European journal of sport science最新文献

Exergame has become widely popular and offers great levels of cognitive demands, thus may facilitate cognitive benefits. In addition, researchers have proposed that cardiac autonomic function, assessed via heart rate variability (HRV), is associated with cognitive executive function. However, few exergame training studies have investigated this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 10-week exergame training on executive function and HRV in middle-aged and older adults. Ninety-one participants were randomly assigned to either an exergame training group (63.73 ± 4.48 years) or a control group (62.46 ± 4.77 years). The training program was 50 min per session, twice per week for 10 weeks. The control group was instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle. All participants completed questionnaires and received assessments of executive functions and electrocardiography at baseline and postintervention. Results revealed significant group-by-time interaction effects for the three indices of the digit span test and the total initiation time of the Tower of London task with better postintervention performances achieved by the exergame group. The 6 min walk test also improved significantly in the exergame group but not in the control group. No significant change in HRV was observed for both groups. There were significant correlations between HRV and digit span test scores. Our results suggest that the 10-week exergame training program was effective in improving executive functions of working memory, inhibitory control, and planning ability as well as aerobic fitness in middle-aged and older adults. Moreover, HRV was associated with improved executive function.

End-range movements are among the most demanding but least understood in the sport of tennis. Using male Hawk-Eye data from match-play during the 2021–2023 Australian Open tournaments, we evaluated the speed, deceleration, acceleration, and shot quality characteristics of these types of movement in men's Grand Slam tennis. Lateral end-range movements that incorporated a change of direction (CoD) were identified for analysis using k-means (end-range) and random forest (CoD) machine learning models. Peak speed, average deceleration into the CoD, average reacceleration out of the CoD, and the quality of the shot played were computed. Players were grouped based on their ATP rankings (top 10, top 50, and outside top 50) to examine the influence of ranking on movement profiles and shot effectiveness. Our data showed that end-range movements profiles of top 10 and top 50 players were characterized by higher peak speed (d = 0.3–0.88), deceleration intensity (d = 0.25–0.63), and acceleration intensity (d = 0.06–0.51) when compared to players outside the top 50 (p < 0.05). Top 10 players also demonstrated greater peak speeds (d = 0.59) and acceleration intensities (d = 0.45) compared to top 50 players (p < 0.05). There was a nonlinear inverse relationship between peak speed and shot quality, such that, as peak speed increased, shot quality decreased—notwithstanding that top 10 players were more likely to hit high-quality shots at higher peak speeds. These results quantify the discrete kinematic characteristics of the sport's most challenging movement sequence and reveal, for the first time, that higher ranked players may possess superior movement potential on court.

The present study aimed to explore the validity and inter-device reliability of a novel artificial intelligence app (Asstrapp) for real-time measurement of the traditional (tra505) and modified-505 (mod505) change of direction (COD) tests. Twenty-five male Sports Science students (age, 23.5 ± 3.27 years; body height, 178 ± 9.76 cm; body mass, 79.4 ± 14.7 kg) completed 12 trials each, consisting of six tra505 and six mod505 trials. Completion times were simultaneously recorded via single-beam electronic timing gates (ETG) and two different iPhones (APP1 and APP2). In total 300 trials were collected across the two tests, using all three devices, to establish the reliability and validity of the app. The coefficient of variation indicated a similar level of dispersion between the ETG (≤ 2.73%), APP1 (≤ 2.39%) and APP2 (≤ 2.52%). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) revealed excellent reliability among the three timing devices (ICC ≥ 0.99) and Asstrapp relative reliability was excellent for both APP1 (ICC ≥ 0.91) and APP2 (ICC ≥ 0.91). There was a practically perfect correlation and agreement between ETG and Asstrapp (APP1: r = 0.97; APP2: r = 0.97) for both COD tests. However, small but significant differences were found between smartphones and ETG for tra505 (ES ≤ 0.33; p < 0.05). Collectively, these findings support the use of Asstrapp for real-time assessment of both 505 COD tests.

