Montenegrin Journal of Sports Science and Medicine

5-10

Authors: Zi Yan, Kevin Finn, Kayla Breton

The present study examined whether physical activity participation between Pokémon GO users was different from that of non-users. Participants’ perceptions of the game in terms of promoting physical activity were also evaluated. A total of 393 college students (Female=175, age M=19.03, SD=2.04) took an online survey that measured user activity, perceptions on the game, and recalled physical activity participation. The participants were classified as non-users (n=227, 79.1%), non-active users (i.e., playing less than 30 min a day, n=24, 8.4%), and active-users (i.e., playing more than 30 min a day, n=36, 12.5%). Most users agreed that playing the game had a positive impact on their physical activity level. However, the non-active users and the active-users walked significantly less than the non-users did, and the non-users also had higher overall physical activity participation levels. Most Pokémon GO players perceived that the app made them more physically active, although they still walked less than non-players did. There may be pre-existing differences in the physical activity patterns between the users and the non-users. Health promotion professionals may encourage sedentary individuals to use this game to promote physical activity.

19-25

Authors: Yzan Saavedra, Jose M. Saavedra

The objectives of this study were (i) to determine whether there is a relationship between the relative age effect (RAE) and the final classification of the teams, player’s positions, number of goals scored, and shooting effectiveness, and (ii) to determine whether there are differences in the number of goals scored and shooting effectiveness depending on the final classification and player’s positions. The study subjects were 380 players who took part in the 2018 Women’s Youth World Handball Championship. The independent variables were the relative age effect and the number of goals and shooting effectiveness of each type of shot. The dependent variables were the player’s position and the team’s final classification. To investigate the relationship between the RAE and the team’s final classification, player’s position, goals scored, and shooting effectiveness, contingency tables were drawn up and subjected to a chi-squared test. The dependence of the differences in goals and shooting effectiveness on the team’s final classification and the player’s position was studied by means of an ANOVA with a Tukey post hoc test. For the sample overall, there was no RAE, only an association between the classification and the year of birth, with more players born in the senior year in the teams ranked from 1st to 8th place than in those classified from 9th to 24th place. The teams classified from 1st to 4th had more significant numbers of several variables. There were differences in goals and shooting effectiveness, depending on the player’s position.

33-40

Authors: Luis Branquinho, Ricardo Ferraz, Pedro Duarte Mendes, João Petricia, João Serrano, Mário C. Marques

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an eight-week plyometric training and resistance programme, on different motor abilities, kicking speeds, and individual techniques in competitive junior soccer players. A training programme was applied for eight weeks and was composed of countermovement jump, countermovement onto a box, sprints, and sprints with change of direction. The players were evaluated in three moments: before the start of the training programme, after the application of the training programme, and after four weeks of detraining. The applied tests were: countermovement jump, speed dribbling, 30-meter sprint, kicking speed, and a Yo-Yo recovery intermittent recovery test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IE2). The results showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in sprint performance, countermovement jump, Yo-yo IE 2, and speed dribbling. The maximum velocity of the ball did not present statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). In addition, these results indicate that general performance may not be sensitive to four weeks of detraining in the trained soccer players. These results demonstrate that the combination of soccer drills and specific power training with no additional training time in-season optimizes some general and soccer-specific performance.

49-55

Authors: Omer Ozkan, Serife Seyma Torgutalp, Omer Serkan Kara, Gurhan Donmez, Haydar Demire, Yigitcan Karanfil, Melda Pelin Yargic, Feza Korkusuz

The use of prohibited substances in the world of sport, in and out of competition, is a major global problem. A number of similar studies have been conducted in other parts of the world that investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of athletes about doping. The results of those studies cannot entirely be extrapolated to elite Turkish athletes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate elite athletes’ current knowledge of appropriate drug use, doping and use of supplements, and to explore the need for further education on these topics. A total of 202 Turkish athletes participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The data were collected through a questionnaire. A five-point Likert scale was used for questions. The most commonly used over-the-counter medications by athletes were painkillers (78.2%). A remarkable proportion of athletes considered painkillers (41.1%), protein powder (43.1%), and caffeine (41.1%) to be prohibited drugs. According to the athletes, physicians (84.6%) and coaches (78.6%) were the two most frequently used sources of information, and 87.6% of the athletes found the physician to be the most reliable source of information. Elite athletes have poor knowledge about doping in Turkey. There is an urgent need for educational anti-doping programmes to address the knowledge gaps observed amongst athletes in this study.

67-72

Authors: Mohammadreza Rezaeipour

The effects of water-based exercises on body composition continue to be controversial. The present study was proposed to assess the impact of pool workouts on weight, body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE), and the quality of life of sedentary obese older women without dietary intervention. Fifty-five sedentary obese women (mean age 69.5 ± 4.3 years) were selected in this prospective experimental study (2018). Participants were divided randomly into two groups: moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT). Both pool workouts models included a similar energy expenditure (1500 kcal/week), which were performed three times a week for 60 minutes each time and lasted for three months. The following measurements were carried out pre- and post-study: anthropometry, body composition, REE, and quality of life. The Wilcoxon nonparametric test was applied to compare between groups and times (pre- and post-study). The comparison of pre- and post-study showed significant decreases of body weight (-0.7 kg), BMI (-0.5 kg/m²), fat mass (FM, -0.7 kg), and REE (-81 kcal/day) for the MICT (p ˂ 0.05), and a significant decrease of the only FM (-0.7 kg) for the HIIT (p ˂ 0.05). Regarding the quality of life, decreased pain, social and vitality improvements were significant in the MICT group, but improved vitality and health status in the group of HIIT were significant. Pool workouts without the dietary control revealed a modest influence on the body composition of sedentary obese older women, with better results for MICT. However, the improvement in the quality of life cannot be ignored.