Anthropometric and physical characteristics allow differentiation of young female volleyball players according to playing position and level of expertise

The aim of our study was to determine the differences in some anthropometric and physical performance variables of young Croatian female volleyball players (aged 13 to 15) in relation to playing position (i.e., independent variable) and performance level within each position (i.e., independent variable). Players were categorized according to playing position (i.e., role) as middle blockers (n=28), opposite hitters (n=41), passer-hitters (n=54), setters (n=30), and liberos (n=28). Within each position, players were divided into a more successful group and a less successful group according to team ranking in the latest regional championship and player quality within the team. Height and body mass, somatotype by the Heath-Carter method, and four tests of lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power (i.e., dependent variables) were assessed. Players in different positions differed significantly in height and all three somatotype components, but no significant differences were found in body mass, body mass index or measured physical performance variables. Players of different performance level differed significantly in both anthropometric and physical performance variables. Generally, middle blockers were taller, more ectomorphic, less mesomorphic and endomorphic, whereas liberos were shorter, less ectomorphic, more mesomorphic and endomorphic than players in other positions. More successful players in all positions had a lower body mass index, were less mesomorphic and endomorphic, and more ectomorphic than less successful players. Furthermore, more successful players showed better lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power. The results of this study can potentially provide coaches with useful indications about the use of somatotype selection and physical performance assessment for talent identification and development

Anthropometric and physical characteristics allow differentiation of young female volleyball players according to playing position and level of expertise

The aim of our study was to determine the differences in some anthropometric and physical performance variables of young Croatian female volleyball players (aged 13 to 15) in relation to playing position (i.e., independent variable) and performance level within each position (i.e., independent variable). Players were categorized according to playing position (i.e., role) as middle blockers (n=28), opposite hitters (n=41), passer-hitters (n=54), setters (n=30), and liberos (n=28). Within each position, players were divided into a more successful group and a less successful group according to team ranking in the latest regional championship and player quality within the team. Height and body mass, somatotype by the Heath-Carter method, and four tests of lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power (i.e., dependent variables) were assessed. Players in different positions differed significantly in height and all three somatotype components, but no significant differences were found in body mass, body mass index or measured physical performance variables. Players of different performance level differed significantly in both anthropometric and physical performance variables. Generally, middle blockers were taller, more ectomorphic, less mesomorphic and endomorphic, whereas liberos were shorter, less ectomorphic, more mesomorphic and endomorphic than players in other positions. More successful players in all positions had a lower body mass index, were less mesomorphic and endomorphic, and more ectomorphic than less successful players. Furthermore, more successful players showed better lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power. The results of this study can potentially provide coaches with useful indications about the use of somatotype selection and physical performance assessment for talent identification and development

Evaluation of efficiency of repulsion in speed-and-strength types of athletics

Efficiency of repulsion in speed-and-strength types of athletics is an integral measure of skill, since the performance of repulsive movements involves interaction of almost all organs and body systems. Dynamic repulsion lays the foundation for high sports results and the conditions of effective interaction of internal and external forces. With the special test exercises, one can determine the level of functioning of individual systems, on which the result of an exercise depends, which during training sessions provides focused opportunity to influence the stimulation of individual systems, increasing their level of activity. The article presents an electromyographic evaluation of the effectiveness of repulsion during the high jump at a run. The implementation of this method will make it possible to objectively evaluate the level of technical skills of athletes and purposefully influence the improvement of basic biomechanical characteristics of sports exercises

The frequency of falls in children judo training

Purpose: Falling techniques are inseparable part of youth judo training. Falling techniques are related to avoiding injuries exercises (Nauta et al., 2013). There is not good evidence about the ratio of falling during the training in children. Methods: 26 children (age 8.88±1.88) were video recorded on ten training sessions for further indirect observation and performance analysis. Results: Research protocol consisted from recording falls and falling techniques (Reguli et al., 2015) in warming up, combat games, falling techniques, throwing techniques and free fighting (randori) part of the training session. While children were taught almost exclusively forward slapping roll, backward slapping roll and sideward direct slapping fall, in other parts of training also other types of falling, as forward fall on knees, naturally occurred. Conclusions: Judo coaches should stress also on teaching unorthodox falls adding to standard judo curriculum (Koshida et al., 2014). Various falling games to teach children safe falling in different conditions should be incorporated into judo training. Further research to gain more data from groups of different age in various combat and non-combat sports is needed

