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Background: Body weight loss program may lead to a decrease in lean body mass affecting negatively muscle performance in obese subjects. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of weight loss on muscle performance in female obese subjects., Methods: Eighty obese female adults were enrolled for a 2-month unsupervised aerobic training (UAT) plus nutritional program. In the pre- and postintervention body composition was evaluated by hand-to-foot bioelectrical impedance method, body strength using handgrip test, and lower muscle power was assessed by a 5-repetition chair stand test (CST) and 30-s chair stand test (30sCST) wearing a dynamometer., Results: Thirty-six subjects completed the protocol, 39% had high compliance (HC), while 61% had low compliance (LC) to exercise prescription. HC group showed a significant decreased body weight, percent of fat mass and lean muscle mass after training. Both groups significantly increased CST performance while only HC significantly increased 30sCST. No differences were found in CST muscle power in both groups between pre- and post-training. However, evaluation of muscle power during 30sCST showed significantly higher value in HC group than LC group after training., Conclusions: The results of our study show that although total lean muscle mass decreased after UAT, lower body muscle efficiency increased while muscle power did not change suggesting that in obese patients UAT can help to optimize weight loss and body efficiency. The data might be helpful for exercise professionals to evaluate correctly the muscle performance in obese adults after weight loss programs.

Aim: This study examined the interaction of exercise and music to establish the impact of these factors on state-anxiety and time to exhaustion comparing trained and active participants., Methods: Twenty-six university students (13 trained, 13 active) completed the State-anxiety Inventory questionnaire before and after a submaximal treadmill running until volitional exhaustion in both music and no-music condition., Results: ANOVA showed that both trained and active groups significantly reduced their State-Anxiety scores after exercise tasks (P<0.01, partial η2=0.26) independently by the presence of music. Finding also revealed that active group reported a higher significant reduction of their state anxiety score after exercise in music condition compared to no-music task (P<0.05, d=0.80), while this effect in trained group was not significant. Moreover, data showed that only active-subjects significantly prolonged their exercise experience in presence of music (P<0.05, d=0.47), while trained group did not., Conclusion: This study supports the general finding that exercise is associated with state-anxiety reduction, and suggests that music during exercise may improve this effect in active but not in trained participants. Further, listening to music during exercise may prolong the participants' exercise experience but different training status seems to qualify differently this response.

Aim: Aim of this study was to investigate leaping ability and morphological characteristics in rhythmic gymnastics, in order to verify which parameters are useful indicators for the talent identification., Methods: Twenty-five national gymnasts of international level (age 14.7+/-2.2 years) underwent three testing sessions: anthropometric measurements, vertical jumps (counter movement jump and hopping test), and three technical split leaps with stretched legs (SL), with ring (RG) and with back bend of the trunk (BBT)., Results: Elite had significantly different values (P < 0.05) of stature (1.65+/-0.03 vs 1.55+/-0.09 m), thigh length (0.42+/-0.03 vs 0.39+/-0.02 m) and FFM(42.42+/-2.81 vs 35.84+/-5.66 kg) compared to sub-elite. The height of hopping test was significantly higher in elite than sub-elite gymnasts (0.34+/-0.05 vs 0.27+/-0.04 m; P < 0.05), but no significant differences in counter movement jump between two groups were found. Ground contact time of hopping test was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with SL (r = 0.613), RG (r = 0.632), and BBT (r = 0.542) values. By multiple regression analysis, among anthropometric and vertical jump variables, the hopping ground contact time was the strongest predictor of ground contact time of the three technical leaps (SL, RG, BBT) accounting for 26-37% of variance., Conclusion: Some anthropometric measurements are good indicators for the better performance in rhythmic gymnastics. Level of muscle compliance (stiffness) evaluated by hopping test is a good parameter for athletes selection and for monitoring leaps training.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the oxygen uptake (VO(2)) slow component (SC) during level and uphill running in endurance runners, and to identify associations between the SC and the following aerobic fitness indicators: peak VO(2), running speed associated with the peak VO(2) (Vpeak), running speed at the lactic threshold and the VO(2) fraction elicited at the lactic threshold., Methods: Fourteen male endurance-trained runners underwent several 6-min bouts of level (LTR) and 10.5% uphill treadmill running. VO(2) SC was calculated as the difference between mean VO(2) during the 6th and the 3rd minutes., Results: The highest mean values for the SC were 181.9+/-240.2 mL x min(-1) for level running at approximately 94% peak VO(2)2 and 105.4+/-154.6 mL x min(-1) for uphill running at approximately 90% peak VO(2). The SC observed during the last bout of the LTR correlated with peak VO(2) and with Vpeak (-0.71 and -0.76, P<0.05, respectively)., Conclusion: The results show that for endurance-trained runners the magnitude of the SC is not affected by the treadmill gradient and that within a homogeneous sample of endurance-trained runners the SC does not correlate with indicators of aerobic fitness.

