2021, Article / Letter to editor (European Journal of Sport Science, vol. 21, iss. 6, (2021), pp. 871-878)Purpose: Dietary nitrate has been shown to enhance muscle contractile function and has, therefore, been linked to increased muscle power and sprint exercise performance. However, the impact of dietary nitrate supplementation on maximal strength, performance and muscular endurance remains to be established. Methods: Fifteen recreationally active males (25 ±4 y, BMI 24 ±3 kg/m(2)) participated in a randomized double-blinded cross-over study comprising two 6-d supplementation periods; 140 mL/d nitrate-rich (BR; 985 mg/d) and nitrate-depleted (PLA; 0.37 mg/d) beetroot juice. Three hours following the last supplement, we assessed countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, maximal strength and power of the upper leg by voluntary isometric (30° and 60° angle) and isokinetic contractions (60, 120, 180 and 300°•s(-1)), and muscular endurance (total workload) by 30 reciprocal isokinetic voluntary contractions at 180°•s(-1). Results: Despite differences in plasma nitrate (BR: 879 ±239 vs. PLA: 33 ±13 μmol/L, Pn<n0.001) and nitrite (BR: 463 ±217 vs. PLA: 176 ±50 nmol/L, Pn<n0.001) concentrations prior to exercise testing, CMJ height (BR: 39.3 ±6.3 vs. PLA: 39.6 ±6.3 cm; Pn=n0.39) and muscular endurance (BR: 3.93 ±0.69 vs. PLA: 3.90 ±0.66 kJ; Pn=n0.74) were not different between treatments. In line, isometric strength (Pn>n0.50 for both angles) and isokinetic knee extension power (Pn>n0.33 for all velocities) did not differ between treatments. Isokinetic knee flexion power was significantly higher following BR compared with PLA ingestion at 60°•s(-1) (Pn=n0.001), but not at 120°•s(-1) (Pn=n0.24), 180°•s(-1) (Pn=n0.066), and 300°•s(-1) (Pn=n0.36). Conclusion: Nitrate supplementation does not improve maximal strength, countermovement jump performance and muscular endurance in healthy, active males.
2016, Article / Letter to editor (Perceptual and Motor Skills, vol. 122, iss. 3, (2016), pp. 871-885)Relatively little is known about how practice relates to children's improvement in gross motor skill performance. The aim of this study is to determine to what extent 6- and 7-year-old children improve their gross motor skill performance in a four-week period, in which goal-directed learning is stimulated and to determine whether differences between boys and girls occur. Groups of 6 year olds (nn=n167) and 7 year olds (nn=n140) practiced their gross motor skill for four weeks. Physical education teachers stimulated goal-directed learning by their instruction, skill-specific exercises, and individual practice. The week before and after, gross motor skill performance was assessed, using the Körper Koordinations Test für Kinder, and compared with a control group (nn=n131). Both 6 and 7 year olds in the intervention group improved their gross motor skill performance significantly more than the control group. The results show the relevance of goal-directed learning for the improvement of gross motor skill performance.