A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between sprinting ability and agility using a longitudinal design. The subjects were 70 junior athletes (39 boys and 31 girls) aged 9 to 12 years participating in a Talent Identification and Development program. Physical constitution (height and body weight), 20-m sprint test time, rebound jump index, and ability to change direction (agility test and T-run test) were measured periodically for 3 years. The main results were as follows: 1. Physical constitution, sprinting ability, rebound jump index, and ability to change direction increased significantly along with development in both boys and girls. 2. Performances in the 20-m sprint, agility test, and T-run test in boys were significantly better than in girls, but no significant sex difference was observed in the rebound jump index. 3. Single correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between all of the tests. 4. Partial correlation analysis (using age in months as the control variable) revealed significant relationships between the agility test and T-run test in boys and girls, but correlations between 20-m sprint ability and the agility test or T-run test were not significant. 5. There was little difference in the rebound jump index between boys and girls, and it was suggested that ability to change running direction was less affected by simple sprinting or strength-shortening cycle abilities during the developmental period.
Aims] A number of studies have identified abdominal muscle thickness as a significant risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS).However, in the absence of longitudinal studies, the causal relationship between abdominal thickness and MetS risk factors has not been elucidated.In this study, we examined the association between abdominal muscle thickness and changes in MetS risk factors.[Methods] We studied 36 patients receiving hospital outpatient care for obesity and MetS.Measurements were taken on two occasions, with an intervening interval of 6 ± 1 months.Data for the following variables associated with the risk of obesity and MetS.Statistical analysis was performed with partial correlation analysis, including age, sex, and current medication, as control variables.[Results] The individual and the combined effects of the control variables were evaluated.However, no significant correlation between abdominal muscle thickness and changes in MetS risk factors was established, after controlling for all combinations of age, sex, and current medication.The abdomen has relatively limited skeletal muscle mass compared to the legs; therefore, variations in muscle mass may have little effect on MetS risk factors.[Conclusions] Although abdominal muscle thickness is a useful indicator for early detection of sarcopenia in obese individuals, our findings suggest that there is a limited association between abdominal wall thickness and MetS risk factors.
The World Heritage pilgrimage routes known as Kumano Kodo have attracted both Japanese and international tourists to the rural area of Japan. By focussing on the two types of emotional experiences, namely awe and ideal affect, this research aims to investigate whether greater understanding of Kumano Kodo (a) influences awe experiences and (b) helps minimise ideal-actual positive affect discrepancies, when watching a virtual reality video of a Kumano Kodo walk. Through an experimental study involving a video, we found that greater understanding of Kumano Kodo neither significantly influenced awe experiences nor reduced the ideal-actual positive affect discrepancies. These null results are discussed in relation to the temporal aspect of awe in tourism contexts and the sources of tourism information-stimuli.
The purpose of this study was to compare the movement characteristics and intermittent exercise pattern in five ball games: basketball, handball, soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse. In the respective events, six to twelve male college players in Division I were chosen as subjects, and their movement distances and velocities were measured using two-dimensional direct linear transformation (DLT).The main results were as follows:1. Movement distances during the first half were the longest in soccer, followed in order by field hockey, handball, basketball, and lacrosse. However, the movement distance per playing time in each game was longer in field hockey and lacrosse than in the others.2. The rates of low-velocity movement were higher in basketball and soccer, and those of high-velocity movements were higher in handball and lacrosse, than in the others.3. Mean movement durations during low-velocity and high-velocity movements were: basketball 2.78 and 0.64 s; handball 3.54 and 0.67 s; soccer 6.67 and 1.33 s; field hockey 3.70 and 0.96 s; and lacrosse 2.67 and 1.05 s.These results clarified the characteristics of intermittent exercise patterns in each event. In basketball, there were many changes in movement velocity and direction, but the subjects hardly reached top speed. In handball, there was alternation between brief high-velocity movements and prolonged low-velocity movements. In soccer, movement duration was longer, and the mean velocity during low-velocity movement was faster than in the other events. In field hockey, in both low- and high-velocity movements, velocity and duration were comparatively fast and long, respectively. In lacrosse, players performed prolonged high-velocity movement in the field, and took sufficient recovery in the bench area.
Tanisho, K and Hirakawa, K. Training effects on endurance capacity in maximal intermittent exercise: comparison between continuous and interval training. J Strength Cond Res 23(8): 2405-2410, 2009-The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 2 different training regimens, continuous (CT) and interval (IT), on endurance capacity in maximal intermittent exercise. Eighteen lacrosse players were divided into CT (n = 6), IT (n = 6), and nontraining (n = 6) groups. Both training groups trained for 3 days per week for 15 weeks using bicycle ergometers. Continuous training performed continuous aerobic training for 20-25 minutes, and IT performed high-intensity pedaling comprising 10 sets of 10-second maximal pedaling with 20-second recovery periods. Maximal anaerobic power, maximal oxygen uptake (o2max), and intermittent power output were measured before and after the training period. The intermittent exercise test consisted of a set of ten 10-second maximal sprints with 40-second intervals. Maximal anaerobic power significantly increased in IT (p ≤ 0.05), whereas O2max increased in both training groups (p ≤ 0.05). In the intermittent exercise test, the average of the total mean power output (1-10 sets) increased in both training groups (p ≤ 0.05); however, the mean power output in the last stage (8-10 sets) and fatigability improved only in IT. Consequently, continuous aerobic training reduced lactate production and increased the mean power output, but there was little effect on high-power endurance capacity in maximal intermittent exercise. In contrast, although lactate production did not decrease, IT improved fatigability and mean power output in the last stage. These results indicated that the endurance capacities for maximal intermittent and continuous exercises were not identical. Ball game players should therefore improve their endurance capacity with high-intensity intermittent exercise, and it is insufficient to assess their capacity with only o2max or continuous exercise tests.
