Suggests three ideas for writing poetry: photographic portrait poems (writer looks at a photograph and describes it); fashion statements (writer picks out a style of dress and writes about what it suggests); and advice poems (writer gives advice to himself/herself in the form of a poem). (PA)

Determined the influence of a heavy-load bench press on indicators of upper-body power during an explosive pushup, examining the influence of a set of 5 repetitions of 5 repetition maximum (RM) bench press preceding explosive pushups. There were no significant differences for any of the force platform data when explosive pushups were preceded by…

Examined whether a Tai Chi exercise program enhanced the psychological well-being of 98 elderly individuals. Analyzed repeated measures data about participants using latent growth curve analysis. Results indicate the beneficial effects of participation in the Tai Chi program. Discusses implications related to the exercise-psychological health…

To determine the contributions of the motions of the body segments to the vertical ground reaction force ([F.sub.z]), the joint torques produced by the leg muscles, and the time course of vertical velocity generation during a vertical jump, 15 men were videotaped performing countermovement vertical jumps from a force plate with and without an arm…

Maximal oxygen uptake (V[O.sub.2]max) is an important indicator of health-risk status, specifically for coronary heart disease (Blair et al., 1989). Direct measurement of V[O.sub.2]max is considered to be the most accurate means of determining cardiovascular fitness level. Typically, this measurement is taken using a progressive exercise test on a…

Reduction in performance variability is characteristic of skill acquisition during childhood. Less understood is the role of variability in adaptive skill. The purpose of this study was to determine children's capacity for adapting to changing task requirements. Children ages 4-14 years and adults rode a stationary ergometer at different levels of…

For beginning college students, effective paraphrasing is the most difficult of the research-writing skills they must learn and demonstrate. Many students understand summarizing, and the frequent appearance of unwieldy block quotations in their essays suggests their preference for using a source's exact words. But the art of paraphrasing escapes…

Yoga has much to contribute to singing. The main physical disciplines of yoga are strength, flexibility, alignment, body awareness through breath control, and concentration. These basics also constitute the core of good singing. With instruction incorporated into the regular warm-up, one can introduce beginning yoga ideas into choir practice. Yoga…

Students often attain memorable experiences from cadaver dissections through reflective writing. For many, facing a dissection for the first time elicits a wide range of emotions. These may include thoughts of their own mortality to the sheer admiration of knowing that someone cared enough to help others learn about the body, even in death. Poems…

A recent survey of physical educators reveals that physical development--especially its more specific parts dealing with physical fitness--is thought to be the least important physical education objectives for grades K-2. Research is available on physical fitness as it relates to (1) incidence of childhood obesity, (2) cardiovascular endurance,…

By three to four months of age, most babies placed on their tummies on a safe, warm surface push down with their arms and raise their chests, so that they can turn their heads to look about at the world around them. By five months, babies stretch both feet and hands upward in order to swipe at interesting mobiles placed overhead. At seven to nine…

While formats and conventions of scientific and technical writing vary from field to field, the transcendent requirement is precision, so that the work can be understood and, if necessary, reproduced. Science teachers undoubtedly tell students about the importance of precision in collecting data and analyzing results; what is less commonly…

While the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has outlined a number of learning outcomes for undergraduate biomechanics, there are a number of factors that can influence the curriculum in such courses. These factors create a situation that indeed can influence students and their attitude towards these classes.…

To adhere to the principle of "exercise specificity" exercise testing should be completed using the same physical activity that is performed during exercise training. The present study was designed to assess whether aerobic step exercisers have a greater maximal oxygen consumption (max VO sub 2) when tested using an activity specific, maximal step…

This article presents an interview with H. Craig Heller, a professor of Biological Sciences (in Humanities and Sciences) at Stanford University. In this interview, Heller talks about an interesting course he has taught at Stanford called "Exercise Physiology" and what he likes about it. What is unique about this course is that in laboratory, the…