The effect of menstrual cycle on anaerobic power and jumping performance

Background and Study Aim. There has been a significant increase in the participation levels of women in competitive sports in recent years. This has contributed to the increase of research on women's participation in sports and their health. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the menstrual cycle on anaerobic power and jumping performance. Material and Methods. In this study, 15 female athletes between the ages of 18-24, who have a regular menstrual cycle for the last 6 months Wingate Anaerobic Power Test and Active Jumping Test applied to athletes during their menstrual phases (second day of the menstruation period) and follicular phases (14th day of the menstruation period). In the statistical analysis of the data, descriptive analyses of test measurements of athletes were calculated as mean and standard deviation. Whether there is a significant difference between the measurements taken on two different days was analyzed using the t-test in dependent groups. Results. It was determined that the anaerobic power and active jump performances of the participants had an effect on peak power, fatigue index and active jump performance between day 2 and day 14 values. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between these values (p<0.05). Conclusions. This situation can be explained as a result of the hormonal changes in the menstrual period of the athletes and the effects of psychological factors specific to this period.

Bilateral counter movement jump, squat, and drop jump performances in deaf and normal-hearing volleyball players: a comparative study

Since deaf athletes do not have any physical deficiencies, it is known that they can easily participate in sports competitions if their communication problems are resolved. This study aimed to compare the performances of olympic deaf and elite normal-hearing volleyball players in different jumping test protocols. A total of 26 male volleyball players participated in the study, comprised of 12 olympic level deaf and 14 elite level normal-hearing. Following anthropometric measurements, athletes performed bilateral counter movement, squat and drop jump tests on a force plate. Each test was performed 3 times with maximal effort separated by 45 seconds of passive recovery and the mean of the three trials was selected for analysis. Independent Samples t-test was used to compare the differences in mean values of jumping test parameters between the groups. Normal-hearing athletes are observed to have significantly better scores than deaf athletes in all test protocols. Considering that the number of studies on athletic performance in deaf athletes is limited, it can be said that our study will contribute to researchers and coaches in respect of detecting a key ability in volleyball, such as jumping, in different jump protocols.

Kemampuan Gerak Dasar Kids Atletik pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar di Kecamatan Kedungkandang Kota Malang

The purpose of this study was to determine and assess the basic movement abilities of athletic kids in elementary school students in Kedungkandang district, Malang city. The study used a survey design and a research approach in the form of an observation method. The subjects of this study were 60 elementary school students in the district. The results showed that the kangas escape test was in the sufficient category of 28 people (46.67 percent), the results of the frog jumping test were in the good category of 29 people (48.33 percent), the results of the Turbo throw test in the sufficient category were 21 people (35 percent), the results of the formula 1 running test were in the under category of 27 people (45 percent). The conclusion of this research is that the basic movement ability of elementary school students athletic in Kedungkandang sub-district, Malang city tends to be in the "enough" category. Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui dan mengkaji kemampuan gerak dasar Kids atletik siswa SD di Kecamatan Kedungkandang Kota Malang. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan survei dan pendekatan penelitian berupa metode observasi. Subjek penelitian ini siswa Sekolah Dasar di Kecamatan berjumlah 60 siswa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tes kangas escape pada kategori cukup jumlah 28 orang (46,67 persen), hasil tes loncat katak berada pada kategori baik jumlah 29 orang (48,33 persen), hasil tes lempar Turbo pada di kategori cukup jumlah 21 orang (35 persen), hasil tes lari formula 1 berada pada kategori kurang jumlah 27 orang (45 persen). Simpulan penelitian bahwa kemampuan gerak dasar Kids atletik siswa SD di Kecamatan Kedungkandang Kota Malang dominan cenderung berada pada kategori “cukup”.

