Does wet-cupping therapy improve repeated sprint ability,perceived wellness,and rating of perceived exertion in young active males?

Wet-cupping therapy(WCT)is one of the oldest known medical techniques,used as a traditional and complementary therapy with a wide application all around the world for general health.Research on the effects of WCT on sports performance are sparse and inconsistent.Thus,we aimed to explore the effects of WCT on repeated sprint ability,wellness,and exertion in young active males.Forty-nine active adult males(age:[28±5]years;body height[177±8]cm;body mass:[79±7]kg;body mass index:[25.4±1.8]kg/m^(2))were selected for the study.The participants performed a running-based sprint test on two separate occasions(Control and Post-WCT).WCT was performed 24 h before the testing session.They completed the Hooper questionnaire to assess their well-being(i.e.,sleep,stress,fatigue,and soreness)before each session.The rating of perceived exertion(RPE)was collected after each testing session.A higher maximum power(p<0.05,effect size[ES]=0.6),mean power(p<0.01,ES=0.5)and minimum power(p<0.01,ES=0.6)were recorded post-WCT as compared to Control session along with a better perceived sleep(p<0.01,ES=0.85).Perceived stress(p<0.01,ES=0.6)and RPE(p<0.001;ES=1.1)were lower during the post-WCT compared to the Control session.The present findings demonstrated that WCT moderately enhanced repeated sprint ability and had positive effects on perceived sleep,stress,and exertion.WCT may be an effective ergogenic aid to improve repeated sprint ability and general wellbeing in young adult males.Future large-scale multicentric clinical studies are paramount to confirm the results of our study.

Effect of self-modeling and self-controlled feedback on the performance of professional swimmers and waterpolo players

Self-modeling(SM)and self-control(SC)feedback can be presented as two solutions for learning improvement.Therefore,the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of SM and SC feedback on 100-m freestyle performance of professional swimmers and waterpolo players.25 elite male swimmers and waterpolo players,were randomly assigned to four groups:swimmer group with SM,swimmer group with SM and SC feedback,waterpolo players group with SM,and waterpolo players group with SM and SC feedback.100-m freestyle times and performance were recorded.SM and SC feedback for the participants were utilized at the acquisition stage.The device used included a Lenovo B570 laptop and an Exilim ZR200 canon camcorder.SM and SC feedback presented to the swimmers and waterpolo players led to improved speed and results,and the effect of presenting SM with SC feedback to swimmers had better results.In conclusion,the present study indicates that SC modeling of watching video is a suitable method for professional swimmers.Water polo trainers can also use SM and SC feedback to enhance their players'swimming technique.