In this study, we examined the effective method for acquiring of “Maemawari-ukemi”. That is basic skill of judo. This study aims for children with intellectual disabilities or developmental disorders. Many children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are not skillful in physical activities. In this study, we used “Maemawari-ukemi Practice Sheet”. That is visual support. The participants in this study were 18 children who attended an after-school day care. Many of the participants had developmental disorders such as ASD or ADHD, or intellectual disabilities. In this study, a pre-test was conducted first to measure the participants’ level of proficiency in Maemawari-ukemi. The evaluation of proficiency used the “Maemawari-ukemi Scoring Sheet.” Next, a practice period of about two months using the “Maemawari-ukemi Practice Sheet” was provided. After two months of practicing intervention, a post-test was conducted to measure the participants’ level of proficiency in Maemawariukemi again. As a result, it became clear that many of the participants showed increase in their level of proficiency (Maemawari-ukemi score) after the practice period. Therefore, the use of the “ Maemawari-ukemi Practice Sheet “ as visual support was suggested to be effective for acquiring the skill of Maemawari-ukemi.

View full abstract

To prevent mismatches between “the level of physical fitness required for the mountain to be climbed” and “the climber’s own level of physical fitness,” the authors devised a method (conversion formula) to determine the climber’s level of physical readiness for climbing, based on a point system for the combination of climbing and running during pre-mountain training. In order to verify the usefulness of the conversion formula, three mountaineering enthusiasts were asked to climb the Tsurugidake mountain. The fitness required to summit the Tsurugidake mountain was calculated to be 5900 points (course constant × 100). The goal was to achieve a total of 5900 points (2950 points for climbing and 2950 points for running) during a two-month pre-training period. The percentage of subjects who achieved the target points in the pre-training ranged from 83.6 to 104%. As a result, the knee joint extension muscle strength per body weight increased by 10 to 17% for each subject before and after the pre-training. In addition, the subjects were able to climb Tsurugidake and traverse Tateyama in 2/3 to 3/4 of the standard time without any accidents such as falls, and showed less muscle stiffness and muscle soreness, and less local and general fatigue after the climb. The proposed method of assessing physical readiness for mountaineering (conversion formula) has the potential to support safety mountaineering.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a seven-day taper for the 3000 m Time Trial (TT) in middle- and long-distance runners in junior high school on their running time and psychological fatigue when they performed a 1000 m run at 110% intensity of their 3000 m race paces during a fourth- or sixth-day period from the start of the taper. The results showed no significant difference in the 3000 m TT time after the 1000 m run on the fourth or sixth day of the tapering period. In addition, the factor score of the fatigue scale on the day of the 3000 m TT measured by the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition (POMS2) was significantly lower than that on the first day of the tapering period. These results suggest that seven days of tapering, including high-intensity running at 1000m, may be beneficial for junior high school runners to reduce psychological fatigue and maintain running time. Therefore, it was suggested that it is necessary to flexibly determine the timing of high-intensity training before TT according to the fatigue level of the individual.

View full abstract

This study investigated the consistency and validity of a new measurement method to determine the support time in the contact phase during running using a digital voice recorder (sampling frequency 44,100Hz). Fifteen male trained runners participated in this study, and they performed 50% effort running in a facility. We analyzed the force plate system and 2 kinds of measurement methods (Exp.1 and Exp.2 were applicated a piezoelectric element and a microphone, respectively) for measuring support time during running. We compared the results between the force plate system and 2 measurement methods using Bland-Altman analysis and Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). In the Exp.1, Fz pi and Vpi support time were 147.37 ± 12.28 ms and 139.41 ± 18.75 ms, respectively. The ICCpi (2,1) was 0.725 (ranging from 0.583 to 0.819). In the Exp.2, Fz mic and Vmic support time were 161.00 ± 11.36 ms and 167.99 ± 12.51 ms, respectively. The ICCmic (2,1) was 0.836 (ranging from -0.035 to 0.964). These results indicated that observed values of Exp.2 were more correctly than those of Exp.1, suggesting that the footstep measurement method could be available to determine support time during running.

