Multiple components of fitness improved among overweight and obese adolescents following a community-based lifestyle intervention

Fitness is an important component of health, and obese adolescents regularly have poor fitness. Unfortunately, few have assessed the impact of community-based lifestyle interventions on multiple components of fitness. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of participation in a community-based intervention involving adolescents and parents on multiple components of fitness of obese adolescents. In a within-subject, waitlist controlled clinical trial with 12 months follow-up in Western Australia, participants (n = 56) completed multiple fitness measures at baseline, immediately prior to beginning an 8-week intervention and at 3, 6 and 12 months during a maintenance period. Performance on the shuttle walk was improved immediately post-intervention (increase of 42.8 m, 95% CI: 7.5, 78.2) and at 12 months post-intervention (increase of 44.6 m, 95% CI: 1.3, 87.8) compared with pre-intervention. Muscle performance of quadriceps and deltoids were improved post-intervention (increase of 1.1 (95% CI: 0.1, 2.1) kg · F and 1.0 (0.02, 2.1) kg · F, respectively) and all muscle performance measures were improved at 12 months following the intervention. There were no changes in waist circumference. A community-based lifestyle programme such as Curtin University’s Activity, Food and Attitudes Program (CAFAP) may be a viable strategy for improving fitness in overweight adolescents.     

Effects of interval aerobic training combined with strength exercise on body composition,glycaemic and lipid profile and aerobic capacity of obese rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of interval aerobic training combined with strength exercise in the same training session on body composition, and glycaemic and lipid profile in obese rats. Sixteen lean Zucker rats and sixteen obese Zucker rats were randomly divided into exercise and sedentary subgroups (4 groups, n = 8). Exercise consisted of interval aerobic training combined with strength exercise in the same training session. The animals trained 60 min/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. Body composition, lipid and glycaemic profiles and inflammatory markers were assessed.

Results showed that fat mass was reduced in both lean and obese rats following the exercise training (effect size (95% confidence interval (CI)) = 1.8 (0.5–3.0)). Plasma low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol and fasting glucose were lower in the exercise compared to the sedentary groups (d = 2.0 (0.7–3.2) and 1.8 (0.5–3.0), respectively). Plasma insulin was reduced in exercise compared to sedentary groups (d = 2.1 (0.8–3.4)). Some exercise × phenotype interactions showed that the highest decreases in insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, fasting and postprandial glucose were observed in the obese + exercise group (all, P < 0.01). The findings of this study suggest that interval aerobic training combined with strength exercise would improve body composition, and lipid and glycaemic profiles, especially in obese rats.     

Dribbling determinants in sub-elite youth soccer players

Dribbling speed in soccer is considered critical to the outcome of the game and can assist in the talent identification process. However, little is known about the biomechanics of this skill. By means of a motion capture system, we aimed to quantitatively investigate the determinants of effective dribbling skill in a group of 10 Under-13 sub-elite players, divided by the median-split technique according to their dribbling test time (faster and slower groups). Foot-ball contacts cadence, centre of mass (CoM), ranges of motion (RoM), velocity and acceleration, as well as stride length, cadence and variability were computed. Hip and knee joint RoMs were also considered. Faster players, as compared to slower players, showed a 30% higher foot-ball cadence (3.0 ± 0.1 vs. 2.3 ± 0.2 contacts · s^?1, P < 0.01); reduced CoM mediolateral (0.91 ± 0.05 vs. 1.14 ± 0.16 m, P < 0.05) and vertical (0.19 ± 0.01 vs. 0.25 ± 0.03 m, P < 0.05) RoMs; higher right stride cadence (+20%, P < 0.05) with lower variability (P < 0.05); reduced hip and knee flexion RoMs (P < 0.05). In conclusion, faster players are able to run with the ball through a shorter path in a more economical way. To effectively develop dribbling skill, coaches are encouraged to design specific practices where high stride frequency and narrow run trajectories are required.     

Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight/obese women

The purpose of this study was to evaluate two practical interval training protocols on cardiorespiratory fitness, lipids and body composition in overweight/obese women. Thirty women (mean ± SD; weight: 88.1 ± 15.9 kg; BMI: 32.0 ± 6.0 kg · m²) were randomly assigned to ten 1-min high-intensity intervals (90%VO₂ peak, 1 min recovery) or five 2-min high-intensity intervals (80–100% VO₂ peak, 1 min recovery) or control. Peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak), peak power output (PPO), body composition and fasting blood lipids were evaluated before and after 3 weeks of training, completed 3 days per week. Results from ANCOVA analyses demonstrated no significant training group differences for any primary variables (P > 0.05). When training groups were collapsed, 1MIN and 2MIN resulted in a significant increase in PPO (?18.9 ± 8.5 watts; P = 0.014) and time to exhaustion (?55.1 ± 16.4 s; P = 0.001); non-significant increase in VO₂ peak (?2.36 ± 1.34 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1; P = 0.185); and a significant decrease in fat mass (FM) (??1.96 ± 0.99 kg; P = 0.011). Short-term interval exercise training may be effective for decreasing FM and improving exercise tolerance in overweight and obese women.     

八段锦竞赛功法对大学生机体自由基代谢和身体形态影响的研究

目的:探索健身气功·八段锦(竞赛功法)对大学生机体自由基代谢和身体形态的影响。方法:主要采用实验法,随机抽取2014级康保系男生和女生各20人,持续进行4个月的功法习练,观察血脂和生理机能的变化。结果:大学生经过4个月的功法习练后,3个时间点测试SOD、CAT和大腿围指标呈上升趋势,MDA、XOD和腰臀比指标呈下降趋势,差异具有统计学意义;测试体重、体重指数和大臂围3项指标没有显著性差异。结论:健身气功·八段锦(竞赛功法)对大学生机体脏腑、固肾壮腰、提振精神、防治疲劳、改善血液循环、提高腰腹柔韧和腿部力量等方面有重要帮助。     

浅谈女子竞技健美操力量训练方法

竞技健美操对力量素质的要求越来越高 ,它已成为决定运动成绩的主要因素之一 ,本文就女子竞技健美操运动员在力量训练中手段的选择以及上肢力量、下肢力量、腰腹力量训练的方法和注意事项进行了论述 .     

(Dis)owning Bikram: Decolonizing vernacular and dewesternizing restructuring in the yoga wars

Undertaking analysis in the area of critical yoga studies, this article identifies two strategies of anticolonial resistance to Bikram Choudhury's copyrighting of a sequence of twenty-six yoga poses. First, it examines decolonial vernacular, which contests Western commodification of yoga through the use and misuse of terms and phrases, such as “yoga piracy” and “cultural patents,” derived from intellectual property rights, international human rights, and cultural property regimes. Second, it considers dewesternizing restructuring emerging from the creation of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, a database of information on yogic practice and medicine, which uses non-Western classification systems to interrupt the legal and economic structures through which patents and copyrights are enunciated. Together, these anticolonial strategies force intellectual property rights regimes to integrate Otherness, making space for the recognition of Indian agency in knowledge production.     

Using Google Forms to track library space usage

This article is a response to the excellent “Using Mobile Technology to Observe Student Study Behaviors and Track Library Space Usage” by Susan Thompson. Thompson reviews the literature regarding user counts on mobile devices and describes the California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) Library's evaluation of SUMA, Counter+, and CloudOn. After trialing these mobile technologies, CSUSM selected CloudOn. At New York University Abu Dhabi, we use Google Forms to conduct user counts on an iPad and Google Sheets to evaluate these data. We find that Google Forms are easy to set up, modify as necessary, and present the data in easy-to-manipulate spreadsheets.     

学校经营的主体

学校是人才产品的基地，要顺利实现人才产品的生产经营，我们应该关注学校经营的主体，特别是学校经营的产权主体、经营主体、服务主体、消费主体、利益主体等，对其深入研究，明确认识，把握本质，这将有利于我国教育市场的开放和学校教育的健康发展。     

探索与求解:“三个代表”重要思想与反腐倡廉

中国共产党走过了八十多年光辉战斗历程,面对新世纪新阶段、新任务,必须按照“三个代表”重要思想的要求,全面推进党的建设新的伟大工程,必须坚持不懈地开展反腐败斗争,加强党风廉政建设,构建强有力的权力制衡机制,从体制上铲除腐败。只有这样才能增强党的凝聚力、战斗力、创造力,实现中华民族的伟大复兴。