School-Based Exercise Programs for Promoting Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Overweight and Obese Children Aged 6 to 10.

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the school-based exercise programs for promoting cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese children aged 6 to 10. Electronic databases (Web of Science and PubMed) were used as searching tools for collecting adequate studies published in the past 20 years. A total of 13 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review, with a total of 2810 participants, both male and female. According to the results of this systematic review, overweight and obese children aged 6 to 10 who underwent certain interventions had their CRF improved. Furthermore, evidence suggested that interventions carried out during a longer period of time suggested led to greater improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness than a shorter one, but the level of cardiorespiratory fitness gradually decreases after the intervention.

Design and Validation of a New Tennis-Specific Reactive Agility Test-A Pilot Study.

Agility is an important ability for tennis players, but there is an evident lack of studies focusing on the applicability of tennis-specific agility tests that capture a combination of the physical and cognitive agility performance. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to design and test measurement properties of the tennis-specific reactive agility test that would be feasible and practical for regular implementation. A total of 32 youth tennis players (21 males and 11 females; 10.85 ± 1.50 years) participated in this study. The measurement characteristics of the newly designed reactive agility tennis-specific (TS-RAN) test have been established by comparing it with two generic agility tests and with two tennis-specific pre-planned agility tests. The overall reliability of the new TS-RAN test can only be considered "moderate to good", as although the results of participants showed good internal consistency, the within-subject reliability of the test proved to be unsatisfactory, since the participants showed a lack of performance consistency. This is not unexpected considering the very young age of the participants who performed the test for the very first time. The new TS-RAN test was highly projected (0.91) on the same single latent dimension, with the variance predominately explained by the tennis-specific agility tests. The test's greatest strength is its high feasibility, since the test does not require any special set-up nor technical equipment, and that makes it practical for regular implementation in a practical setting. Further research studies are needed in order to confirm the test's potential to be widely accepted and used.

Elite Croatian junior taekwondo competitors: morphological characteristics and body composition reference values / Competidores croatas de taekwondo junior de élite: características morfológicas y valores de referencia de composición corporal

SUMMARY: The main purpose of this study was to determine the body composition and anthropometric reference values of male and female junior Croatian taekwondo competitors according to official weight category. Additional aim of the study was to identify possible differences in variables between the weight categories. The sample comprised 247 junior participants of the national taekwondo championships divided into male (N=121) and female (N=126). The variable sample was defined by a set of 8 measurements: Body height (cm), Body mass (kg), Body mass index, Body fat (%), Body fat (kg), Muscle mass (kg), Lean body mass (kg) and Total body water (%). Results confirm previous studies proving that younger taekwondo practitioners have higher levels of body fat than their more experienced peers (seniors). Significant differences were only found between lean and heavy categories. Male junior taekwondo athletes show total body water percentages from 57.4 to 74.8 %, with significantly lower percentages in higher weight categories, while female athletes in heigher categories demonstrate a worrying level of hydration status, therefore endangering their performance and overall health. As the first paper that investigates the reference values of junior taekwondo athletes but based on official weight categories it is especially important as each weight category warrant different body composition requirements, as seen from significant differences across different variables. Future studies should include motor abilities inspection throughout the weight categories and possible use of calculation of metabolic age.

RESUMEN: El objetivo principal de este estudio fue determinar la composición corporal y los valores de referencia antropométricos de los competidores croatas masculinos y femeninos de taekwondo junior según la categoría oficial de peso. Además, se analizó identificar las posibles diferencias en las variables entre las categorías de peso. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 247 participantes junior de los campeonatos nacionales de taekwondo divididos en hombres (N = 121) y mujeres (N = 126). La muestra variable se definió mediante un conjunto de 8 medidas: altura corporal (cm), masa corporal (kg), índice de masa corporal, grasa corporal (%), grasa corporal (kg), masa muscular (kg), masa corporal magra (kg) y agua corporal total (%). Los resultados confirmaron estudios previos que demuestran que los practicantes de taekwondo más jóvenes tienen niveles más altos de grasa corporal que sus pares más experimentados (personas mayores). Solo se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las categorías magra y pesada. Los atletas masculinos de taekwondo junior muestran porcentajes de agua corporal total del 57,4 al 74,8 %, con porcentajes significativamente más bajos en las categorías de peso más alto, mientras que las atletas femeninas en las categorías más altas, demuestran un nivel preocupante de estado de hidratación, poniendo en peligro su rendimiento y salud en general. Como el primer artículo que investiga los valores de referencia de los atletas de taekwondo junior, pero basado en categorías de peso oficiales, es especialmente importante ya que cada categoría de peso garantiza diferentes requisitos de composición corporal, como se puede observar en las diferencias significativas entre las diversas variables. Los estudios futuros deberían incluir un análisis de las habilidades motoras en todas las categorías de peso y el posible uso del cálculo de la edad metabólica.