View full abstract

It is said the server has the initiative in tennis because tennis rallies start with the serve. （Japan Tennis Association, 2023） . However, to win a tennis match, player must break the opponent’s service game at some point, so the skill of return is important to winning a match. Schonborn （2007） also states that “the service return is the most important shot in tennis”. However, there are few studies that have examined the details of return hitting. In order to improve the return technique, it is important to clarify not only how professional players hit the ball, but also what kind of speed and spin rate they hit. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the return speed and spin rate of professional tennis players during a match. And also clarify the relationship between the speed, spin rate, and course of the service and the speed and spin rate of the return. The results revealed that the speed of the return for the 2nd service was significantly higher than that for the 1st service. Also, the comparison of forehand and backhand returns revealed that there was no significant difference between forehand and backhand returns in terms of speed and spin rate. In addition, the speed and spin rate of returns by service course showed different characteristics depending on the course.

View full abstract

This study examined the effects of different intensities of jogging warm-up on the run test (run time to exhaustion), heart rate, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise. We further evaluated heart rate variability before and after the warm-up and run test. Six healthy well-trained male college runners (5,000-m personal record, mean of 15 min 20 s ± 22 s) participated in two experimental conditions (a randomized crossover design): 15-min warm-up of moderate intensity of 55–60 heart rate reserve (%HRR); 15-min warm-up of high intensity 70–75 %HRR. After 15 min of warm-up, the participants performed the run test. RPE was assessed during the warm-up and run test on the Borg scale (6–20). The run time to exhaustion and HR during exercise did not differ significantly between the warm-ups of moderate and high intensities; however, RPE showed variation over time in both conditions. Reaching an RPE of 14 was delayed in the warm-up of moderate intensity than that of high intensity in four of six (66.7 %) participants. Nonetheless, with a greater reactivation of the root mean square of successive differences as the cardiac parasympathetic nervous system from after the warm-up to before the run test in the warm-up of moderate intensity, the RPE reached 14 faster in the subsequent exercise.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of skilled goalkeepers in terms of the information processing process and to make recommendations to the coaching field regarding the risk management ability of goalkeepers. Seven goalkeepers belonging to a university soccer club were asked to detect a free player in a 3-on-3 situation in front of the goal (two conditions: attacking viewpoint and defensive viewpoint). The results of the analysis showed that goalkeepers with higher ratings of risk management by their coaches took shorter time to decide on the goalkeeper’s viewpoint in the free player detection task. On the other hand, no relationship was found between the time to determine the attacking viewpoint and the coach’s evaluation. These results indicate that goalkeepers who excel in risk management are characterized by their superior information processing ability to detect free players in advance, and that they have developed a knowledge base specific to goalkeepers as a background for this ability. These results suggest that it is necessary to consider coaching methods that include an element of information processing in goalkeeping. This study is important in that it provides knowledge that contributes to the development of coaching methods for goalkeeping, which is becoming increasingly important in modern soccer.

View full abstract

Coaches appoint players based on an image of them that is a synthesis of a large amount of subjective information, and spectators have expectations about the player’s performance based on the player’s image. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to extract image factors from the subjective characteristics of players, to typify players based on the combination of “offensive factors,” which play a central role in the image and other factors, as well as to further compare. The evaluators were 67 coaches who hold JBA-certified coaching licenses, and the evaluated players were 12 basketball players who have played in the B. LEAGUE (B1), which has a high degree of recognition in Japan, in order to make the evaluations easier for many people to form an image. The evaluators responded to a questionnaire on subjective characteristics consisting of 35 items about the evaluated player using a five-point scale. After the principal factor solution was performed on the data obtained, an oblique rotation with Promax criteria was conducted. As a result, the four factors of were extracted by categorization based on the expert’s image, and further categorization. The typology of players based on subjective images indicated that three factors influenced the classification. The objective data also showing similarities and differences among the subjective classification of the positions and physical ability of the players. The above result allows us to suggest that the experts have a more detailed image of the offense.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weighted javelin training on the throwing distance of the regular-weight javelin in terms of movement patterns and practice factors, and to obtain suggestions for training. The subjects were two male javelin throwers. The subjects trained for 12 weeks with a 900 g weighted javelin. Pre and post the training, the distance thrown with a regular-weight javelin was measured. As a result, Subject A practiced run-up throw with a weighted javelin, which improved the blocking motion and the kinetic chain from the lower limbs to the trunk. In addition, the contribution from the long-axis rotation of the trunk continued until release. As a result, the throwing distance increased by 1.62 m. On the other hand, Subject B practiced run-up and standing throws with a weighted javelin, which resulted in an excessive increase in run-up speed and the subject’s body facing the throwing direction when the left foot contact. As a result, the throwing distance decreased by 1.47 m. These results suggest that the use of the weighted javelin in the run-up throw is effective for athletes who have problems with the kinetic chain from the lower limbs to the trunk, and for those who have problems with pushing the right shoulder during release.

