A combination of physical and cognitive exercise improves reaction time in persons 61-84 years old.

We have compared the effects of different 12-week exercise programs on simple and choice reaction and movement times in persons 61 to 84 years old. One hundred thirty-eight volunteers were randomized to either a control group, a two-day exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic exercises), or a two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group (two 60-min sessions a week of aerobic and cognitive exercises). At follow-up, the aerobic and cognitive exercise program was found to have resulted in significant positive effects. Improvements were found in the two-day physical plus cognitive exercise group in all of the reaction parameters, particularly improvement in choice reaction time, which is used in most daily activities. Our results suggest that to improve reaction time values, it is advisable to include cognitive features into a physical exercise routine.

Efecto de la aplicación de un sistema automatizado de proyección de preíndices para la mejora de la capacidad de anticipación en jugadoras de voleibol / Application of an automated precue projection system to improve the capacity for anticipation in female volleyball players

El propósito del estudio fue conocer la efectividad del sistema presentado, y comprobar si el entrenamiento aplicado contribuye a la mejora de la capacidad de anticipación en ocho jugadoras de voleibol. Se llevó a cabo un diseño cuasi-experimental intragrupo con un pre-test, dos semanas de tratamiento, un post-test y un re-test. La variable independiente consistió en la aplicación de un entrenamiento basado en el aporte de información inicial en forma de preíndices de la colocadora oponente. La variable dependiente consistió en el registro del tiempo de respuesta de las participantes en una situación de elección en bloqueo. Los resultados muestran que bajo las condiciones experimentales utilizadas, todas las jugadoras participantes mejoraron los tiempos de respuesta a partir del inicio del tratamiento, con un alto porcentaje de efectividad de la tasa total de aciertos. Las jugadoras anticiparon mejor los tiempos de ataque colocados por detrás de la colocadora. Los resultados mostrados permiten considerar el sistema automatizado descrito como una herramienta útil en la investigación de situaciones deportiva (AU)

This study aimed to ascertain the efficiency of the system presented and verify whether the training applied improves the anticipation capacities of eight female volleyball players. A quasi-experimental factorial intra-group design was applied with a pre-test, two weeks of treatment, a post-test and a re-test. The independent variable was training based on the contribution of initial data in the form of the opponent’s precues. The dependent variables consisted in logging the participants’ responses when choosing to block. The results obtained showed an improvement in the participants’ response times and a high percentage of success under these experimental conditions. The volleyball players better anticipated attack times placed behind the setter. The results obtained allow the automated system described to be considered a useful tool for sports research (AU)

Effects of providing advance cues during a soccer penalty kick on the kicker's rate of success.

The effect of explicitly providing goalkeeper's movement advanced cue to the kicker during a real penalty kick task was assessed. 32 expert soccer players (M age= 23.2 yr.), who were divided into four groups: an experimental group, a discovery group, a placebo group, and a control group, participated. Rate of success in the task was assessed, as well as goals, decision times, and ball flight times. Providing an advance cue significantly improved the players' rate of success relative to players without the advance cue; this difference was still present after 1 and 7 days without training. The experimental group adapted better to the time range within which the response could be effective, while the discovery group showed adaptations. Explicit instructions about the advance cues available from goalkeepers' actions before the dive during practice can improve penalty kick performance.

Tactical skills and ball speed during a field simulation of penalty kick strategies in soccer.

This study investigates the efficacy of intermediate penalty kickers by comparing the effect of applying an automated WiFi system on the field of play to simulate a strategy that takes account of goalkeeper action (dependent) with another for which goalkeeper strategy is irrelevant (independent). Intermediate penalty kickers (n=12) took a pretreatment test of 32 kicks in a "real-play" situation with intermediate goalkeepers (n=3). Two groups of kickers underwent 11 treatment sessions using different strategies and then were administered a posttreatment test. The variables measured were the number of goals scored, whether the direction of the shot was the same or different from the direction of the goalkeeper's move (DDG), ball speed, and the duration of the kicking movement. Data suggested the goalkeepers had a greater capacity to identify advance cues when faced with independent strategy kickers and that dependent strategy kickers achieved lower ball speeds.

Differences between expert and novice soccer players when using movement precues to shoot a penalty kick.

In the present study, effects of using precues of the goalkeeper's movements during a penalty kick on the penalty taker's response time and rate of success when selecting the points at which shots were taken were evaluated. 20 male players included 10 expert players (M=25.7 yr., SD=4.2 yr.) and 10 novices (M=22.1 yr., SD=2.5 yr.), whose response time, decision making, and foveal vision in a simulated penalty kick task were evaluated. Analysis showed greater decrease in response time for the expert group (102 msec.) than for the novice one (47 msec.). Mean response time was 172 msec. for experts and 189 msec. for novices. The rate of success (i.e., shooting at the side opposite to the goalkeeper's movement) increased from an initial rate of 58% for both groups to 91.3% in the Expert group and 90.7% in the Novice group. Anticipation of both groups improved with explicit knowledge of precues.