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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 3 months

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By: Gregory Brown

Published: Sep 1, 2023

About the Author

Dr. Greg Brown is a professor of Exercise Science at the University of Nebraska at Kearney where he also serves as the Director of the LOPERs General Studies program. His primary teaching responsibilities are undergraduate and graduate courses in Exercise Physiology, but he has also taught courses in Introductory Anatomy & Physiology, Sports Nutrition, Research Methods, and Professional Development in Exercise Science. His research has evaluated the effects of nutritional supplements on the physiological response to exercise, the physiological responses to various types of exercise, effective teaching in the exercise science program, and sex-based differences in sports performance. He has authored or co-authored over 50 peer reviewed publications and serves as a peer-reviewer for over two dozen academic journals. He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the Association of American Educators (AAE).

He and his wife (Amber) have two adult sons and one daughter-in-law. Sadly, both their cat and dog passed away in the past year. His hobbies include running, hunting, fishing, studying history, and watching movies.

In the current battle over women’s and girls’ rights to female-only sports, a commonly heard mantra is that there are no sex-based differences in sports performance before puberty. Those who make this claim often contend that if a male is put on puberty blockers before age 12 (or Tanner development stage 2; whichever comes first), he can compete fairly in the female category. But is this really true?Are there really no differences in athletic performance between boys and girls before the onset of puberty? Do puberty blockers administered to children really erase male sex-based athletic advantages? Below, I’ll try to provide answers to these questions.

Like many things currently being put forth in public discourse as settled science, the presence or absence of sex-based athletic differences before puberty is not an open and shut case. There are few databases of records for children’s competitive sports performance and there has been limited scholarly research evaluating sex-based differences in competitive sports performance before puberty. Currently, there are no consensus statements from professional organizations such as the North American Society for Pediatric Exercise Medicine (NASPEM), the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), or the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) stating that there are, or are not, sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty.

Below, I will cover the main reasons our data on pre-pubertal sex differences in athletic performance is relatively poor, and draw some preliminary conclusions based on the data we do have that indicates such differences are actually quite significant.

Lack of Records

One challenge that arises when trying to determine whether there are sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty is the limited availability of records documenting competitive athletic performance in children. For adults participating at the Olympic and collegiate levels, meticulous record-keeping is the norm, and these records are readily accessible online. A simple internet search yields numerous listings of Olympic and collegiate records spanning various sports such as swimming, track and field, cross country, bicycling, and more.

Similarly, records for sports in secondary schools are also carefully maintained. In the United States, it is fairly easy to obtain the results of the most recent state high school track championship from news sources and on the state scholastic athletic association websites. Most secondary schools additionally showcase records for track and field, cross country, and other sports. The abundant availability of records in the Olympic, college, and secondary school arena makes it very easy to compare male and female athletes competing in the same events at the same level of competition. Such comparisons vividly illustrate that once puberty sets in, males outperform females by 10-30 percent (depending on the sport and event).

However, most sports involving pre-pubertal children operate outside the jurisdiction of state scholastic athletic association or even the local primary school. Instead, these activities are typically organized by local clubs or community recreation departments. Children’s sports often prioritize recreation and skill development over competitiveness. As a result, records pertaining to race times, throwing distances, weightlifting achievements, or other athletic benchmarks for children are not as meticulously maintained or as readily accessible as records for high school, college, or Olympic sports. Some have interpreted the lack of records for children’s sport as an indication that any sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty are negligible or insignificant.

Lack of Scholarly Attention

Adding to the challenge of limited records detailing competitive athletic performance before puberty is the constrained number of available scientific evaluations. For example, Handelsman [1] analyzed publicly accessible data on swimming, running, and jumping in children and adolescents. Although his data clearly illustrate that boys aged 10 and under run faster, swim faster, and jump farther than girls of comparable age, he published these findings in 2017 in a paper titled “Sex differences in athletic performance emerge coinciding with the onset of male puberty.”

In 2019 Senefeld et al. [2] drew upon data from USA Swimming and found that, before age 10, the top 5 girls swam faster than the top 5 boys. However, no disparities in swimming performance were observed between the 10th-50th ranked girls and boys. Additionally, in 2020, Huebner and Perperoglou [3] reported that there were no sex-based differences in competitive weightlifting performance before age 10. To my knowledge, these studies represent the only scholarly examinations of competitive performance in children before puberty.

