Black Athletes Research Articles

Baseball Rebels: The Players, People, and Social Movements That Shook Up the Game and Changed America by Peter Dreier and Robert Elias

Reviewed by: Baseball Rebels: The Players, People, and Social Movements That Shook Up the Game and Changed America by Peter Dreier and Robert Elias Paul Hensler Peter Dreier and Robert Elias. Baseball Rebels: The Players, People, and Social Movements That Shook Up the Game and Changed America. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2022. 408 pp. Cloth, $36.95. In an age where increasing amounts of attention continue to be devoted to diversity and inclusion, Peter Dreier and Robert Elias reinforce the notion that we’ve come a long way but still have a long way to go. Baseball Rebels serves as a well- rounded volume that examines various aspects of the national pastime vis-à- vis the tumultuous social issues of race relations, the battle of the sexes— in more ways than one— and progressive activism. The narrative is made up of short essays related to a common theme and as such makes for a handy reference for each topic or subtopic. Possibly the best of these is found in chapter 3, titled “Before Jackie Robinson,” which provides readers with overviews of the state of Blacks in the world of baseball up to 1947, the formation and subsequent plight of the Negro Leagues, and vignettes of, among others, Wendell Smith, Lester Rodney, and Bill Veeck, each of whom led efforts to point the segregated game toward a more even playing field. As is the case with other major sections of the text dealing with sexism and activism, the book chronicles the long odds faced in overcoming stereotypes and prejudice, and the broad spectrum of “rebels” featured herein are the [End Page 124] trailblazers who broke down barriers in order for baseball to become less of a white male- dominated domain and more representative of the face of America. The authors make no attempt to ameliorate the difficulties encountered by those brave enough to buck the current trends, whether the topic is gay athletes putting up a false front to look inconspicuous by pretending to be heterosexual, Black athletes trying to ignore racial taunts directed at them from the stands, or an activist player like pitcher Sean Doolittle, to whom over eight pages are devoted in describing his open-mindedness to accept people of all stripes and his willingness to be a hands- on participant in community affairs. The rebels also include the late Terry Cannon, the founding father of the Baseball Reliquary as an institution devoted to figures either not worthy of Cooperstown enshrinement or who somehow don’t fit the Hall of Fame’s prescribed categories of player, manager, umpire, or executive but whose impact on the game holds relevance. Dr. Frank Jobe, whose innovative “Tommy John surgery” saved more than a few careers, and Topps baseball card magnate Sy Berger are two such honorees in the Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals. Yet for all the personalities that Dreier and Elias incorporate in their book, two names are conspicuous by their absence. Not found in these pages are Janet Marie Smith, whose work in the development of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in the early 1990s became a springboard for retro- ballpark construction and renovation, and Sherry Davis, who broke the glass ceiling preventing women from becoming public address announcers when she took the microphone for the San Francisco Giants beginning in 1993. Also, while the text covers a lengthy time frame and the authors place events in proper historical context, references to the Cold War being at its height in 1949 and 1950 miss the mark— the era was in its infancy and had even yet to see the launch of Sputnik or the fearful episode of the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, readers should not be taken aback by passages that may appear to stray from the overarching theme of the book. Baseball and sports are a reflection of society, and vice versa; thus, Dreier and Elias do well in citing Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Billie Jean King, and Colin Kaepernick to demonstrate that rebellious leanings are not exclusive to the national pastime. “Whether they seek or acknowledge it, professional athletes are public figures and celebrities. Their celebrity status provides them with a public platform...

A Review of Black Student-Athletes’ College Experiences, Athlete Activism, & Activism in Summer 2020

Black student-athletes have been highly stereotyped on college campuses for many years and have faced much racism and discrimination. In the summer of 2020, many of these athletes began sharing their negative experiences on social media as part of the wave of social activism that spread across the country after the death of George Floyd. Many also called for change both at their respective universities and at the societal level. This review first discusses Black student-athletes, including literature examining their experiences at Predominantly White institutions (PWIs). It will also share the history of athlete activism for professional and student-athletes, examples of Black athletes using their positions as agents of change in relation to social justice movements, and how student-athletes view activism. It concludes with a section discussing why it is necessary to provide student-athletes with a platform to speak out.

