Influence of two-month training program on anthropometry and VO2 max in recreational athletes

The aim was to evaluate the effect of a two-month training program on some anthropometric characteristics and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in male and female recreational athletes. Study included 62 participants, 30 males and 32 females. All participants were doing recreational sport, aged from 35 to 50 years old. In order to obtain accurate results, the following instruments were used: measuring tape, InnerScan body composition monitor Tanita BC-532, and "Technogym" treadmill where they were performing submaximal aerobic test. Training process lasted for two months and consisted of two testing sessions. The training program has included three sessions per week for about 90 minutes. T-test for paired samples was used in the statistical program "SPSS", and results suggested that there was a positive effect of a two-month training process on certain anthropometric characteristics and the maximal oxygen uptake in both male and female subjects

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

Effects of the Task Complexity on the Single Movement Response Time of Upper and Lower Limbs in Police Officers

Police officers occasionally encounter belligerents resisting or even physically assaulting them without or with objects. The self-defense or legal utilization of use of force to disable the offender from harming an officer or others may depend on a single movement speed of hands and legs. This study investigated the effects of task complexity on a single movement response time of the upper and lower limbs in police officers. The sample consisted of 32 male police officers aged between 23 and 50 years. They performed a single movement as fast as possible with their upper and lower limb in three incrementally more complex tasks. In the first task, participants acted on a light signal and with their dominant limb they had to turn off the signal as fast as possible. In the second task, on the light signal, participants could turn off the light with free choice of the upper limb in a hand task or lower limb in a leg task. In the third task, participants had to turn the light off with the right limb if the light turned red and with the left limb if the light turned blue. The BlazePod device was used to assess the movement response time. The results show that there was a significant effect of task complexity on the single movement response time of the hand (F = 24.5, p < 0.001) and leg (F = 46.2, p < 0.001). The training of police officers should utilize specific and situational tasks to improve movement response time by improving the redundancy in decision-making processes during work-specific tasks of different complexity

Factorial and construct validity of sit-up test of different durations to assess muscular endurance of police students

Background: The number of completed sit-ups in a given period of time is a commonly used assessment to measure trunk endurance in tactical populations. This study investigated factorial and construct validity of three different durations of a sit-up test&mdash;30 s, 60 s, and 120 s; Methods: Anthropometric characteristics and sit-ups performed for 30, 60, and 120 s by101 (&#9794;: n = 62 and &#9792;: n = 39) police students were assessed. A factorial analysis was used to determine if three test durations group together in one factor, correlation analysis determined whether the sit-up tests were associated with anthropometric measures and whether the three variations in the test duration correlated between each other, and the Fisher&rsquo;s transformation determined whether these correlations differed significantly; Results: All three sit-up variations loaded together into one factor in both sexes, providing factorial validity for all three test durations. Anthropometrics were associated with sit-up tests lasting 30 s in males and 120 s in females. A sit-up test lasting 60 s correlated significantly stronger to 120 s than to the 30 s sit-up test; Conclusions: The 60 s sit-up test seems to have the highest construct validity, as it was not affected by anthropometrics, and it may be an optimal choice for its lower risk of lower back injuries. By applying the results of this study, agencies could reduce the bias that may occur during the sit-up test and reduce the risk of injury during physical fitness assessment

Uticaj programiranog treninga za smanjenje utvrđene asimetrije među ekstremitetima kod košarkaša mlađih uzrasnih kategorija

Asymmetry in limb use is a phenomenon that is present in daily life, and therefore also in the sport. It´s presence is a consequence of lateralization at the level of the CNS. The primary objective of the study that was realized is to determine the to which extent asymmetry is present in limb use in basketball, and how unilateral type of training impact on the reduction of the same. A secondary objective was to determine how basketball affects on the uneven use of extremities compared to healthy school population that is not actively involved in sports training. Research included 45 boys aged 15, who were divided into three groups: Experimental, Control 1 and Control 2. Tested variables are explosive strength of leg extensors, explosive strength of arm extensors, agility, reaction time and dribbling control. In the experimental group was realized a corrective training, composed of 24 units for a period of eight weeks. The training was focused on the limb that has proven to be a weaker in the initial testing, and training methods were applied: circuit training, working at stations and complex training. The results were analyzed by the coefficient of asymmetry, One Way ANOVA, Mixed Design ANOVA and the percentage difference from the same limb at the initial and final testing. Results of the research indicate that the variables that most influenced by the corrective training are explosive strength of leg extensors and explosive strength of arm extensors, while the other variables were also made progress and have a positive trend in reducing the asymmetry, but not that much. It was also found that basketball has a positive effect in that ages on the level of asymmetry in the use of limbs as opposed to sedentary school population

