The aim of this study was to analyse the adjustments in technique made by a basketball player when shooting against an opponent. The subjects used consisted of 10 professional basketball players of the Spanish First Division League. Three-dimensional motion analysis based on video recordings (50 Hz) was used to obtain the kinematic characteristics of basketball jump shots with and without an opponent. It was found that when performing against an opponent the release angle of the ball increased, the flight time was reduced and postural adjustments as determined by the angles at the knee and shoulder increased, all significantly. There were several other non-significant differences that helped to interpret the changes in technique imposed by the presence of an opponent. It was suggested that when shooting with an opponent, players attempted to release the ball more quickly and from a greater height. This strategy will lessen the chance of the opponent intercepting the ball. It was concluded that the differences noted in the technical execution of the skill had implications for practice. It was suggested that training would benefit from practice with an opponent for at least some of the time to condition players to the demands which they were more likely to meet in the game situation.

The aim of the present work is to examine the differences between two groups of fencers with different levels of competition, elite and medium level. The timing parameters of the response reaction have been compared together with the kinetic variables which determine the sequence of segmented participation used during the lunge with a change in target during movement. A total of 30 male sword fencers participated, 13 elite and 17 medium level. Two force platforms recorded the horizontal component of the force and the start of the movement. One system filmed the movement in 3D, recording the spatial positions of 11 markers, while another system projected a mobile target over a screen. For synchronisation, an electronic signal enabled all the systems to be started simultaneously. Among the timing parameters of the reaction response, the choice reaction time (CRT) to the target change during the lunge was measured. The results revealed differences between the groups regarding the flight time, horizontal velocity at the end of the acceleration phase, and the length of the lunge, these being higher for the elite group, as well as other variables related to the temporal sequence of movement. No significant differences have been found in the simple reaction time or in CRT. According to the literature, the CRT appears to improve with sports practice, although this factor did not differentiate the elite from medium‐level fencers. The coordination of fencing movements, that is, the right technique, constitutes a factor that differentiates elite fencers from medium‐level ones.

The aim of this study was to test the effect that changing targets during a simple long lunge attack in fencing exerts on the temporal parameters of the reaction response, the execution speed, and the precision and the coordination of the movement pattern. Thirty fencers with more than 10 years of experience participated in this study. Two force platforms were used to record the horizontal components of the reaction forces and thereby to determine the beginning of the movement. A three-dimensional (3D) system recorded the spatial positions of the 9 markers situated on the fencer plus the epee, while a moving target was projected on a screen, enabling the control of the target change. The results indicated that when a target change is provoked the reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), and the time used in the acceleration phase of the centre of mass (CM) increases significantly with respect to the attack executed with a straight thrust. The speed and horizontal distance reached by the CM at the end of the acceleration phase (V_X(CM) and S_X(CM), respectively) significantly decreased, while the errors increased. However, the temporal sequence of the movement pattern did not appreciably change.

This study aimed to compare the between-session reliability of performance and asymmetry variables between unilateral and bilateral standing broad jumps (SBJ). Twenty-four amateur basketball players (12 males and females) completed two identical sessions which consisted of four unilateral SBJs (two with each leg) and two bilateral SBJs. Mean and peak values of force, velocity and power, and impulse were obtained separately for each leg using a dual force platform. Inter-limb asymmetries were computed using the standard percentage difference for the unilateral SBJ, and the bilateral asymmetry index-1 for the bilateral SBJ. All performance variables generally presented an acceptable absolute reliability for both SBJs (CV range = 3.65-9.81%) with some exceptions for mean force, mean power, and peak power obtained with both legs (CV range = 10.00-15.46%). Three out of 14 variables were obtained with higher reliability during the unilateral SBJ (CVratio ≥ 1.18), and 5 out of 14 during the bilateral SBJ (CVratio ≥ 1.27). Asymmetry variables always showed unacceptable reliability (ICCrange = -0.40 to 0.58), and slight to fair levels of agreement in their direction (Kappa range = -0.12 to 0.40) except for unilateral SBJ peak velocity [Kappa = 0.52] and bilateral SBJ peak power [Kappa = 0.51]) that showed moderate agreement for both SBJs. These results highlight that single-leg performance variables can be generally obtained with acceptable reliability regardless of the SBJ variant, but the reliability of the inter-limb asymmetries in the conditions examined in the present study is unacceptable to track individual changes in performance.

This study investigated the effects of a 24-week combined training program (CTP) based on strength exercises and cognitive–motor tasks performed concurrently in participants with multiple sclerosis. A randomized, controlled intervention study was carried out. In total, 31 subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (14 men and 17 women) were stratified and randomized into an intervention group (17 subjects) and a control group (14 subjects). The intervention group completed three weekly training sessions for 24 weeks, while the control group pursued their normal daily activities. In this program, cognitive–motor tasks were completed at once (dual tasking). A 3D photogrammetry connected to a selective attention system designed for dual tasking while walking was used. Ground reaction forces were measured using two force plates, one for sit-to-stand testing, while the other was used for static force measurement. Postural equilibrium was examined using a stabilometric plate based for Romberg test assessment. The 24-week training program for multiple sclerosis patients improved their static peak force by 11% (p < 0 .05), their rate of force development by 36% (p < 0.05), and their balance (p < 0.05). Performance in daily activities such as walking or sitting-to-standing improved significantly in multiple sclerosis participants. CTP training was effective in reducing the dual-task costs of step length (48%) and walking velocity (54%), as compared to a matched control group.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of two arm swing techniques, the simultaneous arm swing and the early arm swing, on vertical countermovement jump performance and on the contribution of the arms to vertical movement at the centre of mass (CM) during the propulsion phase. Participants were 28 athletes practicing sports in which the vertical jump constitutes a basic ability. Ground reaction forces were recorded by a force platform and the sagittal plane motion was recorded by a video camera. Although at take-off the vertical velocity (2.7 ± 0.2 m/s for simultaneous technique vs. 2.8 ± 0.2 m/s for early technique; p = 0.040) and position (1.18 ± 0.06 m for simultaneous vs. 1.17 ± 0.05 m for early; p = 0.033) of the CM were significantly different, no difference was observed in jump height (1.56 ± 0.01 m in both techniques). The arm action differed during the initial and final propulsion phases in both styles but the accumulated vertical contribution was similar. The practical implication in sports is that the use of the arm-swing technique to reach the maximum jump height should be determined by tactical demands instead of the technical execution of the arms.