The Rise of Cool Japan: The Representation of Japanese and American Athletes in Kuroko no Basuke: Extra Game

Calling on several disciplines from cultural history to media studies and gender studies, this paper analyses the representation of race, gender and culture in Japanese sports manga Kuroko no Basuke: Extra Game. First, it deconstructs the politics of sports manga and its representation of foreign athletes, as it allows Japanese mangakas to portray Japan as a rising cultural and athletic superpower. Then, it focuses on Kuroko no Basuke: Extra Game, in order to study the visual and textual representation of both American and Japanese athletes through the prism of race, gender and culture. Indeed, it draws a sharp contrast between American and Japanese masculinities. Also, it relays a deeply-stereotyped version of the myth of the Black Athlete. Last, this study focuses on the (soft) power of this cultural artefact, the duel of ethos which is relayed through it, and the signifying representation of bodies and emotions. In a nutshell, this work deconstructs Japanese sports mangas and their political dimension to assess the part played by these global cultural artefacts in shaping collective imaginations from Japan to France, via the United States.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Basketball and Soccer Stadiums, the Role of Automated External Defibrillators: A Review. For the BELTRAN Study (BaskEtbaLl and soccer sTadiums: Registry on Automatic exterNal defibrillators).

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during sports events has a dramatic impact on stadium-goers and the public and is often associated with poor outcomes unless treated with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Despite this, stadiums vary in AED use. This review aims to identify the risks and incidences of SCA, and the use of AEDs in soccer and basketball stadiums. A narrative review of all relevant papers was conducted. Athletes across all sports face an SCA risk of 1:50,000 athlete-years, with the greatest risk of SCA in young male athletes (1:35,000 person-years) and black male athletes (1:18,000 person-years). Africa and South America have the poorest soccer SCA outcomes at 3% and 4% survival. AED use on-site improves survival greater than defibrillation by emergency services. Many stadiums do not have AEDs implemented into medical plans and the AEDs are often unrecognisable or are obstructed. Therefore, AEDs should be used on-site, use clear signalling, have certified trained personnel, and be incorporated into stadiums' medical plans.

A New Tool to Aid the Differential Diagnosis of Physiological Remodelling from Cardiac Pathology When Assessing Left Ventricle, Left Atrial and Aortic Structure and Function in Male Arab and Black Paediatric Athletes.

Aim: To determine if published Z-scores for left ventricular (LV), left atrial (LA) and aortic structure as well as indices of LV function (Doppler and TDI) in paediatric athletes and non-athletes are appropriate for application in male Arab and black paediatric athletes. If inappropriate, we aim to provide new nomograms and Z-scores for clinical application. Methods: 417 (297 Arab, 120 black) male paediatric (11-18 years) athletes, were evaluated by 2D echocardiography as per British Society of Echocardiography recommendations, and biological age (by radiological X-ray) assessment. Z-scores were tested by residual and correlation analysis together with visual inspection. New Z-scores involved allometric (a*BSA(b+c*chronological age)) and second-order polynomial (y=a*chronological age2+b*chronological age+c) equations for measures of cardiac size and indices of LV function, respectively. Results: Residual linear regression, correlation analysis and visual inspection revealed published z-scores in white peri-pubertal footballers and paediatric non-athletes to be inappropriate for application in male Arab and black paediatric athletes. Residual linear regression revealed new Z-scores for measures of LV, LA and aortic root size to be independent of BSA, ethnicity, chronological and biological age. Residual linear regression revealed new Z-scores for measures of function to be independent of chronological age. Conclusion: Our new z-scores may aid differential diagnosis of suspected pathology versus physiology remodelling, in cardiac screening of the Arab and black paediatric athlete. Nomograms are provided to assist the tracking of the paediatric athlete necessitating annual follow-up and Excel z-score calculation to facilitate use in day-to-day practice.

Eliminating Racial Bias and Challenges for Black Athletes With Sports-Related Concussion: The Role of Speech-Language Pathology Clinicians and Researchers

Purpose: The aim of this tutorial is to highlight racial bias and challenges for Black adult athletes' cognitive-communication disorders associated with sports-related concussion (SRC). The author discusses racial bias in SRC literature and research and cultural differences in the cognitive and communication styles of Black athletes that lead to bias. The tutorial highlights challenges placed on the Black athletes when culturally responsive practices are not used in research and clinical practice. Finally, speech-language pathology clinicians and researchers are provided with practical solutions to decrease racial barriers in SRC research and clinical practice. Conclusion: Challenges for Black adult athletes with SRC can be overcome when speech-language pathology clinicians and researchers increase their awareness of what causes racial health disparities, eliminate beliefs in stereotypes centered around the cognitive and communication styles of Black adults, and engage in culturally responsive practices that promote equity and inclusion.

