Successful Young Athletes Have Low Probability of Being Ranked Among the Best Senior Athletes, but This Is Higher When Compared to Their Less Successful Peers.

Background: Contemporary research has shown that only a small proportion of high achieving young athletes continue to become successful senior athletes. However, there is a lack of empirical literature tracking the success of senior male and female athletes who were considered high achieving as a youth. Hypothesis: Athletes of both sexes who are successful in youth categories (U18 and U20) are more likely to be successful senior athletes. Conclusion: Data from 67,600 athletes were collated from the tilastopaja.org platform. The inclusion criteria for both genders were determined by top-100 ranking in the U18 and U20 age groups and progression to the top-100 as a senior athlete. Only 23.5% of successful track and field athletes (ranked in top-100) at U18 became a successful senior athlete, while 35.4% were from the U20 group. Girls ranked in the top-100 U18 and U20 categories are significantly more likely to be ranked in the top-100 as a senior when compared to boys. Although, being ranked in the top-50 at U18 and U20 significantly increases the probability of becoming a successful senior athlete when compared with less successful athletes at these age groups (p < 0.001). Notably, the majority (68.5%) of the most successful senior athletes were not ranked in the top-100 when in the U18 or U20 age groups. Only a small group of track and field athletes that are successful at U18 and U20 become successful at senior level. The most successful track and field youth athletes are significantly more likely to succeed as a senior athlete than their less successful peers, while girls are more likely to be successful than boys.

Nordic Walking as an effective physical activity for weight loss among overweight young adults in high schools.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity, low physical activity and lack of motivation to exercise are common among young adults. Thus, the objective of the study is to evaluate the efficiency of Nordic Walking for weight loss and improvement of functional and physiological state in young adults with overweight and obesity. METHODS: The study enrolled 77 students from Sechenov University with overweight and obesity aged from 17 to 23 years. Forty students in the main group completed an individual 9-months Nordic Walking exercise program. Thirty-seven students in the control group were engaged in physical training within the curriculum of the university. The components of body composition, level of physical working capacity and psycho-emotional status were studied. RESULTS: The final tests showed significant excessive body weight loss in students in the main group due to fat mass reduction by 18%; increase of physical working capacity by 22.5%; improvement of emotional stability by 22% and self-confidence level growth by 24%. CONCLUSIONS: Nordic Walking is an effective type of physical training with high motivational component for excessive body weight loss in young adults. It is proved by significant improvement of the majority of morphofunctional and psychological parameters in students in the main group. Nordic Walking can be used in physical education program at high schools for pupils and students with overweight and obesity. The materials of the article are of practical value for PT tutors, advisors on healthy way of life and public health, specialists in physical rehabilitation, general practice doctors.