A combination of physical and cognitive exercise improves reaction time in persons 61-84 years old.

We have compared the effects of different 12-week exercise programs on simple and choice reaction and movement times in persons 61 to 84 years old. One hundred thirty-eight volunteers were randomized to either a control group, a two-day exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic exercises), or a two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic and cognitive exercises). At follow-up, the aerobic and cognitive exercise program was found to have resulted in significant positive effects. Improvements were found in the two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group in all of the reaction parameters, particularly improvement in choice reaction time, which is used in most daily activities. Our results suggest that to improve reaction time values, it is advisable to include cognitive features into a physical exercise routine.

Tactical skills and ball speed during a field simulation of penalty kick strategies in soccer.

This study investigates the efficacy of intermediate penalty kickers by comparing the effect of applying an automated WiFi system on the field of play to simulate a strategy that takes account of goalkeeper action (dependent) with another for which goalkeeper strategy is irrelevant (independent). Intermediate penalty kickers (n=12) took a pretreatment test of 32 kicks in a "real-play" situation with intermediate goalkeepers (n=3). Two groups of kickers underwent 11 treatment sessions using different strategies and then were administered a posttreatment test. The variables measured were the number of goals scored, whether the direction of the shot was the same or different from the direction of the goalkeeper's move (DDG), ball speed, and the duration of the kicking movement. Data suggested the goalkeepers had a greater capacity to identify advance cues when faced with independent strategy kickers and that dependent strategy kickers achieved lower ball speeds.

Differences between expert and novice soccer players when using movement precues to shoot a penalty kick.

In the present study, effects of using precues of the goalkeeper's movements during a penalty kick on the penalty taker's response time and rate of success when selecting the points at which shots were taken were evaluated. 20 male players included 10 expert players (M=25.7 yr., SD=4.2 yr.) and 10 novices (M=22.1 yr., SD=2.5 yr.), whose response time, decision making, and foveal vision in a simulated penalty kick task were evaluated. Analysis showed greater decrease in response time for the expert group (102 msec.) than for the novice one (47 msec.). Mean response time was 172 msec. for experts and 189 msec. for novices. The rate of success (i.e., shooting at the side opposite to the goalkeeper's movement) increased from an initial rate of 58% for both groups to 91.3% in the Expert group and 90.7% in the Novice group. Anticipation of both groups improved with explicit knowledge of precues.