Browsing by Author "Mendes, Rui"
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- Golf-Putting Performance in Skilled Golfers at Different Distances to the HolePublication . Dias, Gonçalo; Couceiro, Micael; Mendes, Pedro; Gomes, Ricardo; Mendes, Rui; Vaz, Vasco; Martins, Fernando; Gama, José; Castro, Maria AntónioGolf putting occurs under highly variable conditions. Therefore, adapting to different putting distances is a challenge that the golfer faces and understanding the variables underlying performance in this task is important. The main objective of this study was to analyse the golf-putting performance in skilled golfers at different distances to the hole. Fourteen highly skilled golfers, adult male and right-handed (41.5 ± 13.2 years with an average handicap of 2.3 ± 1.7) performed the golf putting on a natural grass green, completing a total of 120 randomly ordered trials, 30 trials at each of the four different practice conditions (1, 2, 3, and 4 m away from the hole). A smart engineered putter (InPutter) was used as the data acquisition instrument to record several process variables at 100 Hz. Results indicated that golf-putting distances constrained movement organisation variables in specific ways. For example, as the distance to the hole changes, so do the informational constraints, shaping how a golfer needs to regulate performance. We concluded that the effects of different golf-putting distances required the implementation of functional solutions uniquely adjusted to each player. Furthermore, the perception that the player withdrew from the properties of the context (e.g., distance to the hole) was important to adapt the golf-putting process variables (e.g., amplitude and duration of the movement, among others). All these factors led to a decisive influence on how the golfer hit the ball and adjusted his performance. A major implication of developing a better understanding of the role of performance in golf putting is that coaches and players should allow functional movement behaviours to emerge during practice.
- Improving Motor Competence of Children: The “Super Quinas” Intervention Program in Portuguese Primary SchoolsPublication . Rodrigues, Luis P.; Cordovil, Rita; Costa, Júlio A.; Seabra, André; Guilherme, José; Vale, Susana; Luz, Carlos; Flôres, Fábio; Lagoa, Maria João; Almeida, Gabriel; Lopes, Vítor P.; Mercê, Cristiana; Esteves, Pedro Tiago; Santos, Sara; Correia, Vanda; Serrano, João; Mendes, Rui; Matos, Rui; Loureiro, Vânia; Neto, CarlosObjectives: The objective of this study was to describe the effects of an extra hour of a structured motor program on the motor competence (MC) of children 6-10 years old.. Design: The need for movement interventions to enhance MC among school-aged children has gained vital importance in the last years, given the negative secular trends reported. Hence, the Portuguese Football Federation organized an intervention program on MC to be implemented on the extracurricular time of the Portuguese primary schools: the Super Quinas program. Methods: Thirty-nine schools from all of Portugal were assigned to intervention and control condition, with a total of 1034 children (6-10 y old) completing all the program (77.7%). The Super Quinas intervention comprised of 1 hour of activity per week, led by a physical educator teacher during extracurricular activities for 12 wees. MC was assessed using the Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) before and at the end of the program (January and April 2023). Normative results of the MCA were used to compare changes between pre and posttest according to experimental or control condition. Results: Results showed a general improvement (P ≤ .001) for all subscales (Locomotor, Manipulative, Stability) and total MCA. More importantly, the experimental group showed significant and positive differences, when compared with the control group, in the Stability (P = .007), Manipulative (P = .015), and total MCA results (P = .018) after controlling for gender, age, and baseline effect. Conclusions: The Super Quinas intervention program proved that adding 1 hour of structured movement program to the regular primary school schedule can lead to greater development of MC in school-age children.
- Influence of Jump and Ball Release Parameters on Shooting Accuracy in Basketball Under Varying ConstraintsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Mendes, Rui; Rice, Hannah; Gomes, Beatriz B.Background: This study investigates how both jump-related (jump height and flight time) and ball-related parameters (release height, release angle, and velocity) influence shooting accuracy in basketball under different contextual constraints. Methods: Eighteen senior players competing in the national championship (11 females and 7 males; 22.0 ± 3.7 years) performed 90 shots each across three positions (left 45°, middle 90°, right 45°) and three shooting conditions (baseline, simulated gym audience noise, and simulated opposition). Jump variables were derived from force platforms, while ball kinematics were extracted using a high-speed Qualisys camera system. Results: A three-way ANOVA revealed no systematic effects of position or opposition, and only a small effect of noise on flight time (p = 0.019), which was not confirmed by the Linear Mixed Model. Comparisons between successful and missed shots indicated significantly higher flight time, jump height, and release height, and a tendency for higher release velocity in successful attempts, with no differences in release angle. Spearman correlation showed weak associations between biomechanical variables and shooting accuracy (R2 = 0.005–0.012). Conclusions: These findings suggest that while adaptive biomechanical changes occur under contextual constraints, their isolated impact on shot success is limited. Successful performance appears to rely more strongly on release-related parameters, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to training that integrates technical, perceptual, and psychological dimensions.
- Visual Fixations in Basketball Shooting: Differences between Shooting ConditionsPublication . Amaro, Catarina M.; Castro, Maria António; Mendes, Rui; Gomes, Beatriz B.Basketball is a sport where shooting is one of the most important factors that determines the success or failure of the teams. Therefore, basketball players need to shoot the ball accurately. The present study aimed to evaluate whether different shooting conditions influence the visual behavior of athletes. For this, the Tobbi Pro Glasses 3 equipment was used to evaluate the time of the first fixation, the number of fixations, and the total time of fixations in the basket, during the shooting movement. Different distances to the basket, simulated gym audience noise, and shooting with opposition were considered. A group of 18 athletes with an average age of 22 ± 3.72 years and an average basketball practice experience of 12.5 ± 4.52 years performed 10 valid shots from different distances and different shooting angles, with different restrictions, namely, shooting with simulated opposition and gym audience noise. Statistically significant differences between shooting with opposition and baseline, in terms of the number of fixations and the total time of fixation, were found. Regarding shooting with gym audience noise, differences only occur for the total time of fixations in one position. Despite this, in all variables and positions, the values were lower in shooting with constraints compared to the baseline.