Three-dimensional (3-D) motion analysis is widely used in numerous fields of physical education, including biomechanics, coaching and test and measurement. Among the available 3-D motion analysis methods, the nonlinear transformation (NLT) method is frequently used. Many automated motion capture systems currently utilize this method. However, as this method is based on the perspective projection of ordinary cameras, its use is limited in various situations. Because ordinary cameras have a relatively limited angle of view, they cannot cover a wide target area or be set up near the target area. In this study, we propose a method for 3-D data collection using omnidirectional cameras that can capture images of the entire celestial sphere. For the points of interest, the longitude and latitude of the celestial sphere were obtained from the image of an omnidirectional camera. The direction of the camera ray was determined by considering the polar coordinate system with the longitude and latitude. During the calibration process, the relative position and orientation of the omnidirectional cameras were determined from the images of the control points with unknown 3-D coordinates. We verified that the accuracy of the proposed method (resultant error: 0.34%) was comparable to the accuracy reported in preceding studies regarding traditional NLT and omnidirectional Direct Linear Transformation-inspired methods.

This study aimed to clarify the structure and characteristics of coaching concepts held by Japanese high school baseball coaches through multivariate analysis. After conducting a preliminary survey using an open-ended questionnaire, a selective questionnaire survey was conducted among 415 Japanese high school baseball coaches, and an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. We found that their coaching concept could be assessed based on three factors. These factors were “Social Literacy,” “Pride in Kokoyakyu (=Japanese high school baseball),” and “Baseball Literacy.” The scale developed in this study had a certain degree of reliability and validity and made it possible to understand the coaching concept of Japanese high school baseball coaches. The Kokoyakyu coaches’ coaching concept could also be classified into five types and this distribution tended to vary depending on the coaches’ attributes and coaching environment. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Kokoyakyu coaches are successfully using the “Koshien taikai ” (Japanese High School Baseball Championship) in their coaching. Moreover, the Kokoyakyu coaches’ coaching concept can be understood as having been formed and established both by the Kokoyakyu system, which is developed within the unique historical and cultural context of Japan, and the social gaze directed at Kokoyakyu itself. In particular, the “Pride in Kokoyakyu” coaching concept suggests the existence of some sense of “tradition.”

PURPOSE: This study conducted a scoping review of existing intervention studies with the aim of identifying the therapeutic-educational significance of martial arts for ASD. METHODS: This study followed the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to collect and select articles. Searches were conducted using PubMed and Science Direct databases, using terms such as “martial arts” and “Autism”. The collected literature was screened according to eligibility criteria and the quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale. RESULTS: In the end, 22 articles were selected, showing multifaceted effects on the improvement of ASD core symptoms and the development of socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical functions. On the other hand, research gaps were identified regarding study areas, subjects, and methods. CONCLUSION: The scoping review organized the results of previous studies and added evidence that reinforces the therapeutic-educational significance of martial arts. It also indicated that additional intervention studies are needed to conduct a meta-analysis.

Recently, the cortisol awakening response (CAR) has been focused as an index of chronic stress. Chronic, accumulated stress through burnout is known to result in uncontrollable HPA axis stress responses that cause abnormal CAR. However, the effects of burnout tendency on CAR in athletes remain unclear. This study examined the effect of burnout tendency on CAR in athletes. Participants were top-level female university athletes (N=45). Among them, the results of 40 participants were analyzed after excluding five participants that experienced measurement problems. The burnout tendency was evaluated using the Athletic Burnout Inventory (ABI). The participants were classified into the High BO group (N=12) with high burnout scores and the Low BO group (N=28) with low burnout scores. They were instructed to collect saliva at home, just after waking up, as well as 15 minutes, and 30 minutes later. The concentration of cortisol in saliva was estimated using the Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA). The results revealed higher CAR and AUCG tendencies in the High BO group compared to the Low BO group. However, this possibility has not been sufficiently supported statistically in the current study. We should revalidate these findings by ensuring an adequate number of samples estimated from the effect size. These findings indicate a new physiological index for assessing burnout tendency, which could contribute to better understanding the physiological mechanisms of burnout onset.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between wheelchair velocity and head and trunk movements by analyzing time series data of the initial acceleration phase of the 100-m sprint of three male quadriplegic wheelchair athletes in the T52 class. While sprinting 100 m at maximum effort, the athletes’ propulsive movements were analyzed from start to 13 m using a motion capture system. In many strokes, wheelchair velocity increased slightly in the first half of the recovery phase and decreased tremendously in the second half. Peak angular velocity of trunk extension was observed in the first half of the recovery phase from release, and peak trunk extension angle was observed in the first half to the middle of the recovery phase. The results suggested that trunk extension contributes to increased wheelchair speed during the recovery phase. However, athletes in the T52 class are unable to perform active trunk extension due to their inability to demonstrate trunk muscle strength. It is speculated that the trunk extension observed in all of the present athletes is attributable to the reaction produced by pushing the hand-rims. Furthermore, the findings suggested that head movement is connected to trunk movement and is important for efficient trunk flexion/extension.

Understanding the interplay between events host region stakeholder networks and processes is essential to comprehend the delivery and sustainability of legacy. While previous studies have suggested the need to focus on building measurable and visible pre-event legacies, less attention has been paid to the effectiveness of legacy network governance associated with sporting events. Therefore, this study examined the process of legacy planning associated with the World Masters Games 2021 for legacy building and analysed the structural and functional characteristics of the legacy network governance. This study used qualitative analysis to explore the governance structure and functional characteristics of pre-event legacy building in host cities in the Kansai area of Japan. The results indicated that, in the pre-event phase, the Legacy Creation Committee contributed to the effectiveness of legacy project implementation by monitoring the activities and interactions of event stakeholders and mutually sharing their vision for the post-event period. In addition, this study contributes to our understanding of the effectiveness of legacy network governance by emphasising the importance of governance between event stakeholders in a regional cooperation system.

In recent years, a number of health issues among adolescents in Japan have become highlighted. One of the major issues in school health is thinness among high school girls. Thinness is closely related to low energy intake, which can lead to menstrual dysfunction and low bone density. It is important to acknowledge these issues as health disorders that are specific to girls, and to consider measures for their prevention. The purpose of this study was to clarify the current situation of health disorders specific to high school girls, and to examine their level of awareness about them. Between March 2018 and February 2019, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey targeting 1,551 high school girls from 10th to 12th grade in 32 schools across 7 prefectures. This revealed that 18.7% of the girls were classified as “thin” based on Body Mass Index. In addition, many girls (more than half) had one or more signs of low energy intake, menstrual dysfunction, and history of stress fracture. The survey indicated signs of health disorders specific female high school students, suggesting that this is an important issue that needs to be addressed. The results also indicated that knowledge regarding health disorders was insufficient, as the overall correct answer rate was 50% or less. This was partly related to the presence or absence of health disorders specific to girls. In the future, it will be necessary to clarify the relevant factors that ought to be considered for comprehensive education designed to prevent health disorders specific to girls.