Kong Chuan Teh

• Consultant at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

This study examines the effects of Ramadan fasting on performance during an intense exercise session performed at three different times of the day, i.e., 08:00, 18:00, and 21:00 h. The purpose was to determine the optimal time of the day to perform an acute high-intensity interval exercise during the Ramadan fasting month. After familiarization, ni...

Objectives. - The purpose of this study was to determine if aerobic and anaerobic training-induced adaptations were compromised as a result of Ramadan fasting. Methods. - Twenty adolescent males of the Muslim and non-Muslim faith were divided into fasting (FAS, n = 10) and non-fasting or control (CON, n = 10) groups, respectively. High-intensity in...

This study examines the effects of Ramadan fasting on maximal strength performance (3 sets of bench press exercise at 85% of 1RM with three minutes of passive rest between sets) performed at three different times of the day: 1000h, 1900h and 2200h. There were no significant differences between RAM and CON for the total number of successful bench pr...

The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of the running repeated sprint ability (rRSA) test to discriminate performances between: i) various playing positions (Study 1), and ii) teams of different level of competitiveness (Study 2), in trained soccer players. Study 1 comprised clubs' players participating in the top local pro...

The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) in a maximal treadmill run and the aerobic endurance performance in the 20-m multistage shuttle run (MST) test, with the performance indices obtained in the running repeated sprint ability (rRSA) test, in elite youth soccer players. Thirty-seven adolesc...

Purpose: Superior aerobic fitness may imply a greater chance of success in soccer. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the level of aerobic fitness of clubs and their respective positional ranking in the league competition (i.e. global indicator of soccer success). Methods: Outfield position players from all clubs in the...

The attainment of an oxygen uptake (VO2 ) plateau during maximal incremental exercise is often considered as a criterion for the elicitation of a maximal effort. However there is growing evidence that a VO2 plateau does not occur in all adult subjects despite exercise to volitional exhaustion. One school of thought is that aerobically trained subje...

The purpose of this study was to measure actual VO2max during the multi-stage fitness test (MSFT) and to compare this with predicted values obtained using previously established, commonly used methods. We also wanted to determine a new and more accurate regression equation for the prediction of VO2max in intermittent sport athletes. Twenty-six, eli...

Laser class sailors have to hike out, i.e. hook their feet under the toe straps near the centreline of the boat and hold their upper bodies over the edge of the boat, to counteract the heeling forces generated by the sails. To identify the parameters that are associated with maximal hiking performance, this cross-sectional observational study measu...

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between aerobic fitness (i.e. maximal aerobic power or V · O 2max) and heart rate recovery (HR rec) from maximal exhaustive exercise in trained team sport athletes. Fifty-three male, national senior-and junior-level soccer and field hockey players performed a graded maximal treadmill run to...

Purpose: This aim of this field-based study was to monitor and describe the changes in several fitness attributes during a competitive season in soccer players in an Asian professional league. Methods: Forty-one outfield players from the clubs competing in Singapore’s top professional soccer league, the S-League were tested on four occasions throug...

The mushroom fungus lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) has been used for centuries as a health tonic in the Far East. One of its traditional reputed effects is the ability to improve physical performance. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of thirty days of standardized lingzhi extract supplementation on human exercise performance. The st...

The aims of the study were: i) to compare the measured maximal oxygen uptake (MVO2max) during the 20 m multi-stage shuttle test (MST) with MVO2max during an incremental treadmill-run test (TRT), and ii) to establish the reliability of MVO2max during MST, in trained athletes. Experimental design: 8 well-trained endurance-athletes (END) and 8 athlete...

The aim of this study was to compare the physiological responses and energy cost between two ascending patterns, the single-step (SS) and the double-step (DS), in climbing a public staircase. In the SS pattern, a person climbs one step at a time whilst in the double-step (DS) pattern, the individual traverses two steps in a single stride. Advocates...

This study compares the performances obtained during soccer-specific field tests of the 20 m multistage shuttle run test (MST) and the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test (YIET), with the measured maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2max) obtained in both field tests as well as that obtained in the traditional test of running to exhaustion on a treadmill (TRT)...

http://www.tulips.tsukuba.ac.jp/mylimedio/dl/page.do?issueid=822010&tocid=100054652&page=95-101

Published literature on soccer players’ physiological attributes has mainly focused on European-based teams. While there are some data on Asia, these are limited because the investigations were on small numbers of players and on players representing the national teams, rather than the typical professional players (e.g., Adhikar and Das, 1993; Al-Ha...

Purpose: This field-based study examines the i) reliability and sensitivity of the 20 m Multistage Shuttle Run test (MST), and ii) correlation between the performance during MST with several physiologic measures, on well-trained soccer players. Methods: Twelve National players performed the MST twice within two weeks to assess the MST reliability,...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sencitivity of the stair-climb test to predict changes in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) following ten weeks of aerobic training. Twemty-two men (mean age 37±10 years) and 22 women (mean age 35±11 years) participated in the study. All subjects preformed a pre-training treadmill test (TM1) and stairclimb...

