Male Skaters Research Articles

The Perception of Same Gender Coaches by Iranian Skaters and its Influence on Sport Achievement Motivation and Commitment

Aim: To examine the relationship between the perception of same gender coaches by male and female Iranian skaters and their sport achievement motivation and commitment. Participants: Fifty two female and forty two male skaters, age range 13 to 18 years, from the province of Isfahan in Iran. Materials: The following 3 questionnaires, tested for reliability and validity for the Iranian population and adapted for Farsi, were used: i) Pelletier, Fortier, Vallerand and Briere (2001) Interpersonal Behaviour Scale to measure social support of trainers, ii) Gill and Deeter (1988) Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ) to measure achievement motivation, and iii) Scanlan, Simons, Carpenter, Schmidt and Keeler (1993) Sport Commitment Model to measure sport commitment. Procedure: The questionnaires were administered to participants in person by the first author after training sessions in sport stadiums. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between perceived coaches' social support and sport achievement motivation and commitment for both male and female participants. However, on all of the above measures females scored significantly more positive ratings than their male counterparts. Results of regression analyses conducted separately for males and females showed that relatedness support is the strongest predictor for sport achievement motivation and commitment for males, whereas autonomy support was the strongest predictor for sport commitment amongst females. Implications: These findings are of particular interest in understanding the impact of perceived coaching support for young male and female athletes, especially if coached exclusively by the same gender.

Injuries and disorders among young ice skaters: relationship with generalized joint laxity and tightness.

This study retrospectively investigated 192 teenage speed and figure skaters with prior injuries documented by an athletes’ questionnaire, who underwent a physical examination to assess their muscle tightness and generalized joint laxity. In all athletes, the degree of muscle tightness and joint laxity were measured by a standardized physical examination. A descriptive report of the types of injuries showed a predominance of fractures, ligament injuries, enthesitis, and lower back pain. Approximately 5% of all skaters tested positive for tightness, while 25.8% of figure skaters and 15.2% of speed skaters had generalized ligamentous laxity. Statistical testing showed an association between ankle sprains and muscle tightness, and an association between knee enthesitis and muscle tightness in skating athletes. There was also an association between lower back pain and generalized joint laxity, which held true only for the male skaters.

Neuromuscular responses of elite skaters during different roller figure skating jumps.

This study aimed to describe the neuromuscular activity of elite athletes who performed various roller figure skating jumps, to determine whether the muscle activation is greater during jumps with more rotations and in which phase the muscles are more active. This study also aimed to analyze if there is any difference in the muscle activity pattern between female and male skaters. Four elite skaters were evaluated, and each participated in two experimental sessions. During the first session, anthropometric data were collected, and the consent forms were signed. For the second session, neuromuscular data were collected during jumps, which were performed with skates at a rink. The following four roller figure skating jumps were evaluated: single Axel, double Axel, double Mapes and triple Mapes. The neuromuscular activity of the following seven muscles was obtained with an electromyograph which was fixed to the waist of each skater with a strap: biceps femoris, lateral gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and gluteus maximus. The signal was transmitted wirelessly to a laptop. During the roller figure skating jumps, the lateral gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris and gluteus maximus, showed more activation during the jumps with more rotations, and the activation mainly occurred during the propulsion and flight phases. Female skaters demonstrated higher muscle activities in tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and gluteus maximus during the landing phase of the triple Mapes, when compared to their male counterparts. The results obtained in this study should be considered when planning training programs with specific exercises that closely resemble the roller figure skating jumps. This may be important for the success of elite skaters in competitions.

Nationality and gender in sports photography: a case study on portrayals of figure skaters at Torino Winter Olympics

This case study examines the images of figure skaters in the photo essays of two popular web sites Time.com and SI.com (Sports Illustrated) using semiotic analysis. The findings of the study show both reinforcement and contradictions in representation of gender and national identities. Female figure skaters were given greater prominence than male figure skaters in the photo essays, but they were also sexualised and feminised. An interesting interplay of masculinity and femininity was noted in the images of both male and female figure skaters. American bias was noted in the representations, however several contradictions also appeared. Discussion and implications of the study emphasise the changing and fluid nature of gender and nationality identity constructs in media representation.