The Influence of Basketball on the Asymmetry in the Use of Limbs

The purpose of this study was to determine how basketball affects the uneven use of the limbs in relation to non-basketball population. Participants were compared by multiple motoric and situational tests, and for each participant tested the relationship between all limbs, both upper and lower. Before the motoric and situational tests participants completed a questionnaire on preference in limb use in everyday life and during sports activities. Participants belong to two groups, one group of young players with the rank of at least four years experience in basketball training, while the second group consists of members of the healthy school population, but with no experience in the continuous training of basketball. The study tested the explosive power of the lower and upper limbs, and the reaction time and agility in the lower limbs. Statistical analysis of results showed significant differences in certain tests between groups and within groups, both among the upper and lower extremities. It can be concluded that basketball as a specific sporting activity has positive influence on the development of the tested variables, while the level of asymmetry at basketball player is less than in the non-basketball population

Uticaj programiranog treninga za smanjenje utvrđene asimetrije među ekstremitetima kod košarkaša mlađih uzrasnih kategorija

Asymmetry in limb use is a phenomenon that is present in daily life, and therefore also in the sport. It´s presence is a consequence of lateralization at the level of the CNS. The primary objective of the study that was realized is to determine the to which extent asymmetry is present in limb use in basketball, and how unilateral type of training impact on the reduction of the same. A secondary objective was to determine how basketball affects on the uneven use of extremities compared to healthy school population that is not actively involved in sports training. Research included 45 boys aged 15, who were divided into three groups: Experimental, Control 1 and Control 2. Tested variables are explosive strength of leg extensors, explosive strength of arm extensors, agility, reaction time and dribbling control. In the experimental group was realized a corrective training, composed of 24 units for a period of eight weeks. The training was focused on the limb that has proven to be a weaker in the initial testing, and training methods were applied: circuit training, working at stations and complex training. The results were analyzed by the coefficient of asymmetry, One Way ANOVA, Mixed Design ANOVA and the percentage difference from the same limb at the initial and final testing. Results of the research indicate that the variables that most influenced by the corrective training are explosive strength of leg extensors and explosive strength of arm extensors, while the other variables were also made progress and have a positive trend in reducing the asymmetry, but not that much. It was also found that basketball has a positive effect in that ages on the level of asymmetry in the use of limbs as opposed to sedentary school population

Accuracy and predictive capability of body mass index in evaluation of obesity and body fatness level in police officers

This study evaluated the accuracy and predictive value of body mass index (BMI) in evaluation of obesity and body fatness. Data on BMI and percent body fat (PBF) were collected on 953 male police officers who were allocated into age groups: 20-29 years, 30-39 years, and 40-49 years. BMI > 30.0 kg/m2 and PBF > 25% were classified as obese, and those with lower values were classified as non-obese. Chi-square was used to evaluate the accuracy in classification in obese and non-obese when officers' BMI was matched to PBF. Pearson's correlation and linear regression analyses determined the prediction value of BMI. Chi-square revealed significant difference in obesity prevalence when evaluated by BMI and PBF, with classification accuracy of 44.5%-71.8%, depending on age. BMI had moderate prediction value of body fatness. If the assessment of PBF is not attainable, BMI needs to be used carefully as it is likely to underestimate obesity among police officers

Effects of a physical training programme on anthropometric and fitness measures in obese and overweight police trainees and officers

This study investigated the impact of a 10-week training programme on the anthropometric characteristics and physical abilities of obese and overweight police trainees and officers. The anthropometric characteristics measured were Body mass (BM), body height (BH), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), while the physical ability variables included Change of direction speed ([CODS] t-test), upper-body muscular endurance (1-minute push-up) (PU), trunk muscular endurance (1-minute sit-up) (SU), and aerobic endurance (2.4km run) (RUN). A sample of 46 (n=36 obese; n=10 overweight) male police trainees (age=29.2±5.2yrs; BH=174.09±5.21cm; BM=100.55±11.99kg) were involved in a ten-week physical activity intervention study. A paired sample t-test and Cohen’s d effect size (ES) found significant changes (p&lt;0.001) in tested anthropometric (BM, BMI, WC and WHtR) and physical ability variables (T-test, PU, SU and RUN). Findings can be used as a guideline for implementing training procedures among overweight and obese police trainees and officers in order to prevent cardiovascular issues and improve their physical fitness