Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare the maximal strength, isokinetic muscle function and anaerobic capacity according to the position of college and professional rugby players. Methods Subjects for this study were 54 athletes and randomly divided into 4 groups: the forwards group in college rugby players (FCRP, n = 10), backs group in college rugby players (BCRP, n = 16), forwards group in professional rugby players (FPRP, n = 16), and backs group in professional rugby players (BPRP, n = 12). Physical fitness was consisted of squat, bench press, bilateral grip strength. Isokinetic knee and trunk muscle functions were measured by Humac Norm device, and anaerobic pedaling power was analyzed by Wingate test. Significant differences between groups were determined with one-way repeated ANOVA. Results As the result of this study, there was no statistically significant difference between the absolute and relative values of the squat and bilateral grip strengths, but bench press was significantly higher in FPRP and BPRP compared to other groups. Isokinetic knee and trunk extensor and flexor muscle strength showed stronger in FPRP and BPRP than those in FCRP and BCRP. In addition, the anaerobic pedaling power was also the highest in FPRP and BPRP. Conclusions Our findings suggest important information that the college rugby players and forwards in professional rugby team should be given scientific training to improve their maximum strength, isokinetic strength and anaerobic power.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to find out the physical characteristics of Wushu athletes by comparing the differences on the results of physical fitness between the male athletes of the Wushu national team Taolu and the Sanda group. Methods Measurement of basic and professional fitness based on muscle function, targeting 37 men Wushu national team players (24 taolu, 13 Sanda) in the selection and evaluation contests twice in 2018 and 2019. Body composition, isometric muscle strength, flexibility and equilibrium, anaerobic power, and isokinetic muscle strength. The fitness factors were divided into two groups, Taolu and Sanda. Results First, body fat rate of the Sanda athlete group was significantly lower than that of the taolu athlete group (p<.01). Second, in the isometric muscle strength category(back muscle strength, grip strength), the Sanda athlete group had higher muscle strength than Taolu athlete group, but there was a statistically significant difference only in the left grip strength (p<.01). Third, in terms of flexibility and equilibrium, the taolu players were significantly higher in all items(p<.001). Fourth, in the anaerobic power, the taolu athlete group had higher both the peak power and the mean power, and there were a significant differences(peak power: p<.01, mean power: p<.001). Fifth, isokinetic muscle strength was significantly higher in the right knee flexion of the taolu athlete group (p<.01), and lumbar extensor muscle was significantly higher in the Sanda athlete group (p<.05). Sixth, in the isokinetic strength ratio, the knee flexion ratio of the Sanda athlete group were significantly higher on the left and right knee flexion and extensor ratios (p<.05). In addition, in the lumbar flexor and extensor ratios, the group of Sanda athlete group were significantly higher on the lumbar extensor(p<.05). Seventh, there was no significant difference between two groups in isokinetic muscle power. Conclusions The results of this study can be used as basic data to improve the efficiency of technical and physical training through the analysis of the characteristics of Taolu and Sanda. The effectiveness of this training will help to improve the performance.
PURPOSE This study aims to provide empirical foundational data for the development of a new profit model in Korean professional baseball. It does so by examining the influence of professional baseball NFT product attributes on customer perceptions of value, satisfaction, and purchase intention. METHODS Data were collected from consumers who have experience purchasing KBOLLECT. A total of 363 samples were collected for analysis. Surveys were utilized for data collection, encompassing 39 items that measured product characteristics, perceived value, satisfaction, purchase intention, and demographic information. Using the collected data, various statistical analyses were conducted including descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression using SPSS version 21. The ensuing results from the correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis are as follows. RESULTS Product features, including aesthetics, symbolism, and scarcity, had a positive impact on consumer’s perceived emotional value. Moreover, product features, encompassing aesthetics, symbolism, scarcity, and creativity played a significant role in enhancing consumer’s perceived economic value. Furthermore, product attributes such as aesthetics, symbolism, and creativity positively contributed to consumer’s perceived social value. Similarly, product features comprising aesthetics, scarcity, creativity, and symbolism positively affected consumer’s perceived intellectual value. Additionally, the research revealed that product features related to aesthetics, symbolism, creativity, and scarcity were instrumental in bolstering consumer. Importantly, these very attributes, including aesthetics, symbolism, scarcity, and creativity, exhibited a positive influence on consumers’ purchase intentions. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, this study underscores the substantial impact of professional baseball NFT product characteristics on consumers’ perceptions, satisfaction, and purchase intentions. To maintain enduring relationships with consumers who engage with professional baseball NFT products, it is essential to fortify these product attributes and offer diverse services utilizing them.
