Annals of Applied Sport Science
Volume:11 Issue: 4, Winter 2023

Women and gender issues have become leading topics of concern around the world, and most explore women’s challenges and advancement in all aspects of life.

To identify the effects of the Glass Ceiling (GC) factors on Career Development (CD) among women athletes in Sri Lanka's national teams.

One hundred five respondents were randomly selected using simple random sampling among 144 individuals who were eligible for this study, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to record the answers GC effects were taken as independent variables and Women Career Development (WCD) was taken as the dependent variable.

All the independent variables portrayed a statistically significant association with the dependent variable. Even though a negative association was hypothesized between all these regress and the CD, the only organization depicted a negative association with the dependent variable. Furthermore, the association among the independent variables was also statistically significant, and the most influential factor that affects WCD was organization while culture and the individual were respectively given the impact on the dependent variable. The family was not significant while other independent factors were in the model. Moreover, independent variables remained unchanged even after controlling the effects of age and performance.

Taken together, these results provide solid recommendations to women athletes on how GC factors affect CD in their professional life while addressing the invisible barriers that national women athletes faced during the development of their careers after retiring from sports.

The recent pandemic caused by COVID-19 is showing high awareness and social interest in respiratory diseases. The unexpected decline in pulmonary function significantly affects the deterioration of functional activities of daily living and quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in pulmonary function and respiratory muscle according to diaphragm breathing exercise methods.

The study consists of 33 healthy young adults in a cross-sectional design used. All three breathing methods were performed at intervals of at least 2 days. The order of intervention was randomly assigned (crocodile breathing, DNS breathing, abdominal breathing using an inspirometer). Pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in one second, Forced Expiratory Volume at 1sec/ Forced Vital Capacity, Peak Expiratory Flow, Maximal Voluntary Ventilation) and respiratory muscle strength (MIP, MEP) were evaluated, using Micro Quark (Cosmed) and Micro RPM (Carefusion).

In the result of the pulmonary function test, there was no difference in FVC, FEV1, and FEV1% among the three respiratory exercises (p<0.05). However, in PEF and MVV, there were significant differences. In the result of the respiratory muscle strength test (MIP, MEP) with Mircro RPM, there were significant differences between the Incentive spirometer group and the crocodile group (p<0.05).

Crocodile breathing can improve pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength better than the group using Spirometers. Therefore, crocodile breathing helps strengthen the respiratory muscles of normal adults and improves pulmonary function.

The low participation of women in sports will remain a problem if a more comprehensive formula is not sought. Whereas the level of participation is correlated with the health and psychological well-being of women.

This study aimed to develop a theory that explains the simultaneous relations, both directly and indirectly, between socioeconomic variables, physical literacy, physical health, and psychological well-being in women.

As participants were adolescent to elderly women, aged 16-64 years ±32.7 a total of 408 people were in the Surabaya area and its surroundings. Data was collected using questionnaires and scales covering socioeconomic dimensions, physical literacy, health, and psychological well-being. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling.

The results showed that the theoretical model which included 4 latent variables and 17 manifest variables was coherent and corresponded with empirical data with RMSEA= 0.08, Chi-square= 3.79, GFI= 0.988, AGFI= 0.984, PGFI= 0.730, and NFI= 0.976. Physical literacy as an exogenous latent variable is contributed by three manifest variables with lambda (λ) of 0.60-0.81. Socioeconomic as an exogenous latent variable is contributed by two manifest variables with λ of 0.42 and 0.79. Meanwhile, physical health as an endogenous latent variable is contributed by six manifest variables with λ of 0.63-0.83. Meanwhile, psychological well-being as an endogenous latent variable is contributed by six manifest variables with λ of 0.25-0.84. The physical health variable influences the psychological well-being variable with a beta (β) of 0.30.

The findings of this study suggest that our theoretical model, which explores the structural relationship between socioeconomic variables, physical literacy, physical health, and psychological well-being, is both coherent and supported by empirical evidence.

Individual qualities of posture control are crucial to success in many modern complex coordination sports disciplines. The data of the stabilometric test allows you to effectively monitor violations of the statokinetic stability appropriate adjustments to the individual training system.

The purpose of the study is to identify the relationship between the indicators of the statokinetic stability of athletes and their results.

The jumpers were divided into two groups, the participants of one group had personal achievements in the pole vault from 3.20 to 4.20 meters, and the participants of the second group from 4.60 to 6.00 meters. Postural control was evaluated using the stabilographic hardware and software complex MBN "Stabilo" (Russia).

In our study, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. However, we can observe a shift in the general center of pressure with the growth of sportsmanship in the frontal plane Х (to the right) and the sagittal plane Y (forward) with open and closed eyes.

The analysis of the indicators of statokinetic stability in athletes of various skill levels specializing in pole vaulting confirms that the speed of the general center of pressure of athletes of higher qualification is lower in all the positions considered, which indicates a better ability to maintain their postural stability and a more developed proprioceptive analyzer. In this study, we did not identify critical pathologies, and the results were within the normal range for healthy people.