View full abstract

This study described a male university triple jumper who held the record in the second half of 15 m and achieved an active landing by improving the swing action of his free leg using a box practice, which increased his stepjumping distance. As a result of the box practice, his record increased from 15.81 m(+0.1) to 15.82 m(+0.6), while the jumping distance and jumping ratio remained almost unchanged each time. Comparing the athlete’s top three attempts before and after practice, it was noted that his step-jumping distance and step-jumping ratio after practice were higher than his highest values before practice (4.32 m(27.3 %)). On the other hand, the difference in his movement before and after practice was whether the lower part of his free leg was almost parallel to the ground at the start of the active landing. After practice, the athlete’s step take-off was improved by a swing action with the lower part of the free leg almost parallel to the ground. Based on our findings, to achieve an active landing, it is important to ensure that the preparatory posture of the free leg is appropriate before the start of the scissors action, rather than focusing only on the scissors action just before take-off.

View full abstract

This study aimed to examine the group dynamics in a cycling points race, to this end we analyzed the distances between cyclists and subgroups during the Japanese National Track Championships points race. A video camera was located in the spectator seats on the extension of the center line of the two straight sections of the cycling velodrome, and the cyclists passing through the center line on both the home and back straights were filmed. The time to complete a half lap was measured for each cyclist and used to obtain the average speed. The distance between cyclists was calculated based on the difference in passing time. The group was defined by the distance between cyclists based on the drafting effect, then, the group dynamics was analyzed. In over 90% of cases, the distance between cyclists was 3 m or less. Most of the cyclists in the race were located within the drafting range where air resistance is reduced. There were cases where the group remained as one, cases where the group separated before the sprint, cases where an escape occurred and the escape group remained ahead until the sprint, and cases where an escape occurred but the groups recombined before the sprint. The distance between the leading escape group and the main group is considered to be a critical distance to bifurcate success and failure for escape. It is important for cyclists and coaches to understand the distance at which an escape group will be sustained or absorbed, and to control the distance between the escape group and the main group during a competition.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine one of the factors needed for mastering [Backward uprise and 5/4salto forward straggled to up hang (Japaner salto upper to hang)] by exploring the technical differences between perspective of morphology of movement. A total of 4 people were selected, 2 each for those who have learned and those who have not. Two gymnasts already mastered were that they performed quickly “nuki” and “ahuri” in the preparation phase and rotation while backward in the direction of motion 5/4salto forward phase. These results suggest that it is a useful technique.

View full abstract

Professional baseball players are active at the top level in Japan, and it is expected that they use forms and exercises that they consider appropriate for their own kinematic sense and awareness to improve their pitching speed and control performance. It is important that the athlete’s sense of motion and awareness be explained by his own anatomical and kinematic knowledge, not by others. The purpose of this study was to review good pitching form and exercises with the anatomical knowledge for improving pitching performance from a perspective of a former professional baseball pitcher and physical therapist, and to reveal the reasons for this. The results showed that there are eight important points of pitching form, among which the most important are to extend the knee of the pivot leg during the wind-up phase, to keep the thorax vertical and horizontal. In addition, it was found that adductor muscle exercises were important for this pitching form during the wind-up phase. The adductor muscles of the pivot leg are said to be important during translational movement, but it was suggested that they may also be important in one-legged standing. The interviewing of the participants in this study has generated new exercise ideas, and we believe it would be useful to conduct similar studies in the future.

