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The aims of this work were to determine correlations and predictive variables, between the levels of motivation, basic psychological needs and life satisfaction of Portuguese veteran athletes. The sample consisted in 684 Portuguese veteran athletes of both genders, aged between 30 and 90 years (M = 43.78 DP = 8.61), competitors of various modalities. As instruments we used the Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ), the Basic Psychological Needs Scale Exercise (BPNES), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Positives and Negatives Affections Scale (PANAS). It was applied the bivariate Pearson correlation test and multiple linear regression. The results showed that the veteran athletes present a good selfdetermination for the sport practice, being their welfare levels in life satisfaction related to the same self-determination, but rather dependent on the affections produced by sports. This study is presented as a contribution to understanding the role of sport in promoting wellness in veteran sports population.

Introduction: The motivation in Physical Education classes declines as students continue their studies, so its important programs that motivate and arouse interest in learning these themes, adding several and different approaches in these classes. Objective: The objective of the present study was to verify if the application of a strength circuit in high-school students could cause improvements in the strength of the upper and lower limbs. Methods: We evaluated 44 students (M = 24 / F = 20) of the 12th year in high school (EG = 22 students and CG = 22 students). Results: Significant differences in the post-test were observed in the horizontal jump, with a higher mean in the experimental group compared to the control group. In the 1kg medical ball throwing the differences were significant in both moments (pre and post-test), when comparing the groups, with a superior mean in the experimental group. In the 3 kg medicinal ball throwing, significant differences were also observed in both moments, comparing the performance of both groups. The push-up tests did not present significant differences in the pre-test, but showed significant differences in the post-test, with higher means in the experimental group. Conclusions: Through the applied training program, with a duration of 15 minutes, it was possible to verify that the experimental group obtained higher gains, when compared to the control group, for all the variables under study.

The motivation in Physical Education classes declines as students continue their studies, so its important programs that motivate and arouse interest in learning these themes, adding several and different approaches in these classes. Objective: The objective of the present study was to verify if the application of a strength circuit in high-school students could cause improvements in the strength of the upper and lower limbs. Methods: We evaluated 44 students (M = 24 / F = 20) of the 12th year in high school (EG = 22 students and CG = 22 students). Results: Significant differences in the post-test were observed in the horizontal jump, with a higher mean in the experimental group compared to the control group. In the 1kg medical ball throwing the differences were significant in both moments (pre and post-test), when comparing the groups, with a superior mean in the experimental group. In the 3 kg medicinal ball throwing, significant differences were also observed in both moments, comparing the performance of both groups. The push-up tests did not present significant differences in the pre-test, but showed significant differences in the post-test, with higher means in the experimental group. Conclusions: Through the applied training program, with a duration of 15 minutes, it was possible to verify that the experimental group obtained higher gains, when compared to the control group, for all the variables under study.

Introduction: Ataxia affects the nervous system by decreasing balance and coordination most mostly in the trunk, arms and legs. Physical activity is used to help lowering the symptoms of this disease. Objective: The study objective aims to determine the effects of an exercise program intervention focused on quality of life of this person in terms of body composition, hemodynamic parameters and functional capacity. Methods: A Longitudinal study-case with the exercise sessions performed in a gymnasium with a specialized Personal Trainer. A 43 years old male individual with motor ataxia as participated with a pre and post-test assessments with an exercise program comprised sessions twice a week of 30 minutes each, for 6 months, focused on cardio-fitness, strength and body stabilization. The Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia was applied to evaluate Gait, Stance, Sitting, Finger Chase, Nose-finger Test, Fast alternating hand movements and Heel-chin slide, and the program SPSS (v20) to present descriptive statistics to express the participant’s improvements. Results: This study indicates that rehabilitation can improve health, well-being and life quality improvements in individuals with ataxia, however, a larger study is required to have analyse if these variables would suffer significant changes in all participants. Besides the improvements in body composition and blood pressure, benefits in all variables of SARA scale were observed, except in «Sitting» were the value remained unchanged. Conclusions: This type of exercise programme intervention can promote capacity and health-related quality of life. This study provides evidence for maintaining physical activity programs in patients with ataxia.

Rink hockey like any other team sport game is necessary to have a mastery of the game object "the ball" and for this it is necessary that athletes do not have a deficient training steps in that process, because it is during their development, that the athlete is in an optimal situation to improve on this aspect of the game. The study objective was to identify which game model allows young athletes to have a greater number of interactions with the ball in rink hockey in the levels of “Under 8” and “Under 10”. Our study sample consisted of 24 games: 8 games in the 3x3 model; 8 games in the 4x4 model and 8 games in the 5x5 model. The 24 matches are equally divided by the levels of Under 8 and Under 10 with a total of 88 children participating. For data collection instrument we used the deferred observation method where we proceeded to a descriptive analysis of the data to find the means, standard deviation and totals of: Shots, Passes, Interceptions and Goals. The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparisons and for correlations, the Spearman's Test was used to verify whether as the playing area available to the player increased, the player's actions increased as well. The 3x3 model obtained a total of 911 actions, the 4x4 model obtained 923 and the 5x5 game model obtained 799 game actions. The 4x4 game model obtained the highest total number of game actions in all levels analysed suggesting that the implementation of this model brings benefits to the athletes.