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SHOULDER IN JIU-JITSU BLACK BELT ATHLETES.

To assess the epidemiological profile of Jiu-Jitsu black belt athletes, including the prevalence of pain and shoulder function. Cross-sectional study carried out with Jiu-Jitsu athletes from 2014 to 2016. The studied variables were: sex, age, dominant limb, weight, height, profession, time of Jiu-Jitsu practice, weekly training hours, other practiced sports, comorbidities, injuries and previous surgeries, medications and habits. For the functional assessment of the shoulder, the ASES Score was used. 53 male athletes were evaluated. There was a prevalence of alcohol consumption (60.4%) and supplement use (32.1%). The practice of other sports included weight training (49.1%) and other martial arts (17%). There was a prevalence of knee (66.0%) and shoulder (52.8%) injuries and, in some cases, the need for surgical procedures. There was a prevalence of shoulder pain (73.6%) and more than half of the athletes (52.9%) had minimal or moderate limitation of shoulder function. Jiu-jitsu black belt athletes often have a history of injuries, with the shoulder being the second most affected body part. In more than half of the athletes, there was a prevalence of shoulder pain and functional limitation, according to the ASES Score. Level of evidence III, Retrospective comparative study.

Racismo, ressentimento e resistência: o baile de Vinicius Junior sobre o recalque espanhol

In this work, we propose to analyze the discursive practices of racial exclusion in relation to the black Brazilian athlete Vinicius Junior in European soccer. With this study, we aim to contribute to Foucauldian discursive studies, starting with the explanation of the notion of enuncia-tive function in the analysis of racist discourses, and showing that the statements always point to others that belong to the same enunciate network. To carry out the analysis, we will use, as meth-odological tools, the studies of Discourse Analysis carried out by Michel Foucault, especially the concepts of enunciation, power, and resistance. We will carry out the analyses to verify the presence of discursive regularities of animalization, dehumanization, and demoralization of excluded sub-jects. In addition, we will analyze the materialization of emotions in the statements that make up the discourses of resentment and repression. We will start with the statement that you must respect your opponent. When you score a goal, if you want to dance, go to the Sambadrome in Brazil. Here, what you must do is respect your fellow professionals and stop monkeying around to carry out the proposed checks. This research will result in an understanding of the discursive functioning of the relations of power in which black Brazilian athletes are inserted in European soccer.

Hoops: A Cultural History of Basketball in America by Thomas Aiello (review)

Reviewed by: Hoops: A Cultural History of Basketball in America by Thomas Aiello Wade Davies Hoops: A Cultural History of Basketball in America. By Thomas Aiello. Lanham, MD: Rowan and Littlefield, 2022. ix + 271 pp. Bibliographic essay, index. $34.00 cloth. Sports historians have long hoped for a grand basketball narrative that appeals equally well to scholarly and popular audiences and centers the game at the heart of the American experience, alongside baseball and football—two sports that have elicited far more scholarly attention. Thomas Aiello has finally written that book. It comes in the form of a concise yet sweeping narrative that traces basketball's evolution, both at the college and professional levels, from its origin and early development in the 1890s, through its mid-twentieth-century maturation, and to its ascent as a premier professional sport, embodied by the post-1970s National Basketball Association (NBA). Aiello strikes an effective balance between in-depth scholarly analysis of basketball's evolving social significance, particularly relative to struggles for gender equality and racial justice, and inspirational stories about all-time great players and teams. Casual readers will particularly appreciate later chapters featuring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and, of course, Michael Jordan. The book serves almost as well as a survey of twentieth-century American history as it does a basketball history, in that extended sections are devoted to detail ing broader societal developments—including the Civil Rights Movement, AIDS epidemic, passage of Title IX, COVID-19 pandemic, and Black Lives Matter—before relating these topics back to the sport and its players. Basketball is presented as equally reflecting and influencing the society around it. Aiello so deftly weaves these varied and weighty discussions into his narrative that his book would be as equally well placed as a text for a United States history survey course as for a more focused sports history course. Aiello's otherwise comprehensive narrative does, however, fall a little short in fully capturing basketball's widespread significance to a diverse population. He devotes primary attention to basketball's significance to African Americans and to race relations affecting Black athletes and communities, and deservedly so, but rarely mentions how important this game has been for other athletes of color or of diverse ethnicities, apart from brief mentions of Native American boarding-school teams and longer sections featuring early twentieth-century Jewish teams. More could be said about the intense hoops passion many Indigenous, Asian American, and Latino/a athletes have demonstrated through the years; and there is more to say as well about the game's early importance to American Catholics and other religious communities. These criticisms aside, this is still the most comprehensive and all-around best historical overview yet written about American basketball and is a volume that no sports historian or basketball enthusiast should do without. Scholars will also appreciate the extensive bibliographic essays Aiello includes for each chapter subject. [End Page 110] Wade Davies Native American Studies University of Montana Copyright © 2023 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Beyond the Lens: Black Professional Athletes on Race, Racism & the Realities of Breathing While Black