View full abstract

Turning Split Leap movement specific to rhythmic gymnastics was analyzed to developmental change in the pattern of motion among rhythmic gymnasts with movement pattern in 1 year. In the stepping phase, the Post showed a greater right foot movement speed than the Pre in the 0-80% phase (p<0.05). In the jumping phase, significant differences were observed in the 50-90% phase of the knee joint angle, with Post showing more flexion than Pre (p<0.05). In the hip joint angle, significant differences were observed in the 40-100% phase, with Post showing more extension than Pre. In the anterior-posterior leg opening angle, the Post showed significantly higher values than the Pre in the 60-100% phase (p<0.05).The results suggest that an increase in the speed of the right foot movement during the crossing phase increases the anterior-posterior leg opening angle and the left foot hip extension position during the jump phase, enabling the left foot to maintain an open leg posture with a wide range of hip motion.

View full abstract

Ice slurry（slurry） has been attracting attention as an effective countermeasure against heat. However, the preparation, cooling, and transportation of slurry to the sports field have not been practically investigated. We have examined the method of making slurry without using special equipment and the method of keeping it cool and transporting it to the sports field. The slurry could be made with a commercial mixer under the following three conditions:（1） with a large ratio of ice to liquid,（2） with an equal ratio of ice to liquid, and（3） with a small ratio of ice to liquid. The slurry production time was about 3 minutes for the high ice content condition, about 1 minute and 30 seconds for the equal ice/liquid condition, and about 1 minute for the high liquid content condition. In terms of the cooling method, the slurry state was maintained for only up to 2 hours in the cold bottle, while it was maintained for up to 3 hours in the vacuum-insulated bottle under the condition of a large percentage of ice. In addition to the vacuum-insulated bottle, the slurry could be maintained for up to 4 hours in the case where the ratio of ice to liquid was equal, and up to 5 hours in the case where the ratio of ice to liquid was high, by using the vacuum-insulated bottle in combination with a cold bag.

View full abstract

This study reports on the physical knowledge of a kendo competitor (competitor A) who mastered the debana men technique as the opponent has a chance to enter the one-foot-one-sword distance. Specifically, this study aimed to present bodily knowledge for mastering and teaching from a retrospectively recollected comparison of motor movements and motor awareness pre- and post-mastery. Based on the findings, the essential bodily knowledge is awareness of the “feeling of load near the ball of the left foot.” By placing the feeling of load near the ball of the left foot before striking, the movement of reapplying weight from the right to the left foot (shifting the center of gravity) was eliminated, which occurs upon initiating forward body movement. Additionally, it led to the acquisition of motor awareness on the appropriate distance and stance for striking. Therefore, awareness on placing the feeling of load near the ball of the left foot and preparation for striking using the debana men technique is important, if the opponent has a chance to enter the one-foot-one-sword distance.

View full abstract

This study aims to clarify basic data regarding the total distance moved by 64 goalkeepers（ GKs） who participated in a U-12 8-a-side soccer game. Furthermore, the relationships among wins and losses, goal difference, match duration, GK experience, degree of GK favorability, and the number of GK utterances and instructions assumed to be related to the total distance moved are analyzed to help coach GKs in the youth training generation. The twodimensional DLT method was used to calculate the total distance traveled. Results show that the total distance moved by the U-12 GKs was 981.4 ± 227.8 m. Among the independent variables assumed to be related to the total distance moved, there was no difference in terms of grade, match duration, and degree of GK favorability. However, regarding GKs’ experience, the total distance moved by the upper-order group was significantly higher than that by the lower-order group. In addition, regarding the relationship between the total distance moved and utterances and instructions issued by the GK during the match, a moderately significant positive correlation among the utterances, instructions, and directions related to the attack and defense was observed. Therefore, the results of this study will be helpful for coaching GKs in the U-12 age group in 8-a-side soccer games.