Taken together, the scarcity of sports records for pre-pubertal children and the limited scholarly output on children’s competitive performance has led some to conclude that there are no differences in athletic performance between boys and girls before puberty. Some have even gone so far as to erroneously asserting that a broad consensus exists regarding the absence of sex-based differences in athletic performance before this developmental stage. However, this does not appear to be true, and in the sections below I will present information that demonstrates the existence of sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty.

School Based Fitness Testing

In contrast to the limited records available for sports performance and the scarcity of scholarly evaluations regarding children’s competitive sports performance, there exists a plethora of scholarly evaluations focused on school-based physical fitness testing in children as young as six years old. Various tests, such as the Presidential Fitness Test, FitnessGram, Eurofit Fitness Test Battery, and other school-based physical fitness assessments, consistently show that boys tend to outperform girls of the same age in tests measuring muscular strength, muscular endurance, running speed, aerobic fitness, ball throwing, and kicking distance. On the other hand, girls tend to perform better than boys in tests assessing flexibility.

A small sampling of publications evaluating school-based physical fitness testing includes a longitudinal evaluation of 240 German boys and girls aged 9-12 years [4], an analysis of 85,347 fitness test results among Australian boys and girls aged 9-17 years [5], an evaluation of 424,328 Greek boys and girls aged 6-18 years [6], a study examining 1,142,026 performances in a 20-meter shuttle run among boys and girls aged 9-17 year from 50 countries [7], and an assessment of 2,779,165 Eurofit performances among boys and girls aged 9-17 year from 30 countries [8].

Collectively, these studies (along with many others not listed here) indicate a consistent pattern: before puberty, boys tend to outperform girls of the same age in tests measuring muscular strength, muscular endurance, running speed, aerobic fitness, ball throwing, and kicking distance. Conversely, girls typically exhibit better performance in tests focused on flexibility. While physical fitness tests do not always accurately predict success in competitive sports, physical fitness is often a prerequisite for success in sports.

Sports Records

USA Track and Field (USATF) sanctions youth track and field meets in most states, including regional and national championship events. The youngest age categories in USATF are the 8-and-under and the 9-10-year-old age groups, both of which can reasonably be assumed to represent pre-pubertal athletes. Upon evaluating the performances at the USATF state-level Junior Olympics, it becomes apparent that boys frequently jump and throw farther, and run faster than comparably aged girls.

For instance, if we examine the race times for the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m races, along with the distances achieved in shot put, javelin, and long jump events in the 2023 USATF Nebraska Association Junior Olympics [9], for both boys and girls in the 8-and-under age group, we find that no girl would have outperformed a boy to secure the gold, silver, or bronze medals in any of these events. For the same events in the 9-10-year-old age group, only one girl would have secured a gold medal (out of a possible 8), while two girls would have clinched silver medals (out of 8), and another two girls would have won bronze medals (out of 8). Of course, one could reasonably argue that data from a single youth track meet in Nebraska may not be representative data for pre-pubertal athletic performance as a whole.

So, if we make the same comparison in the same events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m races, and the distances for shot put, javelin, and long jump) in the 2023 USATF Arizona Association Junior Olympics [10], we observe that girls in the 8-and-under age group would have secured zero gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals. In the 9-10-year-old category, a girl would have tied with a boy for a single gold medal, and three girls would have taken home bronze medals. Yet, once again, one could reasonably argue that the combined data from track meets in Nebraska and Arizona may not accurately represent the broader spectrum of pre-pubertal athletic performance.

So, if we make the same comparison for the same events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m races, and the distances for shot put, javelin, and long jump) at the 2023 USATF National Youth Outdoor Championships [11]—an event that includes athletes from many different states—we discover that girls in the 8-and-under age group would have won two gold medals (out of 8), three silver medals (out of 8), and no bronze medals. Girls in the 9-10-year-old age group would have won a single gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals. Collectively, looking at these three track meets, placing side by side the race times for the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m races, as well as the distances for shot put, javelin, and long jump for boys and girls in the 8-and-under and 9-10-year-old age groups, it’s clear that if girls were to compete against boys, they would have secured only 23 out of 144 medals. Within this tally, girls would have received only five out of 48 gold medals.

Of course, one could reasonably argue that the examples above represent only a single year and only three specific track meets. However, if we evaluate the overall youth records for the best performances in running, throwing, and jumping from USATF [12], the USATF National Junior Olympics [13], and the School Sport Australia Track & Field Championships [14], they collectively indicate that boys aged 10 and under outperform girls of the same age across all recorded events. On average, boys outperform girls by 3 percent in running, 9 percent in jumping, and 16 percent in throwing events. Similarly, records for boys aged 10 and under in USA Swimming show faster times than girls' records in 18 out of 22 events [15].

