<p> Improper movement patterns during landing could place excess stress on joints. Correction of landing mechanics is necessary to decrease the risk of injury. Thirty-seven recreationally active college students participated in the study; 16 males (age 21.8 &plusmn; 2.08 years; height 174.5 &plusmn; 9.55 cm; mass 76.73 &plusmn; 11.70 kg) and 21 females (age 21 &plusmn; 1.22 years; height 162.9 &plusmn; 7.724 cm; mass 65.04 &plusmn; 15.04 kg). The participants performed 12 trials of a drop vertical jump (DVJ) task; three trials of each: baseline (BAS), kinesthetic (KIN) cue, verbal (VER) cue, and visual (VIS) cue. A repeated measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction determined that mean LESS scores were statistically significantly different between pre- and post-cueing for KIN, VER, and VIS (<i>F</i>(2.856, 102.799) = 69.608 <i>p</i> &lt; .05). A repeated measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction determined that mean peak ground reaction forces (GRF) were statistically significantly different between pre- and post-cueing for VER and VIS for the left leg (<i>F</i>(2.462, 88.618) = 5.931 <i> p</i> &lt; .05) and VER for the right leg (<i>F</i>(1.986, 71.498) = 3.104 <i>p</i> &lt; .05). Cueing can be beneficial to improve landing mechanics and decrease risk of injuries.</p><p>

abstract: ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between strength and power measures with sprint freestyle performance in Division 1 collegiate swimmers. Ten male subjects with an average age of 20.1 years (SD = 2.2) and eight female subjects with an average age of 19.4 years (SD = 1.3) participated in the study. The subjects performed a maximal-effort 45.72-meter freestyle swim test, a one-repetition-maximum (1-RM) weighted pull-up test, a non-countermovement jump (NCMJ), and a barbell back squat velocity test. The data distributions were normalized by creating Z-scores for each variable measured and the sum of the three-dryland tests The data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation analysis. The results showed an inverse association between the sum of the three-dryland performance Z-scores and the 45.72-meter sprint swim time (r = -0.77, p < 0.05) in male subjects. The results showed an inverse association between the sum of the three-dryland performance Z-scores, the relative pull-up Z-scores, the back squat velocity Z-scores, and the NCMJ height Z-scores with the 45.72-meter sprint swim time (r = -0.86, r = -0.66, r = -0.67, r = -0.75; p < 0.05) in female subjects. The findings of this study show the importance of possessing both strength and power characteristics on land for successful sprint swimming performance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Exercise and Wellness 2018

<p> The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of activity trackers on physical activity (PA), cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE), body fat percentage (BF%), and exercise motivation. With wearable technology being named as the number one fitness trend for 2016 and 2017 (Thompson, 2015, 2016), activity trackers may be an effective tool to increase physical activity, increase CRE, decrease BF%, and improve exercise motivation. Forty-eight healthy volunteer participants ages 18&ndash;72 who did not achieve more than 3000 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes per week of physical activity (PA) were recruited to participate in a 12-week walking intervention. Participants were given the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), exercise motivation inventory (EMI-2) survey, tested for anthropometric measures, and tested for CRE at baseline and final testing. Participants were divided into an activity tracker group and a control group. Analyses revealed no significant differences between the treatment and control groups for PA, CRE, BF%, or motivation from baseline to final testing. There were significant improvements in PA measured by the IPAQ for both groups from baseline to final testing, <i> F</i> _{(2, 64)} = 17.374, <i>p</i> = .000; however, step counts did not improve for either group from baseline to final testing. There were significant improvements in CRE for both groups from baseline to final testing, <i>F</i> _{(1, 29)} = 13.016, <i> p</i> = .001. Analyses revealed that the walking program may have been effective for improving PA and CRE, but that activity trackers did not provide any additional benefits. The conclusion is that activity trackers alone may not be an effective tool for the improvement of PA, CRE, BF%, or motivation. </p><p>

<p> Brazilian Jiujitsu is a martial art practiced by millions of people. It is a grappling art in which students are taught to win against opponents through the use of leverage, technique and tactics. Like many martial arts, coaches are seldom well-suited to impart crucial knowledge to their students. Many coaches are in the position due to high level competition success which does not translate into good teaching ability. Coaches often teach in a way that they themselves have been taught, instead of relying on scientific knowledge of correct biomechanics, motor learning, and physiology. This manual will provide a scientific background in biomechanics, motor learning, and physiology to instructors to improve their training protocols.</p><p>

