Selected determinants of seniors´ lifestyle

The article presents partial results which reflect seniors’ lifestyle and which are focused on selected determinants (especially sports activities). These determinants are the key factors of the quality of seniors’ life. The respondents of our research were the retirees from the town of Liptovsky Mikulás. We used a questionnaire to obtain the primary indicators of quality of life and lifestyle of seniors. Our findings significantly show that exercise and sports activities play an important role in terms of maintaining social contacts, health and independence, the values that are particularly specific for life of seniors from different points of view. The article is a part of the grant research task VEGA no. 1/0376/14 Physical activity intervention for the prevention of health of the population of Slovakia

Attitudes of pupils at the primary schools towards motion games carried out at physical education classes

The research study is focused on the analysis of attitudes of pupils at the 2nd stage of primary schools towards teaching motion games at physical education classes considering the intersexual differences. The study sample consisted of 821 respondents, comprising pupils of the 5th to 9th grades from randomly selected primary schools. The main research method used in the research was based on the analysis of a questionnaire. Answers to particular questions provided by the respondents were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively regarding the intersexual differences and complemented by the calculation of the statistical significance (by means of chi-square). The research was carried out during the school year 2011/2012. According to its results, motor and sports games are still popular with both boys and girls – 68.47% and 75% respectively – who consider motion and sports games their most favourite activities at physical education classes. The difference between boys and girls was statistically significant at the p < 0.05 level. 36.94% of girls and 33.71% of boys stated that they play motion games at physical education classes once a week. According to both boys and girls, motion games are usually played in the main part of the class, as stated by 68.47% of girls and 61.36% of boys. Up to 87.39% of girls and 88.64% of boys hold the opinion that motion games shall be implemented into the course of classes to a greater extent. It was confirmed by the research that motion games have a significant socializing effect. Pupils believe that when playing motion games they make contact with their classmates in a faster way. 63.64% of boys and 54.95% of girls are convinced about this fact. During the research it was ascertained that motion games still represent the key factor in motivating pupils of primary schools to perform physical activities on regular basis as well as increase the popularity of sports and physical education classes

Physical activities of boys and girls at primary schools in Central Slovakia

Our survey deals with the major issues affecting young people, which is the active leisure. We explore the most risky age – boys and girls attending primary school at age 13 to 15 years. By using questionnaire we detect and analyze differences of opinion on the use of physical activities in the leisure time among 808 boys and 797 girls. We found that there are significant differences between boys and girls only in the use of the leisure time pool. From our perspective, the most alarming fact is that 63.5% of all respondents (58.7% boys and 68.2% girls) in this age devoted to physical activity in leisure time up to 2 hours per week, what represents only 5% of leisure time pool per week! This confirms the tendency of reducing young people's interest in movement, which may with the combination with puberty lead to serious health disorders or the orientation to unwanted sociopathic phenomena

Fitness – aerobic training of 15 – 17 years´ age girl students, who have significant risk of deviations in backbone functional state

Purpose: to work out complex of health related aerobic exercises with fit-ball for girl students, who have significant risk of backbone pathologies. Material: in the research 1st-3rd year girl students (n=50, age – 15-17 years) participated. Questionnaire for assessment of self feeling was used. For diagnostic of backbone mobility we used criterion of functional disorders and trainings effectiveness assessment. The diagnostic included eight tests for every girl student of risk group - Cervical spine mobility, Otta’s test, Chest excursion, Shober’s test, Tomayer’s test, Pavelky’s (left) test, Pavelky’s (right) test and Backbone index. The main research method was pedagogic experiment. Results: it was found that 50% of 1st year girl students have pain in back. Average level of backbone mobility (backbone index) in the tested group was 86.9% from approximate norm at the end of the research. Conclusions: we found that it is possible to prevent from deviations in backbone functional state and preservation of its functional level in fit-ball aerobic trainings. Fit-ball aerobic trainings resulted in confident improvement of indicators of backbone mobility

Influence of self–regulation psychological and physical means on aged people´s functional state

