Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes have been associated with athletic and physical performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between ACE polymorphisms and athletic status in Japanese male wrestlers. The control group consisted of 335 Japanese healthy individuals who college student majoring in physical education. We divided 135 wrestlers into three groups on the basis of their results in national or international competitions. Twenty-four wrestlers who had been in the first eight places of the world championships or participated in the Olympic games were classified as “Elite”, twenty-eight wrestlers who had been participated in the world championships or become a champion in the Japan national championships and were classified as “Sub-Elite”. The other eighty-three wrestlers were classified as “national”. The DD genotype and D allele frequency was significantly higher in Elite, Sub-Elite and National groups as compared to that of the controls. The frequency of the ACE DD genotype in “Elite” was the highest of all groups, and a linear tendency was observed between ACE DD genotype and athletic status.

In conclusion, the above data suggested that ACE polymorphisms would be strongly related to athletic performance in Japanese elite wrestlers.

This research evaluated the psychological effects of a seven-month water exercise program for the elderly as compared to a walking exercise program.

Subjects for the water exercise program were 21 elderly men and women, more than 65 years of age (79.6±4.1). Subjects of the walking exercise program were 19 elderly men and women more than 65 years of age (67.6±6.0). The length of both programs was 7 months. The water exercise program was 45-minutes in length. Subjects performed in the water for 20 minutes following the direction of a coach, and then they swam by their plan for 25 minutes weekly. Subjects of the walking exercise program walked about 45 minutes daily at a moderate speed. Subjects self-evaluated their psychological well being with a once-a-month Mood Check List after completing the water exercise or the walking exercise.

About 70% subjects felt more “relaxed”, “satisfactory”, “refreshed” and “cheerful” after water exercise. In comparison, after the walking program, about 50% of the subjects felt “lively” “refreshed”, “cheerful” and “restful”. Subjects who were being treated for high blood pressure felt more “relaxed” and “refreshed” after swimming than others with normal blood pressure.

Everybody knows that exercise and sports are helpful for health maintenance, but it is often difficult to make it a habit. However, with group support it is more likely that people will happily be able to continue exercising, epecially water exercise.

Motor coordination ability is thought to be related to performance in sports. We thought that methods for evaluating and measuring motor coordination ability should be consistent from infancy to adulthood when investigating the relationship between sports performance and development of physical fitness. The creeping, which involves movement using all four limbs, is used in studies on the timing of motions in various research fields, such as anthropology, growth and development, and neurophysiology. Therefore, we were interested in creeping motion. In the present study, we were investigated that the relationships between measurements of physical fitness tests and the time that it took to forward and backward creeping, and the validity of methods for evaluating motor coordination ability based on kinematic characteristics. Subjects were instructed to assume a creeping position with their arms and legs supporting the trunk and to move either forward or backward as fast as possible on a 9m straight course. The relationships between the time it took for subjects to reach the 8m mark and measurements of physical fitness tests were analyzed. Measurement variables of physical fitness tests were height, weight, a 25-m run, leg extension, a standing broad jump, a vertical jump, a side step test, whole body reaction time, and step count. Motions were also captured on a high-speed video camera in order to obtain two-dimensional kinematic data during forward and backward creeping. The forward creeping time was significantly correlated with 25-m run time, leg extension force, standing broad jump length, vertical jump height, and whole body reaction time, as well as the stride length of each limb. On the other hand, the backward creeping time was significantly correlated with step count and stride frequency of each limb. The factors that significantly correlated with forward creeping time were used for evaluation of speed, muscle strength, muscular power, and motor coordination ability. Therefore, forward creeping time may be a method for evaluating multiple motor factors. Moreover, step count and stride frequency, which were significantly correlated with backward creeping time, are thought to be related to neuromuscular function. Therefore, backward creeping time may be a method for evaluating the motor coordination ability of not only the limbs but also the whole body.

The aim of this research is to clarify the progress of women’s physical education in the late Meiji era, focusing on the school physical education teaching materials. The result of this research is summarized as follows.

