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

THE INFLUENCE OF AGE FACTOR AND SPORTS SPECIALIZATION ON THE LEVEL OF AGILITY IN SPORTS GAMES

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the influence of age factors and the type of sports specialization on performances in planned and reactive agility. The object of the research was 129 players of football, volleyball, basketball and handball from sports clubs in Nitra and its surroundings in the categories of boys U15 ( = 14.95r) and boys U 17 ( = 16.88r). Methodology: The level of planned agility (PA) was diagnosed by the Illinois test and the level of reactive agility (RA) by the Fitro agility Check test. Results: The results showed the importance of both factors (Sport specialization and age) on performance in PA and RA, higher values (p) for the age factor (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The biological mean (age) has affected performance in RA more strongly than a type of sports game. Post hoc tests between groups (sport specialization) confirmed the statistical significance of differences between sports games to the detriment of basketball (p < 0.01)

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

The Relationship of Decision-Making Style and Reaction Agility Performance Regarding the Type of Stimulus in Handball

The purpose of this study was to verify the influence of contextual perception in sports on performance in reaction agility to a specific and non-specific stimulus on a sample of handball players. The object of the research was eleven players of the junior handball team playing in the top league (age: 16.73 years; decimal age 16.46 years). Visual signaling and video projection. and a modified Y-test of reaction agility were used. In this study. two goals were set: a) to compare the performance level in the Y agility test with respect to a simple non-specific and a complex specific visual stimulus in the form of filmed scenes of the opponent's attacking actions. which simulated real situations in performance handball; b) find out the possible relationship between performance in the agility test and reaction time. decision-making competence. anxiety and overload and involvement in decision-making and performance with regard to the nature of the stimulus. A questionnaire (CETD) was implemented in the sample to assess the decision-making style of athletes in a specific area. The results confirm the statistical significance of the differences between reaction times to a simple light stimulus and reaction times to video sequences, especially in activities associated with deceptive activity (p = 0.000), but also without it (p = 0.006). The relationship between performances in the Y Agility test to a video stimulus and reaction time (r = -.272), decision-making competences (0.116), anxiety and overload (r = 0.105) and involvement in decision-making (r = 0-.059) was not demonstrated. Simple linear regression analysis revealed that performance in the agility test to a simple stimulus (Witty; F (1) = 6.52, p = 0.030) is a significant predictor of context-specific agility performance and accounts for 73.4% of the explanatory variable (R2 = 0.734)

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

Differences in pre-planned agility and reactive agility performance in sport games

Background: Authors in their contribution point to the differences in the methods of measurement of agility in the practice. Based on the experience of coaches as well as on their own experience have come to the conclusion that the Illinois Agility Test, which has long been used for the testing of agility in fact does not measure perception abilities and decision-making processes, since motor activity performed during the testing procedure represents a closed skill, where the only task of the tested person is to accelerate, decelerate and change the direction of running, while the task is known in advance. On the contrary, some authors recommend the testing of agility using apparatuses measuring selective reaction, such as Fitro Agility Check. Objective: The aim of the research was to find out differences in the performance of players from the point of view of sport specialization and also to assess the relationship between the performance of players in two agility tests (Illinois Agility Test, measuring the ability of simple reaction, acceleration, deceleration and changes of movement direction, as well as Fitro Agility Check, measuring the above mentioned processes plus the ones of perception and decision-making). Methods: The sample comprised basketball (G1), volleyball (G2) and&#x202F;soccer (G3) players (N&#x202F;=&#x202F;55 boys, Mage&#x202F;=&#x202F;15.78 years, age range&#x202F;=&#x202F;14-17 years) from sport clubs in&#x202F;Slovakia. Illinois Agility Test (IAT) was used for testing acceleration and deceleration speed, simple reaction as well as changes of direction. Time of the trial was recorded by Microgate photocells. Fitro Agility Check (FAC) was used for the testing of reactive agility. Differences between independent groups were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis H test, or Mann-Whitney U test. Non-parametric Spearman correlation coefficient was used for detecting whether any correlation between the two variables exists (results in FAC vs IAT). Results: The greatest differences were found between the performances of players in IAT, on the contrary in the&#x202F;test FAC we found agreement in performances of players of different specializations. The value of statistical significance (p&#x202F;=&#x202F;.774) point to the non-existence of a relationship between the performance in IAT vs FAC and stress fundamental difference between both variables. Conclusions: This study provides evidence supporting the experience of coaches that when developing agility it is inevitable to transfer from performing exercises with the change of direction planned in advance realized in static conditions onto the practice of open skills, in which reaction to the changing conditions of the match is combined with anticipation of the resulting optimum solution of the given situation

The Functional Form of the Relationship between Body Height, Body Mass Index and Change of Direction Speed, Agility in Elite Female Basketball and Handball Players

The aim of this study was to assess the functional form of the relationship between two anthropometric measurements&mdash;body height (BH) and body mass index (BMI)&mdash;and two motor abilities&mdash;change of direction speed (CODS) and agility (AG)&mdash;in female elite basketball and handball players. It was hypothesized that BH and BMI might be significantly associated with AG and CODS. Two scenarios of the Five-Time Shuttle Run to Gates test (planned and unplanned) were used to evaluate the CODS and AG. Two forms of models were built to assess functional forms of the relationships between CODS and AG vs. BH and BMI: simple linear regression and binomial curvilinear regression for each type of team sport. The results confirmed the relationships between both anthropometric measurements and motor abilities only in HB, whereas in BB only a significant relationship was noted between BH and AG. Moreover, two curvilinear functional forms of the relationship were identified: inverted L-shape and inverted U-shape. Therefore, it was concluded that the first form of function indicated an initially proportional relationship between anthropometric measurement and motor test results and plateau after reaching a certain value of the BH or BMI. Similarly, the second form of function indicated the peak value of the BH or BMI which is threshold for the value of the anthropometric measurement when a progressive effect in the functional feature occurs

Prognostic Power of Foot Mobility in Identifying the Risk of Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Study of Male Volleyball Players at Different Competitive Levels

(1) Background: The arch structure and mobility of the foot are considered injury risk factors in volleyball. However, there are limited studies presenting differences in injury prevalence and the risk of lower limb injuries in relation to the competitive level in male volleyball. Therefore, the main aim of the current study was to evaluate foot mobility (through navicular drop test) as an injury risk factor in volleyball players from different competitive levels. (2) Methods: The reliability and usefulness of navicular drop testing were initially assessed in test–retest procedures (based on a sample of eight participants and 16 feet measurements), with primary analyses conducted using foot measurements of the twelve top-level volleyball players (24 feet) and eighteen academic-level volleyball players (36 feet). The modified navicular drop test was conducted, and the feet were classified based on arch height, and injury prevalence was retrospectively assessed with a previously validated questionnaire. Chi-squared tests, receiver operating curves, and logistic regression were used as statistical methods. The navicular drop test was verified as a reliable tool by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (3.1) analysis. (3) Results: There were no significant differences in injury prevalence between academic- and top-level volleyball players, though there was a significant relationship between pronated foot and injury risk independent of competitive level. Generally, for both groups, thresholds above 10 mm of the navicular drop were predictors of lower limb injuries. The risk of injury if the foot was pronated ranged from 70% (academic level) to over 90% (top-level players). However, no statistically significant effect of competitive level on the chance of injury was observed. (4) Conclusions: Our study found a high prevalence of foot injuries independently of competitive level. There was a relationship between pronation of the foot and the risk of injury. However, the risk of lower limb injury was higher in pronated top-level players. Also, a navicular drop greater than 10 mm was an excellent predictor of injuries at both competitive levels