Do Code of Points in men artistic gymnastics and women artistic gymnastics favor asymmetric elements?

A pesquisa investigou se o Código de Pontuação (COP) da Ginástica Artística Masculina (MAG) e da Ginástica Artística Feminina (WAG) favoreciam elementos assimétricos, a fim de arquitetar elementos competitivos do ginasta. Todos os elementos descritos no COP da MAG (N = 993) e WAG (N = 713) foram analisados em suas posições de início, durante a na posição final no que se refere à simetria. Foram considerados simétricos os movimentos em que braços, troncos e pernas eram ativados simultaneamente e do mesmo lado. Os resultados mostraram que no COP MAG há um número significativamente maior de elementos assimétricos, sobretudo na relação tronco e pernas. No COP WAG há um maior número de elementos assimétricos entre braços, tronco e pernas. Hipoteticamemte, os exercícios com maior dificuldade em cada um dos aparelhos revelaram que a proporção entre elementos assimétricos e simétricos é de cerca de 70% e 30% respectivamente, o que releva que a dificuldade está associada com maior assimetria. O COP na MAG e WAG reforçam que realizar movimento assimétricos amplia o grau de dificuldade e elevados resultados, no entanto, os técnicos devem se atentar ao COP e sua influência no bem-estar dos ginastas, minimizando cargas assimetrias e trabalhado em condicionamento simétric.The purpose of research was to determine whether Code of Point (COP) in Men Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) and Women Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) favor asymmetric elements in order to build gymnast’s competition exercise. All elements which are described in MAG (N = 993) and WAG (N = 713) COP were included and defined if they are symmetric at start position, during movement and at final position. Element is symmetric by arms and trunk with legs activity when all left and right body side performs simultaneously same activity. Results show in MAG COP as a whole is significantly more asymmetric elements with asymmetric trunk and legs activity. In WAG COP as a whole is significantly more asymmetric elements with asymmetric activity of arms, trunk and legs. Hypothetical most difficulty exercises on each apparatus revealed that in general for all around gymnast proportion between asymmetric and symmetric elements is close to 70% to 30%, what suggests that difficulty relates to increased asymmetry. COP in MAG and WAG enforces asymmetric movements for achieving high results, however, coaches’ task is to be aware of COP influence on gymnasts’ health and minimize asymmetries in load and to work on symmetric conditioning

LANDING QUALITY IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS IS RELATED TO LANDING SYMMETRY

In gymnastics every exercise finishes with a landing. The quality of landing depends on subjective (e.g. biomechanical) and objective (e.g. mechanical characteristics of landing area) factors. The aim of our research was to determine which biomechanical (temporal, kinematic and dynamic) characteristics of landing best predict the quality of landing. Twelve male gymnasts performed a stretched forward and backward salto; also with 1/2, 1/1 and 3/2 turns. Stepwise multiple regression extracted five predictors which explained 51.5% of landing quality variance. All predictors were defining asymmetries between legs (velocities, angles). To avoid asymmetric landings, gymnasts need to develop enough height; they need higher angular momentum around the transverse and longitudinal axis and they need to better control angular velocity in the longitudinal axis

Changes in technique of handspring double salto forward tucked performed on horse and vaulting table

Aim of the research was to determine changes in technique parameters while performing handspring double salto forward tucked (Roche) on old horse and new vaulting table. On a sample of 9 vaults performed in 2000 World Cup in Ljubljana on horse and 9 vaults performed at World championship in Debrecen on vaulting table we made a series of t-tests for biomechanics kinematics parameters. There are differences in many variables, but most important are those related to the support phase (position of hands, take off vertical velocity) which also causes better outcome during the flight and landing. New vaulting table is really much better apparatus than the horse as has better place for support, which makes easier production of angular momentum (inclined table) and higher vertical take off velocity

How does body symmetry influence standing balance?

