Abstract Participation in compulsory physical education (PE) is a controversial aspect of the Japanese university system. English-language education programs in Japa nese universities often incorporate aspects of the traditional curricula, including experiential PE. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which compulsory PE in a Tokyo-based global university program contributes to overall physical activity (PA) and to elucidate how experiential PE intersects with student beliefs and motivations. The study sample included 199 domestic and international students attending PE courses in a Top Global University in Tokyo, Japan. All students who undertook compulsory PE classes in English were invited to complete an online survey in 2018-19. Survey measures in cluded scores on a valid and reliable iteration of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), self-reports of PA influences, and PA-related health beliefs. Overall PA was high among the cohort, yet there were significant dif ferences based on gender and country of origin, with male and international students reporting higher activity. Most students perceived a positive relation ship between PA participation and disease prevention, which reinforced com mon health motives for activity, particularly weight control and stress reduc tion. Compulsory and experiential PE within a Japanese global university pro gram potentially contributes to higher PA levels among ethnically diverse un dergraduates but should adapt to a more wellness focused curriculum to ad dress behavioral and motivational variations.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine jump height and number of jumps during a five-set mock college men’s volleyball game using VERT, a jump measurement device. Results were as follows. 1) There was no signifi cant difference in jump height between sets for SJ, TJ, and SPJ. For SJ and BJ, S and OH were significantly higher than MB. For each jump type, approx imately 65% to 90% of jumps were at maximum height, suggesting that play ers did not always perform at maximum output. 2) The number of jumps per set was 12.7 - 16.3 times for OH, 18.5 - 23 times for MB, and 23 - 32 times for S in a 25-point match, and 14.7 times for OH, 15.5 times for MB, and 19 times for S in a 15-point match. 3) There was no drop in maximum reach or vertical jump height at the end of the sets.

Abstract Faced with the suspected or proven sporting talent of girls at the family level and at school and the socio-cultural conservatism of the domestic group even in the city (Dakar) and which enshrines the categorization of activities according to gender and exclusive of sport for young girls, it is permissible to wonder about the place that education gives to the emergence of girls’ sporting talent in these two entities (family and school). Thus, the semi-directive interviews with six talented sportswomen playing at Dakar University Club (Basketball), at Gazelles team (football) and at INSEPS Handball team, with their mothers and with three of their former teachers made it possible to discover that girls talented in terms of sport have often been assimilated to boys, criticized by parents and encouraged by teachers. In fact, sport is perceived purely as a male activity that education for autonomy in the exercise of domestic and financial activities (empowerment) through the encouragement of schooling must participate in discouraging for girls. The obstinacy of teen schoolgirls in sports, who have become more distracted from studies, promotes conflicts with parents and mediations in favor of the expression of their talent.

Abstract The physical, social and emotional benefits of Physical Education (PE) have been well established. Nevertheless, the subject is mostly either not taught at all or not taught well by teachers. This study, therefore, aimed at investigating why PE as a subject was not taught as expected in basic schools in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District (TAM) of the Central Region in Ghana. The study focused on investigating whether the perception of teachers towards PE, training of teachers, nature of school curriculum and availability of facilities and equipment were factors affecting the teaching of PE in basic schools within the TAM district. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey, which utilised primary data collected from a total of 536 basic school teachers in the TAM district. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to analyse the data collected. The results revealed the following; the majority (86.4%) of the teachers did not actually teach PE in the primary schools, the majority (64%) of teachers had positive perceptions towards PE, majority of the teachers viewed training of teachers (78.4%), nature of school curriculum (81.5%) and provisions of facilities and equipment (93.1%) as factors affecting the teaching of PE in TAM District. On the availability of facilities and equipment for the teaching of PE, results revealed that football fields (96.6%) and footballs (85.6%) were the most available facilities and equipment for teaching PE. The study recommends that the Ghana Education Service through its PE Directorate should embark on the supervision of PE teaching, provision of in-service training of teachers on teaching PE, decongestion of the school curriculum and the provision of adequate facilities and equipment to enhance the teaching of PE in the TAM district.

Abstract The aim of this research is to compare the emotional competences of Tunisian Olympic athletes and those of non-athletes. A sample of 63 students (30 athletes and 33 non-athletes) (between 14 and 26 years of age, ET = 3926), has been selected. All subjects have completed the French version of the Emotional Competences Profile “ECP”. The reliability test has shown a satisfactory internal consistency of the scale (Alpha = 0.739). The student’s t-test that consists of comparing the averages of the two independent samples revealed the existence of a significant difference in the overall emotional competence score (t61 = 2036, p = 0.046** 0.05). Thus, it could be said that the athletes’ emotional competences enable them to better adapt to stressful situations. Therefore, they are more likely to control their emotions, their own understanding and those of others. On the other hand, they are able to easily manage their daily stress and regulate their relationships with others. The results of our studies allow us not only to test our hypothesis but also to determine the relationship between emotional competences and the practice of sport.

