Relationship between motor learning and general intelligence

AIM: The aim of the research was to find out the differences in the level of motor learning (ML) and general intelligence (IQ). The research sample included 120 boys and girls of primary school and grammar school aged 12-17 years and the subsequent identification of a possible relationship between the two indicators. METHODS: 120 students Elementary school (ES) and Secondary Grammar School (SGS) took part in testing the level of motor learning and intelligence (n = 120). We evaluated the level of ML in boys and girls in the demonstration of learned gymnastic elements. We used the intelligence test to determine the level of general intelligence [1]. RESULTS: The results did not show significant differences in the level of motor learning and intelligence between the genders in either age category. Correlation analysis confirmed a significant relationship between ML and IQ excluding the gender factor (r = -0.297). When gender was taken into account, the relationship was seen only in boys (r = -0.312). We note that we found a lower rate of ML in students with a higher level of intelligence. CONCLUSION: We assume the continuity of certain mental and motor processes, which is called motor intelligence. The results of our research did not show significant differences in the level of ML and IQ in both genders. Boys slightly dominated in ML, girls in IQ. This difference decreases with increasing age. &nbsp

MOTOR PERFORMANCE OF AUSTRIAN AND SLOVAK PUPILS – A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Introduction. Authors compare the school physical education systems in Austria and Slovakia. Material and method. A comparative analysis was performed on two samples of pupils (n=85; male 38, female 47) aged 13-14 years in two different countries – Slovakia (n=43) and Austria (n=42). They focus on motor performance of boys and girls and compare the results in 5 selected tests: Sit and Reach, Standing Broad Jump, Sit-Ups in 30 seconds, Bent Arm Hang and 10 x 5m Shuttle Run. Authors expected that difference in the number of P.E. lessons in Austria and Slovakia can influence the level of motor performance of pupils (both male and female). Since the selected Austrian school provided longer P.E. lessons (150 min per week) than the Slovak school (90 min, they expected that Austrian pupils will perform better than their Slovak peers. Results. Based on the comparison we can assume that despite the lower number of P.E. lesson, Slovak boys and girls mostly showed better motor performance than the Austrian pupils. Statistically significant differences in favour of Slovak pupils were observed in the variables Standing Broad Jump, Sit-Ups in 30 seconds, Bent Arm Hang and 10 x 5m Shuttle Run (both genders. Austrian girls registered better results only in the Bent Arm Hang test. Conclusion. Results of our survey did not validate our expectations that Austrian pupils would have showed better motor performance than their Slovak counterparts, despite the higher number of P.E. lessons in Austria. Better performance can be attributed to sedentary behaviour of Austrian adolescents and higher physical activity of Slovak pupils during their leisure time

DO TODAY’S PUPILS FALL BEHIND THEIR PEERS FROM 15 YEARS AGO?

Introduction. Authors in their contribution deal with the issue of testing physical abilities of children at schools. The aim of the survey was to find out the level of general motor abilities of pupils of 1st grade of elementary schools in the region of Nitra. Material and method. The sample of pupils consisted of 169 pupils (male = 96 and female = 73). The observed general motor performance was compared with the findings of other authors (Moravec, et al., 2002; Sedláček, 2009; Zapletalová, 2002). Results. Based on the comparison we came to the conclusion that the level of general motor performance of pupils of grade 1 of elementary school has decreased in both genders comparing to the previous decades. Conclusion. We expect that implementation of regular testing of elementary school pupils would contribute to the increase in the amount of physical activity of children and consecutively in the level of their motor abilities

"VACCINATION" BY STRESS IN PHYSICAL PREPARATION OF PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS

Introduction. This article deals with the issue of the use of "vaccination" techniques using stress in the physical training of professional soldiers. In the practice of a military professional, exposure to stressors is a common phenomenon, so it is important in the physical training of professionals to include in exercise programs training means to increase adaptation to stress. Results. The professional article contains a description of the issue of the influence of stressors on the performance of professional soldiers, adaptation, response to stress and proposals for individual training methods to increase stress tolerance