Age group athletes in inline skating: decrease in overall and increase in master athlete participation in the longest inline skating race in Europe – the Inline One-Eleven

BackgroundParticipation and performance trends in age group athletes have been investigated in endurance and ultraendurance races in swimming, cycling, running, and triathlon, but not in long-distance inline skating. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in participation, age, and performance in the longest inline race in Europe, the Inline One-Eleven over 111 km, held between 1998 and 2009.MethodsThe total number, age distribution, age at the time of the competition, and race times of male and female finishers at the Inline One-Eleven were analyzed.ResultsOverall participation increased until 2003 but decreased thereafter. During the 12-year period, the relative participation in skaters younger than 40 years old decreased while relative participation increased for skaters older than 40 years. The mean top ten skating time was 199 ± 9 minutes (range: 189–220 minutes) for men and 234 ± 17 minutes (range: 211–271 minutes) for women, respectively. The gender difference in performance remained stable at 17% ± 5% across years.ConclusionTo summarize, although the participation of master long-distance inline skaters increased, the overall participation decreased across years in the Inline One-Eleven. The race times of the best female and male skaters stabilized across years with a gender difference in performance of 17% ± 5%. Further studies should focus on the participation in the international World Inline Cup races.

Creating a Champion: Identifying Components That Assist Skill Development in Young Speed Skaters

As effective athletic development is based upon the principle of the development of fundamental movement skills before specific sport skills, we wanted to determine if fundamental movement skills learned in other sports, as well as age and technical levels within the sport contributed to the success of developing speed skaters. Analysis of young male and female skaters determined that increases in technical and speed levels were characterized for females by previous experience in skating or participating in other sports and attendance. Increases in technical levels and speed for males were characterized by age, participating in other sports and attendance. By identifying and quantifying previous experience levels with development of sport-specific technical skill sets, a link to long term athletic development programs already initiated for speed skating in Canada is possible.

The anthropometric profile of elite roller figure skaters

Although the anthropometric profiles of Olympic athletes, as a group, are well known, there is still a need for specific reference data for each sport given that each discipline has its own characteristics. This study has been designed considering the limited number of articles that focus on the anthropometric characteristics of artistic roller skating and, more specifically, the figures discipline. The aim of this study is twofold: firstly, to define the anthropometric profile, body composition and somatotype of male and female artistic roller figure skaters in order to establish specific profiles; and, secondly, to establish the differences between the anthropometric profiles, body compositions and somatotypes of male and female skaters. Twenty-nine professional roller skaters (male = 15, female = 14) underwent measurements of standard anthropometry (height, body mass, arm span, 8 skinfolds, 3 breadths and 11 girths). The somatotype was measured using the Heath-Carter methods. A T-Student test for independent samples was conducted in order to assess the differences between male and female skaters. Significant statistical differences were found between male and female skaters in terms of body mass, height, arm span, the sum of four and six skinfolds and all skinfold measurements. Male skaters have a BMI of 21.4± 1.6 and female skaters have a BMI of 21.5 ± 2.4. The results indicate that arm span is an important characteristic for skaters. Mesomorphy is the most important component, followed by endomorphy, for male and female skaters. Male skaters have an endo- mesomorphic somatotype (3.5-4.5-2.5) and female skaters have a balanced mesomorphic somatotype (3.3-4.1-2.9).

Effect of Race Distance on Muscle Oxygenation in Short-Track Speed Skating

Previous work identified an asymmetry in tissue desaturation changes in the left and right quadriceps muscles during on-ice skating at maximal speed in males. The effect of changing race distance on the magnitude of desaturation or leg asymmetry is unknown. Six elite male skaters (age = 23 ± 1.8 yr, height = 1.8 ± 0.1 m, mass = 80.1 ± 5.7 kg, midthigh skinfold thickness = 7 ± 2 mm) and four elite female skaters (age = 21 ± 4 yr, height = 1.6 ± 0.1 m, mass = 65.2 ± 4.3 kg, midthigh skinfold thickness = 10 ± 1 mm) were studied. Subjects completed time trials over three race distances. Blood lactate concentration and O2 uptake measurements were combined with near-infrared spectroscopy measures of muscle oxygenation (TSI) and blood volume (tHb) in the right and left vastus lateralis. Neither race distance nor gender had a significant effect on the magnitude of maximal muscle desaturation (ΔTSI(max)). Pattern of local changes in tHb during individual laps was dependent upon subtle differences in skating technique used for the different race distances. Linear regression analysis revealed asymmetry between the right and left leg desaturation in males during the final stages of each race distance, but not in females. At all race distances, local muscle desaturation reached maximal values much more quickly than global VO(2peak). The use of wearable near-infrared spectroscopy devices enabled measurement of muscle oxygenation during competitive race simulation, thus providing unique insight into the effects of velocity and technique changes on local muscle oxygenation. This may have implications for training and race pacing in speed skating.