Prior research on organizational misconduct within intercollegiate athletics focuses on the penalties administered by the NCAA and types of violations committed by member institutions, rather than the engagement of misconduct and the role of the NCAA as a social-control agent. Consequently, the purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the relationship between social-control agents and potential wrongdoers (i.e., organizations), in addition to how the relationship affects the evolving line separating right from wrong. A three-paper multiple method examination has been conducted, including a historical analysis of NCAA enforcement, a qualitative framing analysis on the detailing of NCAA major infractions to the public, and a quantitative analysis on the likelihood of sanctions as a result of engaging in organizational misconduct. The historical chapter advances literature on social-control agents by investigating the concept of organizational layering which takes place when third-party regulators examine cases of organizational misconduct. The qualitative chapter expands literature on framing theory, specifically the analysis on the different framing techniques utilized by social control agents and media members when present cases of organizational misconduct to the public. The quantitative chapter consists of a two-stage probit regression model which found evidence that the type of violations committed in major violation cases are significant in determining the likelihood of sanctions. This study will contribute to intercollegiate athletic administration by providing an opportunity to better comprehend NCAA enforcement procedures, along with utilizing the findings to discover how the NCAA functions as a social-control agent.

It is clearly documented that physically active lifestyles result in numerous health benefits. Unfortunately, a majority of individuals do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Physical education (PE) courses provide avenues for students to increase PA. Teachers and public health officials identify the importance of student motivation constructs such as interest in promoting PA behaviors and other healthy life habits. The purposes of this dissertation were to advance the measurement of situational interest by investigating social indicators derived from self-determination theory (SDT), and to test a theoretical model that integrates interest theory and SDT. Two quantitative studies were designed to meet this goal. In the first study, using interest theory and SDT as frameworks, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tests were performed to determine if needs support from the SDT perspective were social indicators of situational interest. Relationships between middle school students situational interest, needs support, engagement, disaffection, and personal interest toward PE were also explored. Findings did not support needs support as social indicators of situational interest; rather findings revealed that needs support was a related but unique factor of the PE learning environment. Situational interest demonstrated discriminant validity with personal interest and engagement by producing moderate positive relationships. The aim of the second study was to test an integrated model of interest theory and SDT with college students enrolled in PA courses. Again, CFA findings indicated that situational interest and needs support were separate but related factors. Novelty and challenge indicators failed to properly load on the situational interest factor. Findings from structural equation modeling supported the integration of interest theory and SDT. Situational interest is a stronger predictor of needs satisfaction compared to needs support. Results did not find direct relationship between situational interest and personal interest. Overall, findings provide useful information about students situational interest, personal interest, engagement, and disaffection in diverse PE and PA contexts. Also, the results provide evidence for the integration of interest theory and SDT. Finally, results can provide PE and PA teachers and researchers with strategies to structure learning environments that may promote student motivation and engagement, and reduce disaffection.

Within the present dissertation, determinants of leader dismissals, promotions, and demotions are explored. A model of CEO dismissals is adapted to the context of the National Football League (NFL), whereby head coaches represent CEOs. Building upon empirical studies of the CEO dismissal model, a proxy is established which is representative of actual candidates to replace an executive rather than proxies based on industry and firm characteristics. Using the proxy for candidates provided statistically insignificant results that challenge the theoretical relationship between candidate availability and executive dismissals. Additionally, the present dissertation proposed and found empirical justification for incorporating an additional socio-political force within the empirically tested CEO dismissal model. Interestingly, within the deviant culture of the NFL, deviant behavior may increase or decrease executive dismissal likelihood depending on the type of deviant behavior, punishments received for deviant behavior, and implementation of institutional policies regarding deviant behavior. Finally, the present dissertation emphasized the relationship between executive dismissals and candidates available to succeed executives, and therefore, examined determinants of managerial promotions within the NFL. Specifically focusing on race and centrality as promotion and demotion determinants, the present dissertation found race and centrality to be statistically significant factors in promotions and demotions, though the influence of these variables depends on whether the manager is being considered for promotion or demotion as well as their current rank within the organization (i.e., upper- or lower-level management). Implications for practitioners and scholars as well as future research opportunities are also discussed.