PURPOSE This study investigated the associations between physical fitness and fall efficacy with thigh circumference in elderly women with osteopenia/osteoporosis. METHODS A total of 166 female participants aged 76.3±5.0 years with –1.0≥T-score of femur neck bone mineral density were voluntarily recruited from local community centers. The participants were classified as low 25%, middle 50%, and high 25% groups based on their thigh circumference. Physical fitness measurements, including strength, flexibility, aerobic endurance, and balance were measured with a standardized protocol. The Korean version of the fall efficacy scale (K-FES) was used to assess fall efficacy. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odd ratio (OR) of poor physical fitness and low fall efficacy according to thigh circumference levels. RESULTS In terms of physical fitness, the middle 50% group (OR=0.430, 95% CI=0.194-0.953) and high 25% group (OR=0.129, 95% CI=0.049-0.343) had significantly higher linear trend for poor physical fitness compared to the low 25% group (reference), (p<0.001). In fall efficacy, the middle 50% group (OR=0.279, 95% CI=0.119-0.656) and high 25% group (OR=0.100, 95% CI=0.036-0.275) had significantly higher linear trend for low fall efficacy compared to the low 25% group (reference) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The current findings suggest that maintaining high thigh circumference via regular physical activity and diet may contribute to attenuation of decreased risk for poor physical fitness and low fall efficacy in elderly women with osteopenia/osteoporosis.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 16 weeks’ combined exercise training on insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, leukocyte telomere length, body composition, and daily living fitness in elderly women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, i.e., exercise training group (EX: n=14) and control group (CON: n=14). Subjects in EX participated in 3 sessions of 60 min-combined exercise for 16 weeks, whereas subjects in CON were asked to maintain their normal life pattern during the same period. The variables regarding insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, leukocyte telomere length, body composition, and daily living fitness were measured and compared between two groups as well as between pre-post test utilizing a repeated two-way ANOVA. Results Main results were as follows: 1) Fasting plasma insulin and HOMA-IR tended to decrease in EX, whereas increased significantly in CON. 2) IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP decreased in EX, but the changes were not statistically significant. 3) MDA increased significantly and GPx decreased significantly in both EX and CON. 4) Leukocyte telomere length increased significantly in EX. 5) Fat-free mass increased in EX, whereas fat mass and percent body fat decreased significantly in EX. 6) Arm curl, chair stand, sit & reach, tandem test, 10m walking speed, and up & go improved significantly in EX. Conclusion It was concluded that the combined exercise for 16 weeks had a positive effect on improving insulin resistance, increasing leukocyte telomere length, as well as enhancing body composition and daily living fitness in elderly women with type 2 diabetes.
PURPOSE High blood pressure and obesity pose significant health problems for older individuals. Previous studies showed that regular exercise improves physical fitness factors and decreases blood pressure and obesity. Therefore, this study investigated differences in blood pressure and obesity according to the physical fitness level of Korean older individuals using the National Fitness 100 data and used them to recognize the importance of maintaining physical fitness through regular physical activity or exercise for older individuals. METHODS From 2013 to 2019, a total of 218,848 subjects (men=74,271, women=144,577) aged ≥65 years who participated in the National Fitness 100 had their muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, balance, coordination, and flexibility measured, and they were ascribed a fitness level. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), percentage of bodyfat, and waist circumference were measured to compare the difference in fitness level. RESULTS There was a significant difference in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in older men, and the diastolic blood pressure of older women by the fitness level (p<.001). In both older men and women, there was a significant difference in BMI, percentage of bodyfat, and waist circumference according to the fitness level (p<.001). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, men and women showed different aspects in blood pressure, but Korean older individuals with having a high level of fitness managed their weight and body fat well. The decrease in obesity and improvement of physical fitness through regular physical activity and exercise could be a positive effect on maintaining health and extending healthy life years.
