Effectiveness of Male Handball Goalkeepers: A historical overview 1982-2012

In this article, an analysis of the historical evolution of the effectiveness of goalkeepers in high level world competitions is carried out. To this end, 32 men's handball finals have been analyzed to record and classify effectiveness rates and goalkeeping actions in relation to opponent players' throw areas and positions from 1982 to 2012. Analysis included throws from areas of 6, 7, 9 m and counterattack, performed from center or side positions. Results show no clear trend in effectiveness values registered throughout the time sample, both generally and specifically in terms of throwing position. The Kruskal-Wallis H test did not establish statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in goalkeeping effectiveness between any of the different analyzed periods, with a confidence interval of 95%. The findings of this study suggest that the ability of goalkeepers to prevent the goal from different throwing areas and positions has changed little over the past 30 years, although the game has incorporated more offensive actions and therefore more attacks. This lack of progress can be attributed to that handball has not updated their game rules to make it faster and more spectacular

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN VIRTUAL REALITY

The purpose of this conference is to discuss about research on human physical activity based on Virtual Reality (VR). VR 1) offers a unique compromise between control and ecological property of the studied situation, 2) enables to enrich/modify the physical environment, 3) provides control on the multisensory feedback given to the user, 4) and has the potential to enhance motivation and increase the number of repetition in motor skills training. Recent democratisation of immersive technologies, with the development of cheap interactive devices for videogames, has encouraged research in this domain. In this conference, we will address examples of perception-action coupling analysis based on VR, will analyse how technical choices could affect the behaviour of the studied subjects, and will expose perspectives in motor skills training based on VR

Action preferences and the anticipation of action outcomes

Skilled performers of time-constrained motor actions acquire information about the action preferences of their opponents in an effort to better anticipate the outcome of that opponent's actions. However, there is reason to doubt that knowledge of an opponent's action preferences would unequivocally influence anticipatory responses in a positive way. It is possible that overt information about an opponent's actions could distract skilled performers from using the advance kinematic information they would usually rely on to anticipate actions, particularly when the opponent performs an 'unexpected' action that is not in accordance with his or her previous behaviour. The aim of this study was to examine how the ability to anticipate the outcome of an opponent's actions can be influenced by exposure to the action preferences of that opponent. Two groups of skilled handball goalkeepers anticipated the direction of penalty throws performed by opponents before and after a training intervention that provided situational probability information in the form of action preferences (AP). During the training phase participants in an AP-training group anticipated the action outcomes of two throwers who had a strong preference to throw in one particular direction, whilst participants in a NP-training group viewed players who threw equally to all directions. Exposure to opponents who did have an action preference during the training phase resulted in improved anticipatory performance if the opponent continued to bias their throws towards their preferred direction, but decreased performance if the opponent did not. These findings highlight that skilled observers use information about action preferences to enhance their anticipatory ability, but that doing so can be disadvantageous when the outcomes are no longer consistent with their generated expectations. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

VIRTUAL REALITY & SPORT

This applied session deals with the design of immersive environments for human motion performance analysis. In a first part of the session, a theoretical presentation describes the aims and scopes of such type of experiments. In a second part of the session, a review of the available immersive systems will be exposed. Finally, a practical framework will be designed in real-time with the attendees: a low-cost immersive environment based on a Microsoft Kinect, a Razer Hydra and an Oculus Rift Head Mounted Display device. We will develop an experiment to analyse perception-action coupling in soccer with simulated virtual opponents enabling to analyse the decision-making of a real goalkeeper

Perceptual training effects on anticipation of direct and deceptive 7-meter throws in team handball

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May 2014. Major: Kinesiology. Advisor: Michael G. Wade. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 123 pages.This research investigated the effects of video-based perceptual training on the performance of handball goalkeepers when anticipating the directions of both direct and deceptive 7-meter throws (i.e., penalty throws). Forty two Kuwaiti handball goalkeepers voluntarily participated in this study and were randomly assigned to 3 matched-ability groups based on their pre-test performance: participants in the perceptual training group received video-based perceptual training over 7 consecutive days; participants in the placebo training group received video-based regular training; and participants in the control group received no training. The primary findings demonstrated that video-based perceptual training significantly improved anticipatory performances from pre- to post-test under both throwing conditions (i.e., direct and deceptive). Although perceptual training significantly improved anticipation of direct and deceptive throws, anticipation of deceptive throws showed less improvement. The current findings support the first research hypothesis that perceptual training group would improve their anticipation under both throwing conditions more than placebo training and control groups. The findings also support the second research hypothesis that anticipation of deceptive 7-m throws would show less improvement compared to anticipation of direct throws. In conclusion, this study confirms the importance of perceptual training for anticipation skills in sport and adds to the literature that perceptual training can also improve anticipation of deceptive actions. In addition, this study confirms that deception in handball is a challenging task that goalkeepers can minimize, but cannot eliminate, its effect by enhancing their perceptual skills

Comparison of response quality and attack recognition in karate kumite between reality and virtual reality – a pilot study

Virtual reality (VR) is an often-used instrument in sports science research and practical training. However, VR studies with experienced athletes and sports specific tasks are rare. Furthermore, the transfer from interventions in VR into reality is even less investigated. It is possible to analyze benefits of VR using in-situ studies comparing human behavior in VR with reality. If no differences occur in the human behavior, then VR would be appropriate for interventions to improve athletes’ performance. Therefore, we let seven karate athletes respond each to ten attacks of a real attacker (reality) and a virtual attacker (VR using a Head Mounted Display) and compared the parameters “response quality” and “attack recognition” under both conditions. As attacks we chose Gyaku-Zuki (reverse punch, GZ) and Kizami-Zuki (attack with the front arm, KZ). ANOVAs and sign tests showed isolated cases of significant differences between both conditions: response quality in KZ, and attack recognition for 150ms in GZ, all p0.05). The remaining comparisons showed no significant differences (p>0.05). We conclude that further research is needed but the results of the present pilot study are promising to assume that VR is suitable for applications because similar performance outcome in reality and VR were obtained

