The longest journeys in Super Rugby: 11 years of travel and performance indicators

ABSTRACT

Regular air travel is common in sport. The aim of this study was to understand the extent to which travel has affected Super Rugby teams’ performance from 2006, the first season with available Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), to 2016. Data were analysed with mixed linear models for the effects of number of time-zones crossed (east or west), travel duration, the away-match disadvantage, difference in ranking, a set of amendments to the laws of Rugby Union in 2008, a change in competition format (introduction of a conference system) in 2011, and a secular trend. In 2006, the predicted combined effects of travelling 24 h across 12 time-zones and playing away were trivial or small and negative but generally unclear for most of the KPIs in both directions of travel. In 2016 more effects were clear, small and negative for westward travel, while most effects for eastward travel were clear, small to moderate and negative. Most KPIs showed small to moderate increases over the 11 years, while difference in ranking, the introduction of new rules and game format led to mostly small changes. Changes in the physical demands of the game, and inadequate recovery time for long-haul travel can explain these effects.     

The stress of travel

International travel is an essential part of the life of elite athletes, both for competition and training. It is also becoming increasingly common among recreational sportspersons. Long-distance travel is associated with a group of transient negative effects, collectively referred to as 'travel fatigue', which result from anxiety about the journey, the change to an individual's daily routine, and dehydration due to time spent in the dry air of the aircraft cabin. Travel fatigue lasts for only a day or so, but for those who fly across several time zones, there are also the longer-lasting difficulties associated with 'jet lag'. The problems of jet lag can last for over a week if the flight crosses 10 time zones or more, and they can reduce performance and the motivation to train effectively. Knowledge of the properties of the body clock enables the cause of the difficulties to be understood (an unadjusted body clock), and forms the basis of using light in the new time zone to promote adjustment of the body clock. Sleep loss and its effects are important components of jet lag, and attempts to promote sleep by the use of melatonin and other hypnotics are also relevant. Sleep loss is also found in those who undertake challenges that involve long periods where the normal consolidated sleep of 8 h length is not possible. Advice on sleep regimens in such circumstances is given.     

适应滨海旅游业发展的体育产业开发

旅游是一种健康的生活方式，随着我国经济的发展和人民生活水平的提高，尤其是近年来体育旅游逐渐为人们所接受，极大地带动了滨海旅游经济的发展。但由于目前滨海体育旅游方式和内容的单一，严重制约了滨海旅游事业的发展。因此，开发别具特色的滨海体育产业，使之成为滨海旅游业新的经济增长点，为旅游的发展提供更大的空问，是解决这一问题的关键。     

河南民族体育旅游的SWOT分析与营销战略

运用SWOT分析、文献资料等方法，对河南民族体育旅游市场的内部优势和劣势、外部环境带来的机遇与挑战进行了分析，提出了改变思想认识、加强主流媒体宣传、加快融资步伐、注重区域联合、多途径开发旅游资源等发展河南民族体育旅游的营销战略。     

Circadian rhythms,jet lag,and shift work,with particular reference to athletes

Changes in individuals’ sleep-wake cycles lead to negative side effects. This review considers how side effects can be reduced, the recommendations being based largely on work performed at our institute. Subjects journeying to Aus-tralia had symptoms of jet lag that did not adjust synchronously, and the best predictors of jet lag were their travel arrangements. The value of melatonin in reducing jet lag was not confirmed but, in a laboratory-based study, evening administration of melatonin did not result in worse performance the next morn-ing. The effects of exercise upon the phase of the body clock were insubstantial. Gut temperature, unlike insulated axilla temperature, was an acceptable substi-tute for rectal temperature. Ascertaining by questionnaire why people ate or did not eat at a particular time indicated that night work exerted a considerable disruptive influence, one of the main factors being time pressure. Compared with day workers, night workers had less appetite, ate cold rather than hot meals, and felt more bloated after a meal. Actimetry provided objective measures of the adjustment of the sleep-wake cycle to time-zone transitions and to night work. These measures could be applied to data from long-haul pilots, in whom there are both time-zone transitions and night work.     