Fear of crime and victimization among the elderly participating in the self-defence course

Purpose. Self-defence training could enhance seniors´ defensive skills and fitness. There is lack of evidence about fear and concerns of seniors participating in the self-defence course. Methods. 18 elderly persons (16 female, 1 male; age 66.2, SD=5.86) participated in the self-defence course lasting 8 training units (each unit 60 minutes). Standardized tool for fear of crime and victimization analysis previously used in Euro-Justis project in the Czech Republic (2011) was used in pretest and posttest. Results. We explored the highest fear of crime by participants in their residence area after dark (mean=2,77; median=3; SD=0,80), lower fear at the night in their homes (mean=2,29; median=2; SD=0,75) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,77) at the beginning of the course. We noticed certain decrease of fear of crime after the intervention. Participant were less afraid of crime in their residence area after dark (mean=2,38; median=2; SD=0,77), they felt lower fear of crime at the night in their homes (mean=2,00; median=2; SD=0,48) and in their residence area at the daytime (mean=1,82; median=2; SD=0,63). Conclusions. The approach to self-defence teaching for elderly should be focused not just on the motor development, but also on their emotional state, fear of crime, perception of dangerousness of diverse situations and total wellbeing. Fear of crime analysis can contribute to create tailor made structure of the self-defence course for specific groups of citizens

Modelling change and stability of physical and technical performance in young soccer players.

Esta tese investigou a relação entre mudanças no crescimento e forma do corpo, composição corporal, maturação biológica, desempenho físico, habilidades técnicas, conhecimento de jogo e historial do treino de jovens futebolistas no contexto de seus clubes. O estudo tem um delineamento longitudinal-misto; amostrou 150 futebolistas com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e 14 anos no baseline, oriundos de seis clubes de futebol da área metropolitana do Porto que foram selecionados do estudo Em Busca da Excelência no Desporto - Um Estudo Longitudinal Misto em Jovens Atletas (INEX) (2016-2019). Os jogadores foram divididos em três coortes de idade (12, 13 e 14 anos), e seguidos consecutivamente durante 4 anos. Os dados foram coletados com protocolos padronizados, e a informação está dividida em dois domínios: Individual - biológico, aptidão física, habilidades específicas da modalidade/proficiência do jogo, psicológico, e contextual - clubes. Os procedimentos estatísticos foram realizados nos softwares Somatotype calculation, SPSS, Timepath, MATLAB e STATA. Os resultados mostraram que: (1) jogadores mais velhos são mais altos e pesados e têm valores de composição corporal correspondentes à maturação biológica avançada; (2) jogadores mais velhos têm melhor desempenho físico e são mais habilidosos que os seus pares mais jovens; (3) estas componentes estão relacionadas com maturidade avançada e mais tempo de treino; (4) as habilidades táticas e características psicológicas dos jogadores não diferem entre as coortes de idade; (5) os clubes oferecem uma variedade de condições para aumentar o sucesso dos jogadores na resposta ao treino e à competição; (6) o desenvolvimento da velocidade e agilidade apresentou uma tendência linear em função do tempo; (7) a puberdade é considerada um momento crucial para nutrir futuras vocações de qualidade dos jogadores de futebol dos futebolistas sobretudo no seu desempenho físico; (8) este desenvolvimento está positivamente associado com a maturidade, níveis mais elevados de força explosiva dos membros inferiores e horas acumuladas de treino; (9) velocidade de condução de bola, passe curto com tabela e o precisão de remate melhoraram com a idade, os níveis de atleticismo e horas acumuladas de treino; (10) o crescimento do corpo e a maturidade não explicaram, de forma independente, as diferenças nas trajetórias das habilidades técnicas dos jogadores; (11) o remate de precisão não está associado, significativamente, com os preditores considerados no estudo. Espera-se que os resultados deste estudo possam contribuir para uma atitude mais esclarecida e abrangente na preparação dos jovens futebolistas em termos da sua resposta ao treino e competição ao longo da sua carreira desportiva. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: futebol jovem; atuação; Habilidades; longitudinal; multinível; desenvolvimento; treino; maturidade.This thesis investigates the relationship between changes in young soccer players' physical growth, body shape and composition, biological maturation, physical performance, technical skills, game knowledge and training history within the context of their clubs. A total of 150 players aged 12 to 14 years, at baseline, were selected from participants in the In Search of Excellence in Sport - A Mixed-Longitudinal Study in Young Athletes (INEX) study (2016-2019). INEX was conducted in six soccer clubs of the Porto metropolitan area. They clustered into three age-cohorts (12, 13 and 14 years), were followed consecutively over 4-years using a mixed-longitudinal study design. All data were collected using standardized protocols and the information was distributed over two nested domains: individual - biological, skill/ game proficiency, psychological, and contexts - clubs. Statistical procedures were done in Somatotype calculation, SPSS, LDA, MATLAB, and STATA. Results showed that: (1) older players were more advanced in body physique and their body composition were in line with their advanced biological maturation; (2) older players outperformed their younger peers in all physical performance and technical skills components; (3) these components were related to both advanced maturity and increased training; (4) young soccer players' tactical skills as well as psychological characteristics did not differ across age-cohorts; (5) clubs offer a variety of conditions aiming to enhance players success in their response to training and competition; (6) young soccer players development in speed and agility showed a linear trend, i.e., they improve as time passes; (7) puberty has been found to be a crucial time for nourishing soccer players' future quality vocations in physical performance development; (8) physical performance development is positively associated with biological maturation, higher levels of explosive leg strength, and accumulated hours of soccer specific training; (9) dribbling speed, short-pass rebound and shooting accuracy linearly improved with age, levels of athleticism, and years of official soccer training had positive affect on dribbling speed development; (10) body growth and biological maturation did not independently explain differences in players' trajectories in technical skills; (11) shooting accuracy technique had no significant association with any predictors. We hope that these results may be useful for a more comprehensive approach in young soccer players' long-term preparation in terms of their responses to training and competition

