Effects of core Balance and Plyometric Training on Anaerobic Power and Dynamic Postural Stability in Youth Taekwondo Athletes

Abstracts PURPOSE Muscle strength, power, speed, postural stability, and anaerobic power are important physical fitness factors required to perform well in a taekwondo competition. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of core balance and plyometric training on physical fitness in young taekwondo athletes. METHODS Nine young taekwondo athletes participated in this program. Body composition and relative fitness (muscle power, core strength, agility, postural stability, anaerobic power, and isokinetic muscle function) were measured before and after training. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). A paired t-test (pre vs. post) was used for the analysis. RESULTS The core strength measured by the sit-up count changed significantly after training (p<.05). In case of postural stability, the right absolute reach distance in the Y-balance test improved significantly after training (p<.05). In case of anaerobic power, the mean power (p<.01) and the peak power (p<.01) increased significantly after training. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that 8 weeks of core balance and plyometric training enhanced core strength, balance, and anaerobic power in young taekwondo athletes. Our results suggest that core balance and plyometric training are effective in improving muscle strength, core strength, balance, and anaerobic power

Impact of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on white matter integrity: the SUPERBRAIN exploratory sub-study

In the South Korean study to prevent cognitive impairment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention in at-risk elderly people (SUPERBRAIN), we evaluated the impact of a 24-week facility-based multidomain intervention (FMI) and home-based MI (HMI) on white matter integrity. Among 152 participants, aged 60–79 years without dementia but with ≥1 modifiable dementia risk factor, 19 FMI, 20 HMI, and 16 controls underwent brain MRI at baseline and 24 weeks. Between the intervention and control groups, we compared changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) at regions-of-interest (ROI) including the cingulum cingulate gyrus (CgC), cingulum hippocampus (CgH), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), as well as the uncinate fasciculus (UF). In addition, correlations between total and standard scores cognitive domains of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) or serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and changes in brain image measures were evaluated at a statistical significance level of p &lt; 0.05 (uncorrected for multiple corrections). The FA, MD, AD, and RD at each ROI at the baseline were not different among groups after Bonferroni correction. In the statistical analysis using two-way repeated measures ANOVA, any significant difference in longitudinal changes in the FA, MD, AD, and RD was not revealed. The statistical analysis, among the significant regions in paired t-test of the intervention group, compared with the control group, the FMI, HMI, and intervention group yielded significantly more beneficial effects on the AD of the CgC. In addition, longitudinal AD changes of the left CgC correlated with the BDNF changes (r = 0.280, p = 0.048). In this study, enhanced cognitive reserve after the multidomain lifestyle intervention could be revealed by changes in brain imaging for white matter integrity

Impact of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on regional spontaneous brain activity

In the SoUth Korean study to PrEvent cognitive impaiRment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention in at-risk elderly people (SUPERBRAIN), we evaluated the impact of multidomain lifestyle intervention on regional homogeneity (ReHo) in resting-state functional brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Of 152 participants aged 60–79 years without dementia assigned to either facility-based multidomain intervention (FMI), home-based MI, or controls, we analyzed 56 scanned MRIs at baseline and 24 weeks. ReHo values from regions with significant longitudinal changes were compared between the intervention and control groups and their correlations with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) or serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were evaluated. ReHo values in the left medial orbitofrontal gyrus and right superior parietal lobule were increased [p = 0.021, correlated positively with serum BDNF changes (r = 0.504, p = 0.047)] and decreased [p = 0.021, correlated negatively with changes in the total (r = −0.509, p = 0.044) and attention (r = −0.562, p = 0.023). RBANS], respectively, in the participants assigned to the FMI group than those of the controls. Our results suggest that facility-based group preventive strategies may have cognitive benefits through neuroplastic changes in functional processing circuits in the brain areas which play a crucial role in the adaptive learning and internally directed cognition

Relationship between anaerobic power and isokinetic trunk strength in college male soccer players

Background: Although anaerobic power affects soccer performance, the relationship between anaerobic power and core strength in soccer players has not been well studied. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between anaerobic power and core strength. Methods: The subjects were 31 college male soccer players. Their physical characteristics, anaerobic power (Wingate anaerobic test: WAnT), and core strength (isokinetic trunk strength test; ITST) were measured. To describe the effect of core strength on anaerobic power, the Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Results: A significant relationship between the WAnT peak power (PP) and variables of ITST was observed (vs. trunk extension strength; TES: r = 0.629, vs. trunk flexion strength; TES: r = 0.507, vs. trunk extension power; TEP: r = 0.411, and vs. trunk flexion power; TFP: r = 0.555). We also found a relationship between the WAnT mean power (MP) and variables of ITST (vs. TES: r = 0.654, vs. TFS: r = 0.559, vs. TEP: r = 0.468, and vs. TFP: r = 0.720). The variables of ITST affecting WAnT PP were TES (P < 0.001) and TFP (P < 0.001). The explanatory power of these variables was 59.7% (R2 = 0.597). The variables of ITST affecting WAnT MP were TFS (P< 0.001) and TSE (P < 0.001). The explanatory power of these variables was 72.7% (R2 = 0.727). Conclusion: The results of our study showed that isokinetic trunk strength significantly associated with the WAnT peak and mean power

