Quantifying instantaneous performance in alpine ski racing

Alpine ski racing is a popular sport in many countries and a lot of research has gone into optimising athlete performance. Two factors influence athlete performance in a ski race: speed and the chosen path between the gates. However, to date there is no objective, quantitative method to determine instantaneous skiing performance that takes both of these factors into account. The purpose of this short communication was to define a variable quantifying instantaneous skiing performance and to study how this variable depended on the skiers' speed and on their chosen path. Instantaneous skiing performance was defined as time loss per elevation difference dt/dz, which depends on the skier's speed v(z), and the distance travelled per elevation difference ds/dz. Using kinematic data collected in an earlier study, it was evaluated how these variables can be used to assess the individual performance of six ski racers in two slalom turns. The performance analysis conducted in this study might be a useful tool not only for athletes and coaches preparing for competition, but also for sports scientists investigating skiing techniques or engineers developing and testing skiing equipment.     

Quantifying instantaneous performance in alpine ski racing

Abstract

Alpine ski racing is a popular sport in many countries and a lot of research has gone into optimising athlete performance. Two factors influence athlete performance in a ski race: speed and the chosen path between the gates. However, to date there is no objective, quantitative method to determine instantaneous skiing performance that takes both of these factors into account. The purpose of this short communication was to define a variable quantifying instantaneous skiing performance and to study how this variable depended on the skiers' speed and on their chosen path. Instantaneous skiing performance was defined astime loss per elevation difference dt/dz, which depends on the skier's speed v(z), and the distance travelled per elevation difference ds/dz. Using kinematic data collected in an earlier study, it was evaluated how these variables can be used to assess the individual performance of six ski racers in two slalom turns. The performance analysis conducted in this study might be a useful tool not only for athletes and coaches preparing for competition, but also for sports scientists investigating skiing techniques or engineers developing and testing skiing equipment.     

The effects of training on performance and performance-related states in individual elite athletes: A dynamic approach

Abstract

There are difficulties undertaking controlled training studies with elite athletes. Thus, data from non-elite performers are often presented in scientific journals and subsequently used to guide general training principles. This information may not be transferable or specific enough to inform training practices in an individual elite athlete. However, the nature of athletic participation at elite levels provides the opportunity to collect training data, performance-related variables, and performance data of elite athletes over long periods. In this paper, we describe how dynamic linear models provide an opportunity to use these data to inform training. Data from an elite female triathlete collected over a 111-day training period were used to model the relationship between training and self-reported fatigue. The dynamic linear model analysis showed the independent effects of the three modes of triathlon training on fatigue, how these can change across time, and the possible influence of other unmeasured variables. This paper shows the potential for the use of dynamic linear models as an aid to planning training in elite athletes.     

Hyperoxia for performance and training

Recent technological developments have made it possible to use hyperoxia as an enhancement aid during training. Athletes wearing a mask can breathe a higher fraction of oxygen from a stationary or portable apparatus while exercising. A large body of evidence indicates that the oxygen transport capacity, lactate metabolism, power output and work tolerance (endurance) are improved when breathing hyperoxia. The physiological mechanisms underlying these performance improvements, although still not fully elucidated, are based on higher oxygen delivery and reduced central fatigue. Although much is known about the acute effects of hyperoxia, the effect of hyperoxic-supplemented endurance training on performance and the mechanisms beneath training adaptations are not very well understood, especially in well-trained endurance athletes. The few studies on the physiological effects of hyperoxia training have been conducted with conflicting results, discussed in this paper. Potential detrimental effects have not yet been shown experimentally and warrant further investigation.     

新课程背景下青少年竞技体育发展战略思考

运用文献资料法、数理统计法和比较分析法,对国外培养青少年高水平运动员的过程进行分析研究。发现体育发达国家都十分重视学校体育,在开展运动训练、培养运动员方面,都以学校体育为基础。认为应抓住中国基础教育不断深化改革以及举国办奥运会的有利契机,有效推进青少年竞技体育的发展,应对国际竞技体育发展新变化的挑战。     

