented lifestyle by executive managers is an important factor influencing the success of an entire company. To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated self-reported health and fitness statuses among managers and compared them with objectively measured parameters based on standardized exercise tests. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the congruence of the selfperceived and objectively measured health statuses of managers. Data for the retrospective cross-sectional study of 54 managers (51 males, 3 females, age: 46.1 ± 7.0 years, BMI 26.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2) were collected through medical health check-ups. Besides the measurement of medical data, the managers estimated their own fitness and health in a questionnaire. The differences and associations between self-reported and objective measures (endurance and strength performance as measured through a to-exhaustion ergometer test and VO2max) were analyzed. Subsequently, the cohort was divided into four groups: realistic inactives, realistic actives, underestimators and overestimators. Significant associations were found between VO2max and self-rated endurance capacity (r = 0.41) and between performance, reached in the to-exhaustion ergometer test, and self-estimated strength (r = 0.29). The majority of subjects rated their endurance capacity (69%) and strength (65%) realistically with a tendency towards underestimation. The present study revealed that most managers had a satisfying health status and were able to rate their own physical endurance and strength performance correctly, with a tendency towards underestimation. These findings are important for prevention and health promotion programs for managers.
{"title":"The Fitness Status of German Managers and Executive Employers: A Study of Self-Perception and Reality","authors":"D. Jedlicka, H. Predel","doi":"10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/AJSPO.5-2-3","url":null,"abstract":"The adoption of a health-oriented lifestyle by executive managers is an important factor influencing the success of an entire company. To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated self-reported health and fitness statuses among managers and compared them with objectively measured parameters based on standardized exercise tests. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the congruence of the selfperceived and objectively measured health statuses of managers. Data for the retrospective cross-sectional study of 54 managers (51 males, 3 females, age: 46.1 ± 7.0 years, BMI 26.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2) were collected through medical health check-ups. Besides the measurement of medical data, the managers estimated their own fitness and health in a questionnaire. The differences and associations between self-reported and objective measures (endurance and strength performance as measured through a to-exhaustion ergometer test and VO2max) were analyzed. Subsequently, the cohort was divided into four groups: realistic inactives, realistic actives, underestimators and overestimators. Significant associations were found between VO2max and self-rated endurance capacity (r = 0.41) and between performance, reached in the to-exhaustion ergometer test, and self-estimated strength (r = 0.29). The majority of subjects rated their endurance capacity (69%) and strength (65%) realistically with a tendency towards underestimation. The present study revealed that most managers had a satisfying health status and were able to rate their own physical endurance and strength performance correctly, with a tendency towards underestimation. These findings are important for prevention and health promotion programs for managers.","PeriodicalId":8622,"journal":{"name":"ATHENS JOURNAL OF SPORTS","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85371848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The following insight literature review describes the process that sports fans undergo in the development of their fandom – from the individual, self-identification phase to the mass-audience, communal experience and ultimately to the “diehard fan” distinction. Sports fans begin their fandom as individual entities who find emotional satisfaction in cheering for a particular team or athlete because those teams and athletes provide an important psychological component or addition to their lives. As fans’ connections to teams and athletes grow stronger, they seek out other like-minded individuals to share their emotions and feelings, which helps reinforce these attachments Thus, the communal experience in sports is born. The communal sports fan experience can also set groups against each other for the same reasons – the “us against them” mentality. The spread of new and social media platforms provides even stronger and instantaneous relationship building and maintenance opportunities among sports fans – enabling a “virtual” communal experience. The end result of fervent sports fans’ development is to become the most committed fan – the “diehard fan”. Keywords: fans, sports, group identity, self-identity, group values, diehard fan, communal experience
{"title":"The Development of Sports Fan: From Self-Identification to “Diehard”","authors":"","doi":"10.30958/ajspo.8-1-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.30958/ajspo.8-1-1","url":null,"abstract":"The following insight literature review describes the process that sports fans undergo in the development of their fandom – from the individual, self-identification phase to the mass-audience, communal experience and ultimately to the “diehard fan” distinction. Sports fans begin their fandom as individual entities who find emotional satisfaction in cheering for a particular team or athlete because those teams and athletes provide an important psychological component or addition to their lives. As fans’ connections to teams and athletes grow stronger, they seek out other like-minded individuals to share their emotions and feelings, which helps reinforce these attachments Thus, the communal experience in sports is born. The communal sports fan experience can also set groups against each other for the same reasons – the “us against them” mentality. The spread of new and social media platforms provides even stronger and instantaneous relationship building and maintenance opportunities among sports fans – enabling a “virtual” communal experience. The end result of fervent sports fans’ development is to become the most committed fan – the “diehard fan”. Keywords: fans, sports, group identity, self-identity, group values, diehard fan, communal experience","PeriodicalId":8622,"journal":{"name":"ATHENS JOURNAL OF SPORTS","volume":"161 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76631197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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