现阶段中国体育旅游可持续开发模式的探讨

体育旅游是以旅游为载体,参与特定的体育活动为主要目标的一种业余休闲活动,体育旅游具有娱乐性、惊险性和重复性;体育旅游的可持续开发应该遵循共生性、资源保护性、安全性、可持续发展性、创新性等原则;中国体育旅游可持续开发模式的类型包括资源主导型、建设保护型、完善型、新潮流项目型、移植项目型、外向效益型。     

对2007-2008年我国体育旅游研究的述评

运用文献资料、数理统计、逻辑分析和归纳演绎等方法,对2007—2008年11月发表的关于体育旅游的449篇文章进行分析,并在此基础上对研究成果进行概括与评述,结果表明：体育旅游不仅受到体育研究者的重视,而且还受到其他综合性期刊的高度认可;研究的主体比较集中;研究深度不够;研究方法单一。     

荡秋千运动对预防和治疗晕车病的疗效研究

目的:观察荡秋千对晕车病的疗效。方法:将60名患者随机分成实验组和对照组,每组30人,实验组进行荡秋千运动治疗,对照组进行正常的生活作息,治疗时间为3个月。结果:实验组对晕车反应有明显改善,对照组无显著效果。结论:荡秋千运动对防治晕车病有明显的效果。     

加快辽宁中部城市冬季体育旅游发展的对策研究

对辽宁中部城市冬季体育旅游现状进行研究,并在此基础上提出相应对策,以期为辽宁中部城市冬季体育旅游的可持续发展提供参考。     

体育旅游资源整合开发研究——以广东江门侨乡为例

采用SWOT分析江门侨乡体育旅游资源开发现状,整合体育旅游资源,提出江门体育旅游资源开发的战略措施,使之快速融入珠三角粤港澳体育旅游圈,建立江门侨乡体育旅游的可持续发展战略。     

江西东北部民俗体育旅游文化资源开发的对策研究

通过文献法、问卷法和走访调查,分析了江西东北部体育旅游资源开发的现状和存在的问题,提出进一步开发与利用体育旅游文化资源的战略与对策,积极推动体育旅游文化资源的创新,为江西东北部经济、文化、旅游事业作出应有的贡献。     

新形势下新疆体育旅游资源开发及营销策略

新疆体育旅游资源的开发具有自然资源天然丰富、少数民族风土人情独具特色和旅游环境良好等优势,同时也存在着旅游客源单一、安全局势严峻、体育旅游专业人才缺乏、宣传力度及开发程度有待进一步加强等方面的不足。在国际、国内体育旅游行业激烈竞争的大背景下,新疆体育旅游业应以市场为导向,开发特色精品旅游项目和线路;提高景区景点的知名度和竞争力;在充分发挥天然资源优势的前提下采取各种方式加大旅游景区的宣传及影响力;培养高素质的体育旅游专业人才,以期为新疆体育旅游业尽快走向繁荣及可持续发展提供借鉴。     

Impact of short- compared to long-haul international travel on the sleep and wellbeing of national wheelchair basketball athletes

Currently, very little is known about the impact of short- or long-haul air travel on the sleep and wellbeing of wheelchair basketball athletes. Eleven national wheelchair basketball athletes wore actigraphy monitors prior, during, and after air travel to the United Kingdom. Upon arrival, participants rated their subjective jet-lag, fatigue, and vigor. Individuals traveled to the United Kingdom from different locations in Australia, the United States, and Europe and were categorised according to travel length [LONG (up to 30.2 h) or SHORT (up to 6.5 h)]. Linear mixed models determined effects of travel length on sleep and subjective ratings of jet-lag, fatigue, and vigor. During competition, subjective fatigue and jet-lag were substantially higher (ES = 0.73; ±0.77) and (ES = 0.57; ±0.60), subjective vigor was lower (ES = 1.94; ±0.72), and get-up time was earlier (ES = 0.57; ±0.60) for LONG when compared to SHORT. Travelling greater distances by airplane had a larger effect on subjective ratings of jet-lag, fatigue and vigor, rather than sleep. Irrespective of travel group, sleep and subjective responses were compromised, reflecting the travel requirements, competition-mediated influences, and/or due to a change in environment.     