Recently, there have been diverse types of physical activities supported by government policy in S. Korea. However, these activities may not be effective if they do not reach to moderate to vigorous level. This study designed school physical education system based on SPARK program, which include traditional physical education, sports club based physical activity, after school physical activity, and Saturday physical activity, to evaluate its effectiveness associated with physical fitness and empirical meanings of physical activity. This study employed a mixed method research paradigm for better understanding. Among various mixed method paradigm stances, this study employed "blending strategy" for complementary analysis. First of all, the effectiveness in health condition was evaluated by quantitative data. Specifically, physical fitness and lifestyle were analyzed by Helmas, IPAQ, and Accelerometer respectively. Second, empirical meanings of physical activity were analyzed by both Photovoice and in-depth interview which are qualitative research method. The result of this study first showed that a specially designed school physical activity program based on the SPARK contributed to improve students' physical fitness and lifestyle as well, however, there were important differences between male and female students. Second, physical achievement, alteration of spatiotemporal meaning, and change of societal relationship emerged as important themes. Further, these themes showed that they played an important role to maintain students' motivation in physical activity and consequently physical activity promotion was invigorated in school. Based on these results, we synthesized investment factors and process factors and outcome factors respectively. Finally, we suggested alternative teaching methods and suggestions for following research to overcome gender issues.
The frailty, characterized by reduced physiological function is closely related to a fall, disability, institutionalization, hospitalization, and mortality in the elderly. A reduced physical fitness is a major phenotype of the frailty. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among pre-frailty, physical activity (PA) and functional fitness in the community dwelling elderly women. The study participants were elderly women (n=338, 70.6±4.2years) aged over 65 who took part in the Korean Healthy Fitness Criteria study for the National Fitness Award Project in 2015. The pre-frailty was defined using the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty criteria. PA was assessed using the International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ). The participants were classified as regular PA participants if they meet the World Health Organization (WHO) PA recommendation for the elderly. Functional fitness was assessed using the composite of the National Fitness Award fitness testing for the elderly. Quality of life was evaluated using EuroQoL visual analogue scale and WHO quality of life assessment. As the results, the pre-frail elderly women were significantly older and obese (body mass index, percent body fat, waist circumference) than the healthy elderly. The pre-frail elderly presented significant decreases in walking, moderate intensity, and total PA compared to the healthy elderly even after adjusted for age and percent body fat. However, no significant difference was found in vigorous-intensity activity between the pre-frail and healthy elderly. Also, the pre-frail elderly women showed the decrease in functional fitness and quality of life compared to the healthy elderly. Regular PA was associated with high levels of muscular endurance and coordination in healthy and pre-frail elderly. In pre-frail elderly, high levels of cardiorespiratory endurance was associated with PA. In conclusion, regular PA is inversely associated with fitness decline in healthy and pre-frail community-dwelling elderly women. Regular PA might attenuate fitness decline in pre-frail elderly women.
Active participation in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity(MVPA) is the indicator of healthy development for adolescents. However, Korean adolescents’ MVPA have continuously declined, and Korean adolescents have lower levels of MVPA compared to adolescents in other countries. Considering this issue, the purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of SPARK M-SPAN program to promote adolescents’ MVPA in P.E. classes and to understand how the promotion of adolescents’ MVPA occurs. To collect data, this study used Sequential Mixed Method and GT3X accelerometers. A total of 168 adolescents (84 in an experimental group and 84 in a control group) participated in this study for the quantitative data analysis, and six students and a teacher were interviewed for the qualitative data analysis. Paired t-test showed that students in SPARK P.E. classes experienced the significant decreases of sedentary behaviors(-339.6 sec) and low intensity P.A.(-96.9 sec) at p<.05 and the significant increases of moderate(+99.3 sec), vigorous(+252.4 sec), and very vigorous intensity P.A.(+84.7 sec) regardless of gender difference at p<.05 except for female students’ moderate intensity P.A.. The qualitative data analysis showed that SPARK classes gave students positive learning environments and led them to experience enjoyment and achievement-orientated learning Key teaching strategies of SPARK program and future research suggestions were provided in the discussion section.
The importance of a health problem is emphasized in youth. Unfortunately, healthy activity physical education is not well utilized and is not popularly being researched. In order to improve these problems, this study attempted to explore the validity and applicability of SPARK program by designing and practicing the SPARK based P.E. classes. This study employed a mixed method research method based on a qualitative research strategy. Physical activity and physical fitness level were measured by accelerometers and FITNESSGAM. Additionally, empirical data were collected and analyzed by both Photovoice technique and recording. Findings of this study were divided into designing and practicing perspectives. First of all, the PE classes based on SPARK program was designed by 2009 national physical education curriculum and studies associated with the SPARK program. Further, I attempted to specify teaching strategy for enhancing physical activity level, power of execution and motivation. Second, PE class which has higher physical activity level, more participation and achievement, and successful fulfillment were emerged as consequences. Based on the study results, I discussed the validity and applicability of Physical Fitness based SPARK program and proposed suggestions for future studies.
