SPORT SCIENCES QUARTERLY
Year:2010 | Volume:2 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of age on veteran free-style wrestlers’ mental skills. Thus, 77 wrestlers in 5 age groups A (35 to 40), B (40 to 45), C (45 to 50), D (50 to 55), and E (55 ≤) were selected via random stratification method from 400 veteran free-style wrestlers participating in the championship games, 2010.The participants completed the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3). Persian translation of this questionnaire (Durand-Bush, 1995) was validated by Sanati Monfared in 2006. It included 48 items which assessed foundation skills (goal-setting, self confidence, commitment), psychosomatic skills (stress reactions, fear control, relaxation, activation), and cognitive skills (focusing, refocusing, imagery, mental practice, competition planning). Veteran free-style wrestlers’ mental skills in different age groups were at an optimal level. The results of MANOVA indicated no significant differences between wrestlers’ foundation skills, bodily mind, and cognitive skills (p>0.05). According to these findings, the ageing process does not have any significant effect on free-style wrestlers’ mental skills and will remain at an optimal level.

Self-presentation is one of the important factors in exercise behavior that can affect quality, quantity, duration and body dissatisfaction (Forbes & Frederick, 2008; Cohn, 2006). The purpose of this study was to compare self-presentation between competitive and uncompetitive male bodybuilders in Ahwaz and the relationship between this self-presentation and their body dissatisfaction. Two hundred bodybuilders in two part competitive and uncompetitive (beginner, intermediate and experienced), each group 50 subjects were selected by staged random sampling. (Self-presentation and body dissatisfaction were assessed by two questionnaires: self-presentation in exercise questionnaire (SPEQ) by Conroy et al. (2000) and body dissatisfaction questionnaire. Results showed no significant differences among beginner, intermediate and experienced body builders in self-presentation. There was a significant difference between competitive and uncompetitive bodybuilders in self-presentation. There was a significant and negative relationship between self-presentation and body dissatisfaction. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that self-presentational characteristics of body building clubs should be reduced in order to increase and guarantee physical and mental health of bodybuilders.

The purpose of this study was to compare the general health in participants in sport for all and inactive people. The subjects involved the participants in sport for all stations and inactive people in the city of Rasht.200 subjects participating in sport for all and 200 inactive subjects were randomly selected for the sample of this study. GHQ questionnaire was used to measure 4 sub-factors (physical health, anxiety, social efficiency and depression). The validity of the above questionnaire was approved (%82-%92). The U-Mann Whitney and Spearman tests were used at p≤0.05. The results of the study showed that the physical health condition of the participants in sport for all (M=2.9±2.2) was better than that of inactive subjects (M=4.6±3.5). The participants in sport for alls (M=3.4±2.3) suffered from anxiety less than inactive subjects (M=3.4±2.3). The condition of the social efficiency of the participants in sport for all was better (M=4.3±2.8) than inactive subjects (M=7.4±3). Depression in participants in sport for alls was less (M=1.3±1.8) than inactive subjects (M=6.6±4.3). Also, the general health in the participants in sport for all had a significant relation with the length of the sport activity (r=0.64). It is possible to state that general health condition in participants in sport for all is better than inactive subjects and also that longer sport activity leads to higher general health.