While examining medal counts at specific track meets offers valuable, albeit somewhat anecdotal, insights into performance differences between boys and girls before puberty, these counts do not qualify as a rigorous scientific evaluation. Though scholars often use evaluations of overall records for best performances to showcase sex-based differences in adult athletic performance, disparities in pre-pubertal children’s performance are frequently dismissed as being too small to be meaningful. Moreover, the overall youth records from USATF have not been updated since 2018, the records from the USATF National Junior Olympics have not been updated since 2019, and the School Sport Australia Track & Field Championship records have not seen updates since 2016. It’s unclear why these records have not been updated, but it does raise some questions about the accuracy of these records.

Nonetheless, by considering scholarly assessments of school-based fitness test data, several youth track meets, track and field best performance records, and swimming best performance records, it certainly seems like there is an emerging pattern of pre-pubertal male sex-based athletic advantages.

Scholarly Evidence for Sex-Based Sports Differences Before Puberty

Some colleagues and I have recently presented an assessment of sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine [16]. Drawing upon a national database of track and field performance (athletic.net) and evaluating the top 10 performances for boys and girls in the 8-and-under and 9-10-year-old age groups over a 5-year period, we observed consistent trends. Boys consistently (and statistically) ran almost 5 percent faster, long jumped 6 percent farther, threw the shot put 20 percent farther, and threw the javelin 40 percent farther than girls of the same age. At the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, a separate team of researchers from a different university used the same database, albeit with slightly different evaluation methods, and came to similar conclusions regarding the pre-pubertal advantages of male athletes [17].

In light of these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that male athletes indeed possess advantages in sports performance before reaching puberty. This conclusion is founded on extensive scholarly evaluations of fitness tests in schools, data gleaned from youth track meets and records, as well as youth swimming records for best performances. My personal analysis of the top 10 national track and field performances for boys and girls within the 8-and-under and 9-10-year-old age groups across a 5-year period supports this, further corroborated by similar outcomes from another team of researchers. Admittedly, the sex-based disparities before puberty are less pronounced than after puberty, but they exhibit a consistent pattern that yields a statistically significant difference favoring male athletes.

What about Puberty Blockers?

Whether there are, or are not, sex-based differences in athletic performance before puberty still leaves questions about how puberty blockers affect athletic performance. The truth is, we don’t have enough information to answer questions about how puberty blockers affect athletic performance. There are no published studies evaluating the effects of puberty blockers on muscle strength, muscle endurance, running speed, aerobic fitness, as well as throwing or kicking distance in children, whether in school or laboratory settings. Similarly, there is no research on how puberty blockers might impact performance in competitive sports. Limited studies have touched upon the effects of puberty blockers on body composition and height.

Two long-term studies investigating the impact of puberty blockers on body composition and height indicate that the sex-based differences in lean body mass [18] and height [19] persist even after 2 years on puberty blockers followed by an additional 6 years of so-called “gender-affirming hormone therapy.” It is undeniable that male advantages in lean body mass and body height translate to athletic advantages as adults. It’s reasonable to assume that these advantages also extend to athletic performance among children and adolescents. The sex-based differences in performance in children may be smaller than in adults, but small differences can mean the difference between a gold medal and no medal in sports.

Conclusion

Readers of Reality’s Last Stand will be familiar with the important sex-based differences between males and females. These differences begin at conception and continue throughout one’s life. Sex-based anatomical and physiological differences confer inherent athletic advantages to males when compared to females of the same age, possessing similar talents and undergoing similar training, across all age groups, even before puberty. Having a transgender identity, with or without the use of cross-sex hormones, does not eliminate sex-based differences in anatomy and physiology, nor does it erase sex-based differences in athletic performance.

It is my opinion that, in order to maintain a level playing field for female athletic competition, transgender identified males (i.e., “transgirls” and “transwomen”) should not be allowed to participate in the female sports category before or after puberty even when puberty blockers are used.

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femuscleblog · 1 year

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#female physical strength #sports performance #biology #exercise physiology #sport

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dy-patil-university-navi-mumbai · 15 days

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A Leader in Higher Education in Sports Science

DY Patil University stands among the top universities in the nation. It is well known for its comprehensive approach to sports science in particular. Master's degrees in sports education with specializations of exercise physiology, sports biomechanics, and sports science are offered by the university that demonstrate their dedication to fusing modern technology, scientific ideas, and real-world application. These programs reflect the university's commitment to academic integrity as well as its adaptability to the changing demands of the international sports business.