Programa de entrenamiento perceptivo-motor para mejorar la efectividad de la portera de balonmano

This study aims to analyse the effect of applying a perceptive-motor training programme for handball goalkeepers and evaluate its efficiency, differentiating between the times of its application under real practice conditions. A quasi-experimental A-B-A type case design was used with a female goalkeeper. Trained observers recorded the data in real time individually and a posterior by consensus by viewing videotapes. The ANOVA showed differences (p < 0.05) among the three phases with respect to the effectiveness of throwing from the right-hand side, left-hand side and centre; the effectiveness of throwing by the opposing team close up and at a distance; and overall effectiveness. The female goalkeeper improved during the time in which the training programme was applied (p < 0.05). And the improvement remained (p < 0.05) with respect to the effectiveness variables when the ball was thrown from the right-hand side, lefthand side and centre after the programme concluded

Entrenamiento perceptivo en la portera de balonmano ante la trayectoria del tiro

This study aimed to analyze the application of a perceptive-motor training program effect in the handball goalkeeper and value the efficacy according to the shot trajectories, differentiating the moments of its application, under conditions of real practice. Two female goalkeepers were selected deliberately. A quasi-experimental case design of type A-B-A was utilized. The trained specialist registered the data in real time individually and after, watching the games recorded, out agreed by consensus. For the statistical processing the t of Student test for independent measures was carried out, an averages meaning contrast test and an anova followed by the post hoc Tukey test. The application of the program allowed to improve the effectiveness in the shot interception for the trajectories analyzed except those of half height.Este estudio ha analizado el efecto de la aplicación de un programa de entrenamiento perceptivo-motor en la portera de balonmano y valorado su eficacia en función de las trayectorias de lanzamiento, diferenciando los momentos de su aplicación, bajo condiciones de práctica real. Se seleccionaron dos porteras de forma intencionada. Se utilizó un diseño cuasiexperimental de caso único tipo A-B-A. Los observadores entrenados registraron los datos a tiempo real de forma individual y a posteriori, visionando los vídeos grabados, de forma consensuada. Para el tratamiento estadístico se realizó la prueba t de Student para medidas independientes, una prueba de contraste de significación de medias y un anova seguido por la prueba post hoc de Tukey. La aplicación del programa permitió mejorar la efectividad en la interceptación de los lanzamientos para las trayectorias analizadas salvo los de media altura

Effect of Oxyjun™ on Adipose Tissue Inflammation - A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Oxyjun™ on cardiovascular fitness of overweight individuals by reducing obesity induced systemic inflammation. Male participants between the ages of 18 - 35 years and body mass index of 25 - 34.9 kg/m2 were recruited in the study. Change in neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), high density lipoprotein (HDL-c) and quality of life using 36-item Short form survey (SF-36) was assessed over a period of 8-weeks. Results demonstrated that NLR was reduced by 0.71 in Oxyjun™ and by 0.42 in the placebo group at the end of study period. Also, within group comparison was significant for Oxyjun™ group when compared from baseline; p&lt;0.001. Further, HDL-c levels were increased in the OxyjunTM group by 4.04 mg/dL and reduced for the placebo group by 1.22 mg/dL when compared from baseline; p=0.09. For SF-36 quality of life assessments, the health concepts of fatigue, mental health, and social function showed significant improvement and no adverse or serious adverse events were reported for both groups during the course of the study. In conclusion, Oxyjun™ when consumed for 8-weeks reduced NLR of study volunteers thereby demonstrating its potential for lowering obesity induced systemic inflammation. Oxyjun™ also increased HDL levels that could further promote cardiovascular fitness and prevent the risk of cardiovascular events

Repercussion of a perceptive-motor training program on the efficacy in competition from handball female goalkeeper according to the shot type

Este estudio ha perseguido analizar el efecto de la aplicación de un programa deentrenamiento perceptivo-motor en la portera de balonmano y valorar su eficacia según el tipo de lanzamiento, diferenciando los momentos de su aplicación, bajo condiciones de práctica real. Se seleccionaron dos jugadoras que desempeñaban el rol de portera de forma intencionada y en función de sus características. Se utilizó un diseño cuasiexperimental de caso único tipo A-B-A. Los observadores entrenados registraron los datos a tiempo real de forma individual y a posteriori, visionando los vídeos grabados, de forma consensuada. Para el tratamiento estadístico se realizó la prueba t de Student para medidas independientes, una prueba de contraste de significación de medias y un anova seguido por la prueba post hoc de Tukey. La aplicación del programa permitió mejorar la efectividad en la interceptación ante los diferentes tipos de lanzamiento en situaciones de juego real y se mantuvo tras la retirada de dicho programa.This study aimed to analyze the application of a perceptive-motor training program effect in the handball goalkeeper and value the efficacy according to the shot type, differentiating the moments of its application, under conditions of real practice. Two players were selected of deliberate form and in function of their characteristics. A quasi-experimental case design of type A-B-A was utilized. The trained specialist registered the data in real time individually and after, watching the games recorded, out agreed by consensus. For the statistical processing the t of Student test for independent measures was carried out, an averages meaning contrast test and an anova followed by the post hoc Tukey test. The application of the program allowed to improve the effectiveness in the shot interception for the types in real play situations and was maintained after the withdrawal of this program.peerReviewe