Eye quietness and quiet eye in expert and novice golf performance: an electrooculographic analysis

Quiet eye (QE) is the final ocular fixation on the target of an action (e.g., the ball in golf putting). Camerabased eye-tracking studies have consistently found longer QE durations in experts than novices; however, mechanisms underlying QE are not known. To offer a new perspective we examined the feasibility of measuring the QE using electrooculography (EOG) and developed an index to assess ocular activity across time: eye quietness (EQ). Ten expert and ten novice golfers putted 60 balls to a 2.4 m distant hole. Horizontal EOG (2ms resolution) was recorded from two electrodes placed on the outer sides of the eyes. QE duration was measured using a EOG voltage threshold and comprised the sum of the pre-movement and post-movement initiation components. EQ was computed as the standard deviation of the EOG in 0.5 s bins from –4 to +2 s, relative to backswing initiation: lower values indicate less movement of the eyes, hence greater quietness. Finally, we measured club-ball address and swing durations. T-tests showed that total QE did not differ between groups (p = .31); however, experts had marginally shorter pre-movement QE (p = .08) and longer post-movement QE (p < .001) than novices. A group × time ANOVA revealed that experts had less EQ before backswing initiation and greater EQ after backswing initiation (p = .002). QE durations were inversely correlated with EQ from –1.5 to 1 s (rs = –.48 - –.90, ps = .03 - .001). Experts had longer swing durations than novices (p = .01) and, importantly, swing durations correlated positively with post-movement QE (r = .52, p = .02) and negatively with EQ from 0.5 to 1s (r = –.63, p = .003). This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring ocular activity using EOG and validates EQ as an index of ocular activity. Its findings challenge the dominant perspective on QE and provide new evidence that expert-novice differences in ocular activity may reflect differences in the kinematics of how experts and novices execute skills

What significance does physical activity and sedentary behaviour have for members of online health promoting communities? Learning from AustraIia’s HeartNET community

My study used the HeartNET (HN) community to investigate the significance of physical activity and sedentary behaviour for members of online health-promoting communities by using online surveys and netnography. It found concerns about heart health and general health can be both a barrier and an enabler to increasing physical activity or reducing sedentary behaviour. Gentle efforts to address sedentary behaviour could build confidence to increase physical activity. By offering role models and encouraging friendly rivalry, peer support via an online community (or other type of social networking sites) can increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour. Fun, laughter and peer support can assist in challenging and reducing the tendency to underestimate sedentary behaviour and its health hazards as well as the fear and uncertainty and the perceived constraints to engage with physical activities. My study highlighted both the value of netnography as an analytic tool and its potential use for strategic and tailored health promoting interventions in online communities and for interventions in other online environments to promote desired behaviours stipulated by community guidelines. Such gentle and respectful interventions would need to take careful account of factors such as age, gender and the individual’s role within the online community. This study has particular relevance for users of online health-promoting communities and organisations engaged in health promoting activities, especially those operating online and seeking to minimise risks to their members’ health. This research may also encourage online communities and other social networks not focused on health promotion to consider developing strategies to reduce prolonged sitting time and encourage healthier behaviours. Follow-up studies are needed to determine the sustainability and applicability of my conclusions and recommendations in emerging online communities, where smartphones and ‘apps’ are the primary means of internet access, and where wristbands can conveniently and unobtrusively monitor physical activity and sedentary behaviour

Developing a fitness program for Summit Intermediate School

This project is a plan whereby Summit Intermediate School will implement a new fitness and health oriented curriculum. The Prudential Fitnessgram will be utilized as the change vehicle through which students will face a variety of fitness activities, assessments, and goal setting opportunities during physical education class

Acta kinesiologiae Universitatis Tartuensis. 18

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Health Promotion at School

For decades the health of children and adolescents has been a topic of interest in all parts of Europe. And there is quite a consensus that schools are the most appropriate setting to promote health. Childhood and adolescence constitute key stages for learning and adopting a health-related and active lifestyle which includes physical activity and sports. The book describes a new approach to enhance students` health awareness through experimental learning settings in P.E. class, cross-subject teaching, and project work.Teaching health topics requires a pedagogical and didactical framework based on the concept of health literacy and interdisciplinary research discussed by the authors. Teaching examples to improve students` health knowledge, health competencies and skills as well as health behaviour and habits at school implicates a new teaching structure presented in the book

The frequency of falls in children judo training

Purpose: Falling techniques are inseparable part of youth judo training. Falling techniques are related to avoiding injuries exercises (Nauta et al., 2013). There is not good evidence about the ratio of falling during the training in children. Methods: 26 children (age 8.88±1.88) were video recorded on ten training sessions for further indirect observation and performance analysis. Results: Research protocol consisted from recording falls and falling techniques (Reguli et al., 2015) in warming up, combat games, falling techniques, throwing techniques and free fighting (randori) part of the training session. While children were taught almost exclusively forward slapping roll, backward slapping roll and sideward direct slapping fall, in other parts of training also other types of falling, as forward fall on knees, naturally occurred. Conclusions: Judo coaches should stress also on teaching unorthodox falls adding to standard judo curriculum (Koshida et al., 2014). Various falling games to teach children safe falling in different conditions should be incorporated into judo training. Further research to gain more data from groups of different age in various combat and non-combat sports is needed

Fear of crime and victimization among the elderly participating in the self-defence course

Purpose. Self-defence training could enhance seniors´ defensive skills and fitness. There is lack of evidence about fear and concerns of seniors participating in the self-defence course. Methods. 18 elderly persons (16 female, 1 male; age 66.2, SD=5.86) participated in the self-defence course lasting 8 training units (each unit 60 minutes). Standardized tool for fear of crime and victimization analysis previously used in Euro-Justis project in the Czech Republic (2011) was used in pretest and posttest. Results. We explored the highest fear of crime by participants in their residence area after dark (mean=2,77; median=3; SD=0,80), lower fear at the night in their homes (mean=2,29; median=2; SD=0,75) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,77) at the beginning of the course. We noticed certain decrease of fear of crime after the intervention. Participant were less afraid of crime in their residence area after dark (mean=2,38; median=2; SD=0,77), they felt lower fear of crime at the night in their homes (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,48) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=1,82; median=2; SD=0,63). Conclusions. The approach to self-defence teaching for elderly should be focused not just on the motor development, but also on their emotional state, fear of crime, perception of dangerousness of diverse situations and total wellbeing. Fear of crime analysis can contribute to create tailor made structure of the self-defence course for specific groups of citizens

Exercise Prescription in Cardiac Rehabilitation

This book has been reviewed by two (or more) external single-blind reviewers. The opinions expressed in the book do not reflect the view of the publisher. ...read more Keywords: cardiac rehabilitation, exercise prescription, interval trainin