Compared with that of men, women’s physical education teaching materials were not developed after the Education System Order was promulgated in 1872. However, taking advantage of the proclamation of the Girl’s High School Order in 1899, women’s education teaching materials began to be developed. The notion of “good wife and wise mother” was promulgated in society, and women’s physical education was encouraged for the betterment of women’s lives and well-being in addition to serving nationalism. During this period, influenced by the policy of Westernization, Japanese women’s clothing also shifted from the traditional Japanese kimono to western-type clothes. Western-type clothes were adopted in women’s physical education, and the requirements for the development of women’s physical education were satisfied. At the same time, training centers aimed at fostering female physical education teachers were established one after another, which rapidly increased female physical education teachers.

In the late Meiji era, Japanese women were encouraged to do physical exercise in order to nurture healthy maternity, strengthen their mentality and improve their physicality to the level of western women, and the schools adopted Swedish gymnastics and sports as part of physical education for women. In the same period, study and research on educational materials for women’s play were promoted, and teaching materials combining music and play were developed.

This study focuses on sumo in the middle ages of its history, namely samurai sumo, and re-examines sumo in this period from the perspective of samurai as entertainers during that time.

Today Japanese people consider samurais as noble and loyal warriors. This image has been conceptualized and established in the minds of the people through the nationalistic education of Japan since the Meiji period. However, the primordial question that arises from the freedom of thought and learning, which allows one to greatly diverge from the retrospective image of samurai warriors thus far, has led to the common belief that samurais were also once entertainers.

Based on this theory, sumo in the middle ages can then be regarded as samurai sumo, which can be considered as entertainment. This can be attributed to the fact that since the mid-Heian period, sumo has been refined into a form of entertainment as a spectator sport, the primary purpose of which was to inspire and entertain the emperor and aristocrats of that time. During the late Heian period, in the provincial governing system that organized Japan into a single state, sumo was divided among specific houses and passed on through generations as a family business.

Kyosumo, also known as Kyoto Sumo, is an organization to which professional sumo wrestlers belonged. These sumo wrestlers, whose ancestors performed at the ancient Japanese imperial court, would perform at festivals in major temples and shrines in and around Kyoto during the end of the Heian period. This form of “sumo for entertainment” that had been refined into a spectator sport also existed during the middle ages of Japan around the Shogunate. Originally, the samurai leaders also viewed sumo as a spectator sport that was performed by special sumo wrestlers for the entertainment and pleasure of the audience.

In this sense, when we consider sumo in the middle ages from the perspective of samurai as entertainers, closely analysing samurai sumo, we can conclude that sumo was also a form of entertainment.

The purpose of the research discussed here was to utilize evaluations of gymnasts published in magazines as a key to learning more about the Tagung für gymnastischer Körperbildung (Conference for Gymnastics Physical Education) held in Dusseldorf in 1926 by the Deutscher Gymnastik-Bund (German Gymnastic Federation). The results discussed in this paper can be summarized as follows:

1. Taking impetus from the burgeoning gymnastics reform movement in Germany at the beginning of the 20^th century, the Tagung für künstlerische Körperschulung was held in Berlin in 1922. This convention was the scene of multifaceted discussions from artistic, educational, and medical perspectives, and it affirmed the value of a new gymnastics as basic human movement united with rhythm and melody.

2. With the Tagung für künstlerische Körperschulung as the trigger, individuals seeking to advancethe new gymnastics established the Deutscher Gymnastik-Bund in 1925. This organization held lecture meetings and training sessions in order to promote and spread the new gymnastics. The main thinking on movement that provided the basis for these activities was formulated as Mensendieck gymnastics, which approached movement from anatomical and biological perspectives; Bode gymnastics, which emphasized the experience of rhythm; and Laban gymnastics, which took an artistic approach.

3. The Deutscher Gymnastik-Bund held a major convention on physical education for gymnastics in Dusseldorf in 1926. The author considered this convention from the perspective of the magazines GYMNASTIK and Die Leibesübungen, and determined that while the convention as a whole involved a significant element of show, n ew gymnastics movements were formulated in a process rich in free and rhythmic movement and expression.