Purpose: to form system of application of self-regulation psycho-physical means on mature and aged people. Material: experimental (n=28) and control (n=26) groups consisted of 55-60 years’ age man, who did not practice sports beforehand and who had low mobile way of life. All man had no pathology in their health. All they gave written consent for participation in the research. The complex of special exercises was practiced every day during 20 – 30 minutes. We regularly registered indicators of heart beats rate during autogenous trainings in first, second and third weeks of psycho-physical means’ application: autogenous trainings and exercises of special gymnastic. Results: we worked out a variant of autogenous training, which implies visualization of some objects. Such approach facilitates relaxation and creation of rejuvenation and health improvement image. We also developed special gymnastic on the base of Taoist health related physical exercises. Autogenous training, in combination with special exercises qigong cause changes, required for economic functioning of organism. Autogenous training greatly influence on heart beats rate. Change of this indicators is especially noticeable in first week of autogenous training‘s practicing. Combination of special qigong exercises and autogenous training renders positive influence on vegetative balance and orthostatic stability of elderly people. We worked out the structure of psycho-physical means for rising mature and older people’s functional state. Conclusions: the offered system slows down the temps of ageing and activates adaptation mechanisms. It permits to compensate negative changes in organism. We marked out three directions in physical culture of mature and aged people

Motor and sports activities as a good means against of drug use

The author in his article solves the problems of drug dependence among young people and the problems of sport as a good means against drug dependence. The research sample consisted of 749 pupils of basic and secondary schools in the region of Banská Bystrica - 342 boys and 407 girls. The main research method was a questionnaire. The author found out that 54% of sportsmen and 37.75% of nonsportsmen said that sport is a good means against drug dependence. It is surprising that more than 25% of sportsmen did not know that sport could be a good means against drugs dependence. More than 44% of pupils said that they did not think that sportsmen do not take drugs. The author recommends putting more attention in drug prevention on education of young people in the family and also at schools

Influence of Motor Program on Correct Posture and Muscular Imbalance Correction in Pupils of Primary Schools (1-4 Grades)

The paper presents the results of the research, focused on evaluation and development of correct posture and muscular imbalance correction in pupils of primary schools. The research involved 58 pupils of the fourth grade of primary school. The main method was educational experiment and tests for the evaluation of muscular imbalance and posture. We used the motor program, involving yoga exercises and fitball exercises in the experimental group. After the educational experiment, the posture and muscular imbalance in the experimental group improved if compared to the initial measurements. The research showed the positive effect of motor program on the posture and muscular imbalance

Evaluation of general motor performance in older school age pupils with a moderate mental disability

The authors of the contribution deal with evaluation of general motor performance in older school age pupils with a moderate mental disability. The aim of the research was to find out differences in the general motor performance between mentally disabled pupils and non-disabled pupils. The research sample consisted of 100 pupils aged 13 to 15. They included 25 boys and 25 girls with a moderate mental disability and 25 boys and 25 girls without a mental disability. To evaluate the general motor performance, the European test of motor performance Eurofit Special was used, modified for the needs of mentally disabled persons by Jean-Claude de Potter (1996). The research confirmed that the general motor performance of the youth with a moderate mental disability was statistically significantly lower than that of their non-disabled peers

Attitudes of Primary School Pupils towards Physical and Sport Education

One of the most important roles of spare time physical education is the formation of a positive attitude towards sports activities and sports among pupils. The formation of a positive attitude can play an important role in the matter of a child's healthy lifestyle. Therefore the authors of this article decided to find out what kind of a relationship and an attitude the pupils of primary schools take towards physical education and sports activities in the Detva and Zvolen regions. The authors of this article present the attitudes towards physical education and movement as well as sports activities of 8th grade primary school pupils in the Detva and Zvolen regions as well as to their frequency. The authors discuss which activities among extracurricular or spare-time activities are the most interesting for pupils. According to the results presented in the charts, it is clear that pupils take a positive attitude towards physical education and sports activities. Sports games belong among the most favourite interest groups

Attitudes of2ndStage Primary School PupilsTowards Gamesand Physical Activities Performed in Sport and Physical Education Classes

This study is concerned with implementing games as one of the methods used in sport and physical education classes at the 2ndlevel stage of primary schools(grades 5th– 9th). Results of the study pointed to the fact that pupils are still very interested in playful activities. These activities are applied in the main part of the sport and physical education classes. Pupils themselves are of the opinion that playing games provides them with a better opportunity to make contact with their classmates more than any other activity, which creates positive conditions for making interpersonal relationships within a group or a clas