A model balancing cooperation and competition explains our right-handed world and the dominance of left-handed athletes

An overwhelming majority of humans are right-handed. Numerous explanations for individual handedness have been proposed, but this population-level handedness remains puzzling. Here we use a minimal mathematical model to explain this population-level hand preference as an evolved balance between cooperative and competitive pressures in human evolutionary history. We use selection of elite athletes as a test-bed for our evolutionary model and account for the surprising distribution of handedness in many professional sports. Our model predicts strong lateralization in social species with limited combative interaction, and elucidates the rarity of compelling evidence for "pawedness" in the animal world.Comment: 5 pages of text and 3 figures in manuscript, 8 pages of text and two figures in supplementary materia

Comparasion of self-esteem and aggression between combative and non combative sports of Kashmir Division

This survey type research aimed to check and compare the self-esteem aggressiveness between combative sports and non- combative sports of Jammu and Kashmir. For knowing the outcome of results A total of sixty 60 sports players, which constitute 30 Combative sport and 30 non-combative sport. The Subjects were selected by purposive sampling. The subjects were considered from the age group between 22-29 years. For the analysis of the self-esteem and aggresssive tendency of the subjects of both the groups I.e. combative sports and non-combative sports group. The Standard questionnaire meant for Self-Esteem by- Dr. Morris Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale it has 10 items and the standard questionnaire of aggression constructed by R. L. Bhardwaj scale, were used for data collection and to know the aggression level of individual and team game players of Kashmir University which contains 28 items. The analysis of data was done by using statistical technique ‘t’- test for finding the significance difference of self-esteem aggressive tendency between combative sports and non-combative sports and the level of significance was set at 0.05 levels (p<0.05). After the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of collected data from all, it is concluded that in comparison between both groups Combative were found with high self-esteem and aggression as compared to non-combative sports players

Enter the discourse: Exploring the discursive roots of inclusivity in mixed-sex martial arts

In this paper, I explore the discursive roots of inclusivity in mixed-sex martial arts training in the UK. On the basis of data from two qualitative studies conducted in the East Midlands, I briefly account for the level of integration among several martial arts schools, before focusing on the unique meanings of martial arts that appeared to facilitate the normalization of this integration among participants. Drawing on insights from queer feminist theory, I argue that the discursive framing of martial arts in contemporary Western culture is significant in the generation and normalization of mixed-sex inclusivity in these settings. As such, I suggest that scholars interested in the potential of sex-integrated sports for challenging dominant sexual hierarchies should be attentive to the unique discursive meanings of specific sports cultures, which may be generative of possibilities for radical forms of embodiment and practice

Western men and Eastern arts: The significance of Eastern martial arts disciplines in British men's narratives of masculinity

Previous Western sociological research on Eastern martial arts has identified a tension between ‘traditional’ Eastern forms of practice and ‘modernized’ Western methods of training and competition. In particular, the ‘sportization’ of Eastern styles, where combat-centred arts based upon moral philosophies have transformed more or less into competitive activities following Western models of rationalized sport, has been an important theme. However, it is also suggested that Eastern martial arts hold special significance in the West for their seemingly esoteric nature. In this regard, such martial arts are considered significant because they are not ‘sports’, but rather disciplines, with fairly different connotations for practitioners. Drawing on interview data, this paper explores how Western practitioners of Eastern martial arts articulate this difference, principally by examining the place of martial artistry in British men's narratives of masculinity. Comparing themselves favourably to assumed, typical visions of Western sporting masculinity, such men draw upon the imagined uniqueness of their martial arts to construct a sense of moral superiority over other men. In so doing, they contribute to a rejection of what they believe to be ‘mainstream’ sporting Western masculinity, thus indicating the role that ‘alternative’ visions of physical culture can play in men's active constructions of gender