The purpose of this study was to create a measure of “Well-Being Awareness Inventory (WAI)” and to investigate the reliability and validity of the measure to confirm that factors. According to the promax rotated factor analysis by principal factor method, the following six factors were extracted: factor 1: “awareness to concentrate;” factor 2: “awareness for the mental stability;” factor 3: “awareness for the quality of sleep;” factor 4: “awareness for the physical condition;” factor 5: “awareness on interpersonal relationship;” and factor 6: “awareness of the quality life.” From these six factors, the following three are particularly considered as significant factors of well-being, “awareness for the mental stability,” “awareness for the physical condition” and “awareness on interpersonal relationship.” According to the IT correlation coefficient calculation, r=.45～.71, and the reliability factor calculation, the value was α=.68～.81. These values are relatively high, therefore these internal consistencies were found. To investigate further validity of the WAI, we examined the relationship with the relevance of the personal subjective sense of health. The correlation coefficient was r=.28～ .50. In addition, the confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation model obtained a high fit for the factor model of WAI. Regarding gender, women reported a higher value than men in “awareness on interpersonal relationship” and men reported a higher value than women in “awareness for the mental stability.” Furthermore, it s reported that the person who do exercises on a regular basis, t he value of their awareness for Well-Being is high. Therefore, this study showed that WAI evaluates the awareness for individual Well-Being, and can be the measure for the good health effects by doing exercises.

This survey was carried out by gathering information from junior players and coaches of local junior soccer clubs so that we could find the actual conditions of training for goalkeepers and the difference of views between junior players and coaches, regarding goalkeeping.

This survey revealed the following:

1. There is sometimes a gap between the real and the ideal about the way of choosing a goalkeeper in the local junior soccer clubs. Because of a low popularity of a goalkeeper and administrative convenience of the clubs, players who have low physical power or who are not good field players can be given a position as a goalkeeper unwillingly.

2. As for the coaches who make the goalkeepers join in a practical training, it can be said that they are not eager to train the goalkeepers and even neglect the goalkeepers during the training.

3. There is a difference in a view of a goalkeeper between junior players and coaches. It seems that the junior players think a goalkeeper is engaged only in defense, while the coaches think a goalkeeper players an important role in both defense and as well as a number other functions during a soccer match.

The purpose of this study was to make clear the relationships between the intermittent endurance of junior high school baseball players evaluated by Yo-Yo test and the specialized skills. The subjects were 17 junior high school baseball players (13.4±0.5 age). The following measurements were obtained; measurement of grip strength, back strength, handball throw, vertical jump, standing long jump, 50m sprint, side step, sitting tdunk flexion, Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test (;Yo-Yo IET) level2, baseball abilities of long throw, base-running (from home plate to 3rd base) and swing speed were measured. The cheakup and test results were compared between higher Yo-Yo test performance group and the lower Yo-Yo test performance group and the correlation between the results of Yo-Yo test and those of physical fitness tests were examined. Higher Yo-Yo test performance group were scored significantly higher in explosive power and speed tests as standing long jump (p<0.01), handball throw (p<0.05), 50m sprint (p<0.01) and agility of side step (p<0.01) and in skills tests as baseball long throw (p<0.05), base-running (p<0.01) than lower Yo-Yo test performance group. Yo-Yo IET level2 results shows a strong correlation with the scored speed and power and the scored agility, and it also bears some correlation with the skills as long throw and base-running. This correlation indicates that physical fitness on the whole body and the specialized baseball skills are also related to the results of Yo-Yo test. Therefore, it can be concluded that Yo-Yo IET level2 can be regarded as an effective and significant index for the assessment of baseball skills and fitness.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of music on perceptual responses during exercise. Subjects comprised 12 female university students (mean age, 18.2±0.4 years; mean height, 159.4±5.6cm; mean weight, 53.1±8.0kg; mean fat mass, 25.4±6.3%). Subjects performed exercise testing for 30min, with 10min at 40% ⩒O_2max. 10min at 50% ⩒O_2max and 10min at 60% ⩒O_2max using a bicycle ergometer with a pedaling speed of 60 revolutions/min. During exercise tests, background music was either absent or provided with a tempo of 126 beats/min. Heart rate (HR) was measured continuously, with or without music. Blood lactate concentration (BLa) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE)-central (RPE-C), RPE-local (RPE-L), RPE-overall (RPE-O) and feeling score (FS) were measured pretest and at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30min. HR and BLa did not differ significantly between exercise tests with and without music. Although RPEs with music condition tended to be lower and FS with music tended to be higher (i.e., more positive feelings) compared to those without music, no significant differences were identified. In this study, test settings may have been insufficient to identify a correlations such as cardiac and/or respiratory locomotor coupling or reductions in psychological strain with music.

