Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Comparison Of Body Composition, Neuromuscular Characteristics And Anaerobic Endurance Between Novice, Semi-Professional And Professional Ballet Dancers, Penelope Blanco Ochoa

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Study 1 Comparison of body composition, neuromuscular characteristics and anaerobic endurance between novice, semi-professional and professional ballet dancers.
The purpose of this study was to compare selected physiological fitness parameters including: body composition, neuromuscular characteristics and aerobic endurance were significantly different between novice, semi-professional and professional ballet dancers. The secondary purpose was to establish which parameters were best discriminators between these dancers. Thirty-five classical ballet dancers (male: n =11 and female: n =24) divided into three different groups according to their dance skill level: novice (n=12) (age: 16.6 ± 1.5 y; height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; weight: 58.0 ± 13.0 …

Assessment Of Competitive Requirements, Repeated Sprint Paddle Ability And Trainability Of Paddling Performance In Surfers, Oliver Farley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Studies examining the physical demands of surfing, the physiological characteristics of surfers, training techniques and various indices important to surfing performance are limited and characterised by methodological discrepancies. This thesis consists of five studies to assess the competitive requirements, test specific repeat sprint fitness and the trainability of sprint paddling in surfers.

Initially an understanding of surfing movement patterns and a determination of the reliability and validity of custom-made GPS units was established (SurfTraX, Gold Coast, Australia) (Study 1: The validity and inter-unit reliability of custom-made SurfTraX GPS units and use during surfing). Durations, intensities, external loads and velocity …

Muscle Damage And The Repeated Bout Effect In Male Bodybuilders Following Unaccustomed Resistance Exercise, Kennedy Blowfield

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated muscle damage of bodybuilders who performed an unaccustomed intense resistive exercise bout. Ten male bodybuilders (age: 23 ± 2 y, height: 177.6 ± 6.3 cm, body mass: 85.7 ± 8.1 kg) with a minimum of 4-years resistance training experience performed 17 exercises targeting the pectoral muscles. Eight of the 10 bodybuilders repeated the same exercises two weeks later. Muscle function (bench press throw, maximal isokinetic elbow extension and flexion concentric torque: MVC torque), muscle soreness using a visual analogue scale (VAS: 100-mm), and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity were assessed before, immediately after and 24, 48 and …

Accuracy In The Badminton Short Serve: A Methodological And Kinematic Study, Shayne Marc Vial

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In sports, accuracy is an essential component of actions such passing, shooting, and aiming. Executing a movement or action that requires a high degree of accuracy is a critical determinant of success in many individual and team sports. Each sport has different methods for evaluating accuracy, however an overarching goal is to determine whether an object hits its target, or assess the distance by which it misses. However, in some sports accuracy is not readily measureable because an object might not reach a target, i.e. the object is intercepted, or it collides with another object or a person, or an …

Training Adaptations In Lower-Body Muscle Structure And Physical Performance Capacities Of Competitive Surfing Athletes, Josh Secomb

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The overall aim of this thesis was to increase strength and conditioning coaches, and sport scientists’ understanding of the lower-body muscle structures related to enhanced lower-body physical capacities, and how to best evoke desirable training-specific adaptations. To address this aim, three successive steps of research were evaluated: (1) analysis of the factors related to increased performance in competitive surfing, (2) relationships between lower-body muscle structures and factors associated with enhanced physical performance, and (3) comparison of the training-specific adaptations evoked from various training methods. Whilst this research specifically focused on competitive surfing athletes, these results may benefit the training practices …

The Effects Of Acute Dehydration Of 5% Body Mass On Performance And Physiology Of Mixed Martial Arts Athletes, Oliver Roland Barley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes are weighed 24 h prior to competition. In order to compete in a lower weight class MMA athletes will often rapidly lose weight via dehydration. Despite the prevalence, there is currently no known published data examining the effects of acute dehydration on physiology and performance in mixed martial arts athletes. The present study aimed to examine: i) the effects of 5% acute dehydration on performance (vertical jump, medicine ball throw, grip strength and repeated sled push) and physiology (body weight, haematocrit, urine specific gravity, serum osmolality and urine osmolality) of MMA athletes. A total of …

The Efficacy Of Periodized Resistance Training In Older Adults, Jennifer Anne Conlon

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sarcopenia describes the slow and inevitable age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and consequent function. Fortunately, a continually growing body of research highlights the robust adaptability of the aging neuromuscular system in response to resistance training (RT). Yet, despite an abundance of research studies describing the benefits of RT in the elderly, there is a large variation in the type of training programs employed. Therefore, within the extensive range of beneficial RT stimuli, it is vital to confirm what organizational structure of acute program variables is most effective (i.e. the appropriate dose). The process of organizing a training program considering …