This study investigates how Black professional athletes articulate their lived experiences concerning race and racism in the United States through the online digital platform The Players’ Tribune. A qualitative content analysis of narratives (N=29) were analyzed. Results reveal themes of violence perpetuated by law enforcement, fear for the life of self and loved ones, identity, history of systemic racism, call for allyship, Black empowerment and unity.

Abstract 14679: Electrocardiogram Findings From Athletic Adaptation and COVID-19 Infection in Collegiate Football Players

Introduction: Improved criteria have enhanced the sensitivity and specificity of the 12-lead ECG to identify underlying cardiovascular conditions predisposing to sudden cardiac death or morbidity. However, the impacts of chronic high-intensity exercise and especially ethnicity on changes in longitudinal ECG remain unknown. Furthermore, given the ongoing pandemic, we must consider how COVID19 infection may impact ECG findings. We analyzed collegiate student athlete ECGs over time to determine whether longitudinal training, race, and post-COVID19 status impact the ECG findings with the goal of informing future interpretation criteria. Methods: We included twenty-two NCAA Division I football players from January 2018 to January 2021. Ten athletes contracted COVID19 during this period. We compared pre-season ECGs prior to the first and third years of athletic participation as well as any within 34 days after confirmed COVID19 infection. Heart rate, QRS duration, QT interval, and any International Criteria findings were identified. The ECGs acquired prior to the athlete’s first-year of participation served as the baseline for comparison for the third-year and post-COVID19 ECG. T-tests and two-sample z-tests were used as appropriate for statistical analysis. Results: Compared to matched first-year baseline, the QRS duration of post-COVID19 ECGs was significantly longer (102 ± 26 ms vs 100 ± 31 ms, p = 0.01, 95% CI 0.62-3.77), which was not seen when compared to matched third-year ECGs. There were no other significant differences between white and black athletes, or those of third-year ECGs compared to the matched first-year baseline. Conclusions: In this small cohort of 22 athletes, there was no significant change in heart rate, QRS duration, QT interval, or International Criteria classifications, including early repolarization and voltage, between first- and third-year ECGs of white and black athletes. Although the post-COVID19 QRS duration was significantly increased compared to first-year ECGs, the range was still within normal; there was no increase with respect to third-year ECGs. Further analysis of a larger sampling of athletes of different sexes and sports that also considers the impact of training on the post-COVID ECG is ongoing.

Young Kings: Marcus Rashford and Theopolitical Charisma

ABSTRACT In the aftermath of the UK loss in the 2020 Euro Football Cup, I analyze a theopolitical force of contemporary black football players, as a sovereignty from below epitomized by the figure of Marcus Rashford. Given his meteoric rise in British culture and his prominent social activism against child hunger, Rashford, among the other targets of racial abuse, is a particularly apt exemplar. By integrating anthropological ideas on theopolitics, totemism, charisma, and the sacrality of substance, this paper asks how the iconography, life histories, and social media interventions of young, kingly, Black (mainly Christian) athletes, effect a theopolitical force as an elastic movement of self-referentiality and sovereignty from below that is agonistic rather than antagonistic to the state. Specifically, it explores how these black footballers enliven an exemplar of theopolitical sovereignty that does not decide on letting live or making it die, but on doing a work of undoing injustice.