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of body composition and physical fitness, especially muscular strength, according to each weight class for collegiate Greco-Roman wrestlers with top-ranked in Japan. The subjects were fifteen national-leveled wrestlers with specialty of Greco-Roman style and were divided into three groups; light-weight class group (L group, n=5), medium-weight group (M group, n=6), heavy-weight class group (H group, n=4). The rank of value in % body fat was arranged in H group >M group >L group. On the one hand, the higher rate of lean body mass accounts for L group >M group >H group in turn. As to isometric strength, L group tended to indicated higher values in relative strength per body weight in hand grip, back extension, arm extension/flexion, and leg extension/flexion than M group and H group. Especially in the strength of back extension, M group showed significantly higher value than H group, and in the strength of arm flexion, L group indicated significantly higher value than H group. There was significantly positive relationship between absolute isometric strength and absolute isokinetic strength at 60, 180 and 300 deg/sec in leg extension/flexion. As to relative strength in leg extension/flexion, there was significantly positive correlation between isometric strength and isokinetic strength at 60 deg/sec. ln conclusion, it was suggested that the wrestlers in the higher weight class of Greco-Roman style event would need to increase lean body mass and improve static strength or near-static strength corresponding with their own body weight for athletic performance enhancement to the world level.

In this study, the primary purpose was to make a national standard table for evaluating the physical fitness of Cambodian children.

Measurement took place in the following ten areas of Cambodia: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kompon Chhnang, Kompong Cham, Kratie, Pailin, Pursat, RattanakKiri, Sihanouk Ville and Svay Rieng.

The research subjects were school children aged 11 years old (girls: 651, boys: 625).

The research data consisted of sex (male or female), physique items (height, weight) and physical fitness tests that included 6 items (sit-up, sitting-trunk-flexion, side-step, 5-minutes-run, 50-meter-run and long-jump).

The evaluation table was calculated for each physical fitness item using the average value and the standard deviation (SD). The evaluation criteria were set as follows:

1) 10 points evaluation

10 points; more than 2.0SD, 9 points; from 2.0SD to 1.5SD, 8 points; from 1.5SD to 1.0SD, 7 points; from 1.0SD to 0.5SD, 6 points; from 0.5SD to average value, 5 points; from average to -0.5SD, 4 points; from -0.5SD to -1.0SD, 3 points from -1.0SD to -1.5SD, 2 points; from -1.5SD to -2.0SD, 1 points; less than -2.0SD.

2) 5 ranks evaluation

Rank of “very good”; more than 1.5SD, “good”; from 1.5SD to 0.5SD, “average”; from 0.5SD to -0.5SD, “poor”, from -0.5SD to -1.5SD, “very poor”; less than -1.5SD.

In this study, the 10 point evaluation criteria were adopted as as pecific ranking item for the evaluation table. Then, the 5 point criteria were adopted as general estimate.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the concrete outcomes of a social development activity through sport, Siem Reap Hotel Football League (SHFL), in the Kingdom of Cambodia. A created theoretical model (Okada, 2008) based on three steps such as formative evaluation, process evaluation and outcome/impact evaluation is used, and personal interview for 40 persons were conducted from 2007 to 2010.