The practice of sports by veteran athletes is a reality with an expansion perspective. The objective was to determine predictive variables of healthy lifestyles and satisfaction with life in veteran athletes, according to the Self-determination Theory (SDT). A structural equation model and a mediation model has developed. The number of participants were 680 Portuguese veteran athletes, aged between 30 and 90 years old (M=43.78 DT=8.61). The Basic Psychological Needs Exercise Scale, the Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire, the Healthy Lifestyles Questionnaire and the Life Satisfaction Scale were used. This model has shown the following adjustments indices: ÷2 = 729.116, p < .001, ÷2/df = 4.41, CFI = .92; IFI = .92; TLI = .91; GFI = .91; RMSEA = .068; SRMR = .064. As a conclusion, in veteran athletes, the perception of satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, leads to autonomously motivated behaviours, promoting better eating and resting habits, as well as high satisfaction with life, and a lower consumption of tobacco. Autonomous motivation has not proved to be a significant mediating variable between the basic psychological need for autonomy, lifestyles and satisfaction with life.

The objective of this study was to encourage Rugby players to promote abilities in this sport, therefore we have evaluated the somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety and self-confidence values of U18 and U20 rugby athletes of the Portuguese Nationals Rugby Teams, who participated respectively in the U18 Elite European Championship and in the U20 Trophy World Rugby, comparing forwards and defenders. For data collection, we used the CSAI-2 which assesses cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence. The results showed more favourable average parameters for the group of athletes U20. However, there were only significant differences favourable to the U20 team in the domain of self-confidence, in a general level between teams and in the forward positions.

O objetivo do estudo foi compreender de que forma é que as crenças de saúde compensatórias podiam determinar o comportamento sedentário dos idosos praticantes de exercício físico regulamente. Foram selecionados dez idosos (67.8 ± 3.9) e os dados foram recolhidos através de uma entrevista semiestruturada. A análise dos dados foi realizada a partir de um processo indutivo e dedutivo. Os resultados mostraram que as crenças dos idosos sobre as consequências negativas do comportamento sedentário na saúde estavam em conflito com as suas ações comportamentais, sugerindo uma dissonância cognitiva. Nesse sentido, os resultados sugeriram a existência de um conflito motivacional entre o desejo dos idosos em realizarem várias atividades sedentárias e o objetivo de serem fisicamente ativos. Assim, parece que os idosos podem resolver esse conflito motivacional, evitando sentimentos de culpa acerca do tempo que passam sentados, ativando as crenças de saúde compensatórias. Os resultados sugeriram, ainda, que os idosos reconheceram que praticavam exercício físico por incentivo familiar e, sobretudo, por indicações médicas, sugerindo uma motivação extrínseca para a prática de atividades físicas. Desta forma, os idosos também podem apresentar baixos níveis de autoeficácia, na regulação do conflito motivacional, entre o desejo de estarem sentados e o objetivo de serem fisicamente ativos, dificultando o envolvimento autónomo em prática de atividades físicas diariamente. Deste modo, parece que os idosos acreditam que por um lado podem realizar atividades sedentárias do seu agrado, e por outro podem eliminar as consequências para a saúde do tempo sedentário através da prática de exercício físico.

As evidências científicas sugerem que o excesso de comportamento sedentário é um fator de risco para a saúde física dos idosos, independentemente dos seus níveis de atividade física. No entanto, o conhecimento acerca das consequências do comportamento sedentário em diversos indicadores psicossociais na população idosa, está, ainda, pouco explorado. O objetivo do estudo foi identificar e compreender as consequências do comportamento sedentário no bem-estar psicossocial de idosos residentes em Portugal. Participaram no estudo 14 idosos com idades compreendidas entre os 65 e os 73 anos. Com a finalidade de descrever os participantes entrevistados, utilizou-se questionários que permitiram estimar o tempo médio diário utilizado em diferentes comportamentos sedentários e o nível habitual de atividade física. Além disso, os dados foram recolhidos através de entrevistas semiestruturadas e analisados em função dos procedimentos da análise temática. Foi identificado que as diferentes dimensões do comportamento sedentário (o tipo de comportamento sedentário, a interrupção do comportamento sedentário, o tempo ininterrupto sentado e a frequência) podem ter influência no bem-estar psicossocial dos idosos. Além disso, foram identificados três temas (a perceção de melhoria e de manutenção de funções cognitivas, a perceção de estados afetivos positivos e a interação social percebida) associados à promoção do bem-estar psicossocial dos idosos e dois temas (a perceção da diminuição de relações sociais e a perceção de sintomas de fadiga mental) que podem contribuir para a deterioração do mesmo. Os resultados deste estudo são úteis para a compreensão da experiência dos idosos em relação ao comportamento sedentário e as implicações deste na dimensão cognitiva, emocional e social, das suas vidas

Introduction: The practice of Physical Activities is a cultural habit and as such it must be acquired in childhood so that there is a greater probability of being continued throughout life. Physical Activities on a regular and duly regulated basis, even if they are at ages where this component is absolutely fundamental, not only for their motor development but for their socialization and creation of healthy lifestyles. Objective: The study aims to evaluate the levels of Physical Fitness of middle-school students, between students who practice Physical Education and those who, in addition to this, performed a training programme. Methods: Participated 32 students of both genders aged between 10 and 11 years old divided into two groups with the same number of students (16): the Training Group which, in addition to attending Physical Education classes, benefited from a training programme and the other group that only attended the physical education classes. The Fitnessgram battery tests was applied for flexibility, strength and aerobic capacity. Results: Through this study, it was presented that the use of a physical training programme, eight weeks before the final moment, allowed the training group to obtain significant differences, in the tests results, from the initial moment to the final moment in terms of physical fitness when compared with the group that only attended physical education classes. Conclusions: This study allows us to understand that the fact that the Training Group benefited from a Physical Skills Training, improved the performance levels of the students in this group at the final moment.