An Efficient and Enjoyable Way for Physical Fitness Development among Women at Midlife

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of Newcomb ball (also known by the name of catchball) training on the physical fitness of women at midlife. One hundred and eighteen women, aged 29 - 45 yrs, were assigned to an experimental group (EG) or a control group (CG), and completed two similar sets of tests before and after seven months of training. The EG performed two Newcomb ball training sessions per week that included technical and tactical drills with and without the ball, small sided games and full games at different variations. The CG remained non-active throughout the seven months. Leg power, arm power, agility, speed, and aerobic scores were significantly higher for the EG compared to the CG at baseline (p < 0.001 for all). EG showed significant training-related improvement in arm power (5.3 ± 0.9 vs 5.6 ± 0.9 m), agility (10.68 ± 0.95 vs 10.37 ± 0.89 sec), speed (4.11 ± 0.45 vs 4.01 ± 0.33 sec), and aerobic fitness (563 ± 328 vs 680 ± 378 m) (ES = 0.45 – 0.61, p < 0.001 for all), while no significant changes, except for a significant increase in arm power (ES = 0.42, p < 0.05), were found for the CG in any of the other fitness variables. The findings indicate that amateur Newcomb ball training can be used as an efficient and enjoyable tool for fitness development among midlife women.

Modeling the dose-response rate/associations between VO2max and self-reported Physical Activity Questionnaire in children and adolescents

Background'. This study sought to explore the dose—response rate/association between aerobic fitness (VC)2max) and self-reported physical activity(PA) and to assess whether this association varies by sex, age, and weight status.Methods. VO2max was assessed using the 20・m shuttle・run test. PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ) for Adolescents(aged > 11 years, PAQ-A) or for Children (aged <11 years, PAQ-C). The associations between V02raax and PAQ were analyzed using analysisof covariance (ANCOVA), adopting PAQ and PAQ2 as covariates but allowing the intercepts and slope parameters of PAQ and PAQ2 tovary with the categorical variables sex, age group, and weight status.Results: ANCOVA identified a curvilinear association between VO2max and PAQ, with positive linear PAQ terms that varied for both sex andweight status but with a negative PAQ2 term of —0.39 (95% confidence interval (CI): —0.57 to —0.21) that was common for all groups in regardto age, sex, and weight status. These curvilinear (inverted U) associations suggest that the benefits of increasing PA (same dose) on VO2max isgreater when children report lower levels of PA compared to children who report higher levels of PA. These dose-response rates were alsosteeper for boys and were steeper for lean children compared to overweight/obese children.Conclusion'. Health practitioners should be aware that encouraging greater PA (same dose) in inactive and underweight children will result ingreater gains in V02max (response) compared with their active and overweight/obese counterparts.

Effects of a long-term physical exercise program with and without diet on obese boys after six-month detraining

Background:Most studies on physical fitness and detraining have been conducted on normal-weight children.Their results indicate that any gains regress to the untrained control values during the detraining period.It,therefore,seems necessary to determine how detraining affects the different fitness parameters in obese children.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of detraining(6 months)on kinanthropometry and the components of physical fitness after an intervention(31 months)consisting of a program of exercise and/or diet for obese boys.Methods:The participants were 18 boys,aged between 8 and 11 years,divided into E and E+D groups according to the program they followed.The E group followed a physical exercise program(three 90-minute sessions/week),and the E+D group the same physical exercise program plus a low calorie diet.Physical fitness was assessed by the European physical fitness test battery including flamingo balance,plate tapping,sit-andreach,standing broad jump,hand-grip strength,sit-ups,bent-arm hang,10×5-metre shuttle run,and 20-metre endurance shuttle run.The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to reveal overall intergroup differences(E and E+D groups),and measurements showing significant differences were further analysed for differences between individual groups by the Mann-Whitney U test.Results:In both groups,changes were observed in various physical fitness parameters,especially limb speed(E group,P=0.001;E+D group,P=0.002),agility(E group,P<0.001;E+D group,P<0.001),and aerobic fitness(E group,P=0.009;E+D group,P=0.002).Conclusion:Detraining after a long-term intervention based on the combination of exercise program and exercise program plus diet in obese boys does not affect the changes attained during the intervention.

Investigating the Modulatory Role of Chronological and Biological Age on Performance Predictors in Youth Swimmers

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the modulatory roles of biological maturity and age on the predictors of performance in youth swimmers and their stability over a six-month training cycle.Methods In total,28 swimmers(10 pre-pubertal[6 boys],11.1±1.8 years;18 pubertal[8 boys],15.2±2.0 years old)and 26 untrained controls(15 pre-pubertal[10 boys],9.7±1.5 years;11 pubertal[6 boys],14.4±0.5 years old)were recruited.At baseline,3-and 6-months,participants completed an incremental ramp cycle test,isometric handgrip strength test and countermovement jumps,with speed assessed as a measure of performance in swimmers.Principle component analysis(PCA)identified factors that described youth swimmers’physical profile,with linear mixed models subsequently used to determine their interaction with age and maturity on performance.Results Aerobic fitness and upper body strength were significantly higher in the trained participants,irrespective of maturity status or time-point.Four key factors were identified through PCA(anthropometrics;strength;aerobic capacity;aerobic rate),accounting for 90%of the between parameter variance.Age exerted a widespread influence on swimming performance predic-tors,influencing all four factors,whilst maturity only influenced the aerobic factors.The key age of divergence was 13 years.Conclusion Overall,the present study found no evidence of a maturational threshold in the aerobic or strength-related response to training in youth.The influence of age on performance predictors suggests that utilising a single or select group of parameters to inform selection and/or talent identification throughout the dynamic processes of growth and maturation should be avoided.