By our data, establishing friendship, cultivating respect and workplace collegiality were core values of the SHFL. The SHFL contributed toward developing the relationships among individuals, hotel staff members, and hotels themselves. Especially in an economic climate making it difficult for hotels to survive, SHFL participants seemed particularly grateful for the opportunity to coalesce around a self-set purpose and goal.

Additionally, SHFL created an original structure to maintain close relations with the provincial education office for their social development. The SHFL view education and sport development in Cambodian society as one of the main objectives of their activities.

SHFL members regard ‘sport’ as a powerful tool to enhance local living conditions and circumstances via one of its key industries - tourism. Our Cambodian case study does not necessarily mean that sport can be used as a ‘development tool’ successfully in all settings, such as other developing areas. However, during this research, some keywords such as ’spontaneousness’, ‘voluntariness’, autonomy’ and ‘grassroots’ emerged as important elements which are also recognized important for social development itself. SHFL is a case example of courageous trials for social development through sport with a firm basis of members’ spontaneousness.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of using the stress reduction counseling sheet in a stress reduction class in a high school. Subjects were tenth grade students (28 males / 12 females). This intervention was performed using a counseling sheet for 45 minutes in 20XX. The result showed that the degree of subjective stress significantly decreased (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, z=-5.1 p=.000). Additionally, 29 students felt that the class was helpful, 4 students did not feel the class was helpful, and 7 students did not answer this question. In the free description of subjects, 33 people were positive, 3 people were neutral, 1 person was a negative, and 3 people did not respond. This intervention indicated that the self-counseling sheet is useful for reducing stress among high school students.

Several kinds of tests the stabilograph, the standing on one leg with eyes closed test, and the Bass Dynamic Balance test developed by Bass, were conducted by college women’s students with five groups, volleyball players, basketball players, soccer players, female gymnasts, and female students who usually don’t play particular sports. The comparison of the results among those groups revealed some facts below.

1. As comparing with the results of the stabilograph tests among two situations, closed eyes versus opened eyes, the numerical value in closed eyes was much higher than that of in opened eyes for all sports on the peripheral dimensions.

2. In the stabilograph test, basketball players showed shorter in front-back, and gymnasts showed shorter in left-right direction on the distance in the stability than other sports.

3. In the standing on one leg eyes closed test, and the Bass Dynamic Balance Test, the gymnasts and the soccer players were superior to other groups. In addition, it was revealed that they have a higher level in the back strength.

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of enjoyment of flag football in college physical education classes and its educational effects. Gender differences, the number of registrants, ball control, and the degree of rule understanding with regard to the level of enjoyment of flag football were investigated. 314 college students participated in this study, and the findings were as follows;

1) It was implied that the female students found the care for safety by the teachers at the beginning of the course appealing, while the male students found the sense of group accomplishment and team communication interesting at the end of the course.

2) The more the students took flag football classes, the more they felt level of enjoyment of in the team performance and the sense of group accomplishment.

3) The students who felt that ball control and rules were difficult fount the care for safety by the teachers at the beginning of the course appealing. On the other hand, those who thought the ball control was easy felt level of enjoyment of in the team performance and the sense of group accomplishment.

At Japanese colleges and universities there are hardly any intervention programs designed for student-athletes preparing for their life after graduation. Given that student-athletes are different from non-athlete students in many ways, it is reasonable to say that it is time to start paying special attention to student-athletes at Japanese universities. Some studies support that it is essential that universities in Japan should develop career planning programs specifically designed for student-athletes. However, few universities and colleges in Japan have programs to help student-athletes in various areas during their academic and athletic careers at university or after graduation unlike universities in America.

This study investigated whether special support programs for Japanese university student-athletes are needed to help them make the transition from academic and athletic goals to career goals, and to assist them in making decisions about their career paths. The Career Decision Scale (CDS) was used to examine the career making decision of university student-athletes in Japan and investigate the differences between student-athletes and non-athlete students in career making decisions. The CDS which provides an estimate of career indecision and its antecedents, as well as an outcome measure to determine the effects of relevant interventions was used to compare the career indecision between the collegiate student-athletes and general students. The subjects were 190 college students (student-athletes: 96, non-athlete students: 94) in Japan.

