More establishment history: a review essay

John Shawcroft, The Official History of Derbyshire County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1989). Pp.336. £14.95. ISBN 0–7470–3022–7.

Andrew Hignell, The History of Glamorgan County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1988). Pp.368. £15.95. ISBN 0–7470–1408–6.

Peter Wynne‐Thomas, The History of Lancashire County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1989). Pp.296. £14.95. ISBN 0–7470–3411–7.

David Lemmon, The Official History of Surrey County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1989). Pp.384. £15.95. ISBN 0–7470–2010–5.

David Lemmon, The Official History of Worcestershire County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1989). Pp.296. £14.95. ISBN 0–7470–2013–2.

Anthony Woodhouse, The History of Yorkshire County Cricket Club (Bromley: Christopher Helm, 1989). Pp.624. £17.95. ISBN 0–7470–3408–7.     

Neville cardus: a review essay

Neville Cardus, The Roses Matches 1919–1939 (London: Souvenir Press, 1982; repr. 1983). Pp.520. £10.95.

Neville Cardus, A Cardus For All Seasons, edited by Margaret Hughes (London: Souvenir Press, 1985). Pp.237. £8.95.

Neville Cardus, Autobiography (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1984, first published 1947). Pp.288. £4.95.

Christopher Brookes, His Own Man. The Life of Neville Cardus, (London: Methuen, 1985). Pp.viii + 280. £12.95.     

Lives within boundaries: A review essay

Geoffrey Boycott, Boycott: The Autobiography (London: Macmillan, 1987). Pp.287. £14.95.

>Kapil Dev, Kapil: The Autobiography of Kapil Dev (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1987). Pp.118. £9.95.

Allan Border, Allan Border: An Autobiography (London: Methuen, 1987; reprinting original edition of Methuen, Australia, 1986). Pp.230. £9.95.     

eHPE: a history of the future

A grand convergence looms. It seems at least plausible that health and physical education may soon be lived by students in ways that are radically different from the past and sharply at odds with the imaginings of its founders and generations of academic aficionados. Perhaps in some respects, the differences will be superficial and less important than the continuities. Nonetheless, I draw connections between some recent futurist literature, developments in social theory and trends in health education, physical education and school-based health intervention—fields that I collectively call ‘HPE’—in order to imagine their digital futures. I contend that there is much for these fields to consider as developments in digital technology, the commercialisation of education, the spread of surveillance culture and medicalisation reshape how people think about HPE and its reason for being. But rather than an apocalyptic warning, this is an invitation to others to engage with some important questions that, although already urgent, have gone largely unnoticed. For example, what kind of thing will eHPE be if/when it exists primarily to generate profits and monitor and measure the minutiae of everyday life? At the very least, my argument here is that if it is not already the case, questions of pedagogical process and effectiveness may soon struggle for relevance in HPE's digital future.     

Choking in sport: a review

Choking under pressure is a pejorative colloquial term (Clark, Tofler, & Lardon, 2005) used to describe a sub-optimal sporting performance under stressful conditions. In order to prevent its occurrence and enable performers to achieve their potential under pressure, a full understanding of the phenomenon is necessary. By reviewing critically the contemporary research, the aim of the paper is to examine the suggested mechanisms and potential moderators of choking in sport, and consider the interventions designed to alleviate it. In addition, the conceptual and methodological concerns that exist within the choking literature will be presented, and directions for future research that address such concerns will be recommended.     

Muscle activity in sprinting: a review

The use of electromyography (EMG) is widely recognised as a valuable tool for enhancing the understanding of performance drivers and potential injury risk in sprinting. The timings of muscle activations relative to running gait cycle phases and the technology used to obtain muscle activation data during sprinting are of particular interest to scientists and coaches. This review examined the main muscles being analysed by surface EMG (sEMG), their activations and timing, and the technologies used to gather sEMG during sprinting. Electronic databases were searched using ‘Electromyography’ OR ‘EMG’ AND ‘running’ OR ‘sprinting’. Based on inclusion criteria, 18 articles were selected for review. While sEMG is widely used in biomechanics, relatively few studies have used sEMG in sprinting due to system constraints. The results demonstrated a focus on the leg muscles, with over 70% of the muscles analysed in the upper leg. This is consistent with the use of tethered and data logging EMG systems and many sprints being performed on treadmills. Through the recent advances in wireless EMG technology, an increase in the studies on high velocity movements such as sprinting is expected and this should allow practitioners to perform the analysis in an ecologically valid environment.     