Female student-athletes are an understudied population that are exposed to athletic stressors in addition to academic and social stressors. This study is designed to investigate the physiological and psychological well-being during the spring season in female Division I soccer players. During the 2017 spring season, participants competed in five matches over five weeks and participated in three to four soccer training sessions in between match days. To measure well-being, both objective and subjective measures were used. Activation state was collected via the Activation Deactivation Adjective Checklist (AD-ACL) before all matches. Heart rate and heart rate variability were measured during all matches via Polar Team Pro System (Kempele, Finland). Sources and symptoms of stress, measured via Daily Analysis of Life Demands in Athletes (DALDA), and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection measured via Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21) were collected once each week. Monthly measures of sleep quality were collected via the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results indicated that energy-arousal increased from the first to final match, and was directly related to pass success percentage and number of tackles in midfielders. Freshman found training stressors to be worse than normal more often and experienced more severe cold symptoms than other academic years. Players who incurred a larger amount of match time had a greater degree of trouble motivating themselves to complete tasks outside of soccer. These observations signify the link between physiological well-being and psychological well-being, in addition to the combined impact of these characteristics on athletic and academic performance. Soccer players and staff should be aware of the transfer of fatigue that may occur between athletic and academic endeavors.

<p> Back squats (BSQ) have been shown to effectively potentiate lower body power in a subsequent performance activity. There is a plurality of post activation potentiation (PAP) studies in which the BSQ and vertical jump (VJ) are used. To date, there is little information regarding BSQ and horizontal jump (HJ) performance. Nine collegiate ice hockey players from the California State University, Long Beach ice hockey team volunteered for the study. Participants performed five testing sessions separated by 96 hours. The first testing session was a one repetition maximum (1RM) BSQ to assign the athletes specific intensity. The intensity chosen was 87% of the athletes&rsquo; 1RM, which means they should complete five repetitions (87%) for the potentiated testing sessions. The four testing sessions were randomized consisting of a back squat followed by horizontal jump (BSQ-HJ), back squat followed by vertical jump (BSQ-VJ), horizontal jump only (CT-HJ) and vertical jump only (CT-VJ). During the potentiated conditions participants had a rest interval of 5 minutes between the BSQ and VJ or HJ. Alpha-level was set a priori at 0.05. The results indicate that both vertical (p = 0.017) and horizontal (p = 0.003) jump were significantly increased (VJ = +5.51cm, HJ = +11.55cm). The present study helps indicate that muscular power performance can be improved in VJ and HJ using the PAP training phenomenon in collegiate ice hockey players.</p><p>

Humans generally use two modes of locomotion as adults. At slow speeds we walk, and at fast speeds we run. To perform either gait, we use our muscles. The central questions in this dissertation were: (1) Why do humans run the way they do, and (2) How do the mechanical properties of muscle influence running performance? Optimal control simulations of running were generated using a bipedal forward dynamics model of the human musculoskeletal system. Simulations of running and sprinting were posed as two-point boundary value problems where the muscle excitation signals were optimized to maximize an optimality criterion. In the first study, minimizing the dimensionless muscle activations rather than the cost of transport generated the simulation that most closely agreed without experimental kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic data from human runners. In the second study, sprinting simulations were generated by maximizing the model's horizontal speed. Adjustments in the parameters of the muscle force-velocity relationship, in particular the shape parameter, increased the maximum speed, and provided support for previous theories on limitations to maximum human sprinting speed. In the third study, virtual aging of the model's muscles induced changes in the running biomechanics characteristic of older adults, and increased the stresses and strains of muscles where older runners are more frequently injured than young runners. Strengthening these muscles reduced their loading while still maintaining an economical gait with a relatively low joint contact force at the knee. The studies provide a framework for testing hypotheses on human movement without a strong dependency on experimental data, and provided new evidence on the validity of the simulation approach for studying human running, and on optimality criteria in human running, limitations to maximum sprinting speed, and relationships between aging, muscular properties, and running injuries.