The educational value of the rules in handball

The game rules of team sports and the technical and tactical methods applicable to them are indispensable for practicing competitive sports. The correct competition arose from the automatic mechanism of the sanction following the infringement of a game rule which is also aided by the relational dynamics of the individual members of the group who demand the application of the rule to continue playing. The competition can also be self-regulated by the two groups who compete for the victory without even the decisive action of the referee as always happens in training activities. This phenomenon is found only in those contexts where the rule is necessary and alone sufficient to ensure the orderly development of activities. The objective of the study is to identify the significant elements of the handball game rules, and the related technical and tactical behaviours, to identify an inventory of significant behaviours. The method is documentary archival research for the analysis of the game rules of the team sport in question, and a subsequent comparative method between grids of indicators, descriptors and weights that classify rule, technique and tactics. The expected results will focus on the appropriate presence of the significant elements and the commonality or discrepancy between team sports. The data is useful for measuring the quantity of significant behaviours in order to qualitatively elaborate the value of each of them with respect to the other current behaviours of quantitative performance and establish the connections

Posture and skeletal muscle disorders of the neck due to the use of smartphones

The aim of the research is to verify some variables on the use of the smartphone, associated with musculoskeletal pain and any other data that amplify its dependence or use. Smartphones have become an integral part of many people's lives. Most of the kids spend their days sharing photos, stories, videos about their daily lives such as lunches, trainings, travels, shopping. In short, there is an endless list of reasons to be mentally and physically connected to smartphones. However, how much does the excessive use of smartphones affect your body? The widespread abuse of mobile technology can be translated into a physical condition harmful to the human body, known as "Text Neck". Incorrect posture due to incorrect use of the smartphone, flexing the head to send messages and excessive time spent in this position, over time can lead to the presence of musculoskeletal pain in the neck region. A questionnaire of 14 questions, prepared with Google Modules and disseminated through sharing on social networks and it, was submitted to 334 university students of different gender and age. Descriptive statistics was conducted to evaluate the responses obtained from the subjects. The percentage of responses for each question was calculated

Proactive school and motricity: Key elements for children’s health and psychophysical well-being

The new legal framework of the primary school provides two hours of compulsory physical education teaching from master’s degree specialists in physical education in addition to the PE hours taught by a master’s degree generalist in primary education sciences. The present research aims to analyze critical issues concerning the legislative transition from the current law system to the next. The research investigates how the school community can incorporate educational-didactic and managerial-administrative measures in dedicated platforms for rules application. The results will determine the good practice models to be offered to the primary school education system as an inventory of good teaching practices helpful for teachers, managers, and family members. The overall scientific evidence will also flow into a final document to enhance the construction of teaching plans for the disciplines regarding the methods and didactics of motor and sports activities in light of legislative innovations (Legislative Decree no. 36/2021)

Vivere l’esperienza della “leggerezza”: uno studio qualitativo sulla percezione dell’acquagym in un gruppo di donne anziane

Literature has pointed out physical and psychological benefits of water based exercises (WBEs) for the elderly; however, few studies have investigated how old adults perceive those activities. This study was aimed at exploring the elder’s perception of WBEs, which brings the old adult to apply for an aqua-gymcourse and to successfully continue it. According to the aim, we opted for a Grounded Theory study, conducted in three swimming pools placed in the urban area of Milan (Italy) and in its suburbs. Forty women (age 72.4La letteratura ha segnalato i benefici fisici e psicologici dell’esercizio in acqua per gli anziani; tuttavia, pochissimi studi hanno analizzato come essi percepiscano questa attività. Questo studio si è proposto di esplorare le percezioni dell’anziano, cosa lo porta a iscriversi a un corso di acquagym e a continuare a frequentarlo. Coerentemente con la finalità della ricerca, abbiamo optato per il metodo della Grounded Theory. Lo studio si è svolto in tre piscine dell’area urbana di Milano e comuni limitrofi. Sono state intervistate 40 donne (età 72.

Removing the division into categories between cycling and para-cycling (Handbike category H) by designing a single performance and training activity

Cycling and all categories of para-cycling including Handbike are cyclical sports, that is, sports characterized using a specific skill, continuous skill. To separate competitions between cyclists and paracyclists, there is a classification system. The study in aims to design one activity performance and training, to eliminate the division into categories between cycling and para-cycling (Handbike), since this does not favour the integration and sporting inclusion of the two groups of athletes. The differences in performance will be identified between: cyclists and paracyclists with spinal cord injury or amputation of the lower limbs (H). Then will proceed to design and verify an activity capable of making the two categories compete and train together, eliminating the differences in performance through the use of a "counterweight" and using a mixed training, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Endurance. The sample taken into consideration is composed of 5 cyclists and 5 paracyclists (H) aged between 19 and 38 years. To achieve the goal, the study was based on the method of analysing the scientific literature, detecting the various parameters in the race and using mathematical statistical methods, such as Multiple Regression and the T-Test for independent samples. The analysis of the results of this study shows that; between cyclists and para-cyclists who participated, there are substantial differences in performance, thanks to the data obtained from multiple regression, in which we find an R-squared value that is .999975008, also the only positive coefficient among the independent variables is that of power (6.760634791). This means that of all the reported values, it is the only one that directly affects performance