Abstract Physical activity is well-recognized as a key risk factor for the management and prevention of mental ill-health, including anxiety and depression. The specific volumes, intensities or types of physical activity with the greatest impact on mental health are currently unclear. The current study sought to explore what aspects of physical activity may have positive or negative impacts on mental health and wellbeing. Focus group interviews were conducted with 10 adolescent females, and transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three higher-order themes, tenets of self-determination theory, were identified; autonomy, competence and relatedness. Single-factor sub-themes such as opportunity, journey to competence and facilitator of connection were identified as multi-factor sub-themes such as fun or enjoyment, and engagement in the activity. The perception of physical activity as an opportunity was identified as a key factor in contributing to positive mental health and wellbeing. It appears that autonomously motivated physical activity experiences provide the greatest levels of satisfaction for adolescents’ psychological needs and therefore, they are the most effective method of enhancing mental wellbeing through physical activity. Future physical activity experiences should include an element of choice along with opportunities to engage in social interaction alongside opportunities for progression and achievement, as these appear to provide the best environment to foster positive mental wellbeing in adolescents.

Abstract Objective: Adaptation in Arabic language and empirical examination of the instrument for measuring the state anxiety in physical education and sport PSEAS among Tunisian students. Methods: A set of 623 athletic and non-athletic students (m age = 14.71, AND age = 2) from primary and secondary school completed an adapted version of the PSEAS Anxiety Scale in Arabic language. The subjects were recruited in two phases: exploratory (n = 161; m age = 14.59, ET age = 2) and confirmatory (n = 462; m age = 14.79, ET age = 1.99). Results: The PSESAS measurement scale was stable on exploratory factor analysis and no items were removed from the three dimensions of the scale. Likewise, reliability tests have shown that the internal consistency is adequate. The confirmatory factor analysis carried out showed the robustness of the measurement of the 18 items of the scale. Also, the three dimensions showed a moderate correlation, which confirms the first-order structure of the instrument. The sensitivity of the instrument for the variable gender, sport practice and gender interaction effect*sport practice was highlighted. Females and non-athletes showed higher levels of anxiety. Conclusion: The Arabic version of PSEAS is valid and reliable in terms of psychometrics and can be administered to assess state anxiety rates for primary and secondary students in physical education in Arab countries.

Abstract Objective: The objective is to elucidate the effectiveness of exercise as smoking cessation aid by sorting out the neurotransmitter basis of nicotine addiction and combining it with the neurotransmitter modulation effect of exercise, and finally to organize and analyze the mechanisms related to exercise to ameliorate nicotine addiction. Methods: We searched the Web of Science and PubMed databases for keywords, including “nicotine addiction”, “exercise”, “sports”, “physical activity”, “smoking cessation” and “tobacco withdrawal”, and compiled and analyzed the relevant literature to explain the neurobiological mechanisms of nicotine addiction and the effects of exercise on ameliorating nicotine addiction and related mechanisms. Results: 1) long-term nicotine intake, on the one hand, binds to acetylcholine receptors to produce rewarding effects, and on the other hand, causes rewarding effects by regulating the release of various neurotransmitters and signaling, making smokers feel pleasure and experiencing withdrawal symptoms after stopping smoking; 2) exercise can effectively ameliorate nicotine addiction; 3) exercise reduces the desire to smoke by activating the reward system to cause the body to release dopamine, partially replacing the rewarding effects and reducing withdrawal symptoms. Conclusion: Exercise is effective in ameliorating nicotine addiction through the modulation of neurotransmitters and improves the health status of people who quit smoking. Therefore, physical activity and physical exercise during smoking cessation are recommended to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms and smoking cravings.

Abstract Margaret Whitehead purports that a belief in monism and holistic perspective results in a “lived embodiment” that is fundamental to the appreciation of physical literacy. In this article, we document how our species evolved the ability and need for persistent movement as a means for survival and discuss the merits of Whitehead’s perspective from both a philosophical and scientific perspective in the context of physical literacy. We argue that science has replaced existentialism and phenomenology in justifying and explicating the importance of physical activity and physical literacy for human beings.