Sports Science Master's Program

The masters in sports science program at D Y Patil Deemed To Be University aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding and specialized abilities in the multidisciplinary field of sports science. Students who want to expand their knowledge in subjects like athlete health and wellbeing and sports performance are catered to by this curriculum. The program guarantees that graduates are well-prepared to contribute to sports research, coaching, sports treatment, and fitness consulting by emphasizing a curriculum based on evidence-based practice.

A Closer Look at Some of The Specializations

The university’s specialization- exercise physiology is almost akin to having a single exercise physiology masters program. The degree is designed to take students deeply into the scientific investigation of how exercise affects the human body. Thorough training in the physiological reactions to exercise and the ensuing effects on health is required for this advanced study.

The curriculum seeks to create professionals who can improve sports performance, manage rehabilitation, and develop novel health methods by emphasizing both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

Developing Theory and Practice in Sports Biomechanics

The sports science education has another specialization- sports biomechanics, that is particularly noteworthy. Almost like a masters in sports biomechanics, the specialization takes into consideration the mechanical components of human movement. It blends in-depth theoretical instruction with hands-on laboratory experiences where students use biomechanical concepts to enhance athletic performance and lower risk of injury.

Research Opportunities and Faculty Expertise

The faculty is one of its strongest points; they are seasoned academics and business experts that infuse the classroom with a plethora of information and expertise. The academic staff actively participates in research, publishing findings and making contributions to conferences, seminars, and publications. This dynamic academic setting encourages creativity and inquiry, giving students many chances to work on difficult research projects that are pertinent to current problems in sports science.

Contemporary Facilities

Modern facilities are available to facilitate its advanced academic programs. These consist of modern research facilities, libraries, and labs that are outfitted with the newest scientific instruments and books.

Getting Graduates Ready for a Changing Field

Graduates of the sports science programs at DY Patil University are equipped to take on the demands of a rapidly evolving and growing field. The university's all-encompassing approach to teaching guarantees that its graduates are not just well-informed but also flexible and creative thinkers.

Graduates are well-known for their success in a variety of professional contexts, such as academic institutions, athletic groups, health and fitness centers, and professional consulting positions.

Sport science's future leaders are being shaped at DY Patil University, which offers strong academic programs backed by knowledgeable faculty and first-rate facilities. The institution is committed to improving its teaching methods as they develop in order to satisfy the dynamic needs of the international sports industry.

#masters in sports science #exercise physiology masters programs

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kierablogss · 1 month

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Junior athletes are the future of athletic greatness in the world of sports. Their quest is characterized by commitment, diligence, and the desire to realize their greatest potential. But there are risks associated with this path.

Junior athletes are especially prone to injuries because of their growing bodies, heavy training loads, and rigorous training schedules.

As these young individuals engage in rigorous training and competition, they are prone to various injuries that can hinder their performance and jeopardize their long-term athletic potential. However, with the expertise of exercise physiologists, preventative measures can be implemented to safeguard the well-being of junior athletes and optimize their athletic development.

#physiotherapy #physiotherepist #physiology #exercise physiology #sports physiotherapy

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floorballmadesimple · 3 months

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Here is my new YouTube-video, with my audio on it, which showcases how ball carrying abilities can be used on floorball fields. Please have a look and subscribe to the channel if you like what you see.

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#floorball #sports #innebandy #unihockey #fitness #health & fitness #physique #physiology #Youtube

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warriorend · 4 months

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aaaaaauughgghg I have to actually outline what this fucker has and has not had done

#i know some things! but not all #this would be much easier if all of my vague medical knowledge didn't come from sports med (mostly injury management)#and human anat/physiology #both have been helpful but i need more Specialized and specific information

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rdtblog · 6 months

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Sport specialization is a term that refers to the process of intense year-round training in a specific sport with the exclusion of other sports at a young age. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards early sport specialization in youth football athletes. This article delves into the consensus definition of sport specialization in youth football athletes using a Delphi approach. It examines the implications of early sport specialization on the physical and psychological development of young footballers.

