Dawn Podulka Coe

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Flexible nonlinear periodization (FNLP) is a form of exercise programming that encourages individuals to acutely match exercise demand to their physical and mental resource availability. It is unclear how exercise is chosen and experienced by individuals following this invitation. This mixed-method study aimed to understand the viability of FNLP-based exercise. Twenty-four participants initiated pre- and postexercise surveys when asked to engage in FNLP for 14 days. Each participant was interviewed to review visualized survey data and elaborate on reasonings for and consequences of their decisions. Integrated quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate patterns of meaning. Resource-concordant decisions were perceived to support recovery, training overload, and novel activities. Resource-discordant decisions were made to distract from stressors, for social engagement, or in response to self-imposed expectations. Experiences were neither universally pleasant nor unpleasant. Findings begin to disentangle the complexity of exercise behavior and inform FNLP refinement.

Physical activity is known to have multiple health benefits for youth with developmental disabilities (DDs). Individuals with DDs are at risk for adverse health-related outcomes. Limited research has shown that the prevalence of youth meeting recommendations for physical activity is low. However, there are challenges in assessing physical activity and achieving adequate compliance in this population, which may lead to inaccurate data. Factors that play a role in the ability of an individual to participate in adequate physical activity to meet recommendations include the ability to perform motor skills and the functional capacity to pursue and engage in a variety of activities. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe the current practices, barriers and strategies associated with physical activity, motor proficiency and metabolic assessments in youth with DDs. This paper elucidates barriers to physical activity, motor proficiency and metabolic assessments in youth with DDs while providing strategies to aid in the successful administration of protocols. Evidence-based and anecdotal evidence provided in this paper supports the use of the following strategies to aid in assessment: peer modelling, parent support, individualised behaviour techniques, positive reinforcement and the use of social narratives. Future work in this area should continue to (a) critically evaluate, implement and develop assessment tools and protocols in youth with DDs and (b) establish reference data specific to the target population.

Advances in bicycle instrumentation and social media applications make it possible to quantify training and racing. PURPOSE: The primary purpose was to compare training volume of USA Cycling (USAC) road racers, split out by racing category and gender. A secondary purpose was to compare power profiles of these groups. METHODS: Part 1. USAC racers with a Strava® account were selected. Using 2019 data uploaded from GPS head units, 543 racers (279 men, 264 women) were studied. Part 2. A subset of racers with power meters (N=346) were contacted to obtain demographic information and peak power data (5-s, 1-min, 5-min, 20-min, and 1-h). 92 racers (67 men, 25 women) agreed to participate. ANOVAS were used to compare annual training/racing metrics and power data across categories and genders. RESULTS: Part 1. Training/racing volumes (annual hours, distances, races, and ride days) rose significantly as the level of expertise increased. There were significant gender differences for pros (p<0.001) for all variables except ride days, but there were no gender differences within categories 2, 3, 4, and 5. Part 2. In terms of peak power (W·kg–1), there were significant main effects for category and gender (p<0.001), but no significant interactions. Overall, men produced more power than women. Categories 1/2 produced significantly more power than categories 3, 4, and 5, but the differences between categories 3, 4, and 5 were marginal. CONCLUSION: Cycling coaches can use this information to develop training programs for bicycle road racers at all levels, and for tracking their progress.