The aim of the study was to determine whether maintaining the standing balance position is influenced by athlete's symmetric morphological characteristics. Thirty-two healthy sports students participated in this study (age 19.8±1.4 years, body height 182.9±6.8 cm, body weight 79.1±8.1 kg). Morphological characteristics are represented with differences between the left and the right body side of: forearm girth, upper arm girth, calf girth, thigh girth, long shoulder height, lean mass of legs and lean mass of arms. The standing balance result was calculated as a result of factor scores for 9 measurements of 30 seconds (3 measurements of normal standing, 3 measurements of blind standing, and 3 measurements of deaf standing) collected from the pressure insoles system and the difference in ground reaction force between the left and the right leg. Results show that the asymmetric leg load in maintaining standing balance depends on the side differences in the thigh girth and upper arm girth. The greater difference in the thigh girth in favour of the left side resulted in bigger ground reaction force on the right leg compared to the left leg and the greater difference in the upper arm girth in favour of the left side resulted in bigger ground reaction force on the left leg. To avoid one side overload, it is essential for all sports activities to be performed bilaterally

Beliefs of Student Teachers About Their Competencies for Inclusive Education in Slovenia and Serbia

The inclusive education policy requires prospective teachers to develop competencies to promote learning in all pupils. Having in mind that teachers’ beliefs are reflected in their practice, the present study aims to explore beliefs of fourth-year student teachers from Slovenia and Serbia about their own competencies relating to inclusive education. Specifically, the research questions are: 1) What are student teachers’ beliefs about their own competencies related to inclusive education? 2) Are there any differences in student teachers’ beliefs in relation to the country in which they are studying? The sample consisted of 135 student teachers enrolled at the University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Education in Jagodina and the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education in Ljubljana. The instrument (questionnaire) contained 26 statements relating to eight areas of teacher expertise: setting the ‘learning to learn’ goal for all pupils; taking responsibility for the learning of all pupils; personalized learning approaches that support autonomy in learning; identifying and addressing barriers to learning; differentiation of curriculum content, learning process and learning materials; positive classroom management; formative and summative assessment and cooperative learning. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. The frequencies of each of the responses were calculated for each group of students (Slovenia and Serbia). Differences between the two groups of students were analysed with the χ² test. The results of the study suggest that the majority of student teachers participating in the study feel competent in the abovementioned areas of teacher expertise. The self-confident perceptions of competencies of student teachers from both countries are interpreted in the lens of theories of professional development and implications for further development of teacher education for inclusive education are provided.Publishe

Redovni i specijalni pristup u procesu obrazovanja učitelja

eacher educators need to have a clear picture of student teachers’ attitudes towards diversity, disability, learning and teaching, because this knowledge can be helpful in designing teacher education programmes which can prepare future teachers better for work in inclusive settings. Therefore, the study presented in this paper was designed to explore the attitudes of student teachers enrolled in teacher education programmes in Slovenia (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education) and Serbia (University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Education in Jagodina) towards the factors which affect the learning difficulties of vulnerable pupils. The results of the study suggest that the majority of student teachers in the first and the fourth year from both countries rank a pupil’s disability as the factor which has the greatest impact on his/her learning difficulties. The authors conclude that fragmentation between special teacher education and regular teacher education, that is, between special education and mainstream education may elicit student teacher attitudes which are not conducive to taking responsibility for vulnerable pupils, and might therefore hinder the process of inclusion. The implications of these findings for teacher education programmes are subsequently discussed.Nastavnici koji obrazuju buduće učitelje trebali bi imati jasnu predodžbu o tome koje stavove njihovi studenti imaju prema raznolikosti, učenicima s teškoćama u učenju i poučavanju, jer bi im te predodžbe mogle uvelike biti od koristi pri izradi studijskih programa za obrazovanje budućih učitelja, a zahvaljujući kojima bi budući učitelji mogli biti bolje pripremljeni za rad u inkluzivnom okruženju. Stoga je istraživanje prikazano u ovom radu provedeno da bi se ispitali stavovi studenata pedagoških fakulteta upisanih na učiteljske studijske programe u Sloveniji (Sveučilište u Ljubljani, Pedagoški fakultet) i Srbiji (Sveučilište u Kragujevcu, Fakultet pedagoških nauka u Jagodini) prema čimbenicima koji mogu utjecati na poteškoće u učenju učenika s posebnim potrebama. Rezultati istraživanja upućuju na to da većina studenata, budućih učitelja, na prvoj i četvrtoj godini studija u obje države smatra da je učenikova teškoća čimbenik koji ima najveći utjecaj na njegove/njezine poteškoće u učenju. Autori ovog rada smatraju da podjela na obrazovanje učitelja za rad u specijalnim školama i na obrazovanje učitelja za rad u ostalim školama, tj. na specijalno i uobičajeno obrazovanje, može kod studenata stvoriti stavove koji nisu pogodni za stvaranje osjećaja odgovornosti za učenike s posebnim potrebama i tako mogu usporavati proces inkluzije. U ostatku rada raspravlja se o važnosti navedenih rezultata za učiteljske studijske programe