营养与运动表现：国际奥委会2012年运动营养指南解读

运动员的日常饮食会影响其运动表现,而在训练和比赛中过程中不同的食物选择也会影响其训练和比赛的状态。良好的饮食习惯可以在强化训练的同时减少疾病和损伤的发生风险,还会提高肌肉及其他组织的训练适应性。通过国际奥林匹克委员会2012年运动营养指南的解读,对运动营养指南各个部分的生理学原理、研究依据、示例、具体建议进行阐释,使其更容易为教练员、运动员及科研人员所理解、掌握。虽然没有所谓的"全能饮食",但还是有很多可以让运动员吃得更好的方法应用于特定的比赛和专项中。     

A repeated-measures examination of organizational stressors,perceived psychological and physical health,and perceived performance in semi-elite athletes

ABSTRACT

Organizational stressors can undermine the psychological well-being and performance of athletes. Less is known, however, about how these relationships unfold over time and whether organizational stressors can impact upon perceived physical health. The current study, therefore, used a repeated-measures design to examine relationships between organizational stressors with components of perceived psychological (anxiety and depression) and physical (illness symptoms and missed training days via illness) ill-health, and perceived performance at the within-person level. Twenty-three semi-elite female rowers completed monthly measures of study variables for six-months. Multilevel models indicated that selection-related stressors positively predicted symptoms of perceived psychological and physical ill-health, and negatively predicted perceived performance. Conversely, coaching stressors negatively predicted symptoms of perceived psychological ill-health. Logistics and operations stressors positively predicted perceived performance, whereas goals and development stressors negatively predicted perceived performance. These findings demonstrate for the first time that, with a repeated-measures design, organizational stressors can predict components of perceived physical and psychological ill-health, and perceived performance at the within-person level in athletes. From a practical perspective, practitioners should incorporate these findings when diagnosing the need for, developing, and optimally implementing primary and secondary stress management interventions.     

人力资本和社会资本对中国退役运动员收入影响比较

从人力资本和社会资本的视角出发,以316名中国退役运动员为研究对象,探讨这2种资本对退役运动员收入的影响,结果显示:①中国退役运动员的收入差异较大,平均收入状况不容乐观;②在人力资本的各观测变量中,运动等级、受教育程度、身体健康状况和职业技能培训依次对退役运动员收入产生影响;③在社会资本各观测变量中,弱关系和网络异质性对退役运动员收入影响显著;④人力资本有助于退役运动员进入中等收入群体,社会资本有助于其进入高收入群体;⑤人力资本和社会资本对退役运动员的收入提升作用显著,且人力资本作用高于社会资本。基于此,从政府和个体层面提出提升退役运动员人力资本和社会资本的建议。     

The effect of altering loading distance on skeleton start performance: Is higher pre-load velocity always beneficial?

Athletes initiating skeleton runs differ in the number of steps taken before loading the sled. We aimed to understand how experimentally modifying loading distance influenced sled velocity and overall start performance. Ten athletes (five elite, five talent; 67% of all national athletes) underwent two to four sessions, consisting of two dry-land push-starts in each of three conditions (preferred, long and short loading distances). A magnet encoder on the sled wheel provided velocity profiles and the overall performance measure (sled acceleration index). Longer pre-load distances (12% average increase from preferred to long distances) were related to higher pre-load velocity (r = 0.94), but lower load effectiveness (r = ?0.75; average reduction 29%). Performance evaluations across conditions revealed that elite athletes’ preferred distance push-starts were typically superior to the other conditions. Short loading distances were generally detrimental, whereas pushing the sled further improved some talent-squad athletes’ performance. Thus, an important trade-off between generating high pre-load velocity and loading effectively was revealed, which coaches should consider when encouraging athletes to load later. This novel intervention study conducted within a real-world training setting has demonstrated the scope to enhance push-start performance by altering loading distance, particularly in developing athletes with less extensive training experience.     

It is time to consider athletes’ well-being and performance satisfaction: The roles of authentic leadership and psychological capital

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among coaches’ authentic leadership and athletes’ psychological capital (PsyCap), performance satisfaction, and psychological well-being. The authors recruited 224 athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics in the United States. The results indicated that the authentic leadership of the head coaches positively influenced the athletes’ PsyCap levels. The enhanced PsyCap, in turn, positively influenced both performance satisfaction and psychological well-being. The interaction effect of student development was found in the relationship between authentic leadership and PsyCap. The findings contribute to an improved understanding of a head coach’s authentic behaviors in sport teams, and also illuminate how athletes’ performance satisfaction and psychological well-being can be augmented by PsyCap enhancement.     

The effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting on athletic performance: recommendations for the maintenance of physical fitness

The behavioural modifications that accompany Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) are usually associated with some alterations in the metabolic, physiological, and psychological responses of athletes that may affect sport performance. Muslim athletes who are required to train and/or compete during the month-long, diurnal fast must adopt coping strategies that allow them to maintain physical fitness and motivation if they are to perform at the highest level. This updated review aims to present the current state of knowledge of the effects of RIF on training and performance, focusing on key-factors that contribute to the effects of Ramadan on exercise performance: energy restriction, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm perturbation, dehydration, and alterations in the training load. The available literature contain few studies that have examined the effects of RIF on physical performance in athletes and, to date, the results are inconclusive, so the effects of RIF on competition outcomes are not at present wholly understood. The diverse findings probably indicate individual differences in the adaptability and self-generated coping strategies of athletes during fasting and training. However, the results of the small number of well-controlled studies that have examined the effects of Ramadan on athletic performance suggest that few aspects of physical fitness are negatively affected, and where decrements are observed these are usually modest. Subjective feelings of fatigue and other mood indicators are often cited as implying additional stress on the athlete throughout Ramadan, but most studies show that these factors may not result in decreases in performance and that perceived exercise intensity is unlikely to increase to any significant degree. Current evidence from good, well-controlled research supports the conclusion that athletes who maintain their total energy and macronutrient intake, training load, body composition, and sleep length and quality are unlikely to suffer any substantial decrements in performance during Ramadan. Further research is required to determine the effect of RIF on the most challenging events or exercise protocols and on elite athletes competing in extreme environments.     

论我国运动员人力资本研究的当代价值

对运动员人力资本内涵做详细解析,提出我国运动员人力资本研究框架及研究定位;认为运动员人力资本理论是研究竞技体育市场化、社会化发展问题的基本分析工具之一,对运动员人力资本投资、产权、激励、收益分配的研究是研究竞技体育市场化、社会化过程中运动员人力资源管理的前提;运动员人力资本理论为研究完善我国竞技人才投资体系提供新的思路,为研究多元投资体系中各投资方的收益分配机制研究提供理论基础;运动员人力资本理论研究成果将对提升我国运动员的经济价值,提高职业运动员培养绩效和实现生涯贡献最大化有重要意义。     

浅析心理训练对中长跑运动员成绩的影响

根据我国中长跑运动员目前的现状,心理因素对运动成绩的影响越来越大,赛前各种不良的心理表现,影响着他们的运动成绩。心理训练对成绩的影响越来越明显,而且心理训练也成为训练的重要组成部分之一。采用综述法和比较法对中外优秀中长跑运动员心理素质的差异来说明心理训练对运动成绩的影响,建议教练员和运动员本人在训练中有意识地培养他们对各种训练方法和训练手段的适应能力。     

我国110 m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同及其 衔接训练

为了保持我国110米栏项目常胜不衰,有必要研究我国110 m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同及其衔接训练的规律和特点。采用特尔菲法、问卷调查法、数理统计法等分析了我国男子110 m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同,分别找到他们提高110 m栏专项成绩的突破口,以及训练中存在的问题,明确了各自的训练主攻方向,并探讨二线运动员专项能力的衔接训练问题。特别指出:我国110 m栏一线运动员与二线运动员都存在着体重偏重问题,而体重偏重与上肢力量训练方法不佳有关。     

Achieving optimum sports performance during Ramadan: some practical recommendations

Muslim athletes should fast from sunrise to sunset each day throughout the 30 days of Ramadan. Most athletes will continue to train throughout Ramadan, and they may also be required to compete at this time, but they will also engage in the religious, cultural, and social activities that Ramadan represents. The available evidence indicates that high-level athletes can maintain performance during Ramadan if physical training, food and fluid intake, and sleep are appropriate and well controlled. Individualized monitoring of athletes may help to prevent fatigue and overtraining and to reduce the risk of consequent illness and injury. The timing and intensity of training may require adjustment to optimize the training response, and training close to or after sunset may have advantages, but this will vary between individual and team sports and between environments that are predominantly Muslim and those that are predominantly non-Muslim. Training late in the day allows nutrition interventions after training to promote adaptations to the training stimulus, to promote recovery, and might help to reduce muscle damage. Sleep deficits have a number of adverse effects on well-being and performance, and athletes should ensure adequate sleep throughout Ramadan. In non-Muslim majority environments, especially in team sports, coaches and athletes should be sensitive to the needs of their team-mates who may be fasting. Event organizers should take account of the needs of Muslim athletes when scheduling the dates and timings of sports competitions.     