(1) Background: The developmental model describes possible mechanisms that could impact the trajectory of children and adolescents’ health behaviors related to obesity; however, few data are available that support this model in the adolescent population. This study investigated the associations among motor competence (MC), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), perceived motor competence (PMC), and aerobic fitness in children and adolescents and the mediating and moderating effects of PMC, aerobic fitness, and weight status on the MC–MVPA relationship. (2) Methods: Participants included 47 adolescents (12.2 ± 1.6 y; 55% male) who completed the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd Edition (MC), Harter’s perceived self-competency questionnaire (PMC), and the PACER test (aerobic fitness) and whose MVPA was measured via accelerometry. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated from measured height and weight. (3) Results: There were positive correlations between MC and fitness [r_s(47) = 0.469, p < 0.01], PMC and fitness [r_s(47) = 0.682, p < 0.01], and PMC and MC [r_s(47) = 0.416, p < 0.01]. There were no associations among MVPA and MC, PMC, or fitness (p > 0.05). There were inverse associations between BMI and both MVPA [r_s(44) = −0.410, p < 0.01] and fitness [r_s(47) = 0.295, p < 0.05]. The association between MC and MVPA was mediated by fitness (β = 0.3984; 95% CI (0.0564–0.7985)). (4) Conclusions: The associations among MC, PMC, and fitness highlight the critical role of MC in health and partially support the proposed developmental model concerning the relationships that exist among MC, MVPA, PMC, fitness, and BMI.

Youth with developmental disabilities (DD) face challenges that may impact their participation in physical activity. One of the biggest challenges is the availability of opportunities to engage in activities that are adapted for youth with DD. In addition, due to challenges with current physical activity assessment methods for youth with DD, the activity levels during modified activities remain unclear. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the activity levels of youth with DD during structured and unstructured activities offered during a therapeutic camp. This camp was a five-day, overnight experience in an outdoor camp center in the southeastern region of the U.S. Youth (n = 29; 14.6 ± 3.9 years) with more than one DD and with varying abilities wore accelerometers while they engaged in 13 activities of varying categories (functional/gross motor, game, sociodramatic, fine motor, free play) and contexts (ropes, horses, outdoor adventure, music and movement, yoga, come on down, sports and games, theatre, cabin challenge, arts, cooking, mad science, free play). Activity level varied by activity category and context and the intensity level of the majority of the camp activities was classified as either sedentary or light. There was a time course effect on activity; most activities resulted in a gradual decline over the session, except for cooking, sports and games, and free play. This therapeutic camp provided an opportunity for youth to engage in physical activity that would be classified as light intensity. The activities available at this camp were designed to address specific goals and objectives and provided enrichment opportunities (e.g., life skills, social skills) for youth to obtain multiple skills while using movement as a framework to deliver the content.

Background: It is unclear whether assessments of motor proficiency are reliable for individuals with Down syndrome. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the test–retest reliability of the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Short Form (BOT-2 SF) in youth with Down syndrome. Methods: Ten youth (ages 13.1–20.7 years) with Down syndrome completed the BOT-2 SF (14 items) plus a standing long jump on two separate occasions. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated to determine the test–retest reliability of the BOT-2 SF and the standing long jump. Results: The test–retest reliability of the BOT-2 SF overall scores and percentile rankings were considered excellent. The test–retest reliability of each of the subtests varied with classifications of poor (n = 5), fair to good (n = 6), and excellent (n = 4). Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that children with Down syndrome have reduced motor skills. However, there appears to be a lack of assessment tools that reliably evaluate the motor skills of this population. The results from this investigation suggest that the BOT-2-SF provides “excellent reliability” (≥0.75) to assess the motor skills in youth with Down syndrome.

Previous research showed a positive relationship between physical activity and self-regulation in older children and adolescents, but few publications focused on young children. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to examine the impact of physical activity (PA) on the cognitive aspects of self-regulation (inhibition, attention, and working memory, in preschool-aged (3–6 years old) children. The following databases were searched for articles: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and ERIC. References of the reviewed papers were screened for the identification of additional articles to be included in the review. Randomized control trials were reviewed to assess the impact of PA interventions on the cognitive aspects of self-regulation. There were six articles included in this review. Each study assessed at least one cognitive aspect of self-regulation [attention (n = 4), working memory (n = 2), and inhibition (n = 5)]. Attention was the only aspect that consistently showed improvement as a result of the PA interventions (4 of 4 studies). Only one study showed a positive impact on working memory and 60% of studies (3 of 5 studies) reported a positive relationship between PA and inhibition. Overall, the findings from this review showed that a consistent relationship only existed between attention and PA. No clear relationships were evident between working memory and inhibition and PA.