Differencies in Morphologic Characteristics Between Top Level Gymnasts of Year 1933 and 2000

In 1933, at the 5th Regional Sokol Meeting in Ljubljana which was at the time a place in the Yugoslav Kingdom, [kerlj carried out the first measurements of 189 gymnasts, active competitors; in 2000, at the World Cup Meeting in Ljubljana, ^uk and associates carried out measurements of 40 top gymnasts. Our analysis of identical variables has shown that there is no difference in body height and weight of the gymnasts in 1933 and those in 2000, while there is a significant difference in the width of their shoulders and pelvis, the contemporary athletes being wider in their shoulders and narrower in their pelvis. The differences can be assigned to the new requirements in contemporary gymnastics as exercises are becoming more difficult, including more rotation around the vertical and horizontal axis

Psychosocial factors related to children’s active school travel : A comparison of two European regions

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The Differences between Teams in Men’s and Women’s Medallists and Non-medallists at the 1996–2016 Olympic Games Artistic Gymnastics Tournament

The aim of this study is to determine the differences between the medallists and non-medallists in male and female artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Games from 1996 to 2016. Basic procedures: Data concerning the athletes were obtained from the “Official documents of the International Olympic Committee” which include the athlete’s date of birth and date of competing. The total number of analysed OG participants in men’s artistic gymnastics amounted to n = 419 and the women’s artistic gymnastics was n = 417. Main findings: With men the t test for small independent samples has determined statistically significant differences between medallists and other competitors in 2000 and 2012. Among women no significant statistical differences have been found in all the mentioned variables. Conclusions: The differences between male medallists and non-medallists are manifested through the age of the competitors: 2.57 years in 2000 and 3.57 years in 2012. Compared to other OG a higher level of homogeneity and smaller age difference is noticeable. In difference to men, women had no similar differences within a period of 20 years. In artistic gymnastics in the last couple of years there is a recurring trend of a late specialisation because with each new scoring Code of Points the conditions demanded from the competitors become harder

Comparison of Body Composition Monitor and InBody 720 Bioimpedance Devices for Body Composition Estimation in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Controls

Bioelectric impedance devices have become a standard of care not only for peritoneal dialysis but also for hemodialysis patients. We compared the most important body composition variables (extracellular water, intracellular water, total body water and fat mass) measured with the multifrequency bioelectric impedance device InBody 720 (MF-BIA) and bioimpedance spectroscopy body composition monitor Fresenius (BIS BCM) in hemodialysis patients (n = 51, 175.1 + 7.8 cm, 82.2 + 15.2 kg) and healthy controls (n = 51, 175.1 + 7.6 cm, 82.3 + 15.3 kg). The MF-BIA InBody 720 device compared to the BIS BCM device showed significantly larger total body water and intracellular water estimates and significantly smaller extracellular water and body fat estimates in hemodialysis patients (p < 0.001). These differences (p < 0.001) were similar in the cohort of healthy controls; moreover, we observed high correlations in all variables between the hemodialysis patients and the healthy controls (0.80–0.95, p < 0.001). The mean relative differences in the order of 8% were lower for extracellular water and total body fat, but the limits of agreement were still wide enough to be clinically significant. We conclude that the results of the measurements with InBody 720 and BCM Fresenius cannot be used interchangeably. Physicians and nutritionists involved in the care of hemodialysis patients should be aware of this discrepancy between the two devices and should try to use the same device to track the body in their hemodialysis population in a longitudinal direction