#sport psychology #sport #youth #psychology #physiology #football

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gymequipment18 · 3 months

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#Sports Science Equipment #Sports Science #Exercise Physiology #Sports Physiology #Biomecenics #Sports Biomechanics #National Center of Excellence #Sports Rehab #Sports Recovery #Sports Exercise Science #Health and Exercise Science #Exercise Sports Science #Strength and Conditioning #Sports Physiology Equipment #Rehabilitation equipment #Rehab & Recovery #Exercise Physiology Tools #Science of Kinesiology #Biomechanics Equipment

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scientificinquirer-blog · 9 months

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Conversations with Nick Bolhuis: Exploring the breathing science behind the NTEL Belt.

Neuropeak Pro is a company trusted by elite athletes like Jordan Spieth and Bryson Dechambeau to enhance their performance. Their latest product, the NTEL Belt, is tailored for recreational athletes. Easily paired with the Neuropeak Pro app via Bluetooth, it offers features like Coaching, Evaluation, Training, Trends, and Profile. Beginners should start with the Coaching-Breathing Fundamentals…

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#Africa #analytics #Asia #Australia #Europe #Featured #North America #physiology #psychology #South America #sports #sports science

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quotesfrommyreading · 9 months

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Don Catlin, the man who set up the United States' first performance-enhancing drug testing laboratory, the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory in Los Angeles, had been studying the drug erythropoietin, called EPO, from the start. It appeared on the market in the United States in 1989 as a drug used for kidney patients and AIDS-related anemia, but athletes long before that had learned of its magic powers. EPO is a powerful hormone that boosts endurance by increasing red blood cell production. More red blood cells means more endurance. In the sport of road cycling, it turned out to be a miracle potion.

The drug comes in a vial less than an inch and a half tall. But it is filled with several doses. No longer would endurance athletes have to undergo the dangerous and logistically difficult process of receiving blood transfusions to boost their red blood cell count. Now enhancing one's endurance was as simple as pricking the skin with a needle. Athletes could receive what one unpublished Swedish study said was an average 8 percent boost in aerobic capacity. The study said the drug could cut 30 seconds from a 20-minute run. In cycling, using the drug could mean the difference between winning the Tour de France and not even qualifying for one's Tour team.

There was a frightening downside, though. EPO raised a rider's hematocrit level – the proportion of red blood cells in the blood and a measure of blood's thickness. A man's hematocrit is usually between 42 and 48 percent of his whole blood.

But with EPO, some cyclists were boosting their hematocrit into the 50s, or even higher. Bjarne Riis, the 1996 Tour champion, was even nicknamed “Mister 60 Percent” because EPO was rumored to have jacked up his hematocrit that high. The practice was inherently dangerous. If athletes overdosed on EPO, the drug would turn their blood to a viscous, sticky sludge that could cause a stroke or heart failure. Dehydration, which often occurs during long races, makes the blood even thicker. By the late 1980s, cyclists were buying the drug on the market. Then they started dropping dead.

In 1987, five Dutch cyclists died of heart problems. On August 17, 1998, Connie Meijer, a Dutch rider, passed out and died while competing in a criterium race. Diagnosis: heart attack. She was twenty-five. One day later, Bert Oosterbosch, another Dutch rider, died in his sleep, at thirty-two. Again, a heart attack.

Doctors and blood specialists said EPO abuse might have played a role in the deaths of at least eighteen professional European cyclists in the years from 1988 to 1992. Ten deaths were attributed to heart problems. The cycling magazine VeloNews declared that “an atomic bomb” had gone off in the sport. News of the deaths was picked up by mainstream media outlets. The New York Times carried a headline: “Stamina-Building Drug Linked to Athletes' Deaths.”

Catlin sounded an alarm within the International Olympic Committee. As a member of the IOC's medical commission, he pressed for an investigation. The athletes had taken a drug for which no test had yet been developed. Catlin believed the IOC should do something about it, and right away, because lives were at stake.

He went with an IOC team to Europe on a fact-finding mission. He found no one who would talk about EPO. Family members refused to cooperate. Riders said they'd never heard of it. Basically, they told Catlin to go away. Again and again, he told them, Don't be afraid to talk. We're trying to save the lives of other cyclists. Please help us.

In reply, he heard nothing. He believed that some people were protecting not only the memory of friends, family and teammates – they were also protecting the sport. Doping scandal followed doping scandal. Something had to be done.

Catlin made his pitch in 1988. But the code of silence that had served cycling for so long could not be broken. Seven years later, Lance Armstrong used EPO for the first time.

— Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong (Juliet Macur)

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