Objective: This study aims at comparing the energy expenditure (EE) and heart rate (HR) data from Ring Fit Adventure (RFA) with those from indirect calorimetry (COSMED) and a heart rate monitor (Polar FT7). A secondary goal is to evaluate self-reported enjoyment and perceived effort levels. Materials and Methods: Thirty participants (age = 21.8 ± 2.2; body mass index = 31.8 ± 4.4) were recruited for two laboratory visits. The first visit involved baseline measurements. In the second visit, participants performed a 55-minute ad libitum exercise session with the RFA in adventure mode with moderate difficulty. During this session, EE, HR, perceived effort, and enjoyment of physical activity were recorded. Results: Although no statistically significant overestimation of EE was found between the RFA and the metabolic cart, two-way analysis of variance results show a main effect of condition (RFA vs. Polar FT7) on HR (122.8 ± 20.1 bpm and 129.0 ± 18.6 bpm; P = 0.007; ᶯ_p² = 0.235). Based on comprehensive statistical evaluations, including the mean absolute percent error, intraclass correlations, typical error of measurement, and limits of agreement, the data suggest that the RFA provides reliable estimates for EE and HR. Overall, participants enjoyed the game considerably (71.3 ± 5.9/80 arbitrary units), and their reported perceived exertion was low. Conclusion: This study underscores that the RFA values are relatively accurate and precise, and thus it can be safely suggested for individuals with overweight and obesity to adopt an active lifestyle.

Purpose: To determine whether swimming while listening to fast (140 bpm) or moderate tempo (120 bpm) music enhances physical performance compared to a non-music condition. Methods: Sixteen healthy university students (21.5 ± 2.3 years) with a minimum of one year of experience swimming front crawl were recruited. All completed four testing sessions. In the first session, a graded exercise treadmill test was performed to establish baseline fitness. The next three visits were at the swimming pool and participants were asked to swim as far as possible in 12-minutes (i.e., Swimming Cooper Test) under each of three randomly assigned conditions: 120 bpm (M120), 140 bpm (M140) and a non-music condition (NM). Results: No significant differences were found between conditions for either heart rate (p > .05) or rating of perceived exertion (p > .05). However, differences were found on distance covered (p = .014) between M120 (305.7 ± 19.7 m) and M140 (321.2 ± 19.4 m; p = .035), and on stroke frequency (p = .009) between M120 (48.4 ± 1.8) and M140 (51.6 ± 1.9; p = .028). Conclusion: These results suggest that distance covered and the frequency of strokes per minute were greater when participants were exposed to fast tempo music (M140) compared to moderate tempo music (M120) and a non-music condition (NM) in a 12-minute swimming test.

Scientific sport magazines, scientific phisical education magazines

Potenciar el aprendizaje y la memoria se ha convertido en una tarea de interés para muchos investigadores. Artículos recientes han podido comprobar es que el ejercicio es una clara herramienta para mejorar capacidades cognitivas de personas y animales gracias a que favorece la liberación de sustancias tales como neurotransmisores y factores neurotróficos. Uno de los factores más importantes es el factor neurotrófico derivado del cerebro (BDNF), que promueve la generación de cambios a nivel neuronal necesarios para la potenciación a largo plazo (fortalecimiento de memorias). Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos de EBSCOhost -en las bases de Academic Search Complete, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES y SPORTDiscus-, Google Scholar, Pubmed y ScienceDirect utilizando una serie de palabras con sus respectivos criterios de inclusión y exclusión. En este trabajo se explican los procesos asociados con la potenciación a largo plazo, abarcando temas como neuroplasticidad, la unión del BDNF con su receptor (receptores de tirosina quinasa B), y además el mecanismo por medio del cual la liberación de la mioquina irisina, como una consecuencia del ejercicio, promueve el aumento de las concentraciones de BDNF en sangre. Basándose en numerosa literatura se describe la relación que existe entre el ejercicio y la generación de cambios neuroplásticos estimulados por proteínas como el BDNF y la consecuente mejoría en la memoria.

Objective: This study is aimed at assessing the impact of a 1‐month exergaming intervention ( Fitness Boxing 2: rhythm and exercise ), performed for 150 min per week, on blood glucose levels, strength, and body composition in sedentary office workers with overweight or obesity. Methods: Then, 21 sedentary participants (age: 38.0 ± 7.5 years, BMI: 30.8 ± 4.9 kg/m ² ) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group ( n = 11; 4 men and 7 women) or a control group ( n = 10; 2 men and 8 women). The experimental group completed 20 sessions, each consisting of 30 min of exergaming, 5 days per week. The control group was instructed to maintain their usual daily activities. Before and after the intervention, blood glucose, strength, and body composition were measured. Results: The average daily energy expenditure was 330.7 ± 86.9 kcal, with a maximum perceived effort of 12.7 ± 1.8 arbitrary units. An interaction effect between group and time was found in the experimental group in blood glucose ( % Δ = −7.8; p = 0.027; d = 0.590), grip strength of the nondominant hand ( % Δ = 14.1; p = 0.006; d = 0.383), and back–leg–chest strength ( % Δ = 41.5; p = 0.001; d = 0.662). No differences were found in any of the outcome variables of interest for the control group over time (pre vs. post; p > 0.05). Additionally, no differences in groups (experimental vs. control) and time (pre vs. post) were yielded for weight and body composition. Conclusion: The results of this work demonstrate that engagement with exergames can improve blood glucose and strength in sedentary office workers with overweight or obesity.

The growing population of older adults and the lack of cure for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has resulted in researchers identifying modifiable lifestyle factors that might prevent or slow the progression of the disease. Prospective studies exploring the relationship between baseline physical activity (PA) and the subsequent risk of a diagnoses of AD and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the effects of aerobic exercise (AE) and resistance exercise (RE) on cognitive performance, blood-based biomarkers of AD, and neuroimaging measures of brain health provide some intriguing results. Exemplars of these studies and results from meta-analytic reviews (when available) are presented to provide an overview of the state of the science. In general, results from prospective studies show that PA is protective, and results from RCTs show that AE improves cognitive performance by older adults who are cognitively normal and by those with mild cognitive impairment. Promising results have been observed for AE on measures of brain health, and studies exploring the effects on biomarkers have yielded some intriguing results but are less consistent to date. Studies testing the effects of RE also find benefits for cognitive performance by older adults and consistently show improvements in brain health. In conclusion, results from prospective studies and RCTs demonstrate the potential of exercise to improve cognition, brain health, and, to a lesser extent, blood-based biomarkers. Future research linking the magnitude of the findings from RCTs with evidence from prospective studies will advance our understanding of the potential of exercise to reduce the risk of AD.