生物节律与运动表现

人体内几乎所有的生理生化过程都遵循着生物节律。对于人类而言,视交叉上核根据日出日落调节睡眠-觉醒周期和其他日常生物节律。除其他因素外,这种昼夜变化已被证明对与运动表现有关的关键生理过程具有调节作用。最佳运动状态一般出现在傍晚,与核心体温的最佳状态相一致。核心体温的升高已被证明可以提高能量代谢,改善肌肉适应性,促进肌动蛋白-肌球蛋白的交叉桥接。研究还表明,如果在运动员表现最好的时间段安排训练,可以提升运动员的训练适应性。在研究生物节律对运动表现的影响时,除了考虑昼夜变化外,个人对运动时间(白天或夜间)的偏好也是一个重要因素。经常参加国际比赛的运动员会经历生物节律的改变,这对他们的身体健康和运动表现不利。因此,那些更容易受到时差影响的运动员可以考虑使用适当的应对策略来更快地调整生物节律,确保最佳竞技状态。     

Out of your zone? 21 years of travel and performance in Super Rugby

ABSTRACT

The extent to which travel has affected Super Rugby teams’ performances was analysed using outcomes of all matches played from the beginning of the competition in 1996 to the end of the 2016 season. Points difference and matches won or lost were predicted with general and generalized mixed linear models. The predictors were the linear effects of number of time zones crossed and travel duration based on the teams’ locations for each match and their locations in the previous week. The away-match disadvantage was also estimated, along with trends in all these effects. In 1996 the predicted combined effect of eastward travel across 12 time zones was a reduction of 5.8 points scored per match, resulting in 4.1 more matches lost every 10 matches. Corresponding effects for westward travel were 6.4 points and 3.1 matches. In 2016 effects travelling eastward were 3.7 points and 2.3 matches, whereas travelling westward the effects were 3.7 points and 1.5 matches. These travel effects were due mainly to the away-match disadvantage: 5.7 points and 3.2 matches in 1996; 5.2 points and 2.3 matches in 2016. Teams in Super Rugby are dealing successfully with long-haul travel and should now focus on reducing the away-match disadvantage.     

运动性疲劳状态下线粒体功能改变及其原因

就线粒体氧化磷酸化生成ATP的基本功能，从运动后疲劳状态下，线粒体合成ATP速率和效率改变的角度，探讨了可能导致其变化的原因及其对运动能力的影响。研究运动中态4呼吸状态出现的原因可能有助于针对线粒体氧利用率降低的现象，找出有效提高人体运动能力的方法。     

青少年中长跑训练后疲劳消除的方法与措施

青少年运动员中长跑大运动量训练后,增加了负荷,并加深加重了机体的疲劳.本文是以文献资料为基础,结合教学训练中的实际情况,分析了中长跑训练后肌肉疲劳和神经系统疲劳两大主要因素并对其恢复的手段及措施进行了探讨.     

对中医针刺疗法促进运动性疲劳恢复的研究

中医理论主要从整体观点出发对人体机能代谢进行整体调节,其优越性受到国内外学者的广泛重视。由于针灸疗法的操作方便,成本低廉,疗效显著,又无兴奋剂之嫌,因此受到学术界的广泛关注。目前,针灸治疗运动性疲劳的研究已取得了一定的成果,本文在此基础之上对其研究进展进行了归纳。     

运动性疲劳动物模型的研究

通过文献资料调研,论述了运动性疲劳动物模型的分类依据及建模方法;在分析已建模型的基础上,探讨了建立标准化的运动性疲劳模型的质量控制问题。     

运动性中枢疲劳的生化基础

文章主要总结了中枢神经系统疲劳的某些生化指标,如5-羟色胺、多巴胺、乙酰胆碱、氮等在中枢疲劳过程中的作用;并提出了引发中枢疲劳多因素模型(Inducing Central Fatigue Multi-Factor,ICFMF),以期为定量研究中枢疲劳的生化指标提供方法学意义。