In this paper, we proposed a novel efficient barbell trajectory extraction algorithm and further implemented a computer aided weightlifting training system with our proposed algorithm. The proposed method extracts the barbell trajectory from the video sequence both considering spatial and temporal information which are the barbell color and motion information between each frame. The experimenta...

OBJECTIVE Because the controversy about the relation of foot morphology and foot function is still present, we find it surprising that there are no studies published dealing with motor skills and athletic performance in flat-footed school children. Our aim in this study was to determine if there is an association between the degree of foot flatness and several motor skills that are necessary fo...

This text provides a synopsis, as well as some greater detail, concerning the "Canadian Sport for Life" project Long-Term Athlete Development Canada (LTAD) initiated in 2004. The genesis of the project may be found in the Canadian Sport Policy released in 2002 by Sport Canada, the sport participation and performance agency within the Canadian Heritage Ministry of the Canadian Government. The pr...

There are several important inter- and intra-individual variations in individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF) in the cognitive domain. The rationale for the present study was to extend the research on IAPF in the cognitive domain to IAPF in the sport domain. Specifically, the purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to explore whether baseline IAPF is related to performance in an ice hockey...

Historical events have produced an ideologically charged atmosphere in the USA surrounding the potential influences of innate variation on athletic performance. We tested the hypothesis that scientific studies of the role of innate variation in athletic performance were less likely to have authors with USA addresses than addresses elsewhere because of this cultural milieu. Using scientometric d...

Superior visual attention skills are vital for excellent sports performance. This study used a cognitive skills approach to examine expert and novice differences in a visual spatial attention task. Thirty-two males aged 18 to 42 years completed this study in return for course credit or monetary incentive. Participants were expert golfers (N = 18) or exercise controls (N = 14). Spatial attention...

Is it possible for the “natural” athlete who competes without chemical assistance to achieve record-breaking performances in sports requiring strength, power, speed, or endurance? Because doping tests are infrequently positive in international sports, it has been widely believed that the answer is yes — and that few athletes competing in major sporting events, including the Olympic Games and th...

The characteristics of athletic shoes have been described with terms like cushioning, stability, and guidance.1,2 Despite many years of effort to optimize athletic shoe construction, the prevalence of running-related lower extremity injuries has not significantly declined; however, athletic performance has reached new heights.3-5 Criteria for optimal athletic shoe construction have been propose...

There is some evidence about the low relationship between physical prowess and cognitive function (Posthuma, Mulder, Boomsma & de Geus, 2002). The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between cognitive variables (spatial ability, reasoning, numerical ability, inductive reasoning, and reasoning and verbal comprehension) and physical prowess in sport performance (agility circuit, ...

The main goal of the present study was to identify basketball game performance indicators which best determine sports level in the National Basketball Association (NBA) league. The research material consisted of all NBA game statistics at the turn of eight seasons (2003-11) and included 52 performance variables. Through detailed analysis the variables with high influence on game effectiveness w...