The relationship between speed factors and agility in sport games

This study deals with the issue of various understanding of the term “agility”, mainly within the context of team sport games. Under this term complex psychomotor abilities are understood. Their development requires a high degree of neuro-muscular specificity. The development of these abilities are underpinned also by perceptual components including also anticipation and decision-making processes. Authors point to the importance of agility in sport games. They stress the fact that the speed of movement is only one of the components of the complex motor ability called agility. Based on the theoretical analysis authors carried out measurements of basic factors of speed abilities and agility in 14-17-year-old basketball, volleyball and soccer players (n=56). The results showed that no statistical differences were observed in the level of agility tested by Fitro agility test (basketball - p=0.189; volleyball - p=0.949; soccer - p=0.832). Spearmann rank correlation test showed that no significant correlation (p=0.786; p > 0.05) was found between the results of Fitro agility test and Illinois test measuring speed abilities. The results suggest that agility is not simply one of speed abilities. Besides simple reaction speed, acceleration, deceleration accompanied by the change of direction of movement it comprises also perceptual components determined by complex reaction to unexpected, changeable stimuli occurring during a sport game

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

On 31 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global state of public health threat following the outbreak of a new coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 infection. To prevent spreading of the disease, various measures such as closing institutions, curfews, locking the country, and targeted quarantine for suspects and infected people are implemented in different countries. Physical inactivity caused by long-term quarantine measures may reduce the regulatory capacity of organ systems to resist viral infections, such as the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. This article aims to advise on how the physical population should exercise physical activity and athletes who are quarantined or, as a result of the measures, are unable to fully exercise in public facilities. As a solution to the lack of physical activity, taking into account the limitations of this time, we proposed a movement program, which we want to contribute to the prevention of disease in COVID-19 and to better manage the current pandemic situation

Management and marketing of a fitness centre

This article deals with the issues of marketing and management of fitness centres in the town of Nitra, Slovakia. Authors distributed a questionnaire to find out different aspects of visiting fitness centres by inhabitants. They are interested in the reasons why people prefer a certain kind of a fitness centre. Using SWOT analysis we found strong and weak sides and opportunities and threats in the selected fitness centre. The questionnaire was filled in by 252 respondents. Hypotheses were proved – the most significant criteria of selection of a certain fitness centre are: space for performing exercises, modern equipment, distance from the homeplace/workplace, while price does not play an important role when choosing the right fitness centre

The differences in acceleration, maximal speed and agility between soccer, basketball, volleyball and handball players

Complex reaction speed, acceleration, maximum speed, speed of whole-body change of direction and agility represent the basic components of sport performance mainly in sport games and combat sports. However, contradictory findings have been reported as to the extent of the relationship between the different speed and agility components. This study comprised 117 players (soccer – 56, basketball – 17, volleyball – 20, and handball – 24) playing youth leagues U15-U17 who were assessed for 10-m sprint (acceleration), flying 30-m sprint (maximum speed), triple-jump (special explosiveness) performance, Illinois agility test (speed of whole-body change of direction) and Fitro Agility Check (agility). Low (0.112-0.425 in soccer) correlation coefficients between the factors were found in soccer, while in the other sport games they were medium (0.329-0.623 in basketball; 0.414-0.686 in handball) to high (0.569-0.768 in volleyball). Negative relationship was observed between Triple jump and all other tests performances in all sports games. The findings suggest that specific training procedures for each speed and agility component should be utilized already in junior ages

Enhancement of power in the concentric phase of the squat and jump: Between-athlete differences and sport-specific patterns

This study compares the differences in peak and mean power in the acceleration, as well as over the entire concentric phase of jumps and squats performed with and without countermovement (i.e. delta power) in athletes of different specializations. The participants performed either barbell squats or barbell jumps with and without countermovement bearing a weight of 70% 1RM. Results identified a significantly higher delta mean power in the entire concentric phase of jumps than in squats for high jumpers (29.8%, p=0.009) and volleyball players (24.3%, p=0.027). More specifically, their values were significantly higher during jumps in indoor volleyball players but not in beach volleyball players. On the other hand, rock & roll performers exhibited a significantly higher delta mean power during squats than jumps (19.5%, p=0.034) but this was only evident in those who specialized in acrobatics as opposed to dance. However, the values did not differ significantly during either jumps or squats for hockey players (9.5%, p=0.424) and karate competitors (11.6%, p=0.331). A similar trend was observed for peak and mean power in the acceleration phase of jumps and squats. It may be concluded then, that enhancement of power in the concentric phase of jumps and squats bearing an external load, differs in athletes with diverse demands on the explosive strength of their lower limbs. For most athletes, jumping may be considered a more specific alternative for the estimation of the ability to utilize elastic energy during countermovement exercise, whereas for others it may be the squat