The determinants for top ranker of Korean Greco-Roman wrestlers

Background and objective: This study investigates the physical factors that determine the top ranker players based on the Greco-Roman wrestlers in the national athletic team of South Korea. Additionally, the study developed a prediction model using physical factors. For this analysis, the data of 163 players in the last 20 years (1999–2018) available on the Athletic Competition Performance Assessment Computer System were used. A top ranker was defined as an athlete who had won a medal in a world championship or the Olympic Games. Methods: The logit model was used as the model and the estimations were performed using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) with E-views9.5 (Lightstone Corp., Tokyo, Japan). The estimation results demonstrated that the probability of becoming a top ranker increased with the following: increase in the length of the career compared to age, increase in the distance of standing long jumps, decrease in response time to light, and increase in bench press weight. Results: The analysis of the model’s estimation results showed that superior results were produced when the standing long jumps, response time to light, and bench press weight were normalized using the weight class based on McFadden R2, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and Schwarz information criterion (SBIC) as compared to when they were normalized using the height and body weight. Conclusion: The estimation model established in this study for the significant physical strength factors shown in the South Korean top rankers is expected to be used as important data for predicting and fostering world-class South Korean Greco-Roman wrestlers

Dynamic balance in male youth soccer players: the role of anthropometric and physical fitness factors

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors needed to improve the dynamic balance of youth soccer players. Methods: A total of 170 youth soccer players (84 U-15 and 86 U-18 players) participated in this study. Their anthropometric (height, weight, and body fat percentage) and physical fitness (dynamic balance, muscle strength, power, core strength, agility, reaction time, and flexibility) characteristics were evaluated. To investigate the effects of these factors on dynamic balance, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. Results: The results showed that the weight (P = 0.008) and back muscle strength (P = 0.039); and actions, such as sit-up (P = 0.017), countermovement jump (P = 0.019), and trunk forward flexion (P = 0.009) were significant factors affecting balance in all the soccer players of this study (R2 = 0.265). In the U-15 group, only the countermovement jump (P = 0.019) was found to significantly influence dynamic balance (R2 = 0.275). In contrast, in the U-18 group, weight (P = 0.002), sit-up action (P < 0.001), countermovement jump (P = 0.019), and trunk forward flexion (P = 0.011) were found to affect dynamic balance (R2 = 0.439). Conclusion: Our study suggests that muscle strength, power, flexibility, and core strength are needed to improve the dynamic balance of youth soccer players

Table_1_Impact of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on white matter integrity: the SUPERBRAIN exploratory sub-study.docx

In the South Korean study to prevent cognitive impairment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention in at-risk elderly people (SUPERBRAIN), we evaluated the impact of a 24-week facility-based multidomain intervention (FMI) and home-based MI (HMI) on white matter integrity. Among 152 participants, aged 60–79 years without dementia but with ≥1 modifiable dementia risk factor, 19 FMI, 20 HMI, and 16 controls underwent brain MRI at baseline and 24 weeks. Between the intervention and control groups, we compared changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) at regions-of-interest (ROI) including the cingulum cingulate gyrus (CgC), cingulum hippocampus (CgH), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), as well as the uncinate fasciculus (UF). In addition, correlations between total and standard scores cognitive domains of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) or serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and changes in brain image measures were evaluated at a statistical significance level of p < 0.05 (uncorrected for multiple corrections). The FA, MD, AD, and RD at each ROI at the baseline were not different among groups after Bonferroni correction. In the statistical analysis using two-way repeated measures ANOVA, any significant difference in longitudinal changes in the FA, MD, AD, and RD was not revealed. The statistical analysis, among the significant regions in paired t-test of the intervention group, compared with the control group, the FMI, HMI, and intervention group yielded significantly more beneficial effects on the AD of the CgC. In addition, longitudinal AD changes of the left CgC correlated with the BDNF changes (r = 0.280, p = 0.048). In this study, enhanced cognitive reserve after the multidomain lifestyle intervention could be revealed by changes in brain imaging for white matter integrity.</p