Effects of self-talk: a systematic review

This article presents a systematic review of the literature examining the relationship between self-talk and performance. "Second-generation questions" regarding potential mediators and moderators of the self-talk-performance relationship were also examined. A total of 47 studies were analyzed. Results indicated beneficial effects of positive, instructional, and motivational self-talk for performance. Somewhat surprisingly, two evidence-based challenges to popular current viewpoints on self-talk emerged. First, negative self-talk did not impede performance. Second, there was inconsistent evidence for the differential effects of instructional and motivational self-talk based on task characteristics. Results from the mediation-based analysis indicate that cognitive and behavioral factors had the most consistent relationships with self-talk. The findings are discussed in the context of recent theoretical advances, and the article includes recommendations for future research (e.g., the use of designs allowing the testing of meditational hypotheses) and for current applied practice (e.g., avoiding the use of thought-stopping techniques).     

Fatigue in soccer: a brief review

This review describes when fatigue may develop during soccer games and the potential physiological mechanisms that cause fatigue in soccer. According to time-motion analyses and performance measures during match-play, fatigue or reduced performance seems to occur at three different stages in the game: (1) after short-term intense periods in both halves; (2) in the initial phase of the second half; and (3) towards the end of the game. Temporary fatigue after periods of intense exercise in the game does not appear to be linked directly to muscle glycogen concentration, lactate accumulation, acidity or the breakdown of creatine phosphate. Instead, it may be related to disturbances in muscle ion homeostasis and an impaired excitation of the sarcolemma. Soccer players' ability to perform maximally is inhibited in the initial phase of the second half, which may be due to lower muscle temperatures compared with the end of the first half. Thus, when players perform low-intensity activities in the interval between the two halves, both muscle temperature and performance are preserved. Several studies have shown that fatigue sets in towards the end of a game, which may be caused by low glycogen concentrations in a considerable number of individual muscle fibres. In a hot and humid environment, dehydration and a reduced cerebral function may also contribute to the deterioration in performance. In conclusion, fatigue or impaired performance in soccer occurs during various phases in a game, and different physiological mechanisms appear to operate in different periods of a game.     

Personality in sport: a comprehensive review

This review addresses personality in organised sport. We describe the extant literature that has explored personality effects on athletic success and population-based differences before hypothesising how sport participation may contribute to personality development. We then outline the role of personality in athletic interactions and group processes before considering the practical applications of personality research and avenues for future study. Our review shows that personality is an important determinant of long-term success in sport and identifies clear personality differences between individuals that participate in organised sport and individuals that do not participate in organised sport. We also observe important personality differences between sub-samples of athletes and outline the contribution of personality to intragroup relationships and team effectiveness in team sport. The interaction of genetic and environmental influences is presented as a promising avenue of inquiry that can strengthen our understanding of personality effects on sport and exercise participation and athletic success. We conclude by outlining implications for applied sport psychology.     

Science and Gaelic football: a review

This review focuses on Gaelic football and scientific reports of the characteristics of its players and the demands of the game. Anthropometric characteristics vary according to positional role, but top players display high muscularity and good all-round fitness at the peak of the competitive season. Match analysis indicates that exercise intensity is roughly equivalent to that for professional soccer. Average heart rates are approximately 160 beats x min(-1) during competitive matches, and average oxygen consumption is about 72% of maximum. Metabolic fatigue in active muscles is unlikely. Conventional biomechanical and electromyographic techniques are useful in gaining insight into individual games skills. Inadequate attention has been given to injury prevention and to psychological aspects of the game. Although possessing unique characteristics, Gaelic football has many similarities with other football codes, especially Australian Rules football where the ball is played by both hands and feet and where tackling is permitted.     

Table tennis match analysis: a review

ABSTRACT

In table tennis, many different approaches to scientific founded match analysis have been developed since the first ones in the 1960s. The aim of this paper is to give a review on some of the most acknowledged methods of match analysis in table tennis. The first chapter presents a historical overview of match analysis from all over the world. The second part reviews different approaches to match analysis in more detail, using the performance analysis classification of theoretical and practical performance analysis. The review includes the most actual theoretical performance analysis techniques in table tennis: performance indices, simulative approaches, momentum analysis, footwork analysis, and finally an approach which uses top expert knowledge for a comprehensive technical-tactical analysis. In the section of practical performance analysis, the paper presents two “best practice” examples describing performance analysis procedures of the two most successful countries of the last Olympics: China and Japan. The paper ends with a summary on the impact of the different approaches and gives an outlook on promising new developments.     

Biomechanics of Tai Chi: a review

Tai Chi Chuan is a favourite form of exercise throughout the world and has drawn increasing research interest from international scientists. Biomechanical research into Tai Chi has grown substantially and has provided evidence of the beneficial effects of Tai Chi exercise on health, fitness, and prevention of falls. This paper reviews studies that have explored the biomechanical aspects of Tai Chi, such as balance, kinematics, kinetics, strength, and neuromuscular activities.