我国110m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同及其衔接训练

为了保持我国110米栏项目常胜不衰，有必要研究我国110m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同及其衔接训练的规律和特点。采用特尔菲法、问卷调查法、数理统计法等分析了我国男子110m栏一线运动员与二线运动员专项能力的异同，分别找到他们提高110m栏专项成绩的突破口，以及训练中存在的问题，明确了各自的训练主攻方向，并探讨二线运动员专项能力的衔接训练问题。特别指出：我国110m栏一线运动员与二线运动员都存在着体重偏重问题．而体重偏重与上肢力量训练方法不佳有关。     

国家优秀女子冬季两项运动员射击训练中相关生理指标变化规律的研究

冬季两项是绝对运动的滑雪和相对静止的射击组成的运动项目,与欧美国家相比,我国该项目起步和发展都比较晚,尤其是其中的射击成绩亟待提高.选取备战2006年意大利冬奥会的国家女子冬季两项队6名运动员为研究对象,采用靶场实地人工记录、心率表随时记录和实验室测试的方法对运动员射击训练中的心率、神经机能水平以及射击命中率、射击技术等的情况进行综合分析和评价,并尝试总结其规律性.研究表明,影响冬季两项运动员射击成绩的主要因素为心血管机能水平和神经机能水平.结论:提高我国冬季两项运动员射击训练和比赛成绩,应加强心血管机能水平和神经机能水平的科学合理化监控,还应同时结合其他相关指标进行综合评价.     

“But a champion comes out much,much later”: A sport development case study of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team

Increasing attention has been given to the effective development of elite athletes. In this inquiry, the authors used a historical case study to ascertain the ways elite athletes were developed in a different era of sport in the United States. Using the attraction, retention, and transition frameworks, the factors that fostered the development of athletes from the 1968 Summer Olympics were drawn out through oral history interviews. In total, interviews with 59 U.S. Olympians were conducted. The results reveal how the athletes experienced supportive recruitment and retention environments, were able to manage the difficulty of developing elite talent, and encountered both challenges and opportunities transitioning through and out of elite sport. This analysis demonstrates how sport development principles are diverse in their temporal relevance and reinforce the practical implications meant to serve the modern athlete. Further, at least some sport development principles could remain constant regardless of how context and elite athlete experiences evolve in the future.     

Breast pain affects the performance of elite female athletes

ABSTRACT

Although breast pain is problematic for many active women, no published research has investigated breast pain experienced by elite female athletes. This study aimed to examine the extent that mastalgia and exercise-induced breast pain affected the sporting performance of elite female athletes during training and competition. A custom-designed online survey with questions related to sport participation, as well as the frequency, severity and perceived performance effects of mastalgia and exercise-induced breast pain, was distributed to sporting organisations, coaches, medical staff and teams/clubs throughout Australia. Five hundred and forty female athletes competing nationally or internationally across 49 different sports participated in the survey. Sixty-three percent of respondents reported experiencing breast pain associated with their menstrual cycle and 33% reported that this pain worsened during activity. Forty-four percent of athletes reported experiencing exercise-induced breast pain during training or competition. Both types of breast pain were also reported to negatively affect sporting performance (20% and 32%, respectively). Mastalgia associated with the menstrual cycle and exercise-induced breast pain should be acknowledged as potential problems affecting the sporting performance of elite female athletes. Awareness around the impact of breast pain and the development and implementation of breast pain management strategies are essential for this population.     

我国女子跳马技术现状与对策

通过对39、40届世界体操锦标赛,雅典、北京奥运会女子跳马决赛运动员动作的类型、难度、完成质量与成绩关系的研究和对北京奥运会中、美女子跳马相关数据的对比分析,认为中国运动员选用的动作单一,整体难度和完成动作的质量上还与美国队存在差距。提出了转变训练思想、加强基础体能训练并力求创新等对策,如把“以强带弱”改为“以弱促强”;充分利用规则和器械特点找准技术突破口;加强速度和力量素质训练;发展适合我国运动员身体特点的动作,提高动作起评分等。