The main aim of this investigation was to evaluate the changes in total antioxidant capacity (TAC), aerobic and anaerobic performance induced by supplementation of coffee berry formulation for 4 weeks in college athletes. Twenty college athletes (14 males and 6 females) were divided randomly into two groups: coffee berry (CB) and placebo (P). Subjects in the coffee berry group (CB) orally ingested capsules that contained coffee berry formulation at a dose of 400 mg per day in two equal doses for 28 days while subjects in placebo group (P) ingested an equal number of capsules (similar in appearance) that contained cellulose. There were no changes in glucose, cholesterol and lipoproteins within or between groups (p>0.05). TAC was significantly higher in the CB versus P after supplementation (1.66±0.16 vs.1.51±0.05 mmol/L; p<0.05).There were no statistically significant changes in average anaerobic power, index of anaerobic fatigue, maximal heart rate and blood lactate within or between groups (p>0.05). Drop of heart rate recorded at 1 min. of recovery (DHRrec) increased significantly in CB group as compared to the baseline level (38±4 vs. 32±5 beats/ min; p<0.05). Blood lactate after 10 min. of recovery (Lactrec) significantly decreased in CB group after supplementation protocol when compared to the initial results (7.6±4.2 vs. 5.5±2.6 mmol/L; p<0.05). No subject reported any side effects from coffee berry or placebo. The results of the present study indicated that coffee berry formulation had considerable effects on recovery after exercise and it improved antioxidant capacity of college athletes.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of psychological skills on super league volleyball players’ sport anxiety and performance and the relationship between these skills and volleyball players’ experience in national teams. The statistical population consisted of all male volleyball players (n=118) who participated in super league volleyball matches in Iran (March 2010). 95 volunteer athletes were randomly selected for this research. In order to evaluate subjects’ psychological skills, Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) questionnaire which consisted of 8 subscales (self-talk, emotional control, goal setting, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation, automaticity and activation) was used. These subscales were rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always).Also, CSAI-2R questionnaire which evaluated three subscales of cognitive state anxiety, somatic state anxiety and self-confidence was used. These three subscales were rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much so) in a competitive setting.The volleyball players’ performance was analyzed in terms of the team place in the schedule of competitions: top teams (5 teams at the top of the schedule of competitions), middle teams (5 teams in the middle of the schedule of competitions) and weak teams (5 teams at the bottom of the schedule of competitions). After K-S test (p≥0.05) for data normality, descriptive statistics (mean, standard error), MANOVA, and Pearson coefficients were used (p≤0.05) analyze the data. The results showed a significant difference in self talk, emotional control, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation and automaticity among the groups (p<0.05) but there was no significant difference in goal setting and activation skills (p>0.05). Also, there was a significant difference in cognitive state anxiety, somatic state anxiety and self-confidence among the groups. Based on the findings of the current study, it is recommended that coaches should attempt to focus upon developing confidence protection strategies that build robust efficacy expectations in order to influence self confidence symptoms and to protect against anxiety debilitation.

The aim of this research was to compare the competitive and cooperative learning effects on selected football skills among the students. Thus, 32 male youths aging from 13 to 15 were selected and divided randomly in tow experimental grouped. The subjects participated in retention and transfer tests after an 8 sessions next the pre- test which included dribbling and passing. Data were analyzed using independent T-test at the level of significance was set at P<0.05. The results showed that the cooperative learning method in which the subjects try for the main purpose in small regular and heterogeneous groups (of skill and ability level) significantly is more effective than competitive learning. According to the results of present research, it could be suggest that to learn and to develop ones skills in different sports essentially in football, using the cooperative learning advantages, the coaches will be able to program their teaching, learning and developing different skills in different sports better.

The purpose of this study was to determine the performance assessment factors for university coaches and to compare and prioritize these factors based on their importance from Islamic Azad University managers’ and coaches’ viewpoints.40 sport coaches and 25 sport managers who participated in championships were selected randomly. The factors were gathered based on the review of the related literature and after their validation, a questionnaire was made which included coaching knowledge, punctuality, personal skills, moral and personality features, skills to develop athletes, and well experiences. The findings indicated that sport coaches and managers prioritize the assessment factors differently. The results of T-test for independent groups showed a significant difference in motivational and managerial skills between the two groups.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potentialities of sport tourism development in West Azerbaijan. From 120 managers and sport and tourism authorities (all employees of general offices, physical education office and tourism-cultural heritage office), 40 subjects were randomly selected. The data were collected using a standard questionnaire (the validity was verified by experts and the reliability was determined as a=0.83). Three general factors were recognized to affect the sport tourism development in this province: pulling, pushing and inhibiting factors. The results showed a significant relationship between pulling and pushing factors and regarding the inhibiting factors, there was no significant relationship between the employees of physical education and tourism-cultural heritage offices (p<0.05). It seems that responsible authorities should pay more attention to the development of pushing and pulling factors.