The fencing assault is a fight between two competitors, in which they alternate the offensive with the defensive attitude while attacking and retreating in the hope that one will strike the other with the tip of the blade, with impressive speed and precision. The fencer who is faster will have the advantage of scoring touch and has a better chance of winning the competition.

This study aims to verify whether training programs that use both non-specific and specific fencing exercises develop the speed of fencers at the level of the lower and upper limbs.

The study subjects were divided into two homogeneous groups. The experimental group consisted of 10 athletes (5 boys and 5 girls), and the control group also included 10 athletes (5 boys and 5 girls). The experimental group followed a training program, including one set of exercises to develop limb speed, the set of exercises being different every month, with a total duration of the intervention of 3 months; the control group followed traditional training, without emphasizing the development of the limb speed.

After three months of training, we could notice a significant difference between the two groups in terms of defining the speed of the athletes’ lower and upper limbs.

Considering the results obtained from the tests, we can state that the innovative and different training methods significantly developed the speed of the fencers in the experimental group.

Modern office workers are exposed to cardiovascular and metabolic disorders and musculoskeletal disorders due to a long-term sedentary working environment, so it is important to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. As a preventive method for musculoskeletal pain in office workers, flexibility exercise, core exercise, and compound exercise programs can reduce body composition, functional movement, and pain, and effectively improve reduced physical ability and lack of physical activity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12-week exercise for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in office workers on body composition, FMS, and SF-MPQ pain scores.

The subjects of the study divided 30 office workers into flexibility exercise groups (n=10), core exercise group (n=10), and compound exercise group (n=10) and proceeded for 12 weeks. The flexibility exercise group consisted of self-myofascial release using a foam roller, static stretching, and dynamic stretching. The core exercise group was a core exercise program to improve the stability and movement of the torso and strengthen the torso, improving balance. It consisted of an accompanying core stabilization exercise.

The results of this study are as follows; 1) Body weight, body fat mass, body mass index, and body fat percentage were reduced in core exercise and compound exercise. 2) The amount of skeletal muscle increased in core exercise. 3) FMS scores increased in flexibility exercise, core exercise, and compound exercise, but the score increased in the order of compound exercise>core exercise>flexibility exercise.

Summarizing the body composition results of the office workers who participated in this study, there were significant differences in body weight, body fat mass, body mass index, and body fat percentage according to the degree of exercise in the core exercise group and the combined exercise group. FMS, SF-MPQ score, and VAS results showed improvement in all three groups, and among them, the combined exercise group had the best score. The complex application of flexibility exercises that promote muscle contraction and relaxation and core exercises consisting of major muscle groups is thought to help reduce body fat and pain in office workers.

Pencak silat in different areas of the globe has become a popular sport, and complexities combinations of punches, kicks, and both have been developed over the years.

This study focused on kick speed and the aim was to develop a digital-based instrument for measuring kick speed with dynamic targets in Pencak Silat learning.

We used the research and development method to produce a product and then test its effectiveness. A study was conducted in which 185 participants were between 18 and 35 years old, male and female through field trials and experts’ decisions. Questionnaires feasibility (relevance, accuracy, convenience, and practicality) and study documents were the main instruments and sources employed during data collection.

After analyzing all of the data, the validity test results obtained from experts in Sports, Pencak Silat, and Information Technology were 92.5%, 91.0%, and 94.0%, respectively, which is considered to be in the very good category. Similarly, the reliability test results for both small groups of males and females were virtually equal, with scores of 0.968 and 0.983, respectively, indicating a very high level of reliability. The data obtained from large groups of both males and females also showed good results for the new product, with scores of 0.908 and 0.915, respectively.

The results obtained from both experts and the product itself demonstrate that the digital measuring tool for kick speed can be used with ease, practicality, and accuracy to determine the speed of Pencak Silat kicks. This tool is expected to be useful for both learning and competition purposes, helping to assess kick speed and improve overall performance.

Athletes' poor understanding of sports nutrition could place their health in danger, degrade their performance, and have an impact on their lean body mass and energy levels.

The research study aims to study the perception of Thai national youth athletes regarding nutrition understanding and the relation between endurance, power, and mixed sports and believing in the food selection before, during, and after the competition.

The quantitative research was used with 216 respondents divided into three categories (Endurance Sport, Power Sport, and Mix Sport) which consisted of the Thai national youth athletes for each category in Thailand, and analyzed by the descriptive statistics, and the chi-square test by using SPSS.

The result of the chi-square test between the athlete samples of endurance, power, and the mixed sport and believing in the food selection before the competition found that by having the correlation efficiency (Chi-Square: c2) = 1241.381, DF=32, and the p-value were 0.01. During the competition found that the food selection was related to the sports categories by having the correlation efficiency (Chi-Square: c2) = 485.438, DF=26, and the p-value was 0.01, and after the competition found that the food selection was related to the sports categories by having the correlation efficiency (Chi-Square: c2) = 718.997, DF=30, and the p-value were 0.01.

The result of this research may be applied as important information for developing an effective guideline for Thai national youth athletes in the future.

