THE RELATION BETWEEN YOUTH SPORT AND THE REDUCTION OF PEER VIOLENCE

This research was a part of a field study, within the SAVE project funded under the Erasmus+ European programme. The study aimed at providing answers about the benefits of practicing sports in the prevention and reduction of peer violence. Generally, the frequency of aggressive behaviour was low, and equal in both tested groups. The results revealed a significant relationship between physical activity and prosocial behaviour, group cohesion and satisfaction of participants with the group. Furthermore, the athletes had a lower level of aggression compared to the students. Although this difference is small, it is in line with some previous studies and it is an indicator of sport benefits in the suppression of peer aggression. This finding is very important for policy makers, because some research showed that regardless of SES, sport is seen as a favourite extracurricular activity among parents. The results of this research should contribute to the overall aim of the SAVE project, i.e. the prevention of violent behaviour among peers. Thus, it should be observed and targeted in such a way as to systematically reduce the exposure of children and youth to violence

Effects of Rapid Weight Loss on Motor Skills and Biomarkers of Muscle Functions

Kratkoročna regulacija telesne mase je široko rasprostranjena u borilačkim sportovima. Restriktivna dijeta, prinudna glad, ili dobrovoljna redukcija telesne mase zaokuplja pažnju naučnika, zdravstvenih i sportskih radnika. Nagla redukcija telesne mase (RWL) se odnosi na metode koje sportista koristi u cilju smanjenja telesne mase u poslednjoj nedelji pre takmičenja, pri čemu se u proseku izgubi oko 5% telesne mase. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispita uticaj rapidne redukcije telesne mase na promene biohemijskih markera skeletnih mišića, srčanog mišića i bubrežne funkcije, kao i na motoričke sposobnosti i afektivna stanja (upitnik POMS) rvača i džudista (N=18). Studija je dizajnirana tako da se sastojala se iz inicijalnog merenja i dve eksperimentalne faze. Eksperimentalni tretman, nakon inicijalnog merenja (IM), odvijao se u dve faze sa ciljem da se ispitaju akutni efekti redukcije telesne mase na motoričke sposobnosti i biohemijske markere kada se 5% telesne mase redukuje u kombinaciji sa sport-specifičnim treningom (prva faza – P1) u odnosu na promene koje su izazvane samo visokointenzivnim sportspecifičnim treningom bez redukcije telesne mase (druga faza – P2). Primena rapidne redukcije telesne mase uz visokointenzivni specifični trening je izazvala statistički značajne promene ispitivanih markera, motoričkih sposobnosti i stanja raspoloženja. Takođe, u fazi kada je primenjen samo visokointenzivni specifični trening, registrovana je promena aktivnosti ispitivanih markera u manjoj meri nego kada se isti kombinovao sa RWL. Za opštu dobrobit i bezbednost sportista, neophodno je uvesti određene izmene u pravilnike o takmičenju kod borilačkih sportova koji se klasifikuju po težinskim kategorijama.Short-term regulation of body weight is highly prevalent in combat sports. Restrictive diets, forced starvation, or voluntary weight loss are attracting the attention of scientists, sport and health workers. Rapid weight loss (RWL) refers to the methods used by an athlete to lose weight within the last week before the competition, whereby an average of 5% of body weight is lost. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of rapid weight reduction on changes in biochemical markers of skeletal muscle, heart muscle and renal function, as well as on motor skills and mood states (POMS questionnaire) of wrestlers and judokas (N=18). The study consisted of an initial measurement and two experimental phases. Experimental treatment, after initial measurement (IM), took place in two phases in order to examine the acute effects of weight reduction on motor skills and biochemical markers when 5% of body weight is reduced in combination with sportsspecific training (first phase - P1) in relation to changes that are caused only by high-intensity sports-specific training without weight reduction (second phase - P2). The application of rapid weight loss with high-intensity specific training caused statistically significant changes in the examined markers, motor skills and mood. However, in the phase when only high-intensity specific training was applied, a change in the activity of the tested markers was registered to a lesser extent than when it was combined with RWL. For the welfare and safety of athletes, it would be recommended to intervene, ie to introduce certain modifications in the rules of competition in combat sports, which are classified by weight categories