スピードスケート短距離ジュニアおよびシニア選手における筋の形態的特徴と陸上模倣動作における関節トルク発揮能力との関係

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between muscle morphological characteristics and joint torque exertion ability during movements simulating speed skating in sprint speed skaters. In 10 junior and 9 senior elite male skaters who participated in the 500-m race, the cross-sectional areas (CSA) of the right thigh and torso muscles were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Skaters performed two dry skating tests (single leg skate jump and side-jump) on a tartan track, and were videotaped using two synchronized high-speed video cameras (250 fps) with the DLT technique during the tests. The ground reaction forces (GRF) of the support right leg were measured using a force platform (500 Hz). The GRF and three-dimensional coordinates of the segment endpoints were determined in order to calculate the maximal joint torques in the lower limb using an inverse dynamics approach. Although no significant difference in the CSA of the thigh was observed between the junior and senior groups, the CSA of the torso in the senior group was significantly greater than that in the junior group (p<0.01). In the torso, the CSAs of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum in the senior group were significantly greater than those in the junior group (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). During the single leg skate jump, no significant difference in the maximal joint torques in the lower limb was observed between the junior and senior groups. In contrast, during the side-jump, the maximal hip abduction and internal rotation torques in the senior group were significantly greater than those in the junior group (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively), whereas maximal ankle plantar flexion torque in the junior group was significantly greater than that in the senior group (p<0.05). In addition, significant positive relationships were observed between the CSA of the quadratus lumborum and maximal hip abduction and internal rotation torques during the side-jump (p<0.05). These results indicate that senior top skaters increase their maximal joint torque exertion not at the distal joint but at the proximal joint in the lower limb. It was suggested that the CSAs of the psoas major and quadratus lumborum in the torso were important factors for development of performance in sprint speed skating.

S98 Ventilatory efficiency in pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: physiological differences and implications for disease-specific end-points

<i>Objectives and setting</i>—Injuries from in-line skating have risen sharply in many cities around the world. To understand risk taking behavior and safety practices associated with urban in-line skating, 2210 outdoor skaters were observed in Boston, Massachusetts. <i>Methods</i>—Estimated age, gender, use of helmets, wrist guards, elbow and kneepads were recorded. Skaters were coded as beginner, average, or advanced, and skating locations were classified as street, sidewalk, or bicycle path. <i>Results</i>—About 60% of skaters wore wrist guards, but only 5.7% wore helmets. Males wore less protective equipment than females, and were more likely to skate on streets. Beginners and advanced skaters wore more protective gear than average skaters. Surprisingly, street skaters wore less protective gear than skaters on sidewalks or paths. <i>Conclusions</i>—Renewed focus on the importance of wearing helmets is needed. Given the higher injury risks for males, clinicians and public health experts need to target male skaters in prevention efforts. In addition, average and advanced skaters need to be convinced that even though they have improved, it is still important to wear protective gear.

Pacing and Performance in Competitive Middle-Distance Speed Skating

Data from speed skating during World Cup 1,500-m middle-distance races were analyzed to (a) determine the time/velocity distribution during the race and (b) assess the impact of time spent in several race sectors on performance outcome. Absolute and relative sector times for the first 300 m (S1) and the following three 400-m laps (S2–S4) and their associations with total race time were analyzed for 53 female and 61 male skaters. Simple regression analyses revealed that both a short relative sector time later in the race (women in S3: p < .001; men in S3: p = .001) and a high relative sector time early in the race (women in S1: p < .001; men in S1: p = .08) were associated with a short total race time in the 1,500-m middle-distance event. These findings suggest that for the best overall time it is important to be as fast as possible later in the race and not quite as fast during the first part of the race. Therefore, speed skating performance may be improved by maintaining a high velocity or by minimizing the decline from a high velocity during later race segments.

