Matt Bridge

ABSTRACT Langdown, BL, Bridge, MW, and Li, F-X. The influence of an 8-week strength and corrective exercise intervention on the overhead deep squat and golf swing kinematics. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2022-It has previously been suggested that performance of the overhead squat (OHS) is a useful predictor of loss of posture in the golf swing. Using an 8-week intervention to improve OHS performance, this study assessed this suggestion and analyzed the impact of any resultant physical adaptations on golf swing kinematics. Thirty-seven golfers (handicap = 14.8 ± 13.3) were randomly split into a control group (n = 16) and an intervention group (n = 21)-who completed an 8-week strength and flexibility program. Pre- and postintervention OHS assessments and 3-dimensional (3D) 6-iron swing kinematics were captured. The level of significance set for the study was p < 0.05. Despite the intervention group's significant improvement in OHS thigh angle (p < 0.001), there were no significant changes in 3D swing kinematics between the groups and over pre- and posttesting for address (p = 0.219), top of the backswing (p = 0.977), and impact (p = 0.994). In addition, regression analysis revealed that the 4 measured OHS variables were significant and small predictors of swing kinematic variables at the top of backswing and impact (ranging from R2 = 0.109 to R2 = 0.300). These may, however, be spurious relationships as swing changes could be expected following the intervention if they were indeed true predictors of the postural variables. The use of the OHS to understand the cause of loss of posture during the golf swing is therefore not recommended because many other variables could influence swing kinematics. It may, however, be a useful assessment tool for strength and range of movement, provided that any motor learning issues are resolved before results influencing conditioning programs.

Page 1. A Developmental Perspective of Sports Participation in the UK: Implications for Coaching Martin Toms PhD Matthew Bridge PhD & Richard Bailey PhD (ICCE 2009, Vancouver) Page 2. Current Perspectives on Participant Developmental • Balyi: Long Term Athlete Development – Physiological focus • Côté: Developmental Model of Sports Participation – Psychological focus • Important need for the direct consideration of socio-cultural factors • Educational transition moments appear important (cf Bailey., et al, In Press) Page 3. ...

Increase in body temperature is a major factor limiting endurance performance in the heat and it is shown in this thesis that the effects of raised body temperature on performance, perception and neuroendocrine response to exercise are mediated by an interaction of body temperatures. Prolactin has been used as an indicator of hypothalamic activity and the pathways regulating its release have been investigated using pindolol as a 5-HT\(_ {1A}\) antagonist. The prolactin response to a buspirone challenge has been shown to be ...

Previous research has highlighted the positive effect that different warm-up protocols have on golf performance (e.g. Sorbie et al., 2016; Tilley & MacFarlane, 2012) with the design of warm-ups and programmes targeting and improving golf performance through the activation and development of specific muscle groups. This study aimed to examine the acute effects of two warm-up protocols on golf drive performance in comparison to a control condition. Using a randomised counter-balanced design over three testing sessions, twenty-three highly skilled golfers completed the control, dynamic and resistance-band warm-up conditions. Following each condition, a GC2 launch monitor was used to record ball velocity and other launch parameters of ten shots hit with the participants' own driver. A repeated-measures ANOVA found significant increases in ball velocity (η = .217) between the control and both the dynamic and resistance-band warm-up conditions but no difference between these latter tw...

Research suggests that schooling can dictate both opportunity and performance levels (Bailey et al, 2010), and that whilst there is an assumption that the type of school attended has an effect on sporting opportunity Rowley, 1993), much of this evidence is anecdotal. This work explores the effect of schooling on playing level and performance post compulsory physical education. After ethical approval an online questionnaire collected retrospective recall data on the sport practice patterns of people raised and schooled in the UK. 1,006 ...

Increase in body temperature is a major factor limiting endurance performance in the heat and it is shown in this thesis that the effects of raised body temperature on performance, perception and neuroendocrine response to exercise are mediated by an interaction of body temperatures. Prolactin has been used as an indicator of hypothalamic activity and the pathways regulating its release have been investigated using pindolol as a 5-HT\(_ {1A}\) antagonist.

Increase in body temperature is a major factor limiting endurance performance in the heat and it is shown in this thesis that the effects of raised body temperature on performance, perception and neuroendocrine response to exercise are mediated by an interaction of body temperatures. Prolactin has been used as an indicator of hypothalamic activity and the pathways regulating its release have been investigated using pindolol as a 5-HT\(_ {1A}\) antagonist.