The results indicated no significant differences among four factors between collegiate student-athletes and non-athlete students. Even though the large differences were not found between them, based on this survey, it implies that Japanese universities should develop an intervention program designed for student-athletes so that they can look ahead to their future after college considering the psychological difficulties they face on retirement.

In this article I discuss the value of sports facilities, which are essential for the development and spread of sports, from the viewpoint of city planning. Specifically, I examine the present conditions of city planning and soccer stadiums from a sociological point of view. I attempt to clarify the problems. The results of this investigation led to some important conclusions as outlined below.

(1) The Urban planning of the J League is strongly focused on urban development. Therefore the methodology regarding city planning is not evident.

(2) The attached facilities for soccer stadiums are dominated by meeting rooms and training rooms. Also, around the stadium are general sports parks, and the purpose and function of these facilities tends to be concentrated on sports. Therefore, the opportunities for public stadium interactions are limited.

(3) When looking at city planning, one can roughly classify planning into one of 3 cases: One is where stadium construction and the club foundation were carried out at the same time. Another is driven by the local government urban development. Finally, planning that is tied to a 100 years design and a local sports promotion policy.

(4) When talking about city planning, one cannot observe that stadium planning and all those involved are coordinating their efforts together. However, they are showing that they are increasing the scope of urban planning. This is due to the legal requirements regarding sports promotion and urban planning that have been developed. The comprehensive sports concept that J League has promoted has become established and the demand for sports has increased in society.

Y.T. is a Japanese basketball player who played in NBA (National basketball association) for the first time.

Y.T. player returned to the Japan basketball league (JBL) in 2008-2009 season (08-09 season).

The purpose of this study was to clarify the difference of attendance and the rate of filled vacancy in 2007-2008 season before he returns (07-08 season) and 2008-2009 season after he returned.

In the 07-08 and 08-09 regular seasons (140 total games) of the JBL, the 35 home games in each team were classified as an object of comparison. The following variables were analyzed.

When comparing before and after Y.T. return, attendance in the 08-09 season (290,652 people) increased by 70,328 people more than 07-08 seasons (220,324 people).

When comparing much of Link Tochigi Brex team and other team in the 08-09seasen, average attendance (fighting game; 3,104 people vs. other game; 1,811 people) and rate of filled vacancy (97% vs.66%, respectively) in fighting game was significantly increased compared with other games (p<0.05).

In addition, Link Tochigi Brex team significantly indicated ah igh value in the rate of filled vacancy compared with other teams.

An increase of spectators in JBL in the 08-09 season may be suggested that depends on a specific player.

Recently, the cardiovascular fitness of women’s junior college and female university students has decreased despite implementation of physical fitness education among the young. We believe that it is important to compare the endurance of women’s junior college students by major and instruct them how to maintain cardiovascular function because many of those students will engage in a professional life after graduation and have to improve not only their career later on but also their stamina as a member of society. This study was a measurement of 20 meter shuttle run drills by 112 women’s junior college students living in the mountain area of southern Nagano prefecture in Japan.

Their results were compared not only by grade level but also compared by major. The mean value ± standard deviation as measured for a total of four years from 2006 to 2009 was 42.5±16.1 times (n=112). There was no difference in the 20 meter shuttle run between the first year students and the second year students. There was, however, a difference in endurance among the students between the studies’ first two years (2006 to 2007) and its latter two years (2008 to 2009). The students in the first two years ran their 20 meter shuttle run above the national average, but the students in the latter two years did not. To compare preschool education major students with home economics major students, there was no significant difference in stamina between students from 2006 to 2007. There was, however, a slight decline in ability of the 20 meter shuttle run times of the students who majored in preschool education from 2008 to 2009 compared to the students who majored in home economics during those years.

This study was implemented among women’s junior college students living in the mountain area of southern Nagano prefecture in Japan only. Still, we strongly believed that it was important to measure aerobic fitness among junior college students by major to develop healthy and well-educated students because many of them will become professionals after two or three years of education.