View full abstract

This study investigated the psychological and behavioral factors experienced athletes had after hitting “rock bottom” in their athletic life. We conducted semi-structured interview surveys for 10 athletes who had continued track and field athletics as working adults for more than 3 years. We categorized the data according to the instances of students and members of society experiencing “rock bottom” and analyzed using the KJ method. Consequently, passivity（ dependence on coaches） and the absence of who to ask for help were confirmed in all cases of a student hitting “rock bottom.” Further, uncertainty about what to do, unrewarding conditions, mental and physical burden,and environmental changes were confirmed as factors in hitting “rock bottom.” Regarding the cases of working adults, it was confirmed that mental and physical burden, difficulty in sports-life balance, unrewarding conditions, and lack of specialized knowledge that is sub category of uncertainty about what to do were factors in hitting “rock bottom.” Specifically, physical changes resulting from aging, psychological exhaustion, and difficulty in sports-life balance were distinguishing characteristics in the cases of working adults. Quantitative research is necessary for the future; nonetheless, it was proposed that long-term athletes need assistance and policies based on these factors.

View full abstract

We analyzed veteran professional soccer players’ improvement of technical training，Change angle of approach, Raise awareness of a pass to a vital area, Heading training, to continue playing for a long time. From the analysis of the efforts, the practical knowledge acquired by the case subjects was as follows: 1) They can make up for the decline in sprint power by defensive method that closes the gap by anticipating the opponent’s possession of the ball to the inside, in the end,building a defense that cooperates with　teammates. 2) Passes to the vital area must be motivated by the opponent’s positioning, and it is necessary to distribute passes that assume the next development. 3) Repetition of basic heading training is expected to be effective even for veteran players, and it 　is effective to receive advice from veteran players regarding training content. In order to acquire such practical knowledge, it is important for even veteran players to actively use video and data to analyze their own play, understand the essence of skill issues, and work on them. It was suggested.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify effects of differences in string tension of soft tennis rackets on hitting velocity and hitting control. The subjects were thirteen female high school soft tennis players. In the experiment, a temporary tennis court and a target area were set up, and a hitting test was conducted. In the test, the same racket with three string tensions was used to hit the ball from near the baseline to the target area with forehand strokes. As a result, 12 out of 13 players recorded the highest hitting velocity at low string tension. Some players showed an increase in velocity of more than 10%. In addition, the results suggest that high string tension may increase net and short balls. Conversely, low string tension was associated with better ball flight and potentially more long balls. In summary, differences in string tension may affect the hitting velocity and hitting control.

View full abstract

Currently, the learning style of learning dance through dance videos is expanding. This phenomenon is expected to continue in the future. Therefore, in this study, we will clarify the effective communication method and the order of instruction for street dance instructors using dance videos. We investigated the influence of different communication methods on the movement acquisition process in street dance instruction using dance videos. We filmed and edited a video that teaches choreography created with elements of pop dance using four methods (language only, onomatopoeia only, language and onomatopoeia, count only). Twenty people to be instructed were divided into 4 groups, and each group watched and practiced, and recorded videos 3 times. Then, we evaluated their dance skills. As a result, it was thought that there was a possibility that the learners might have become overloaded with information if they used ``language and onomatopoeia’’ from the beginning when teaching the movement of first sight. When a learner learns dance moves at first glance, rather than learning from the beginning while confirming the details of each movement, it is better to first memorize the rough choreography and then receive guidance on the details of each movement. It was suggested that it may be more efficient to perform it by sex.

View full abstract

In this study, we investigated the effect of high-intensity interval training（ HIIT） with battle rope（ BR） on kayaksingle 200 m time trial performance. The subject was a kayak sprinter who aimed to win the K1-200 m race at the All-Japan collegiate championship. The HIIT protocol consisted of two sessions and two types of BR exercises（alternative wave and double wave）. Each type of BR exercise was performed 5 times, respectively. The BR exercise consisted of 20 seconds of all-out exercise bouts followed by 30 seconds of rest. The rest time between sessions was 10 minutes. The HIIT protocol was performed 8 times over 4 weeks. The subject completed 200 m time trials 3 times before and after the HIIT. As a result, the subject reduced his time by 2 seconds on the 200 m time trial after HIIT. The blood lactate concentrations on 200 m trials after HIIT were higher than those before HIIT. After HIIT, the distance per stroke （DPS） was increased in the start phase, and the stroke rate （SR） was increased without reduction of DPS in the finish phase. The subject felt that the exercise of swinging down the BR had a positive effect on the strong catch. And the subject won first place at the K1-200m race in the championship two weeks after HIIT. These results suggest that HIIT with BR positively affects performance in the kayak-single 200 m time trial.