Psycho-Oncology and Spirituality.

Psycho-oncology is a branch of medicine which, combining psychiatry and oncology, studies the biological and psychological factors related to the onset and treatment of carcinoma. The struggle with this life-threatening disease requires an adaptation to a new life situation characterized by changed routines of everyday life and dynamics of personal relationships. The psycho-oncological approach is a multidisciplinary one, as modern medicine recognizes more and more the role of spirituality in the treatment and recovery from various pathological conditions. Spirituality is the adaptive capability of intelligent beings to retain the will for life in spite of adversities and awareness of the imminence of death. Faced with a challenge of malignant disease people are nevertheless able to react with positive personality changes, which leads them to a more meaningful and substantial life. The so-called posttraumatic growth is a feature which enables an individual to assume control over his own reactions to disease, which in turn can have a positive influence on the treatment outcome. An essential role in this process is played by the spiritual growth of an individual. Malignant disease can represent an opportunity for spiritual growth, a dimension often neglected by contemporary lifestyles. Religion, as an important constituent part of spirituality, can offer the believer a meaning of suffering and thus turn the disease into an opportunity for self-knowledge and development of a more mature spirituality. Christian spirituality can represent a path which helps an individual to cope with malignant disease. Modern medicine should be based on a multidisciplinary approach to the patient and encompass all the human dimensions (rational, emotional and spiritual), whereas treatment itself must be both personalized and participatory.

Height-based model for the categorization of athletes in combat sports.

Reducing bodyweight within a short-time participating in kicking combat sports can adversely affect health. This study's aim creating an improved model to categorize athletes in kicking combat sports. The investigation focused on 795 athletes (11-24 years), participating in the Croatian National Taekwondo Championship. The sample included athletes from both sexes (371 males), cadets (n = 325), juniors (n = 247) and seniors (n = 223). Data were collected during the preparatory period and prior to the athletes competing, using a bioelectrical impedance analysis device. According to current categorization rules, athletes are categorized by arbitrarily determined ranges in bodyweight, whereas, in this current study, the authors have devised an improved model, based on body height and the analysis of data collected. The difference in coefficients between the official model and the proposed, improved categorization method in terms of body height (2.70 and 0.71, respectively), showed that the improved model homogenized athletes almost four times more than the official model, reducing the maximal difference in body height from 29 to 9 cm within specific categories. Proposed, improved model had same number of categories as the official structure and directly homogenized differences in height within a category up to a 3-cm maximum for the middle categories and a 9-cm maximum on the periphery of the bands. We expect this improved combat sports categorization model will indirectly reduce differences between other longitudinal body dimensions within categories (thus making match results less predictable) as well as reduce bodyweight manipulation potentially endangering athletes' health.

External Responsiveness of the SuperOpTM Device to Assess Recovery After Exercise: A Pilot Study.