This study was conducted on Singaporean males and females to determine the extent of involvement in sport, work-based and home-based physical activities, and other activities such as walking and stairclimbing. A Physical Activity Questionnaire was designed and data collected in conjunction with the Singapore National Sports Participation Survey 200...

The 30 s Wingate cycling anaerobic test (cWG) is popular and is highly correlated with short, high-intensity performances but may have limitations when assessing intermittent activities. A reliable field-test, the running repeated sprint ability (rRSA), is deemed more sport-specific than cWG in determining anaerobic performance capabilities of mult...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the Stair-Climb Test (SCT) of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in healthy male and female Singaporean adults. Thirty men (mean age 37±9 years) and 22 women (mean age 35±11 years) underwent two SCTs (SCT1&SCT2) at a public Housing and Development Board (HDB) staircase, with at least 24 hours sepa...

The supplementation practices of elite athletes in Singapore were studied using an anonymous questionnaire. Information was sought on not only the type of supplements used but also dosage, rationale for use, and other factors that might influence supplement use including selected demographic parameters and sources of information relating to supplem...

The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the physical demands of the sport of sepaktakraw and the physiological profiles of elite players. The temporal characteristics of matches (i.e. duration of rally, recovery, set and match) and physiological responses (i.e. heart rate (HR) and blood lactate [La]) of the players during matches were m...

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study describing the physiological responses during competitive matches and profile of elite exponents of an emerging martial art sport, pencak silat. Thirty exponents (21 males and 9 females) were involved in the study. Match responses (i.e. heart rate (HR) throughout match and capillary blood lactate concent...

Background: The purpose of this study is to describe the physiological characteristics of members of the Singapore national water polo team. Methods: Experimental design: a descriptive study on the physiological characteristics of members of a winning water polo team. Setting: the study was conducted at the Sports Medicine and Research Centr...

This study describes the heart rate and oxygen uptake responses during, and the intensity and caloric cost of, ascending and descending a public-access staircase. Subjects were initially assessed for their maximum oxygen uptake and heart rate on a treadmill in the laboratory. For field measurements, subjects ascended (N = 103) and descended (N = 49...

Purpose: This study describes the heart rate and oxygen uptake responses during, and the intensity and caloric cost of, ascending and descending a public access staircase. Methods: Subjects were initially assessed for their maximum oxygen uptake and heart rate on a treadmill in the laboratory. For field measurements, subjects ascended (N = 103) and...

The purpose of this study was to assess the intensity and energy cost of dance simulation in relation to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations on the quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness, and to assess its safety. Forty subjects (21 males and 19 females, age 17.5 +/- 0.7...

Introduction. In an attempt to find a more specific grip strength test for bowlers, the conventional grip strength test was modified such that only the fingers used in holding the ball are tested. The objective of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of this modified bowling grip strength test, to assess the agreement between the bo...

The purpose of this study was to develop a stair-climb test of cardiorespiratory fitness for adult Singaporeans, particularly those staying in Singapore Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. 103 subjects [56 males, of mean (SD) age 44.8 (13.9) years and Body Mass Index, or BMI, 23.3 (3.2); and 47 females, of age 43.2 (12.9) years and BMI 21.9...

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance in field hockey and soccer players. Experimental design: a descriptive study on the aerobic-anaerobic performance of intermittent team game players. The study was conducted at the Sports Medicine and Research Centre. Participants:...

The increasing acceptance of ten-pin bowling as a sport, as well as the keen competition amongst bowlers, necessitates the identification of performance indicators to aid training. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine if age, height, weight, aerobic power index, bowling grip strength, 10-RM leg press performance, and the sit-and-r...

The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is a statutory board (government body) which was set up in 1973. Its main responsibility is to implement the "SPORTS FOR ALL" policy of the Singapore Government. Physical activity has been found to be an important factor in coronary artery disease prevention. It is through its "SPORTS FOR ALL" policy, by promoting...

This paper reviews several recent studies on the possible benefits and dangers of non-aerobic exercises in cardiac rehabilitation programmes. It presents the case for including in such programmes, exercises which specifically improve components of overall physical fitness other than aerobic or cardiorespiratory endurance fitness. This is because ma...

There are currently many detailed, physiological profiles of athletes who participate in a wide variety of sporting activities. The purpose of this investigation was to add to this currently existing body of scientific knowledge with regard to a select group of individuals who are world-class decathlon athletes. The following parameters were assess...

Two studies were carried out to determine the rates and effects of foot marches, one a controlled study using the steady state heart rate (SSHR) as a measure of response to anaerobic work done and fatigue, the other a field trial with troops. Both studies showed that the optimum rate of forced march is about 4 KPH. The physical effects of a prolong...