Physiological and Fitness Profile of Female Lacrosse Athletes

Lacrosse was a Native Americans game that originated long before it was first documented in the 17th century. Its purpose was not only used for religious, medical, and ceremonial purposes, but for fitness and teaching life lessons. Though the men’s game was developed in the mid 1800s, the first women’s lacrosse game was not played until the late 1800s in St. Andrews Scotland as it had previously been deemed inappropriate and too physically demanding for women. Since its start in 1890, the women’s game has changed dramatically. The modern game of lacrosse is characterized as a highly competitive field-based team sport that implements repeated bouts of sprinting and continuous change of direction. In the last four years, women’s lacrosse has undergone rule changes that have fundamentally changed the way the game is played. As such, the aim of this thesis was to highlight how these rule changes have affected the physiological profile of a female lacrosse athlete and if any positional differences could be determined. Nine female lacrosse athletes from a BUCS premier league team participated in a study that measured anthropometrics (stature, body mass, and sum of 8 skinfold thickness), body composition (FFM, FM and BF%) and a battery of fitness tests used to quantify the key elements of lacrosse: speed (36.6 m sprint), agility (pro- agility test), power (CMJ), and endurance (Yo-Yo IR Test Level 1). The participants in this study were taller, heavier, and had more FFM but a higher BF% compared to previous research on the anthropometric and body composition measures of women’s lacrosse athletes. In the physiological testing, the participants had a faster acceleration (9.1 m sprint), but slower agility (pro-agility test) and less explosive power (CMJ height). These measures could reflect a decreased reliance on the anaerobic ATP-PC system and increased reliance on the aerobic energy system because the recent rule changes. Alternatively, these results could be affirming the importance of maintaining a high FFM, low FM, and therefore lower BF%, and its effect on performance. Because of the uneven distribution of positions among participants, no positional differences could be confirmed. It is of note that the midfielders in this thesis had the best overall performance on the physiological testing battery, which supports previous theories about the position. More research should be completed provide a better understanding of the physiological profile of a female lacrosse athlete as well as if positional differences exist considering the recent rule changes

Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Kinanthropology

Proceedings of the 12th Conference of Sport and Quality of Life 2019 gatheres submissions of participants of the conference. Every submission is the result of positive evaluation by reviewers from the corresponding field. Conference is divided into sections – Analysis of human movement; Sport training, nutrition and regeneration; Sport and social sciences; Active ageing and sarcopenia; Strength and conditioning training; section for PhD students

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Kinanthropology

The 11th International Conference on Kinantropology was held on the Nov 29 – Dec 1, 2017 in Brno and was organized by the Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University and the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb. This year was divided into several themes: sports medicine, sport and social science, sport training, healthy lifestyle and healthy ageing, sports management, analysis of human movement. Part of the conference was also a symposium Atletika and Ortoreha that gathered specialists in physiotherapy