Aim: Creatine supplementation (CS) has been reported to increase body weight and improve performance during high intensity, short duration, exercise tasks. However, none of the published studies has investigated the influence of CS on performance related hydrodynamic variables during swimming. To investigate the effect of oral CS on swimming velocity, body composition and hydrodynamic variables during the period of final preparation of competitive junior female swimmers., Methods: In a double blind and randomized manner, 16 female swimmers, were supplemented with 20 g day(-1) of creatine monohydrate (CS group), or a maltodextrin placebo (PL group) for 21 days. Just pre- and post-21 days of supplementation, subjects performed 2x25 swimming bouts at maximum velocity with a 3 min recovery between bouts. The variables measured were 25 m swimming velocity (MSV(25)); active drag force (D(f)); hydrodynamic coefficient (C(x)); power output (P(o)). Body measures were also analysed: body weight (kg), fat-mass (% FAT), body water (% H(2)O), and fat free mass (FFM)., Results: Significant differences were observed in hydrodynamic values: the CS group showed a significant reduction (approximately =25%), in D(f), C(x) and P(o) values, when comparing pretest with post-test. No differences were found in variables related to body composition and performance between CS group and PL group, as well as for CS group during the experimental period., Conclusions: These data suggest that 21 days of CS produced significant effects on gross and/or propelling efficiency during swimming in female athletes. However, CS did not influence performance, body weight and body composition.

Aim: Optimal lactate removal was reported to occur at work-rate between 30% and 70% VO2max. However, it has been recently recommended to quantify exercise intensity not in percentage of VO2max but in relation to validated metabolic reference points such as the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) and the individual ventilatory threshold (IVT). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on lactate removal of different recovery work-rates below the IAT defined calculating the difference (DT) between IAT and IVT, then choosing the IVT+50%DT, the IVT and the IVT-50%DT work-rates., Methods: Eight male triathletes (VO2max 69.7+/-4.7, VO2IAT 52.9+/-4, VO2IVT 41.1+/-4.7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)), after a 6-min treadmill run at 75% of difference between IAT and VO2max, performed in a random order the following 30-min recovery treatments: 1) run at IVT(plus;50%DT), 2) at IVT, 3) at IVT(-50%DT), 4) passive. Blood lactate was measured at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 minutes of recovery., Results: All active recovery work-rates (from 50+/-5% to 67+/-4% VO2max) were within the range previously reported for optimal lactate removal, and significantly more efficient than passive recovery on lactate removal curve (% of accumulated lactate above rest value). However, significant differences (P<0.01) were found among active recovery intensities: the IVT(-50%DT) was the most efficient work-rate from the 9th minute to 30th minute., Conclusions: In triathletes, the IVT(-50%DT) was the optimal work-rate for lactate removal; moreover none of the studied active work-rate showed further lactate decrease after the 20th minute of recovery.

Background: We examined, within the middleweight class, the relationship between ranking in boxing competition performance and some physiological factors., Methods: Eight elite Italian amateur boxers (first series of AIBA ranking) were assessed in 2 testing sessions, a week apart. In the first testing session all subjects underwent anthropometric measurements from which body fat percentage, upper arm and forearm muscle cross-sectional areas were estimated. In the second testing session all subjects performed grip strength measures and a maximal treadmill test to assess oxygen consumption (VO2), blood lactate and heart rate at maximal effort, at individual anaerobic threshold, and at individual ventilatory threshold. The athletes were ranked following the criteria of world amateur AIBA ranking. In this ranking the first ranked boxer had the highest score gained participating in international tournaments., Results: A Spearman rho correlation analysis revealed that the VO2 at individual anaerobic threshold (46.0+/-4.2 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), r=0.91) and the hand-grip strength (58.2+/-6.9 kg, r=0.87) were highly related (p<0.01) to boxing competition ranking. VO(2max) (57.5+/-4.7 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), r=0.81) and wrist girth (17.6+/-0.6 cm, r=0.78) were moderately (p<0.05) related., Conclusions: These data suggest that there are two basic factors related to boxing performance: physical fitness as indicated by individual anaerobic threshold and maximal oxygen consumption, and upper-body muscular strength as indicated by hand-grip strength.

Background: This study examines the fitness level of a rhythmic gymnasts group and a young female classical dancers group., Methods: Aerobic power (VO2max), individual ventilatory (IVT) and anaerobic thresholds (IAT) were assessed in 12 elite rhythmic gymnasts, eight elite ballet dancers and 12 sedentary female subjects in the same age range (13-16 yrs). The VO2max, IVT and IAT were assessed during a continuous incremental running treadmill test., Results: At IVT and IAT the VO2max expressed in ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) was significantly different between the three groups of subjects. The highest values were found in gymnasts (30.8+/-2.6 for IVT and 43.8+/-3.5 for IAT) followed by the values of dancers (21.7+/-2.8 for IVT and 30.5+/-3.1 for IAT) and controls (15.6+/-2.0 for IVT and 20.6+/-1.7 for IAT). When the VO2max was expressed in percent of VO2max, the values at IAT were significantly different between all groups (gymnasts: 84.9+/-0.7; dancers: 64.0+/-4.1; controls: 59.7+/-2.4) while at IVT no difference was found between dancers and controls (45.6+/-4.1 and 45.2+/-16, respectively). At maximal effort VO2 was significantly higher both in gymnasts and dancers (51.7+/-4.4 and 47.5+/-3.0 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively), than in controls (34.5+/-2.5 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1))., Conclusions: Although VO2max was similar between gymnasts and dancers, VO2 values at NT and IAT were able to discriminate the higher level of fitness in gymnasts with respect to dancers.

The ability in maintaining body balance of 6-, 8-, and 10-year-old children performing three balance tests on a force platform was studied. Thirty adult subjects served as a reference group. The mean radius (MR) of the posturogram and the mean speed (MS) of the center of foot pressure (COP) were used as the measuring parameters. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, the Sheffe test and the Student "t" test with a .05 level of significance. A decrease with age in both mean radius and mean speed, indicating an increase in balance ability, was noted. A significant age main effect was found on all tests while significant gender main effect occurred only on the Tandem test. No significant age/sex interaction was found. Significant differences between the 10-year-old and adult groups occurred only in the more difficult balance tests.