Post-exercise recovery is a complex process involving a return of performance and a physiological or perceptual feeling close to pre-exercise status. The hypothesis of this study is that the device investigated here is effective in evaluating the recovery state of professional cyclists in order to plan effective training. Ten professional male cyclists belonging to the same team were enrolled in this study. Participants performed a 7-day exercise program [D1, D4, and D7: low-intensity training; D2 and D5: passive recovery; D3: maximum oxygen consumption (VO2Max) test (for maximum mechanical power assessment only); and D6: constant load test]. During the week of monitoring, each morning before getting up, the device assessed each participant's so-called Organic Readiness {OR [arbitrary unit (a.u.)]}, based on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), features of past exercise session, and following self-perceived condition. Based on its readings and algorithm, the device graphically displayed four different colors/values, indicating general exercise recommendations: green/3 = "you can train hard," yellow/2 = "you can train averagely," orange/1 = "you can train lightly," or red/0 = "you should recover passively." During the week of research, morning OR values and Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons showed significant differences between days and, namely, values (1) D2 (after low intensity training) was higher than D4 (after VO2Max test; P = 0.033 and d = 1.296) and (2) D3 and D6 (after passive recovery) were higher than D4 (after VO2Max test; P = 0.006 and d = 2.519) and D5 (after low intensity training; P = 0.033 and d = 1.341). The receiver operating characteristic analysis area under curve (AUC) recorded a result of 0.727 and could differentiate between D3 and D4 with a sensitivity and a specificity of 80%. Preliminarily, the device investigated is a sufficiently effective and sensitive/specific device to assess the recovery state of athletes in order to plan effective training.

Acute effects of loaded whole body vibration training on performance.

BACKGROUND: The application of whole body vibration (WBV) as a warm-up scheme has been receiving an increasing interest among practitioners. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of loaded and unloaded WBV on countermovement jump, speed and agility. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one healthy male college football players (age: 20.14 ± 1.65 years; body height: 179.9 ± 8.34 cm; body mass: 74.4 ± 13.0 kg; % body fat: 9.45 ± 4.8) underwent randomized controlled trials that involved standing in a half squat position (ST), ST with 30% of bodyweight (ST + 30%), whole body vibration at f = 50 Hz, A = 4 mm (WBV), and WBV with 30% bodyweight (WBV + 30% BW) after a standardized warm-up. Post measures of countermovement jump, 15-m sprint, and modified t-test were utilized for analyses. RESULTS: One way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the countermovement jump performance, F (3, 60 = 9.06, η2 = 2.21, P = 0.000. Post-hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW posted significant difference compared to (P = 0.008), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). There was also a significant difference in the sprint times among interventions, F (3, 60) = 23.0, η2 = 0.865, P = 0.000. Post hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW displayed significantly lower time values than ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). Lastly, there was a significant difference in the agility performance across experimental conditions at F(2.01, 40.1) = 21.0, η2 = 0.954, P = 0.000. Post hoc demonstrated that WBV have lower times than ST (P = 0.013). Also, WBV + 30% BW posted lower times compared to ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Additional external load of 30% bodyweight under WBV posted superior gains in countermovement jump, speed and agility compared to unloaded WBV, loaded non-WBV and unloaded non-WBV interventions.

The influence of somatotype components and personality traits on the playing position and the quality of top Croatian female cadet handball players.

The research was conducted with the aim to establish the structure and the differences of morphological features and personality traits between different age groups of female cadet handball players grouped by their playing quality and playing positions. Further on, the research was done on 70 handball players aged 15, 31 on average, who were grouped according to their positions on goalkeepers, outside players, wings and pivots. Furthermore, according to the quality of playing, they were divided in two quality groups of players, those from the wider cadet national team, thus characterised as top female players in Croatia, and those who had never been invited into the cadet national team and thus can be referred to as low-quality, i.e. average female handball players. The structure of predictor variables has indicated the existence of general morphological factor assessing the players' constitution and two personality features factors - neuroticism and extraversion. The variance analysis showed no statistically significant differences of somatotype variables with relation to quality and playing position. By observing basic personality traits, a statistically significant difference was confirmed only in introversion-extraversion with a lower score in goalkeepers than in other positions, which indicates a higher level of introversion in this playing position. Such result was expected since this particular position abounds in specific tasks and demands in the game in relation to all other playing positions. Further on, it has been concluded that the selection of players must not be based only on the stated physical and psychological characteristics, but on relevant anthropological complexes determining performance and sport achievement.