View full abstract

This study reports on an exceptional approach to determine the appropriate length of a pole for pole vaulting by cutting off its lower end. The author, a female pole vaulter, presents a case study based on the results of jumping experiments conducted by Decathlete. The study reports on the process of cutting the pole based on the experiment results and the changes in the author’s jump performance using the cut pole. Based on subjective evaluations by Decathlete, a pole length cut of 0.10 m was deemed inappropriate. To obtain greater confidence in the results, objective changes in pole behavior, such as maximum pole curvature and pole angular velocity, were analyzed through video analysis. As a result, there was no change in the maximum pole curvature, but the pole angular velocity reached its highest value when the pole was cut by 0.10m. Two months after cutting the pole, the author’s jumping performance using the cut pole in an actual competition showed an increase in the clearance height from 0.30m to 0.50m.

View full abstract

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games have been postponed for one year due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection. The purpose of this study was to examine how the longitudinal psychological support for the Tokyo 2020 Games under these circumstances affected the athletes’ psychological aspects. The subjects of this study were six modern pentathlon athletes. Psychological assessment was performed using the psychological competitive ability diagnostic test. As a result, the psychological competitive ability showed different changes due to the influence of the refraining from sports activities due to the spread of the new coronavirus. In addition, changes in psychological competitive ability from the suspension of sports activities due to the spread of the new coronavirus to the resumption of sports activities showed different trends. From this, it became clear that the psychological impact of modern pentathlon athletes due to the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the selfrestraint of sports activities due to the spread of the new coronavirus had individual differences. For this reason, psychological support in special situations requires an appropriate evaluation of the athlete’s psychological aspects and interventions that are tailored to the individual. Furthermore, it was suggested that sports mental training consultant can contribute to improving psychological competitiveness and suppressing deterioration by intervening in mindfulness, goal setting in terms of physical and psychological aspects, career development of athletes.

View full abstract

We analyzed veteran professional soccer players’ training to improve physical problems associated with aging. At the end of the season, the players achieved some improvement in injury frequency, fatigue recovery, decreased top speed ; however, they could not completely improve their decrease in keep running at high speed. We considered how professional soccer players could tackle physical problems in order to play as active players for a long time and proposed the following: 1）Changes in dietary content through dietary guidance can be expected to be effective in a short period of time, and this is a more important approach for experienced athletes than for young athletes. 2）In order to increase the ability to recover from fatigue, it is effective to set a target weight based on weight data accumulated from a young age and increase lean body mass using body weight as an indicator. 3）In order for veteran athletes to improve their running speed, it is possible to improve by subjective sensation analysis, but in order to improve further, it is necessary to improve running form from a long-term perspective from a young age.

View full abstract

In order to obtain high scores in gymnastics, it is necessary to select elements in fewer deductions．With the revision of the rules regarding angle deductions for horizontal bars in 2022, an increasing of athletes are incorporating “free circle type” elements into their performances．The “free circle forward legs together through handstand” to be discussed in this study has been upgraded to a C difficulty level since the 2022 code of points． However, owing to limited research, there is little information on the “free circle forward legs together through handstand”．Therefore, in this study, the technical process of succeccfully performing “free circle forward legs together through handstand” was analyzed from a kinestheric standpoint．The following results were found． 1．From handstand, shoulders forward and lower while keep feet． 2．In the folding, pull your back backward and the head up． 3．Hip circle during the ascent and grasp the timing of the extension．

View full abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of a 3-week self-managed weight loss on body mass and body composition in collegiate male judo athletes. Twenty male judo athletes were divided into two groups; weight loss group involving in a 3-week self-managed weight loss as well as judo’s specific training（N=10, WL）vs. control group involving in judo’s specific training alone. Whole body and regional fat（FM）and fat-free soft tissue masses（FFSTM）were determined by a duel X-ray absorptiometry. For control group, there were no significant changes in any variables. In the WL group, the self-managed weight loss decreased body mass and whole body FFSTM by 4% and 3.5%, respectively. Whole body FM tended to be decreased by the self-managed weight loss. Trunk FM and FFSTM were decreased, and legs FFSTM tended to be decreased by the self-managed weight loss. There were no significant changes in arms FM and FFSTM. These current findings indicate that a 3-week selfmanaged weight loss decreases whole body FFSTM, resulting from decreasing of trunk FFSTM in collegiate male judo athletes.