This study examined participation and predictors of walking sports enjoyment among Australian adult walking sport participants. An online cross-sectional survey assessed walking sport participation, enjoyment, and barriers and motives to participation. Physical activity behavior and motivations were also assessed. The sample comprised 294 walking sport participants (M_age = 62.9 ± 10.5 years). Participants engaged in a variety of walking sports (e.g., football, netball, and basketball) and largely did so one occasion per week (for ≤3 h). Our findings suggest that typically walking sport participants are female (60.1%), aged ≥60 years (54.7%), in married/de facto relationships (73.4%), reside in higher socioeconomic status areas, and are sufficiently active (i.e., ≥150 min of activity per week; 91.0%). The most endorsed barrier to walking sport participation was physical health (19.7%), while fun/enjoyment (90.5%) was the most endorsed motive. The regression analyses showed that gender (being female; β = 0.17), older age (≥60 years; β = −0.21), and intrinsic motivation for physical activity (β = 0.23) were significant predictors of walking sport enjoyment. Ongoing efforts to ensure that walking sports are a positive experience for all are necessary. The provision of walking sport offerings that integrate elements (e.g., social connectedness) known to be of value to specific subpopulations may be important to fostering enjoyment.

Sleep hygiene can be defined as practicing habits that facilitate sleep; poor sleep hygiene is common among elite athletes, and improving this can be one way to enhance sleep indices. Given the large inter-individual variability of sleep, there is a need for further investigation into individualised sleep hygiene for elite female athletes, with consideration for the practical application of the method. Using a self-controlled time series design with repeated measures, n = 16 professional female footballers completed a 9-week study during mid-season. Monitoring of sleep (actigraphy, self-report) occurred at week 1, 4, 7 and 9—a control period occurred at week 2 and 3, and a subsequent intervention period occurred at weeks 5 and 6. Based on baseline sleep monitoring, media-based messages were designed with the purpose of giving a singular sleep hygiene message; all participants received these individualised messages daily across the 2-week intervention period at a standardised time of 8.00 p.m., with the intention of them actioning the sleep hygiene point. One-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was conducted to assess the differences between control period, intervention period and follow-up for each measured variable. Significant differences were observed post-intervention for sleep efficiency (p < 0.001) and sleep latency (p < 0.001), whereas the athlete sleep behaviour questionnaire score significantly improved in the follow-up period (week 9) post intervention (p = 0.039). This is the first study to present this novel method of individualised sleep hygiene education for elite female athletes and is also the first study to demonstrate the use of sleep hygiene interventions to improve sleep factors for female athletes' mid-season. This demonstrates a promising, time-efficient approach to sleep hygiene education, with a potentially wide scope of application, as well as demonstrating there is indeed potential for elite female athletes to gain sleep improvements mid-season.

The aim of this study was to quantify the training effects of wearing calf-loaded wearable resistance (WR) during a netball specific warm-up in female netball athletes. Twenty-nine high school female netball athletes were matched for change of direction (COD) speed and randomly allocated to either WR training or an unloaded group. Both groups performed the same warm-up two times per week for 6 weeks, with the WR group wearing 1%–1.5% body mass loads on each calf. Pre- and post-training data were collected for 5- and 15-m sprint times, modified 5-0-5 COD splits and total time and single-leg horizontal, lateral and countermovement (CMJ) jump performance. Both groups significantly decreased their 5 m linear sprint times (WRT = −4.41%, effect size [ES] = −1.60; control [CON] = −2.60%, ES = −0.71), while only the WRT significantly decreased their 15 m time (−2.14%, ES = −1.55). There were no significant decreases in 5-0-5 total time for either group, however the WRT group significantly decreased their acceleration (−7.40%, ES = −0.60) and COD split (−9.73%, ES = −1.02). Both groups increased their lateral jump (WRT: 4.60%–6.62%, ES = 0.67–0.96; CON: 5.48%–6.06%, ES = 0.73–0.75), while only the WRT group increased (p < 0.05) their horizontal jump (3.57%–4.18%, ES = 0.57–0.67). Given the results, it appears that calf-loaded WR may be an effective method for improving linear speed, aspects of the modified 5-0-5 test and horizontal jump ability in female netball athletes.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of performing either eccentric-only (ECC) or eccentric-concentric (ECC-CON) back squats (BS) with a supramaximal load on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance. Changes in front thigh skin surface temperature and mechanical properties (oscillation frequency and stiffness) of the vastus lateralis were also examined. Fourteen male powerlifters participated in this study (age: 22.5 ± 2.3 years, body weight: 84.2 ± 11.1 kg, height: 178 ± 7 cm, training experience: 5.4 ± 1.6 years, BS one-repetition maximum [1RM]: 177 ± 22.8 kg). The experimental sessions included 2 sets of 2 BS at 110% 1RM of either ECC-CON (load distributed by half on the barbell [55%] and on weight releasers [55%]) or ECC (only eccentric phase of BS) and CTRL with no CA applied. CMJ performance, mechanical properties, and skin surface temperature were measured before and at the third, sixth, ninth, and 12^th min. After each protocol, only the ECC-CON condition led to a significant increase in CMJ height after individual optimal rest time compared to pre-CA (38.1 ± 5.2 vs. 39.8 ± 5.0 cm; p = 0.003; effect size [ES] = 0.32; Δ = 4.9 ± 5.0%) with a significant rise in skin surface temperature (32.98 ± 1.24 vs. 33.69 ± 0.96°C; p = 0.006; ES = 0.62; Δ = 2.2 ± 2.6%) and no significant changes in mechanical properties of the vastus lateralis. The ECC-CON condition led to a significant acute improvement in CMJ height and an increase in front thigh skin surface temperature among powerlifters. The ECC-CON supramaximal lower limb PAPE protocol should be effectively used among males representing high levels of lower limb muscle strength (>2 × body mass).

