Search results for " sport sciences"

Developments in the biomechanics and equipment of Olympic cross-country skiers

2018

Source at: http://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.00976 Here, our aim was to describe the major changes in cross-country (XC) skiing in recent decades, as well as potential future developments. XC skiing has been an Olympic event since the very first Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Over the past decades, considerable developments in skiing techniques and improvements in equipment and track preparation have increased skiing speed. In contrast to the numerous investigations on the physiological determinants of successful performance, key biomechanical factors have been less explored. Today’s XC skier must master a wide range of speeds, terrains, and race distances and formats (e.g., dis…

Sports teams as complex adaptive systems: manipulating player numbers shapes behaviours during football small-sided games

2016

Small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs) in sport have been modelled as complex adaptive systems. Research has shown that the relative space per player (RSP) formulated in SSCGs can impact on emergent tactical behaviours. In this study we adopted a systems orientation to analyse how different RSP values, obtained through manipulations of player numbers, influenced four measures of interpersonal coordination observed during performance in SSCGs. For this purpose we calculated positional data (GPS 15 Hz) from ten U-15 football players performing in three SSCGs varying in player numbers (3v3, 4v4 and 5v5). Key measures of SSCG system behaviours included values of (1) players’ dispersion, (2) …

Commentary: Long-term Practice with Domain-Specific Task Constraints Influences Perceptual Skills.

2018

Gaming for health across various areas of life

2019

Lack of physical activity is mostly addressed by implementing programs to promote physical activity but seeing as the major cause for physical inactivity is that of technology. Few studies used the approach to use the very barrier as s mean to try and educate and breed good habits. This paper outlines the design and development of a project that will us various environments, home, gym and outdoors to promote physical activity by means of technology and more specifically games. peerReviewed

Cross validation of hard-copy and web-based formats of the Sport Imagery Ability Measure

2018

The purpose of this multi-sample study was to examine the psychometric characteristics, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the hard-copy and web-based versions of a measure of sport imagery ability, termed Sport Imagery Ability Measure (SIAM). In the first sample, Spanish athletes (N = 274, 161 men, 113 women, Mage = 21.91, SD = 6.67) completed a hard-copy version of the SIAM. A newly developed web-based version of the SIAM was cross validated in an independent group (N = 266, 147 men, 119 women, Mage = 25.93, SD = 9.84). A small group of participants (n = 16) completed both versions. Exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis of the data from th…

Social psychological aspects of ACL injury prevention and rehabilitation: An integrated model for behavioral adherence

2017

Managing rehabilitation for ACL injury is dependent on uptake of, and compliance with, medical and safety recommendations. In this paper, we propose a multi-theory model that integrates self-determination theory and the theory of planned behavior to identify the motivational determinants ACL injury prevention and management behaviors and the processes involved. nonPeerReviewed

Technical, tactical and spatial indicators related to goal scoring in European elite soccer

2020

The aim of this study was to describe the technical, tactical and spatial indicators related to goal scoring in elite European soccer, considering the type of defence and the positioning of the opponent. For the analysis, 8 tactical dimensions related to the final actions in 380 sequences that led to goal during the UEFA Champions League were evaluated by observational methodology. 75.9% of the goals were scored from open play and 24.1% were scored from set pieces. Collective actions produced 51.6% of the total goals while individual actions produced 10.5% of goals. Regarding the penultimate action, crosses were more frequent against organized defences, while passes in behind the defence, o…

Effects of Rule Changes on Game-Related Statistics in Men's Water Polo Matches

2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of rule changes on game-related statistics in men's water polo matches. A total of 856 men's matches played in all Olympic Games and World Championship since 1936 was analysed. The game-related statistics considered were: total goals, winners' goals, losers' goals, goals per minute, goals difference, relationship difference goals and total goals, and relationship difference goals and winners' goals. The rule changes were grouped by structural (game and period) and functional changes (possession time, exclusion time, timing, minimum distance to take a direct shot). Differences between rule changes were determined using a one-way ANOVA. In …

Coaches’ Perceptions of Athletes’ Psychobiosocial States : The Case of Three Tennis Coach-Athlete Dyads

2018

Considering the limited attention paid to interpersonal aspects of emotions, this study explored coaches’ perceptions of athletes’ performance-related states and how they used this information for its regulation. Using a case study approach, three coach-athlete dyads from competitive tennis took part in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Individualized profiling of psychobiosocial states was used to assess athletes’ states in most and least successful performances and as a way of data triangulation. Findings indicated that the coaches paid attention to bodily, motor-behavioural, and operational components of a performance state, and used this information to appropriately adapt their res…

Physical fitness and anthropometrics in Finnish soldiers during their early career: prospective changes during a 3-year follow-up.

2020

IntroductionPhysical fitness is a fundamental capability required of military personnel, but studies focusing on longitudinal changes in physical fitness and anthropometrics in soldiers are lacking. The aim was to evaluate physical fitness and anthropometrics in soldiers during their early career.MethodsA 3-year prospective study included 180 male soldiers (baseline age 26±2 years) with measures of a 12 min running test, standing long jump, sit-up and push-up tests, and body mass, height and waist circumference (WC). Baseline data were stratified into tertiles, and the changes within each tertile were analysed using dependent t-tests and analysis of variance.Results12 min running test dista…