Abstract Background: It was recently reported that the freely chosen cadence at the end of a bout of pedalling depended on relatively high and low preset cadences applied at the beginning of the bout. This was denoted as a phenomenon of motor behavioural history dependence. Objective: The present study aimed at expanding that recent finding by testing whether the described history dependence occurred if 5-min rest was incorporated between the initial pedalling at preset cadence and the final pedalling at freely chosen cadence. Methods: Twenty-six participants performed three separate sequences of submaximal ergometer pedalling. In sequence A, pedalling at 50 rpm was followed by 5-min rest and pedalling at freely chosen cadence. In sequence B, pedalling at 90 rpm was followed by 5-min rest and pedalling at freely chosen cadence. In sequence C (denoted reference), the cadence was freely chosen throughout all pedalling. Behavioural (cadence), biomechanical (tangential pedal force), and physiological (heart rate) responses were measured. Results:Initial pedalling at 90 rpm caused the subsequent freely chosen cadence (74.5 ± 3.3 rpm) to be about 6% higher (p = 0.001) than the reference freely chosen cadence at the end of sequence C (70.8 ± 3.2 rpm). A similar difference did not occur between sequences A and C. Conclusions: These divergent findings, combined with previous reports of clear history dependence in pedalling sequences (performed similarly to here, only without incorporated rest periods), overall suggest that the present observations reflected a borderland of motor behavioural history dependence. Further, the 5-min incorporated rest apparently weakened the history dependence phenomenon.

Abstract Under the new network environment, university student physical education enters the new wisdom development stage. The use of micro-class, multi-media and other intelligent teaching platforms will greatly enrich college students’ physical education resources, and optimize the learning process for students to provide interesting and image learning resources. This article explores the innovation requirement of college students’ physical education in the network environment first, and then through these several years’ teaching experiences, we can easily find the problems existing in the physical education of college students in such environment. At last, we can conclude three innovation paths of college students’ physical education under the network environment, such as improving the network teaching environment, purchasing high-quality network teaching platform for teachers to use, conducting training to enable teachers and students to use the platform proficiently, establishing online course resource package for students to choose, and investing more money to ensure network speed.

Abstract The prevention of cardiovascular disease could be better efficient if the follow-up of blood pressure (BP) profile was effective during childhood. Investigations on the normal range of blood pressure during early life and adolescence were not sufficiently documented in African countries for foreseeing adequate prevented health public actions. This study aims to determine the blood pressure profile in apparently healthy pupils and to identify modifiable risk factors (diet, lifestyle, and weight status). Ninety-five pupils were included in the study and their blood pressure was measured. A questionnaire was administered to them for approaching the factors associated with profile blood pressure. Anthropometrics measurements were performed by personal trained according to WHO recommendations. The mean of Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP)/Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) of sampled pupils was SBP/DBP 107.53 ± 6.18/78.16 ± 4.43 mmHg. Only one pupil had high blood pressure (BP: 120 to 129 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic). Adjusting for age and sex, Body mass index for age (BAZ), like to eat less salt and drink alcohol and practicing sport were associated to increase BP profile of pupils. Meanwhile, duration of sport practice and consumption of less fatty food was associated with low blood pressure (systolic or diastolic). The duration of practice per week appeared to be significantly and negatively associated with high blood pressure. Children who practiced more than 4 hours of sport per week had a diastolic blood pressure of less than 4.54 mmHg than those who practiced sport for less than 4 hours (p = 0.00). Playing sports at school for more than four hours a week and not exposing at school to alcohol and fatty foods could help control blood pressure in pupils. However, further research will be required to confirm these findings.

Abstract In soccer, support is considered a fundamental offensive play in bringing theball towards, and in attacking the opponent’s goal. However, it is not clear how to objectively analyze the indicators of support play. Thus, this study aimed to examine the relationship between the number of players in support play and their distances from the ball carrier. By using tracking data from three games in the 2019 season of the J1 League; Japan’s top soccer league, a total of 1945 cases were analyzed, that dealt with passes that were successfully received during the offensive phase of the game. The following results were observed: • The percentage that three or more players will be present begins to increase nonlinearly at 10.9 m from the ball carrier. • The degree of increase in the “diamond shape” (DS) generation rate begins to increase non linearly at 12.7 m from the ball carrier and begins to decrease at 23.6 m. These findings suggest that coordinated support play is possible when three or more players form a DS at a distance of approximately 13 to 24 m from the ball carrier. The validity of the perspectives revealed in this paper needs to be further examined in future studies.