View full abstract

Expertise in dance should consider not only the acquisition of motor skills, but also proficiency as artistic expression, which can be called expression skills and performance skills, and the process of proficiency is expected to have characteristics unique to the performing arts. Based on the results of a qualitative survey on semi-proficient （dance students） and proficient dancers （professional dancers）, the present study considered the factors that promote proficiencies required for professional dancers from the perspective of Zimmerman’s self-regulated learning, particularly co-regulated and socially shared self-regulated learning （SSRL）. The results of the PAC analysis and the interview survey suggest that proficient dancers change the elements they value in their own view of dance through their experiences of creating works and their social relationships with others in their performance activities. In particular, it is thought that the expressiveness of dance as an art form and proficiency in the proactive approach to dance are facilitated by belonging to a dance group and experiencing SSRL. The results suggest that in the process of professional dancers’ self-regulation learning（ SRL）, the cycle of（ 1） co-regulation,（ 2） SSRL and （3） further self-regulation is activated by communication with the choreographer, fellow dancers and the audience. From the above, it was considered that professional dancers develop their professional dance expression through the use of self-regulation strategies by SSRL.

View full abstract

In the field of sports, the use of various types of information to improve performance and specialized staff is becoming increasingly important. However, there have been no detailed reports on the actual status of such staff. This study aimed to understand the situation of information strategy specialists in Japan. A snowball sampling questionnaire survey was conducted among those who utilize information to improve the competitive performance of athletes and teams. We divided 295 answers into the information strategy specialist group and other staff group and compared the results of them. As a result, the information strategy specialist had the following characteristics: males in their 20s and early 30s, worked with highly competitive teams and athletes. They also had a near fulltime work schedule, and their annual income was comparable to the national average. They used information for long-term purposes not only for individual athletes but also for the teams, and the standard work was the data collection, analysis, and reporting of information using sports video analysis software. Compared to the other staff, the information strategy specialists were involved in limited types and categories of sports. In addition, although there are a variety of designations for information strategy staff, most of the respondents to this survey used the term “analyst”. Based on the results obtained from this study, further findings are expected to be accumulated for the spread and development of information strategy specialists.

View full abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity of muscle activity assessment using muscle functional MRI (mfMRI) and to evaluate the muscle activity level of the psoas major muscle in dolphin kick swimming using mfMRI as a case study. One male collegiate swimmer participated in this study. The participant performed two dolphin kick swimming trials with the different methods of muscle activity assessment: 1) MRI imaging before and after dolphin kick swimming and 2) measuring surface electromyography (sEMG) during dolphin kick swimming. The subjective muscles of mfMRI were psoas major, rectus abdominis, low back muscles (erector spinae and multifidus), rectus femoris, and biceps femoris and that of sEMG were rectus abdominis, erector spinae, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris. As the results of mfMRI, the change of T2 value in psoas major muscle was 13.1%, which was the second highest activity level after that of the biceps femoris muscle (14.8%). Furthermore, the cosine similarity of the muscle activity levels in the four muscles (excluding the psoas major) evaluated from both mfMRI and sEMG was 0.99, and therefore, it was suggested that the muscle activity assessment using mfMRI might be sufficiently valid.