The Metabolic Relevance of Type of Locomotion in Anaerobic Testing: Bosco Continuous Jumping Test Versus Wingate Anaerobic Test of the Same Duration

Purpose: To evaluate the metabolic relevance of type of locomotion in anaerobic testing by analyzing and comparing the metabolic profile of the Bosco Continuous Jumping Test (CJ30) with the corresponding profile of the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT). Methods: A total of 11 well-trained, male team-sport athletes (age = 23.7 [2.2] y, height = 184.1 [2.8] cm, weight = 82.4 [6.4] kg) completed a CJ30 and WAnT each. During the WAnT, power data and revolutions per minute were recorded, and during the CJ30, jump height and jumping frequency were recorded. In addition, oxygen uptake and blood lactate concentration were assessed, and metabolic profiles were determined via the PCr-LA-O2 method. Results: In the CJ30, metabolic energy was lower (109.3 [18.0] vs 143.0 [13.1] kJ, P < .001, d = −2.302), while peak power (24.8 [4.4] vs 11.8 [0.5] W·kg−1, P < .001, d = 3.59) and mean power (20.8 [3.6] vs 9.1 [0.5] W·kg−1, P < .001, d = 4.14) were higher than in the WAnT. The metabolic profiles of the CJ30 (aerobic energy = 20.00% [4.7%], anaerobic alactic energy [WPCr] = 45.6% [4.5%], anaerobic lactic energy = 34.4% [5.2%]) and the WAnT (aerobic energy = 16.0% [3.0%], anaerobic alactic WPCr = 34.5% [5.0%], anaerobic lactic energy = 49.5% [3.3%]) are highly anaerobic. Absolute energy contribution for the CJ30 and WAnT was equal in WPCr (49.9 [11.1] vs 50.2 [11.2] kJ), but anaerobic lactic energy (37.7 [7.7] vs 69.9 [5.3] kJ) and aerobic energy (20.6 [5.7] vs 23.0 [4.0] kJ) were higher in the WAnT. Mechanical efficiency was substantially higher in the CJ30 (37.9% [4.5%] vs 15.6% [1.0%], P < .001, d = 6.86), while the fatigue index was lower (18.5% [3.8%] vs 23.2% [3.1%], P < .001, d = −1.38) than in the WAnT. Conclusions: Although the anaerobic share in both tests is similar and predominant, the CJ30 primarily taxes the WPCr system, while the WAnT more strongly relies on the glycolytic pathway. Thus, the 2 tests should not be used interchangeably, and the type of locomotion seems crucial when choosing an anaerobic test for a specific sport.

Reliability of the High-speed Camera-based System (HSC-Kinovea) for lower-limb explosive strength endurance assessment in athletes

The present study verified the reliability of the high-speed camera-based system (HSC-Kinovea) in the lower-limb explosive strength endurance assessment in athletes. Eleven male volleyball players (21.8 ± 2.9 years; 186.3 ± 6.2 cm and 82.3 ± 11.0 kg) participated in the intermittent vertical jumping test in two days. The test was filmed and later analyzed using Kinovea 0.8.15 software to obtain the mean and peak power variables. Regarding reliability, the intra-class correlation coefficient, the typical error of measurements, and Bland-Altman plots were used. The method presented satisfactory values for inter and intra-class correlations (˃ 0.88). The typical values error of measurement presented in the inter-rater analysis was 0.95 W.kg-1 and 0.59 W.kg-1 for the peak and the mean power, respectively. In the intra-assessment analyses, the typical measurement error values were 7.02 W.kg-1 and 5.66 W.kg-1 (test-retest) and 1.59 W.kg-1 and 0.24 W.kg-1 (duplicates videos) for peak and average power, respectively. The HSC-Kinovea system is reliable for assessing the variables of the explosive strength endurance in athletes.

Examining Some Motoric Features of Under-15 Badminton Players of National Teams

The aim of this research is to compare the motoric features of badminton players of the national teams participated in International tournament under-15, and to determine whether there is a correlation between the development level of motoric features and the results. Totally 48 players participated in the study, from 6 countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia) participating in the 5th International Rumi Child Sport Games, 24 of whom were females and 24 males. Stature, bodyweight, body mass index (BMI), flexibility, dominant and non-dominant hand grasping power, standing long jump, sit-up for 30 seconds, vertical jumping test, and anaerobic strength values of the participants were detected. It was determined that there were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between the countries in terms of dominant hand grasping power, vertical jumping, and standing long jump values of the male players; and in terms of bodyweight, BMI, dominant and non-dominant hand grasping power values of the female players. As conclusion, it was found that the motoric features of the players ranked in the International Tournament under-15 were in better level, and it can be concluded for badminton sport that development of motoric features played an important role for success alongside with technique and tactic features.