According to World Health Organization, the global population of diabetes is approximately 463 million people and is projected to exceed half a billion by 2030. There is currently no specific cure for diabetes, but the methods of control and management are advancing. The effect of exercise and physical activity on one of the latest involved factors, WISP-1 and WISP-2, is one of the therapeutic strategies.

This study aims to answer the question of what effect circular resistance training has on WISP-1 and WISP-2 in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Among men with T2DM referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Towhid Hospital and the Diabetes Association of Sanandaj, a total of 20 eligible volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups of 10, control and experimental. Circuit resistance training was used in this study for eight weeks, with three non-consecutive sessions per week. The number of sets, intensity, and volume of exercise started with 2 sets at 40% of 1RM (one-repetition maximum) and 15 repetitions in the initial sessions and progressed to 4 sets at 80% of 1RM and 6 repetitions in the final sessions. Rest periods of 20 to 30 seconds between sets and 3 minutes between rounds were considered. WISP-1 and WISP-2 levels were measured via ELISA method.

WISP-1 and -2 levels in the control group lake a significant change over time, its levels in the experimental group significantly decreased (p=0.029 and p=0.039, respectively).

Both WISP-1 and WISP-2 likely have an impact on the mechanisms of glucose homeostasis, insulin, insulin resistance, and body weight in individuals with T2DM.

Most of swimming coaches facing psychological issues during their work at swimming pools due to the dangerous elements in the swimming pool; to keep the swimmers in safe conditions.

To identify the level of burnout among swimming coaches working in summer clubs in schools, as well as to identify the differences in burnout according to the variable (gender, years of experience). The study sample consisted of 22 male and female coaches in summer clubs.

The descriptive approach used for its suitability to the nature of the study and its objectives, where the questionnaire was used as a tool to obtain the study data after the researcher conducted the truthfulness and stability transactions to ensure its safety and suitability for the current study, the data obtained statistically were processed using the necessary statistical tests.

Showed the level of burnout among swimming coaches came with an average degree.  Also, there are statistically significant differences due to the variables of the study (gender) and in favor of males, also there are no statistically significant differences due to the variable (years of experience).

Circulating the results of this study to improve the standard of living of swimming coaches and holding specialized programs for coaches to help them get rid of the phenomenon of burnout.

Rhythm has an important role in ensuring order in the flow of movement and the development of physical skills. Perceiving rhythm well and performing movements in rhythm makes a great contribution to motor development.

This study aimed to assess the effect of fundamental movement skills education with rhythm on auditory reaction and coordination.

A total of 22 students who enrolled in the faculty of sports sciences participated in the study. Students participated in the fundamental movement skills education course twice a week for eight weeks. The study categorized the participants into experimental (n=11) and control (n=11) groups. Both groups exercised 60 minutes of these movements two days a week, and the experimental group performed these exercises accompanied by rhythm. The study measured students' auditory reactions and coordination before and after executing the fundamental movements. Auditory reaction time was measured by the Light Trainer®- Reaction Light Exercise System, and coordination was measured by the Togu Challenge Disc 2.0 device to measure coordination scores. It utilized the SPSS 23.0 package program to analyze the collected data. It also performed the Wilcoxon T-test to identify the difference between the pre-test and post-test within groups and the Mann-Whitney U-test to determine the difference between the two groups. The study sets the statistical significance level as p<0.05.

In the intra-group comparison, there was a statistically significant difference in the reaction parameters (p=0.01) of the experimental and control groups. However, it was only the coordination parameter (p=0.01) in the inter-group comparison (p<0.05).

The study observably concluded that fundamental movement skills education significantly affected the auditory reaction parameter in both groups; however, the rhythm was ineffective. Moreover, in contrast to the auditory reaction, the rhythm positively affected the coordination parameter.

Archery is a sport that requires a unique set of skills, equipment, and mental focus.

The aim of this study was a compare characteristics of psychophysiological and shooting performance between intermediate and elite compound archers.

Using a cross-sectional study design, twenty archery players participated in the study (age range from 13–21 years old). The participants were divided into two groups: intermediate groups and elite groups. The revised Competitive State Anxiety-2 (CSAI-2R) was used to measure competitive anxiety and arousal. In addition, heart rate was measured using a Polar heart rate monitor, and a digital pulse oximeter (Instant Read Finger Pulse Oximeter, Model OX250, MeasuPro, USA) was used to monitor participants’ blood oxygen percentage.

The results of the groups were compared using descriptive, independent T-test and Pearson correlation tests. The descriptive analysis indicated a pattern of decrement in cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, blood oxygen, and heart rate among the elite group compared to the intermediate group during shooting. The results also showed a significant difference between groups for oxygen percentage and shooting performance. No significant difference between groups for cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, self-confidence, and heart rate. Furthermore, self-confidence and shooting performance showed a higher correlation among the elite group.

It can be concluded that the elite archers with better shooting scores are associated with lower psychophysiological variables, including cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, blood oxygen percentage, heart rate, and higher self-confidence compared to intermediate archers.