View full abstract

This case report describes the training method undertaken by a 470 class sailor (the author) to improve flick duration and the training process. First, intermittent training using flick movements (10 s exercise × 10 s rest × 10 sets) by a cable machine for strength training (the handle is a straight bar) and forearm strength training were conducted for one month to improve forearm strength. As a result, the flick duration on land improved from 108 to 134 seconds. However, the target time was 180 seconds, thus further improvement was needed. Therefore, only intermittent training (1 min exercise × 1 min rest × 3 sets) was performed for the next month. Moreover, the aim of training was changed to improve flick movements, in addition the handle for training was changed to the equipment that was using on a yacht. As a result, the flick duration improved from 134 to 183 seconds. This attempt showed the importance of conducting supplementary training using yacht equipment based on the characteristics of the targeted movements for improving flick duration. In addition, it is also important to improve the flick movements when forearm muscle fatigue prevents the flick duration.

View full abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lower limb strength training on hiking performance in sailor. The training consisted of three types of strength training: deadlift, squat, and calf raise. The subject performed these exercises at 80% 1RM intensity, for three sets of ten repetitions each, two days a week for three months. Hiking performance was examined by the Hike-out test using a hike-out bench. The physical fitness was measured by one repetition maximum weight of each strength training, Wingate-test, and 20-m shuttle running test. As a result, hiking duration improved from 65 seconds to 114 seconds. Furthermore, the results of deadlift, squat, and calf raise improved by 5.7%, 18.5%, and 4.9%, respectively. For the Wingate test, the average power also improved by 6.7%. In conclusion, the study has shown that lower limb strength training potentially improves hiking performance in sailors.

View full abstract

In the physical education (P.E.) teacher training curriculum, it is necessary to teach students who want to become P.E. teachers the basic skills for safely instructing junior high school students in techniques in judo. However, there is a relatively high risk of infection in judo courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous study tried to ensure learning outcomes by adopting the buddy system as a prevention measure against COVID-19, and reported that outcomes of the skill learning programme were not sufficient due to the implementation of trial lessons and so on. In the university where the first author of this report works as a teaching assistant for judo courses, the courses were planned to include the implementation of trial lessons in the spring semester of 2022. In this study, we made use of the learning outcomes of the course “Pedagogy of P.E.” to improve the implementation of trial lessons, and made students 1) take prevention measures against COVID-19, and 2) evaluate other students’ skills by observing their skills during trial lessons. Also, we made students 3) work on movement observation and evaluation tasks using video of trial lessons in the last lesson of the judo course. As a result, the students developed awareness of their responsibility to avoid exposing their students in trial lessons to the risk of infection with COVID-19, and skill learning was improved compared to the judo course reported in the previous study. The results of evaluation of skills by students in judo courses showed high interpersonal agreement and typical learning obstacle such as “students cannot observe the skill of receiver and the skill of taker at the same time.” From these results, it is suggested that making use of the learning outcomes of the course “Pedagogy of P.E.” when implementing skill evaluation in trial lessons during a judo course may enhance the learning of movement skills, including observational learning of such skills.

View full abstract

The knowledge and reach of menstrual support services are inaccessible for many female athletes. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the awareness of female athletes regarding available menstrual support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the experience, cognition, and behaviour related to menstruation. Further, case studies were conducted to clarify subjective experiences of menstruation. Based on qualitative data analysis methods, the relationship between female athletes and menstruation was indicated by four categories: “Physical sensations for good performance”, “Female athletes do not want to be menstruating on match day”, “Female athletes do not find the right support for themselves regarding menstruation” and “Beliefs for competition”. It could be inferred that the various experiences of menstruation influence each category in a cyclical way, changing beliefs and coping strategies. It was found that the phenomenon of menstruation does not just accompany the athletes, but that it creates problems specific to the athletes, and that menstruation is present throughout the thoughts, feelings and relationships of the individuals in the athletes’ life, and that it creates difficulties, conflicts and coping.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine three things from the physical fitness data of top-level college female table tennis team. They are; 1) to provide the index of the physical fitness of college female table tennis player 2) to clarify the measures related to the competitive performance 3) and to provide an example of a training program. The data presented revealed that standing long jump and 20m sprint were valid measures in relation to competitive performance (starter and non-starter). The results also suggest that a year-round training program using general resistance training consists of the lower extremity exercises, plyometrics and weightlifting exercises with dumbbells may be effective in improving the physical fitness factors related to these measures.

View full abstract