We have studied 12 recreationally active men to measure their responses to exercise in the heat and relate these to measures of hypothalamic function explored with a buspirone [5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT(1A)) agonist, dopaminergic D(2) antagonist] neuroendocrine challenge, with and without pretreatment with pindolol (5-HT(1A) antagonist). Pindolol treatment allowed the serotonergic and non-serotonergic components of prolactin release to be distinguished. Subjects exercised at 73 (5)% maximal rate of oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) until volitional fatigue at 35 degrees C (relative humidity, 30%). On another two occasions they underwent a buspirone challenge [0.5 mg (kg body mass)(-1)], once with, and once without, pindolol [0.5 mg (kg body mass)(-1)] pretreatment and the circulating plasma concentrations of prolactin were measured for the next 2.5 h. Rectal temperature increased throughout exercise, whilst mean skin temperature remained constant. There was a wide inter-subject variation in prolactin response to the neuroendocrine challenges. The proportion of the prolactin response to buspirone attributable to a non-serotonergic component (most likely dopaminergic) correlated both with exercise duration (r=0.657, P=0.028), rectal temperature at fatigue (r=0.623, P=0.041) and the rate of temperature rise (r=-0.669, P=0.024). Our results suggest that high activity of the dopaminergic pathways in the hypothalamus is a predictor of exercise tolerance in the heat.

Buspirone is used as a neuroendocrine challenge in which the increase of circulating prolactin is taken as a measure of the sensitivity of central serotonergic (5-HT(1A)) pathways. Interpretation of the test is complicated, however, by the fact that buspirone possesses D(2) antagonist and 5-HT(1A) agonist activity, both of which will result in the release of prolactin. To understand the significance of prolactin secretion in response to buspirone, it is important to measure the differential actions of the two controlling pathways. To characterise the dual action of buspirone in stimulating the secretion of prolactin by blocking the 5-HT(1A) action with the 5-HT1A antagonist action of pindolol. Healthy male subjects (n=35) received buspirone (0.5 mg x kg bw(-1) orally) with and without pre-treatment with the 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist pindolol (40 mg over 2 days, 0.5 mg x kg bw(-1) on test day). Nine subjects underwent two additional trials in which they received a placebo with and without pre-treatment with pindolol. Pindolol alone caused a small but significant reduction (18%) in the tonic release of prolactin. Buspirone alone produced a robust prolactin response which was reduced to approximately half by pindolol pre-treatment. Pindolol pre-treatment also, on average, delayed the onset and peak of the prolactin response. There was wide variation among individuals both in the absolute response to buspirone and in the proportion that could be attributed to the non-serotonergic agonist action of buspirone (22-82% IQ range). Our results indicate that while serotonergic pathways play a minor role in the tonic release of prolactin, the response to a buspirone challenge alone cannot be used as a simple index of central serotonergic activity. However, if two challenges are carried out, one with buspirone and the other with buspirone plus pindolol, quantitative measures can be made of the sensitivity of both the 5-HT(1A) and the putative D(2) pathways controlling prolactin release.

The treatment of most injuries tends to have similar goals: to minimize initial pain and swelling, restore full range of motion, and return to full strength. One of the key problems is the gap between the traditional rehabilitation modalities and progression to normal locomotive and athletic activities. Closed kinetic chain exercises are a common feature of rehabilitation programs, yet progression of these exercises in a rehabilitation setting has traditionally been based on anecdotal advice, and there is a shortage of empirical evidence. The aim of this study is to use ground reaction force measures to guide progression of closed kinetic chain rehabilitation exercises for active individuals recovering from lower extremity injury. Twenty-four injury-free participants carried out 10 different movements including jumps, squats, and locomotive tasks. Force data collected via a Kistler force platform were used to quantify peak vertical force (Fz), peak vertical force relative to body weight (Fz/BW), and rate of force development (RFD). A Vicon motion analysis system provided kinematic data. There were significant interactions of task and peak Fz, task and peak Fz/BW, and task and RFD. For all force measures, the majority of tasks were significantly different from one another. The effect of kinematic variability was evaluated using the Pearson Correlation coefficient. A clear progression of exercises was seen in both peak Fz and peak Fz/BW, whereas RFD measures showed 3 distinct groups. Combining the data from the measures leads to the grouping the exercises into early, mid, late, and final stages of rehabilitation. We suggest that practitioners use this ranking to prescribe appropriate exercises for particular stages of rehabilitation.