Recreational athletes are encouraged to use mental imagery by their coaches less frequently than elite athletes (Jedlic, Hall, Munroe-Chandler, & Hall, 2007). The purpose of this study was to examine whether a mental imagery workshop would increase recreational level coaches’ encouragement of imagery to their athletes when compared to coaches attending a communication workshop. The workshops provided coaches with imagery or communication information and tools as well as role-playing opportunities. Recreational sport coaches (N = 132; M age = 41.80 years, SD = 9.67) completed the Coaches Encouragement of Athletes Imagery Use Questionnaire (CEAIUQ; Jedlic et al.), Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q; Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004), and questionnaires assessing coaches’ demographics, confidence, knowledge, and attitudes towards imagery. These questionnaires were completed before the workshop and online four weeks later. Repeated measure MANCOVAs, controlling for sex and highest level coached, were performed comparing the coaches’ encouragement of imagery use, as well as their confidence, attitudes, and knowledge of mental imagery, across the two study groups. No group by time interactions were found for any of the five functions of imagery. However, group by time interactions were found for knowledge (F(1, 132) = 5.45, p = .02, ηp2 = .040), attitudes (F(1,132) = 4.45, p = .01, ηp2 = .055) and confidence (F(1,132),= 7.10, p = .04, ηp2 = .032) towards imagery. Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated that the mental imagery group significantly increased their confidence from baseline to follow-up (t(65) = -2.75, p = .01). Findings provide direction for designing future coach education training programs and aid in understanding recreational sport coaches’ views on encouraging their athletes to use imagery. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 10:35:41.541

Title: Experiences of gym members with Performance Enhancing Drugs. Objectives: The aim of the diploma work is to explore the prevalence of doping in two particular fitness centres, to specify the most used doping substances, frequency and form of using, way of acquiring and to define reasons leading gym members to using these substances. No less important goal of the work is to find out the most reported benefits resulting from using doping as well as the most reported negative side effects. Methods: The main method used in the research is a questionnaire survey that is divided into three sections. The goal of the survey is to assess aspects of using performance enhancement drugs amongst gym members. Results: We found that 8% of the respondents reported positive experience with anabolic steroids as well as 5,3% of the respondents with diuretics and 3,7% of the respondents reported that they have used growth hormones. The most common substances are nandrolone and stanozolole (53,3%) followed by oxandrolone and testosterone (46,7%). Except these doping substances respondents mentioned methandienone, trenbolone, oxymetholone, clenbuterol, dianabol and boldenone. Keywords: doping, anabolic steroids, attitudes, recreational athletes, performance enhancing drugs