Despite being a sport with weight classes that influence training and competition outcomes, Judo is one in which body image significantly affects the performance and well-being of female collegiate judoka athletes. The current study examined the lived experiences of ffemale collegiate judokas aged 18–23 regarding their body image perceptions. The study employed structured interviews to investigate how social, sport-specific, and personal expectations influence body image and athletic performance. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s 2006 six-phase framework emerging themes revealed both positive and negative perceptions of body image among the participants. Some female collegiate judokas came to associate their evolving bodies with progress and strength, leading to a sense of satisfaction and self-acceptance. Others, however, reported difficulties with negative body image stemming from weight management, past experiences, and lifestyle changes. A mixture of social pressures and Judo's physical nature shaped the participants' experiences, with weight management being identified as a primary source of psychological pressure. Nevertheless, some female collegiate judokas employed coping techniques such as mindfulness, peer support, reframing self-talk, and setting performance-based goals over appearance. The study highlighted that exploring body image among female collegiate judokas is a complex and multifaceted experience. These results underscore the importance of support systems that address the psychological and physical needs of female judoka athletes in weight-sensitive sports, thereby promoting positive body image perceptions among female collegiate judoka athletes.

Young adults should obtain the recommended levels of physical activity as insufficient levels could lead to numerous health problems and a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity in the Philippines has already been a problem before the pandemic hit and encompassed the world. With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and other sanitary measures that were put
in place as an attempt to decrease its effects and transmission bring with them physical movement limitations and increases the temptation of a sedentary lifestyle - especially with current technological advancements. This study aimed to determine the physical activity levels of young adults and if it reaches the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended standards, as well as know what motivates and what prevents them from doing physical activity. Young adults living in the Philippines participated through answering a survey distributed online. The results showed that, despite the majority of young adults stating that they were more physically active before the pandemic, most still reached high levels of physical activity and WHO’s guidelines. This study also found that Lack of Energy and COVID-19-related factors are the main barriers that prevent the majority of the respondents from doing physical activity. Most of the participants are under Integrated Regulation, with none falling under Amotivation, which means that being physically active aligns with the majority’s values and goals, and none of the respondents do not see the value of exercise. Despite still having healthy levels, the further decrease in physical activity should still be prevented, and negative physical activity habits formed during the pandemic should be reduced. This study also serves as a basis for comparison for future researchers to find out if the levels have differed after the lifting of restrictions, as well as an insight for instances wherein young adults find themselves in quarantine and isolation.

Post-activation potentiation or PAP has been utilized as part of the warm-up protocol to enhance subsequent athletic performance. Previous studies on PAP have shown improvements in athletic performance following a conditioning activity of resistance exercise or plyometrics. However, there is no consensus yet regarding which type of PAP should be used before a main activity. The objective of this study was to determine and compare the effects of strength-focused and power-focused PAP before short sprint performance. Nine (9) physically fit young adult males with a mean age of 24.1 ± 1.7 years participated in this study. Only five (5) participants were able to complete the testing process. Four (4) non-consecutive days were allotted for the testing process, with a minimum of 48 hours between testing days given for complete recovery. The participants had their 20-m baseline sprint time measured on a track oval using timing gates. The participants then had their one repetition maximum on the barbell half squat exercise measured. They were then divided into 2 groups, which determined the PAP intervention they would perform first. After each intervention, participants were tasked to perform a 20-m maximal effort sprint at 4- and 8-minutes post-intervention. The results gathered in this study showed no significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores of the participants who performed the interventions. This implied that neither PAP intervention was able to induce a potentiation that would significantly affect sprint performance for this set of participants. This study showed no conclusive evidence to support the claim that PAP improves athletic performance, especially in recreational runners with weight training experience. The findings of this study affirm prerequisites to induce PAP itself, such as an individual’s fitness level, intensity, and movement specificity. Considering these factors might help in future research regarding PAP.

Caffeine, or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is a purine alkaloid that significantly influences various biological processes and regulating pathways. It is a psychoactive drug that influences mental as well as physical health, including mood, performance, sleep, and cognition. Caffeine is the most commonly consumed ergogenic supplement with proven and researched ergogenic effects such as greater agility, power, reduced reaction times, increased focus, improved muscle contractility, and endurance, which are beneficial for sport (Paiva et al., 202l; Diaz-Lara, 2024). This study conducted a randomized single-blind crossover design with a 48-hour recovery period between trials to examine the acute effect of caffeinated pre-workout supplementation on male collegiate swimmers. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a caffeine pill or a placebo on separate occasions. Each participant consumed a 4 mg/kg dosage of the caffeine pills or placebo, depending on their trial condition. Given the results, there was a significant decrease in time in the 50m freestyle among male collegiate swimmers in the Philippines with caffeine compared to a placebo t(9) = -3.21, p = 0.005. (Cohen’s d=-1.14). Given its popularity, more research is required to fully explore the acute effects of caffeine on specific sports such as swimming.

This study aims to determine the motivational climate of individual and team sport collegiate student-athletes and compare them to one another. It makes use of the self-determination theory as the base theory. To validate the objective, this study makes use of quantitative research design particularly a descriptive comparative research design. Data for this study came from off-season student-athletes from a state university in the Philippines who were asked to answer a survey questionnaire with scale items adapted from the Revised Sports Motivation Scale (SMS-II). A total of 108 participants took part in this study. This study used summary statistics as the primary tool for statistical analysis. The results showed that both individual and team sport student-athletes exhibited higher levels of intrinsic motivation during the off-season. In particular, student-athletes from team sports showed higher levels of both motivational states compared to those from individual sports. Social norms present in team sports played a role wherein players in the team would internalize their roles in training and in competition to achieve the collective goal of winning. These norms are not available in players from individual sports. From the study, student-athletes should find the personal values they wish to associate with the sport. Coaches should understand the motivations of their players in participating in the sport. Future researchers may consider using mixed methods research, and longitudinal design to generalize the findings.