Effects induced through the use of physical and motor tests in volleyball

The purpose of the study was to analyse and evaluate the jumping ability and the fundamental technical of the float serve in volleyball in 3 areas of the opposing camp (1-6-5), in order to evaluate the effectiveness of a working method. The study was performed on a sample of 12 male volleyball players (Category: Under 20). Data were collected in two periods (September and October), subjecting the players to intensive technical and physical work. At the beginning of the training period anthropometrics data (weight, height, BMI, reach to one hand) and the values at the vertec jump test were collected. Each player carried out 90 float services (3 series of 30 float serves, respectively to specific areas of the opponent's field 1-6-5) to check out if there is continuity of precision towards the three zones or if there is a significant difference. The results show, after four weeks of intensive training, an improvement in jumping ability at the Vertec test. It is hypothesized a not significant difference in the performance by the group of players, in terms of precision, towards the three opposing areas and a positive difference in pre-training (September) and post-training (October) performances. The monitoring of the training process will allow to estimate the effects induced through the use of physical and motor tests, allowing the coaches to design and choose the methodology and the appropriate training load, for an effective performance

Effects of Musical Classes on Motor Creativity According to Age, Sex, and Weight Status in Young Students: A Music-Oriented versus Conventional Education Plan

Motor creativity can be influenced by the specificity of the school–class environments (music-based education plans) and individual characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of music oriented and conventional education plans on rhythmic perceptive capacity, motor creativity, and skill- and health-related fitness components in young students according to age, sex, and weight status. One hundred sixty-three young Italian students from elementary (second and fourth grade) and middle school (sixth and eighth grade) were enrolled in the study according to their education plan (music oriented or conventional). All participants were tested for rhythmic perceptive capacity (Stambak’s test), motor creativity (Divergent Movement Ability test), skill-related (Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder), and health-related (Multistage Fitness test) components. Individuals were also considered according to age (elementary and middle school), sex, and weight status. Significant age × education plan and sex × education plan interactions (p < 0.01) were found in motor creativity (locomotor and stability skills) and motor competence (balance and jumping-like activities). No significant weight status × education plan interaction was found. The predominant role of music in the music-oriented education plan appeared to foster the ability to enhance motor creativity in elementary and middle school students compared to the conventional plan. Moreover, music-oriented experience also seems relevant for expressing and exhibiting motor competence (i.e., balance) in relation to sex

Acute effects of a combat sport environment on self-control and pain perception inhibition: a preliminary study in a new ecological framework

Intense sports activities affect cognitive, perceptual, and physiological domains, possibly concurring in reducing pain perception and anxiety. Within a framework for a new socio-ecological narrative that considers opposition (such as fighting) and collaboration (cooperative learning) as carriers of self-control and pain perception inhibition, we investigated the acute effects of a judo-specific session on cognitive (inhibitory control and simple reaction time), perceptual (pain and fatigue), affective (anxiety) and physiological (hormone profile) domains. Eleven male black belt judokas (age 39.0 ± 13.9 years; training experience: 23.2 ± 14.4 years) were recruited and tested before and after judo randori and resting sessions. Inhibitory control and simple reaction time were assessed via the Flanker task and clinical reaction time test, pain and fatigue were assessed using Borg’s category-ratio scale (CR-10), and the state–trait anxiety inventory Y-1 test assessed anxiety. Glucose, insulin, cortisol, creatinine, and irisin levels were measured. Cognitive performance, perception of fatigue and physiological variables increased after randori bouts, while pain decreased. Inhibitory control, perception of pain, perception of fatigue and glucose, cortisol, and creatinine significantly differed (p &lt; 0.05) between randori and resting sessions. A high-intensity randori may induce acute beneficial effects on cognitive, perceptual, and physiological domains. Further studies should compare the results with the outcomes from a collaborative and non-agonist environment and confirm the socio-ecologic framework

Effects of cognitive load and different exercise intensities on perceived effort in sedentary university students: a follow up of the Cubo Fitness Test validation

Work and intellectually fatiguing environments can significantly influence the health of individuals, which is strictly bound to motor efficiency. In particular, desk workers and university students may have a sedentary lifestyle and a condition of mental fatigue caused by daily routine, which could impair motor efficiency. The assessment is a starting point for enhancing awareness of the individual’s psychophysical condition through the perception of one’s body motor efficiency, motivating to move towards improvement. This way, a submaximal test based on perceived exertion was developed (Cubo Fitness Test, CFT) and validated in previous studies. Hence, two further studies were employed to enhance the consistency and accuracy of this instrument in different conditions. The first study investigated the internal responsiveness of CFT, evaluating if mental fatigue could affect motor efficiency. The second study investigated which perceived intensity (weak, moderate, strong, or absolute maximum) could be more reliable for applying the CFT (as previous research focused the investigation only on moderate intensity). In the first investigation, participants assessed two stimuli (mental fatigue induced with a Stroop color-word task and a neutral condition based on the vision of a documentary) lasting 60 min each. The quality of psychophysical recovery (total quality recovery) and the mood state (Italian Mood State questionnaire) were evaluated before the stimuli. After the fatiguing or the neutral task, the mood state was newly assessed, together with the evaluation of the workload’s characteristics (Nasa TLX) and the CFT motor efficiency. In the second investigation, participants had to perform CFT twice for each at different intensities of Borg’s Scale of perceived exertion. Researchers successfully requested to fill out the NASA TLX questionnaire regarding the perceived workload characteristics of CFT, and the reliability of each intensity was assessed. Results seem to enhance the consistency and the accuracy of the instrument. Indeed, findings evidenced that CFT is not influenced by mental fatigue conditions typical of the intellectual work of desk workers and university students for which this test was specifically conceived. Moreover, moderate and strong perceived intensity are the most adequate conditions to assess motor efficiency in these populations