The Santa Clara, 2018-04-05

https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/tsc/1065/thumbnail.jp

The Santa Clara, 2018-04-05

https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/tsc/1065/thumbnail.jp

Associations between Fitness Measures and Change of Direction Speeds with and without Occupational Loads in Female Police Officers

Female police officers may be required to pursue offenders on foot while wearing occupational loads. The aim of this study was to determine relationships between fitness measures and change of direction speed (CODS) in female police officers and the influence of their occupational loads. Retrospective data were provided for 27 female police officers (age = 32.19 ± 5.09 y, height = 162.78 ± 5.01 cm, and mass = 71.31 ± 13.42 kg) and included fitness measures of: lower-body power (standing long jump (SLJ)), upper-body and trunk muscle endurance (push-up (PU) and sit-up (SU)), aerobic power (estimated VO2max), and CODS (Illinois agility test). The CODS test was performed without and with occupational load (10 kg). Paired sample t-tests (between-load conditions) and Pearson's correlations (relationships between measures) were performed with linear regression analysis used to account for the contribution of measures to unloaded and loaded CODS performance. CODS was significantly slower when loaded (unloaded = ~23.17 s, loaded = ~24.14 s, p < 0.001) with a strong, significant relationship between load conditions (r = 0.956, p < 0.001). Moderate to strong, significant relationships were found between all fitness measures ranging from estimated VO2max (r = -0.448) to SU (r = -0.673) in the unloaded condition, with the strength of these relationships increasing in the loaded condition accounting for 61% to 67% of the variance, respectively. While unloaded agility test performance was strongly associated with loaded performance, female police officer CODS was significantly reduced when carrying occupational loads. A variety of fitness measures that influence officer CODS performances become increasingly important when occupational loads are carried

Single Maximal versus Combination Punch Kinematics

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of punch type (Jab, Cross, Lead Hook and Reverse Hook) and punch modality (Single maximal, ‘In-synch’ and ‘Out of synch’ combination) on punch speed and delivery time. Ten competition-standard volunteers performed punches with markers placed on their anatomical landmarks for 3D motion capture with an eight-camera optoelectronic system. Speed and duration between key moments were computed. There were significant differences in contact speed between punch types (F 2,18,84.87 = 105.76, p = 0.001) with Lead and Reverse Hooks developing greater speed than Jab and Cross. There were significant differences in contact speed between punch modalities (F 2,64,102.87 = 23.52, p = 0.001) with the Single maximal (M ± SD: 9.26 ± 2.09 m/s) higher than ‘Out of synch’ (7.49 ± 2.32 m/s), ‘In-synch’ left (8.01 ± 2.35 m/s) or right lead (7.97 ± 2.53 m/s). Delivery times were significantly lower for Jab and Cross than Hook. Times were significantly lower ‘In-synch’ than a Single maximal or ‘Out of synch’ combination mode. It is concluded that a defender may have more evasion-time than previously reported. This research could be of use to performers and coaches when considering training preparations

A study on backgrounds, preferences, and dislikes of college men in physical education activities

Typescript, etc

Sensory integration and standing balance in adolescent taekwondo practitioners

Taekwondo (TKD) is a popular sport among adolescents. This study aims to (a) compare the balance performance between adolescent TKD practitioners at different levels of expertise with nonpractitioners and (b) determine the sensory system(s) that contributed to the balance function in adolescents with and without TKD training. Subjects with >5 years of TKD training (n = 11), <4 years of training (n = 10), and no training (n = 10) participated in this study. The sway velocity, somatosensory, vestibular and visual ratios were recorded during standing on a balance testing system. Both short- and long-term TKD practitioners swayed slower than control subjects when standing on one leg (p = .016 and 0.012, respectively). However, only short-term practitioners have better visual ratio (p = .018) and vestibular ratio (p = .029) than control subjects. There was no significant difference in the somatosensory ratio among the 3 groups. We conclude that adolescents undertaking TKD training may have better balance performance than untrained subjects. © 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.published_or_final_versio