A skilled player in goal-directed sports performance has the ability to process internal and external information in an effective manner and decide which pieces of information are important and which are irrelevant. Focused attention and somatosensory information processing play a crucial role in this process. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings are able to demonstrate cortical changes in conjunction with this concept and were examined during a golf putting performance in an expert-novice paradigm. The success in putting (score) and performance-related cortical activity were recorded with an EEG during a 5 x 4 min putting series. Subjects were asked to putt balls for four min at their own pace. The EEG data was divided into different frequencies: Theta (4.75-6.75 Hz), Alpha-1 (7-9.5 Hz), Alpha-2 (9.75-12.5 Hz) and Beta-1 (12.75-18.5 Hz) and performance related power values were calculated. Statistical analysis shows significant better performance in the expert golfers (P < 0.001). This was associated with higher fronto-midline Theta power (P < 0.05) and higher parietal Alpha-2 power values (P < 0.05) compared to the novices in golf putting. Frontal Theta and parietal Alpha-2 spectral power in the ongoing EEG demonstrate differences due to skill level. Furthermore the findings suggest that with increasing skill level, golfers have developed task solving strategies including focussed attention and an economy in parietal sensory information processing which lead to more successful performance. In a theoretical framework both cortical parameters may play a role in the concept of the working memory.

The present study examined the relationship between lactic acid concentration in capillary blood and swimming velocity during 11 typical endurance exercises (continuous swimming for 30 and 60 min, interval swimming with distances between 50 and 400 m, and with rest periods of 10 and 30 s) and during the "two-speed test" recently described by Mader. It was expected that a better understanding of these relationships could provide evidence how to adjust training intensities from results obtained during the two-speed test. Fifty-nine male swimmers of the German national level participated in this study. After a 30-min maximal swimming test, a mean lactic acid concentration of 4.01 +/- 0.75 mmol/l was found. The corresponding mean velocity was similar to the speed (V4) calculated for the 4 mmol/l level on the basis of the results obtained during the two-speed test (2 X 400). During 30 min continuous swimming at 95% to 105% of the velocity V4, there was a significant correlation (r = 0.82, P less than 0.001) between the swimming speed and the lactic acid concentration. In the 30-min maximal test, the velocity V4 correlated significantly with both the lactic acid concentration (r = -0.58, P less than 0.005) and the swimming speed (r = 0.97, P less than 0.001). During the interval exercises with rest periods of 10 s, the swimming velocities corresponding to the same lactic acid level as during continuous swimming, increased for the 50, 100, 200, and 400 m by 11.23%, 4.21%, 2.95%, and 2.02% of V4, respectively. With rest periods of 30 s, the swimming velocity for the 100, 200, and 400 m increased by 7.34%, 4.22%, and 3.01% of V4, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In 11 healthy young subjects, the plasma concentrations of the thrombin-antithrombin III complex, fibrinopeptide A, tissue-plasminogen activator, complement fragments C3a and C4a, and histamine were measured before and after a graded maximal bicycle exercise test. The analyses were carried out 30 min before and immediately before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 30 and 60 min later. All post-exercise values were corrected for plasma volume changes, which were calculated from hematocrit and hemoglobin values. Immediately post-exercise, thrombin-antithrombin III, tissue-plasminogen activator, complement fragments C3a and C4a, and histamine were all significantly elevated (p less than 0.01), compared with the pre-exercise values; 30 and 60 min later the values normalized and significant differences from the pre-exercise values could no longer be measured. Fibrinopeptide A did not change significantly after exercise. The present results provide evidence for a simultaneous activation of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and complement system as well as for a release of histamine after a short maximal exercise.

Eight male subjects (mean age 24.1 +/- 2.6 years) performed at intervals of 2 weeks successively a 3 h and two 2 h runs of different running speed. The days following the running there were moderate elevations of C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, coeruloplasmin, transferrin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and plasminogen. There were small or no changes of albumin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and hemopexin. The elevations of the "acute phase reactants" were examined in three male subjects following a 2 h run before and after an endurance training period of 9 weeks. This demonstrated a decreased acute phase response after training as illustrated by the changes of C-reactive protein, haptoglobin and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein in spite of higher posttraining running speeds. Well-trained athletes have elevated levels of the serum protease inhibitors alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and C1-inhibitor. These antiproteolytic glycoproteins might limit exercise-induced inflammatory reactions.