Pacing Pattern and Speed Skating Performance in Competitive Long-Distance Events

The present study was aimed to compare the pacing pattern adopted by women and men in races performed during a complete World Cup series. Elite skaters competed in long-distance races of different length (3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 m) and location (low/high altitude) where distribution of lap times were analyzed. Regardless of athletes' performance level, gender, or rinks' location, similar pacing patterns were observed in each event, which were characterized by an initial acceleration followed by a progressive delay in lap times-"positive pacing strategy". Differences in lap times were significant in each instance for women's 3,000 m (p < 0.001). For the 5,000 m races, laps 5-12 in women and laps 8-12 in men were slower compared with previous laps (p < 0.001, for both sexes). For men's 10,000 m, skaters performed only the first lap faster than the remaining laps (p < 0.001) with laps 2-7 not different from each other but faster than laps 19-24 (p < 0.05), which also did not differ from each other. Top-ranked compared with bottom-ranked skaters (p < 0.001) and male compared with female skaters (p < 0.001) were significantly faster at each lap, suggesting that technical or physiological or both aspects need to be developed in those. The significantly shorter lap times at high- compared with low-altitude races (p < 0.001) suggest that rinks' location appears to be important for performance outcome, at elite level.

Male pond skaters forced to “sing” for sex

Male pond skaters forced to “sing” for sex

Skateparks as a health‐resource: are they as dangerous as they look?

Skateboarding raises an interesting dilemma in the field of health promotion. While public health institutions are engaged in unprecedented efforts to counter the sedentary lifestyles of youth, the promotion of lifestyle sports and active leisure practices, such as skateboarding, is tempered by the potential risks of injuries. The health‐risks associated with skateboarding have generally been viewed through the lens of epidemiology. Sociology, on the other hand, has yet to provide research on injuries that meshes with this literature. This paper addresses this absence by drawing on the works of Pierre Bourdieu to present a different perspective on the health benefits and injuries associated with skateparks. Using his concepts of ‘physical capital’ and ‘social capital’, the analysis consists of 388 days of observation (mean of 35 days in 11 skateparks) and 23 in‐depth interviews with male and female skaters in Montreal, Canada. Its findings indicate that few serious injuries occurred in these skateparks and that these spaces do not correspond to the image depicted of skateboarding in previous research. From this, we suggest that skateparks should be conceived as a valuable health‐resource for youth because they provide various social, psychological and physical resources that encourage a safe and active lifestyle.

Do skin suits affect the average skating speed?

We analyze the effectiveness of speed skating suits to allow for increases in average skating speed. We used the full set of speed skating results of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games of Salt Lake City and modeled the average skating speed of both male and female speed skaters at distances from 500 to 10 000 m. Speed correlates with the physical characteristics of the skaters, past performance, and technical equipment, like speed skating suits that reduce drag. Nike's Swift Skin suit seems to outperform other suits in terms of results, but once corrected for selection bias, we found that none of the suits outperform the others.

Biomechanics of aggressive inline skating: Landing and balancing on a grind rail

Currently, only epidemiological injury data have been reported for the new extreme sport of aggressive inline skating, or trick skating. No studies have examined the biomechanics of this sport, which involves repetitive jumping and landing from railings, ramps, and ledges, often over 1 m in height. We present results of a pilot study that examined the effect of skater experience and lower extremity biomechanics on energy absorption ability, and observed balance strategies used during two basic tricks. In these tricks, the skater jumps onto an elevated rail and maintains balance while standing in a single position (stall) or sliding along the rail (grind). Lower extremity joint kinematics, impact force characteristics, and general movement behaviours were examined during landing and balance phases. Ten male skaters performed ten stalls and ten frontside grinds on an instrumented grind rail, capable of measuring vertical force. Vertical impact force was found to decrease with increasing skater experience in stalls (r = −0.84, P = 0.002) and grinds (r = −0.84, P = 0.009). This might imply that less-experienced skaters are (subconsciously) more concerned about maintaining balance than refining technique to minimize impact force. Similar to drop landing experiments, peak impact force decreased with increasing knee flexion during stalls (r = −0.65, P = 0.04). During stalls, skaters demonstrated classic balance maintenance strategies (ankle, hip, or multi-joint) depending on trick length. During grinds, skater centre of mass never passed over the rail base of support, suggesting the use of momentum produced from obliquely approaching the rail.

