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The aim of this study was to explore which smartphones applications features have most been appreciated by runners. This descriptive and exploratory study consisted of 278 respondents from Brazil and Portugal. A survey composed of demographic and closed questions was developed and distributed via social media. Findings revealed that 40.8% of the runners in Brazil prefer the “calories spent” as main feature, while also 40.8% of the participants in Portugal prefer the “heart rate control”. The difference between the preferred features in Brazil and Portugal indicates that more cross-cultural research is needed to unravel the bio- psycho-social mechanisms that might explain why members of some groups have different opinions than other ones.

The objective of our study was to validate the Intention to be physically active Scale to the Portuguese context, afterwards, to provide the questionnaire with concurrent validity through a correlation analysis between the variables of the levels of self-determined motivation and the intention to be physically active. The sample consisted of 308 subjects, aged between 15 and 29 years old (17.81±2.53). Five items evaluated the factor "Intention to be physically active". The overall results of the model indicated an optimal fit, as well as good concurrent validity. This study provided a valid and reliable scale to assess the intention to be physically active of the Portuguese population. The application of this scale is considered extremely useful especially in students.

With the increase of life expectancy associated to the need for a healthy lifestyle, there has been an increase in the number of persons involved in veterans' sports activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of self-determination for sports practice and subjective well-being in veteran athletes, depending on the different type of sports practiced. For data collection, the validated Portuguese versions of the Basic Psychological Needs Exercise Scale (BPNES), the Behaviour Regulation Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affects Scale (PANAS) were used. The study sample consisted of 684 Portuguese veterans athletes of both genders, aged between 30 and 90 years (M = 43.78 SD = 8.61), of which 86.3% (590 individuals) of the male gender and 13,7% (94 individuals) of the female gender, mostly with 3 to 5 hours of training per week, with 19.5±12.2 years of practice, competitors in several individual sports (43%), team sports (37%) and individual and teams sports (20%). Veteran athletes are highly satisfied with basic psychological needs. When compared, athletes who practice individual sports and simultaneously individual and team sports differ significantly in the autonomous, controlled and amotivation compared to athletes who only practice team sports, as well as in positive and negative effects.

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the psychological skills and strategies related to tournament outcomes and performance indicators in a European under-19 Rugby Union Championship. The sample included a total of 183 elite male U19 rugby players, aged between 17 and 19 years (M= 18.67, SD= 0.51), who competed at the U19 European Championship 2014. These players represented seven national teams ranked by the teams' final classification in the championship, as follows: Georgia (1st place, n= 34), Portugal (2nd place, n= 20), Spain (3rd place, n= 26), Russia (4th place, n= 27), Netherlands (5th place, n= 17), Belgium (6th place, n= 14), and Romania (7th place, n= 45). Athletes responded to translated and adapted versions of the questionnaire Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999) an hour before the first match of the tournament. Summary matches' statistics and the final ranking position (inverted) of the national teams were retrieved from an official website. Correlation results showed that a more frequent use of self-talk, emotional control and goal-setting strategies was positively related to points, tries and conversions scored, whereas imagery levels were positively associated to penalties scored. On the other hand, higher levels of negative thinking were positively correlated to points, tries and penalties conceded, whereas higher activation levels were negatively related to points, tries and conversions conceded. The teams' final ranking was significantly predicted by goal-setting (β= 0.21), imagery (β= 0.17), activation (β= 0.32) and negative thinking (β= −0.16) levels (R2= 0.11, p= 0.005).

This study‘s objective was to determine which lifestyle variables have a direct relationship with motivation towards the practice of physical activity. There was a sample of 858 subjects, aged between 18 and 77 years (41.62 ± 13.30), from different parts of Spain. The instruments used for data collection were the Behavioural Regulation Exercise Questionnaire, for Intrinsic Motivation measurement; the Intentionality to be Physically Active Measurement Scale, for the intention of future practice measurement; and the Healthy Lifestyles Questionnaire, for tobacco consumption, rest, balanced diet and respect for meal schedule variables measurement. The results determined that the Intention to be Physically Active variable was significant as a predictor of Intrinsic Motivation towards sport whereas the variables Rest Habits, Tobacco Consumption, Balanced Diet and Respect for Meals Schedule were not significant. The importance of promoting strategies for increasing intrinsic motivation is emphasized.

Anthropometric and performance data were collected from 184 rugby players (mean age=17.9±0.5 years, body mass=84.2±13.5 kg; height =1.79±0.07 m) to explore: (i) the correlation among indicators; and (ii) compare profiles from the selected (n =39) and non-selected (n =145) players to represent the Portuguese under-19 national team. Anthropometry characteristics included body height and body mass. Physical performance variables included push up and pull-up test, squat, Sargent test, flexed arm hang test, sit-and- reach test, 20 m shuttle run test, handgrip strength test, 20-m and 50-m sprint and Illinois agility test. The results showed that the selected rugby athletes reported significantly higher levels of right (t = 2.77, p = 0.01, ES= -0.5 [-0.8 to -0.2]) and left handgrip strength scores (t = 2.81, p = 0.01, ES = -0.5 [-0.8 to -0.2]), and significantly better (i.e. lower) levels of agility scores (t = -2.28, p = 0.02, ES = 0.4 [0.1 to 0.7]) than the non- selected rugby athletes. Accordingly, prospective players need to be constantly monitored and evaluated across age-categories in order to allow them to achieve the anthropometrical and fitness requirements needed to play at the international level.