Controlled Evaluation of a Sport-Specific Performance Optimization Program in a Biracial Black and White Athlete Diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia

There are a very limited number of sport-specific mental health and sport performance interventions available for athletes of color. This study examined The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) in a biracial adolescent athlete who was diagnosed with Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder. A multiple-baseline across behaviors case trial design was used to evaluate outcomes. A battery of psychological measures specific to mental health and sport performance was administered at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Social skill sets (i.e., positive assertion and negative assertion) were systematically targeted sequentially in a virtual format using HIPAA compliant video-conferencing technology to safeguard against contracting COVID-19. Results demonstrated improvement in negative and positive assertion skills when targeted by the intervention. Severity of concurrent symptoms associated with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia Symptoms, general psychiatric functioning, relationships with coaches, teammates and family, and factors interfering with sports performance improved from pre- to post-intervention. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Athlete ratings indicated their satisfaction with TOPPS was high, and intervention components were implemented with high integrity.

The impact of elite endurance activity on cardiac remodelling in asians: an echocardiographic case control study

Abstract Background Prolonged endurance training results in physiological changes to elite athletes' hearts. These changes include thickened left ventricular (LV) walls and dilated left and right ventricles that may overlap with those from pathological conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. While reference ranges for elite black and white athletes have been published to facilitate differentiation of physiology from pathology, data on Asian athletes remains scarce. With increasing Asian representation in international sport, it is important to ascertain the extent of physiological cardiac remodelling in Asian athletes. Purpose This study aimed to compare echocardiographic parameters of elite endurance athletes (EAs) and non-endurance controls and describe reference ranges in this population of Asian athletes. Methods Consecutive elite athletes engaging in endurance sport were identified from the Singapore Sports Cardiology Registry from January to October 2018. Controls were obtained from 3 sources: (a) skill-based athletes from the Singapore Sports Cardiology Registry, (b) healthy non-athletic volunteers from a national atrial fibrillation registry, and (c) healthy non-athletic volunteers from a national heart failure registry. All participants underwent resting two-dimensional, M-mode and Doppler transthoracic echocardiography and findings from EA were compared with controls. Results 165 participants (55 EAs, 110 controls) were analysed (median age 29 years, male gender n=95; 58%, Chinese ethnicity n=55 for EAs; 100%) Baseline characteristics between both groups were comparable (Table 1). EAs had larger LV wall thickness (9.2 vs. 8.1 mm, p<0.001), LV cavity size (50.7 vs. 48.2 mm, p<0.001), LV mass index (98.4 vs. 73.8 g/m2, p<0.001), aortic root diameter at sinus of Valsalva (30.6 vs. 28.9 mm, p<0.01), right ventricular dimensions and biatrial volumes compared to controls (Table 2). Similar results were noted after indexing to body surface area. These associations also persisted after adjusting for age. Conclusion(s) Endurance activity in elite Singaporean Chinese athletes was associated with significant structural and functional cardiac remodeling compared to controls. Reference ranges for echocardiographic parameters in this population were described, allowing for more accuracy when differentiating physiology from pathology in Asian athletes. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Harold B. Lee and Mormonism's Black Priesthood and Temple Ban

Harold B. Lee and Mormonism's Black Priesthood and Temple Ban

America’s Race-Based Caste Structure: Its Impact in College and Professional Sports

Racial inequities in college and professional sports remain prevalent and persistent despite the awareness of such inequities by those with the power to effectuate change. This Article proposes that explanations frequently offered for the slow pace of progress often fail to account for the hierarchy derived from a race-based caste system embedded in American society. Relying on the work of author Isabel Wilkerson, Part II describes major pillars of America’s race-based caste structure. Part III examines how stereotypes of Blacks’ presumed intellectual inferiority and a lack of fitness for leadership roles adversely impact their access to positions of power in both college and professional sports. Part IV discusses how the caste-system hierarchy and its accompanying mindset manifests in the academic marginalization of Black college athletes and the transfer of revenue disproportionately generated by them to predominantly White coaches, athletic administrators, and athletes in non-revenue generating sports. This Article discusses the limited effectiveness of legal doctrine, including anti-discrimination laws and contract law principles, to significantly diminish the above-referenced racial inequities in college and professional sport. In addition, it proposes specific policies that may assist in achieving greater racial equity in sport. It concludes, however, that a necessary step in moving toward greater racial equity in college and professional sports is an honest recognition that systemic racial inequities are, in part, a product of a caste-system mindset.