Kinematic Analysis of the Technique for Elite Male Long-Distance Speed Skaters in Curving

The purpose of this study was to investigate technical factors for maintaining skating velocity by kinematic analysis of the skating motion for elite long-distance skaters during the curve phase in official championship races. Sixteen world-class elite male skaters who participated in the 5,000-m race were videotaped with two synchronized high-speed video cameras (250 Hz) in a curve lane by using a panning DLT technique. Three-dimensional coordinates of the body and blades during the first and second halves of the races were collected to calculate kinematic parameters. In the group that maintained greater skating velocity, the thigh angle during the gliding phase of the left stroke during the second half was greater than that during the first half, and the center of mass was located more forward during the second half. Thus, it was suggested that long-distance speed skaters should change the support leg position during the gliding phase in the left stroke of the curve phase under fatigued conditions so that they could extend the support leg with a forward rotation of the thigh and less shank backward rotation.

Hemoglobin Level in Elite Speed Skaters from 2000 up to 2005, and its Relationship with Competitive Results

We studied the mean hemoglobin (Hb) concentration in elite male and female long track junior and senior speed skaters from 2000 to 2005. In addition, the number of abnormal hematological findings observed over this period of time was investigated. We also studied whether there were differences in Hb concentration between top ranked and lower ranked skaters, and whether a relationship between Hb concentration and competitive results could be observed. The present study shows that the mean Hb level in male and female junior and senior long track speed skaters remained fairly stable and did not change from 2000 through 2005. The number and percentage of abnormal hematological findings were found to vary between 0 and 2 %, and failed to show a clear pattern or trend over the years. There was no difference in mean Hb levels between top ranked and lower ranked skaters, and no meaningful relationship between Hb concentration and ranking could be found.

Injuries in Synchronized Skating

Synchronized skating is a relatively new competitive sport and data about injuries in this discipline are lacking. Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and pattern of acute and overuse injuries in synchronized skaters. Before and during the World Synchronized Skating Championship 2004, a questionnaire inquiring about the frequency of injuries in this skating discipline was given to 23 participating teams. A total of 514 women and 14 men senior skaters completed the questionnaires (100 % response). Two hundred and eighteen (42.4 %) female and 6 (42.9 %) male skaters had suffered from acute injuries during their synchronized skating career. As some skaters had suffered from more than one injury, the total number of acute injuries in females was 398 and in males 14. In female skaters 19.8 % of acute injuries were head injuries, 7.1 % trunk, 33.2 % upper, and 39.9 % lower extremity injuries. In male skaters 14.3 % were head injuries, 28.6 % upper, and 57.1 % lower extremity injuries, with no report of trunk injuries. Sixty-nine female and 2 male skaters had low back problems and 112 female and 2 male skaters had one or more overuse syndromes during their skating career. Of 155 overuse injuries in female skaters, 102 (65.8 %) occurred during their figure skating career, while 53 injuries (34.2 %) only occurred when they skated in synchronized skating teams. In male skaters, out of 5 overuse injuries, 4 (80 %) occurred in their figure skating career, while 1 (20 %) occurred during their synchronized skating career. Out of the total of 412 injuries, 338 (82 %) occurred during on-ice practice, while 74 (18 %) happened during off-ice training. Ninety-one (26.9 %) acute injures occurred while practicing individual elements, and 247 (73.1 %) on-ice injuries occurred while practicing different team elements. We conclude that injuries in synchronized skating should be of medical concern due to an increasing number of acute injuries, especially those that go beyond the soft tissue and include head injuries and fractures. We feel that these more significant injuries MAY TO SOME EXTENT BE attributable to the increasing physical demands and technical difficulty required of the teams now participating in a more competitive environment over the last four years.

Food Preferences, Dieting Behaviors, and Body Image Perceptions of Elite Figure Skaters

The objectives of this study were to determine food preferences, body image perceptions, dieting behaviors, and nutrient intakes of elite male and female figure skaters. Male (n = 23) and female (n = 26) figure skaters completed a food preference checklist, a questionnaire examining their demographics, dieting behaviors and body image perceptions, and 3-d food records. Male skaters had a higher preference (score > or = 6) for grains, fruit, meat, dairy, fats, and sweets. Female skaters had higher preference for grains and fruits. Of the female skaters, 30% considered themselves overweight and indicated a preference for a thinner body contour. Both male and female skaters expressed a preference for leaner body contours for members of the opposite gender. Total energy intake, total fat (females) and dietary fiber were below the dietary recommendations. Vitamin E, vitamin D, folate (females), pantothenic acid (females), calcium (females), magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (females) were less than two-thirds of the dietary recommendations. Macronutrient intake of male skaters was associated with preferences for the grain group, although no association was observed among female skaters. Results suggest that these behaviors and attitudes need to be assessed and addressed among figure skaters, given their impact on dietary intakes and overall well-being.