The objective of our study was to analyse the difference between genders in the population groups under and over 40 years old, in relation to healthy lifestyles variables such as the intention to be physically active, balanced diet, tobacco, rest, as well as motivational variables related to the practice of physical activity. The sample consisted of 858 subjects, aged between 18 and 77 years old (41.62 ± 13.30). The instruments used for collection data were the Behavioural Regulation Exercise Questionnaire, for the Intrinsic Motivation measurement, the Intentionality to be Physically Active Measurement Scale, for the intention of future practice measurement, and the Healthy Lifestyles Questionnaire, for the tobacco consumption, rest, balanced diet and respect to the meal schedule variables measurement. The results determined that men have more intention to be physically active, higher more self-determined motivation and greater balanced diet, than women, both in the group under 40 years, and in the group over 40 years It was concluded that men have higher means in variables related to lifestyle, in relation to women.

The recognition of pedagogy and method of Judo was made effective by UNESCO, as a world-wide sport utility in the development of the human being and, as an activity whose spectrum of approach in children's age ranges is quite broad, exerts a preponderant function in the global development of its practitioners, allowing them to transfer the sport context to their specific socio-cultural context. The objective of this study was to relate the practice of Judo in the development of self-concept, self-esteem and academic performance in children’s first-cycle primary school. The study group included 8 parents in charge of education, aged 33- 45 (M = 39.75 SD = 4.33), 6 female and 2 males, 4 had a bachelor's degree, 2 had an undergraduate degree and two had the 12th grade. According to these parents, the practice of Judo is very much linked to the development of self-concept, emphasizing through the promotion of social acceptance, compliance with rules and responsibility or balanced behaviour. It is also linked to the development of self-esteem, insofar as it is an activity that promotes self-confidence. It also exerts an important influence on school performance, since it promotes concentration. It is also emphasized that in the parents' opinion, the inclusion of Judo in the Physical Education curricular programme would bring several benefits for the integral conception of the child as a citizen.

Adapted sport is an organized participation whose objective is to obtain improvement in physical and psychic conditions, that is, it represents one of the most important factors promoting educational success, inclusion and psychosocial development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the self-determined competences for the practice of sport and the levels of well-being, in athletes with Intellectual and Developmental Difficulties (DID) participating in the Special Olympics in Portugal, to be correlated as variables in study and which variables of self-determination are predictors of subjective well-being in this collective. Participated 54 Adapted Sport athletes, with DID, belonging to Portuguese Private Social Solidarity Institutions, participating in the Special Olympics competitive regime. Of the 54 athletes, 12 are female (22.22%) and 42 males (77.78%), aged between 11 and 53 years old (ẋ = 29.57 and SD = 10.59). For the data collection, the following validated scales were applied for the Portuguese population, The Basis Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale, The Behavioural Regulation in Sport Questionnaire, The Satisfaction with Life Scale, and The Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The athletes with intellectual and developmental difficulties (DID) participating in the Special Olympics revealed a high self-determined motivation for sports practice, and their subjective well- being was high enough and dependent on their levels of autonomous motivation. The regression models revealed that the best predictor of subjective well-being in this group was the autonomous motivation.

The coach role has been widely studied, and it has become a ruling factor in achievement of more knowledge, and by improving their competence. However, most studies are related to regular sports, making it essential to develop the same process in adapted sports. The present study aims to create a project that intends to establish a coaching profile in the field of Adapted Sport through the perspectives of coaches and athletes with Intellectual Disability (ID). Quantitative methods will be used as resource. We will question coaches through questionnaires for the mentoring profile (CPQ; SCDS; SCLS; SCPS) whereas for the leadership profile we will use the Sports Leadership Scale (ELD). As for the athletes they will be questioned through: BRSQ; BPNSS; SWLS and PANAS and Leadership Scale for Sports - LSS - Perception Version and Preferences). The results obtained in the described process, will serve to develop out the construction of a profile of training and performance for the coaches in the area of adapted sport.

The lack of specific training in Adapted Sports in Portugal is an obvious reality and according to this context, the Polytechnic of Castelo Branco, through their School of Education presents in the study plan of the bachelor’s degree of Sports and Physical Activity, the specialization of Sport for People with Disabilities. One of the Curricular Units (CU) included in the study plan is Adapted Sports, where several practical and collaborative methodologies are used. A questionnaire was address to 30 students with the purpose of evaluating the teacher’s performance and the importance of functional and practical dynamism of this Curricular Unit. The teaching methodologies used are highly appreciated by the students, as confirmed by the results of the curricular unit evaluation (mean 5.62) as well as the teacher’s performance (mean 5.66), for a maximal evaluation of 6. This CU also aims to sensitize the entire academic community to Adapted Sports, in order to develop workshops and continuous training in this field.

This study aims to verify the impact of physical activity on the physical fitness of elderly. The sample consisted of 348 elderly individuals aged between 61 and 97 years, divided into 2 groups (254 practitioners of Physical Activity and 94 non-practitioners). From the first group 48 practice hydrogymnastics and 206 practice gymnastics. Physical fitness was assessed following the test protocol of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones, 2001). In addition to descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov Smirnov, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis statistical tests were used with comparisons by pairs. The results allowed to identify that in each and every one of the tests of functional physical fitness there are statistically differences between practitioners and non- practitioners of PA, with mean averages significantly higher by the practitioners. The practice of any of these activities (Hydrogymnastics and Gymnastics) reveals significant differences with the group of non-practitioners, and the means obtained in any of the physical fitness tests of the two groups of practice much superiors compared to the non- practitioners. There are also significant differences between Hydogymnastic and Gymnastics practitioners in the test sitting, walking 2.44 m and sitting again, and walking for 6 minutes, where the gymnastic practitioners obtained better results in both tests.