Differences in the Morphological Characteristics and Body Composition between Elite Montenegrin Kata and Kumite Karatekas

Elite karatekas should have specific morphological characteristics suitable for their specializations. This study aimed to determine the differences in morphological characteristics and body composition of elite Montenegrin karate athletes according to different specializations. This study consisted of a total of 16 male karate athletes divided according to specialization in kata (form or movement pattern) and kumite (fighting) disciplines. The subject sample included healthy, black belt karate senior athletes, with no prior injuries divided into kata (n-6, 19.83±4.71 years) and kumite (n-10, 20.4±5.21 years) athletes. Morphological characteristics and body composition were evaluated by a battery of 11 variables: body height (BH), body mass (BM), triceps skinfold (TS), biceps skinfold (BiS), back skinfold (BS), abdominal skinfold (AS), upper leg skinfold (UlS), lower leg skinfold (LlS), body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (FP), and muscle mass percentages (MP). The differences in morphological characteristics and the composition of the body between kata and kumite karatekas were determined by using a statistical procedure with a t-test for small independent samples. It was determined that the kumite had a higher body height, and body weight, as well as a higher percentage of muscle mass than kata karatekas. In other parameters concerning the distribution of subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as the percentage of body fat, there was no difference between the groups. The results suggest that there is some difference in morphological characteristics between kata and kumite karatekas, but for more complete conclusions an analysis should be performed on a larger sample of high-level karate athletes.

The Talk by Alicia D. Williams

Reviewed by: The Talk by Alicia D. Williams Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Williams, Alicia D. The Talk; illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. Atheneum/ 2022 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781534495296 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781534495302 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* 6-10 yrs With a wide, gap-toothed smile, our spunky protagonist Jay introduces readers to himself and his pals Jamal, Eboni, and Bryant. The four friends spend their Saturdays racing through the neighborhood under the watchful eye of Jay's grandfather, who regales them with stories of famous Black athletes. Jay's impatient to grow, but as his height ticks up along the wall and he's allowed a bit more independence, he notices he's getting more warnings than stories from his grandfather and the other adults in his life. In a painful but likely familiar scene to Black households, the grown-ups sit him down, and the story here spills into a wordless scene, smudged in blues and grays, depicting overt, racist aggression against Black people, from being yelled at in a store to handcuffed by police. While Jay's family reassures him none of the nasty stares or violence is his fault, the weight of those injustices looms, even as the book ends with Jay and co. happily zooming through the streets again. The book carefully avoids both preachiness and total resignation, acknowledging Jay's joyful childhood along with the forces that threaten it. The illustrations bring a subtle but powerful emphasis, especially in a second viewing. Young Jay playfully seated at the wheel of his dad's car or pulling up his favorite hoodie mirrors later scenes that show his family cautioning an older Jay against those same actions. The smudgy art has a depth and richness that create movement, assisted by the telling body language of the various figures; particularly poignant are Jay's mom's [End Page 69] expressions of pride and worry as she measures his height against the wall. Adult guidance might be needed at points, but this is guaranteed to spark a discussion about the issues everyone should be talking about. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Trajal Harrell: The Anxiety of Autobiography

Trajal Harrell: The Anxiety of Autobiography

Energy demands in high-intensity intermittent taekwondo specific exercises.

BackgroundTaekwondo is an intermittent Olympic combat sport, which shows an aerobic predominance in matches and high participation of alactic metabolism for actions that determine competitive success. However, there is no information on energetic contribution systems in different high-intensity intermittent exercises for metabolic conditioning with specific movements. The study aimed to measure the physiological demands, mainly the energy expenditure, in taekwondo-specific high-intensity intermittent exercises (HIIE).MethodsThis study recruited ten male black belt athletes with a mean age of 20.2 ± 4 years, body mass of 62.8 ± 10.5 kg and height of 170.6 ± 7.8 cm, and total practice time of 11.8 ± 5.4 years. Subjects performed an incremental specific test and three different HIIE protocols on nonconsecutive days, and all comprised three 2-min rounds and 1 min of recovery between rounds. Heart rate, oxygen consumption, and blood lactate were measured. Energetic expenditure of aerobic, alactic, and lactic metabolisms was estimated through oxygen consumption, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, and peak blood lactate after each round.ResultsFor the mean of the three rounds, the TKDtest100 resulted in higher absolute and relative contribution from the aerobic metabolism (52.4 ± 4%; p = 0.01) and lower than the 35:5 relative alactic contribution (48.7 ± 5.4%; p = 0.03).ConclusionThe mean of the three rounds for 35:5 and 15:10:5 presented similar absolute and relative contributions of aerobic and alactic metabolisms, whereas the TKDtest100 was a predominantly aerobic activity. We emphasize that aerobic metabolism was predominant from the second round in the 15:10:5 and 100%TKDtest protocols and in the last round of the 35:5 protocol.