The present study aimed at describing and comparing the physical activity (PA) patterns of adolescents from a middle-income country over a 4-year period. This is a longitudinal observational study (four waves of data collection, 2014–2017) with 668 adolescents aged 10–13 years in 2014 (mean age of 11.8 ± 0.8 years), of both sexes (53.3% girls), from public schools in João Pessoa, Paraíba state, Brazil. PA was measured using a questionnaire and pattern operationally defined based on the following indicators: type, frequency, duration, and PA recommendations. The most practiced physical activities during the study period were active commuting, games, dancing, cycling, soccer, and futsal. There was a linear trend to a decline in the number of adolescents engaging in nearly all the physical activities, in the duration of activities and the proportion that met the PA recommendations (52.8% in 2014 to 32.2% in 2017). The adolescents engaged in different physical activities, but these declined over the years.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week lat pull-down resistance training program with joint instability on pull-up performance in male college students. Thirty-four healthy recreationally active male college students were randomly assigned to either the joint instability resistance training (IRT) or traditional resistance training (TRT) group. Participants of the TRT and IRT groups performed lat pull-down training on stable and joint instability conditions for 8 weeks, respectively. Pull-up endurance (number of repetitions), anthropometry, lat pull-down maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) peak force, and movement stability of performing unstable lat pull-down were tested before and after the 8-week training. Surface electromyography of biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), brachioradialis (BR), anterior deltoid (AD), middle deltoid (MD), posterior deltoid (PD), pectoralis major (PM), and latissimus dorsi (LD) muscles were recorded during the pull-up endurance test. The level of significance is set at p ≤ 0.05. The results demonstrated that the pull-up endurance and lat pull-down MVIC peak force of both IRT and TRT groups were significantly enhanced after 8-week training compared to the pre-training test. Notably, the number of pull-up repetitions of the IRT group was 45.5% higher than the TRT group. These findings suggest that lat pull-down training performed with joint instability may lead to greater improvements in pull-up endurance compared to the stable condition, possibly attributed to enhanced muscle contraction efficiency as indicated by decreased antagonist coactivation activity.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the necessity for sex-segregated sports particularly in youth. However, there has been minimal evaluation of prepubertal sex-based differences in the events of shot put, javelin throw, and long jump. Therefore, the top eight performances from the USA Track and Field National Youth Outdoor Championships and National Junior Olympic Championships during the years 2016–2023 for shot put, javelin throw, and long jump in the 8-and-under and 9–10-year-old age groups were analyzed for sex-based differences. The 8-and-under males threw the shot put farther (P < 0.0001 and Hedges’ g = 0.922) than females by 19.3% and the 9–10-year-old males threw the shot put farther (P = 0.016 and Hedges’ g = 0.332) than females by 6.5%. The 8-and-under males threw the javelin farther (P < 0.0001 and Hedges’ g = 1.269) than females by 32.6% and 9–10-year-old males threw the javelin farther (P < 0.0001 and Hedges’ g = 1.169) than females by 23.5%. The 8-and-under males long jumped farther (P = 0.010 and Hedges’ g = 0.359) than females by 4.7% and 9–10-year-old age males long jumped farther (P = 0.007 and Hedges’ g = 0.552) than females by 3.9%. The average between sex differences were larger than the within sex differences between the first through fourth place finishers in all but 9–10-year-old shot put. In all events, the greatest individual distance for a male exceeded that for a female. Therefore, the present data indicate that, in elite competition, males in the 8-and-under and 9–10-year-old age groups typically performed long jump and throw the shot put and javelin farther than females of the same age.