The effects of attentional focus instructions on punching velocity and impact forces among trained combat athletes

Research indicates that instructing athlete’s to focus on bodily movements (internal focus of attention [IFA]) may hinder performance, whereas instructing them to focus on the movement outcome (external focus of attention [EFA]) often enhances performance. Despite the importance of instructions in striking combat sports, limited research has examined the influence of IFA and EFA on performance in well-trained combat athletes. This study investigated the effects of different instructional cues on punching velocity (m · s^?1) and normalised impact forces (N · kg^?1) among intermediate (n = 8) and expert (n = 7) competitive boxers and kickboxers. Athletes completed three rounds of 12 maximal effort punches delivered to a punching integrator on three separate days. Day one was a familiarisation session with only control instructions provided. In the following two days athletes randomly received IFA, EFA or control instructions prior to each of the three rounds. Athletes punching with EFA were 4% faster and 5% more forceful than IFA (P < 0.05), and 2% faster and 3% more forceful than control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, experts punched 11% faster and with 13% greater force compared with intermediate athletes (P < 0.05). EFA led to a positive effect on punching performance and should be favoured over IFA and control instructions.     

Combined individual scrummaging kinetics and muscular power predict competitive team scrum success

Scrummaging is a major component of Rugby Union gameplay. Successful scrummaging is dependent on the coordination of the forward players and the strength of the eight individuals. The study aim was to determine whether individual scrummaging kinetics and other candidate factors associated with scrummaging performance discriminate team scrum performances. Sixteen club-level forwards (stature: 1.80?±?0.1?m; mass: 99.0?±?18.2?kg) were initially divided into two scrummaging packs. A total of 10 various scrum permutations were tested, where players were randomly swapped between the two packs. Winning scrums were determined by two observers on opposite sides of the scrum. Fatigue (100?mm visual analogue scale (VAS)) and scrummaging effort (6–20 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) were assessed following each scrum contest. Individual scrummaging kinetics were acquired through an instrumented scrum ergometer and muscular power indicated through vertical jump heights. Student’s t-tests were used to differentiate between winning and losing scrum packs. VAS and RPE were assessed using repeated measures ANOVAs. Winning scrum packs had significantly larger combined force magnitudes (p?<?.002), regardless of the player contribution calculations. Additionally, winning packs had less individual movement (p?=?.033) and higher combined vertical jump heights (p?<?.001) but were not significantly heavier (p?=?.759) than losing scrum packs. While perceived VAS and RPE values progressively increased (p?<?.001), no differences in the individual scrum magnitudes were observed between the 1st and 10th scrum (p?=?.418). The results indicated that the combination of individual forces, variation in movement and factors related to scrummaging performance, such as vertical jump height, were associated with team scrummaging success.     

Work‐experience and schools: factors influencing the participation of industry

The growth of work‐experience as part of the school curriculum in such schemes as TVEI, has led to a growing body of literature concerned with the educational, social and political consequences of this trend. However, one aspect of analysis has been neglected by those working in this area. There has been a marked lack of investigation into factors which affect the supply of work placements to schools. Behind this lies an assumption that the participation of industry with schools is a straightforward and easy to accomplish process.

By focusing on some of the approaches exhibited by firms towards the provison of work‐experience, this paper seeks to make problematic the supply of work placements by industry in a market economy. I shall suggest that eductionalists and policy makers may have cause to be concerned not only with the quantity of placements which might be available to them in the future, but with the educational quality of these placements.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) among adolescent athletes

The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999) among adolescent athletes using confirmatory factor analysis. The TOPS was designed to assess eight psychological strategies used in competition (i.e. activation, automaticity, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation and self-talk,) and eight used in practice (the same strategies except negative thinking is replaced by attentional control). National-level athletes (n = 584) completed the 64-item TOPS during training camps. Fit indices provided partial support for the overall measurement model for the competition items (robust comparative fit index = 0.92, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.88, root mean square error of approximation = 0.05) but minimal support for the training items (robust comparative fit index = 0.86, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.81, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). For the competition items, the automaticity, goal-setting, relaxation and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, emotional control, imagery and negative thinking scales did not. For the practice items, the attentional control, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, automaticity and relaxation scales did not. Overall, it appears that the factorial validity of the TOPS for use with adolescents is questionable at present and further development is required.