Effects of Maturation on Lower Limb Neuromuscular Asymmetries in Elite Youth Tennis Players

Neuromuscular asymmetries have been previously associated with reduced performance. Similarly, maturation has shown that youth athletes may experience a loss of motor control, which could also lead to compromised physical performance. The present study aimed to evaluate and quantify the level of asymmetry among chronological and maturational groups. Forty-one youth tennis players performed the single leg countermovement jump (SLCMJ), star excursion balance test (SEBT) and a change of direction speed (CODS) test. Differences were found between the strongest and weakest limbs across all tests (p < 0.001), and also for SEBT in the posteromedial direction (p = 0.02), SEBT composite score (p < 0.01) in maturation groups, and for SEBT posterolateral direction (p = 0.03) and SEBT composite score (p = 0.01) in chronological groups. The SLCMJ showed the largest inter-limb asymmetries for the circa peak height velocity (PHV) group (19.31 ± 12.19%) and under-14 (U14) group (17.55 ± 9.90%). Chronological and maturation groups followed similar trends for inter-limb asymmetries, but the biological index showed larger asymmetry scores in the jumping test at PHV compared to that found in the chronological group (U14). These results show that inter-limb differences may be heightened during PHV. Practitioners can use this information to inform the decision-making process when prescribing training interventions in youth tennis players.

Impact of Training in Sports Games and Cyclic Sports Events on Cardiovascular System, Motor and Sensomotor Abilities of 11—14 Year-Old Boys

Individual development depends not only on inherent qualities but also on the effective influence of the environment. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of variable intensity as partially regulated physical loads which are appropriate for sports games performances and cyclic nature as strictly regulated physical loads which is appropriate for cyclic sports events on the dynamics of muscular, cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS). The contingent of this study was 70 boys of 11—14 years of age: cyclic sports events (track and field athletes) and sports games athletes (basketball, volleyball, football players) were tested for four years. The following methods were used: Tapping test, Roufier exercise test, vertical jump test, 30 s maximal jumping test, measurements of ABP, electrocardiography, dynamometry, measurements of the body mass components. Sports games athletes were superior over cyclic sports events athletes taking into account CNS mobility, anaerobic efficiency and anaerobic work capacity. Evaluating boys’ motor abilities (performing vertical jump and 30 s maximal jumping test), it was observed that these indices were improving with age in both sports games athletes and cyclic sports events athletes groups, but they did not vary statistically significantly among each other. Evaluating the indices of muscle power by dynamometry measurements, it was determined that cyclic sports events had greater influence on muscle power. These results show that 11—14 year-old boys are still developing and are not mature. Long-time research of body components revealed that body fat decreased with age and active body mass and total body liquid mass increased with age, but in case of sports games athletes and cyclic sports events athletes, they did not vary. Sports games athletes were characterized as having lower HR values than cyclic sports events athletes, though during all investigation statistically significant differences were observed in 13 year-old group. Statistically significant differences were found evaluating JT interval data. The development rate of muscular, cardiovascular system and performance abilities of CNS increase under the influence of variable intensity of physical load which is appropriate for sports games in contrast to cyclic sports events, which is an essential external factor at the age of 11—13. Decisive influence of endogenous factors on growth and development of boys significantly increases at the age of 13—14 years due to the changes of cardiovascular system, and CNS indices accelerate.Keywords: cardiovascular system, central nervous system, cyclic sports, sports games.

Design, Implementation and Analysis of 3D Printed Grasshopper Robot for Jumping Mechanism

This scientific paper consists of the analysis of the grasshopper jumping mechanism through literature studies, manufacturing, analysis and experimentation to enhance the knowledge to the manufacturing and analyzing of the artificially developed grasshopper-like robots. The first step involved the understanding of the actual grasshopper mechanisms which was carried out by the dissection of actual grasshopper bodies to analyze the hind leg movements, actuating muscles and structured sizes of the involved organs. The next step involved the development structural of the prototype consisted of design of the grasshopper jumping robot and the durability of the structure was checked at the critical locations. The results indicated that the strains produced in the tibia (immediately before and immediately after the jump) and femur of the designed structure was 2.5.10-5, 3.2.10-5 and 634.10-5 respectively. Whereas, the maximum allowable strain of the material during elastic deformation is 660.10-5, so the design of the structure could satisfy the strength requirements. The structural strength of the tibia and femur with the vertical printing were also in line with the stress requirements. Fabrication and jumping test was carried out which indicated 5 times higher jumps for the designed and fabricated grasshopper like jumping robot. This result is very helpful in robotic industry for the smooth movements of the robots for carrying out the intended function on rough terrains.