Effects of Rapid Weight Loss on Motor Skills and Biomarkers of Muscle Functions

Kratkoročna regulacija telesne mase je široko rasprostranjena u borilačkim sportovima. Restriktivna dijeta, prinudna glad, ili dobrovoljna redukcija telesne mase zaokuplja pažnju naučnika, zdravstvenih i sportskih radnika. Nagla redukcija telesne mase (RWL) se odnosi na metode koje sportista koristi u cilju smanjenja telesne mase u poslednjoj nedelji pre takmičenja, pri čemu se u proseku izgubi oko 5% telesne mase. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispita uticaj rapidne redukcije telesne mase na promene biohemijskih markera skeletnih mišića, srčanog mišića i bubrežne funkcije, kao i na motoričke sposobnosti i afektivna stanja (upitnik POMS) rvača i džudista (N=18). Studija je dizajnirana tako da se sastojala se iz inicijalnog merenja i dve eksperimentalne faze. Eksperimentalni tretman, nakon inicijalnog merenja (IM), odvijao se u dve faze sa ciljem da se ispitaju akutni efekti redukcije telesne mase na motoričke sposobnosti i biohemijske markere kada se 5% telesne mase redukuje u kombinaciji sa sport-specifičnim treningom (prva faza – P1) u odnosu na promene koje su izazvane samo visokointenzivnim sportspecifičnim treningom bez redukcije telesne mase (druga faza – P2). Primena rapidne redukcije telesne mase uz visokointenzivni specifični trening je izazvala statistički značajne promene ispitivanih markera, motoričkih sposobnosti i stanja raspoloženja. Takođe, u fazi kada je primenjen samo visokointenzivni specifični trening, registrovana je promena aktivnosti ispitivanih markera u manjoj meri nego kada se isti kombinovao sa RWL. Za opštu dobrobit i bezbednost sportista, neophodno je uvesti određene izmene u pravilnike o takmičenju kod borilačkih sportova koji se klasifikuju po težinskim kategorijama.Short-term regulation of body weight is highly prevalent in combat sports. Restrictive diets, forced starvation, or voluntary weight loss are attracting the attention of scientists, sport and health workers. Rapid weight loss (RWL) refers to the methods used by an athlete to lose weight within the last week before the competition, whereby an average of 5% of body weight is lost. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of rapid weight reduction on changes in biochemical markers of skeletal muscle, heart muscle and renal function, as well as on motor skills and mood states (POMS questionnaire) of wrestlers and judokas (N=18). The study consisted of an initial measurement and two experimental phases. Experimental treatment, after initial measurement (IM), took place in two phases in order to examine the acute effects of weight reduction on motor skills and biochemical markers when 5% of body weight is reduced in combination with sportsspecific training (first phase - P1) in relation to changes that are caused only by high-intensity sports-specific training without weight reduction (second phase - P2). The application of rapid weight loss with high-intensity specific training caused statistically significant changes in the examined markers, motor skills and mood. However, in the phase when only high-intensity specific training was applied, a change in the activity of the tested markers was registered to a lesser extent than when it was combined with RWL. For the welfare and safety of athletes, it would be recommended to intervene, ie to introduce certain modifications in the rules of competition in combat sports, which are classified by weight categories

Long-term outcomes of sports on health status: a mini review

This article represents a review of the existing literature on possible long-term effects of sport participation at high-level on health. Search of databases was performed through Web of Science and Science Direct including following keywords: metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Former athletes tend to adopt healthier lifestyles, which may give them an advantage in relation to risk factors taking into account metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Health benefits of physical activities, moreover, depends of engagement at recommended levels, even in subjects who have never been athletes

Patterns of weight cycling in youth Olympic combat sports: a systematic review

Background: Patterns of weight cycling in adult combat sports have been extensively studied, yet data on this matter in youth combat athletes is rather scarce. Methods: PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science were used to retrieve relevant data. Eligible studies had to record the methods used to elicit rapid weight loss (RWL) and/or record the oscillations in bodyweight during the RWL phase. Only studies conducted in the context of an official competition were considered for inclusion in the present review. Results: RWL is highly prevalent in children and adolescent combat athletes, ranging from 25 to 94% depending on the type of combat sport, age and level of competition. These athletes regularly prompt RWL by increasing exercise frequency and intensity, decreasing fluid and food intake, training in impermeable suits and using sauna frequently. Overall, the magnitude of RWL was ranging from ~ 1% to 6.3 ± 3.7% with significant RWL variations within individual studies and individuals within those studies. Conclusion: Acquired data indicated that RWL patterns in young combat athletes are similar to those found in their adult counterparts. Knowing that childhood and adolescence are critical periods for growth and development, RWL needs to be stringently regulated and ideally banned in this population

Učinki naglega zmanjševanja telesne mase na moč oprijema pri reprezentančnih rokoborcih

The effects of rapid weight loss (RWL) in combat sports athletes is an area that is not yet fully discovered. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the impact of weight loss on HGS (handgrip strength) in Greco-Roman wrestlers.This cross-over study included ten athletes examined for HGS during three time points for each hand. The first measurement – baseline (BL), was performed before we-ight reduction. The second measurement ‒ phase 1 (P1), was taken after high-intensity sports specific training (HISST) combined with RWL. In this phase, participants had to lose 5% of their body mass within three days, after which HISST was carried out (on day 3). The third measurement ‒ phase 2 (P2), was performed seven days after P1, which included HISST with no RWL.When comparing the HGS values, significantly higher values were observed only when P1 was compared with P2 for the left hand (p=0.039). This means that the grip was significantly stronger after RWL was conducted together with HISST.This research could be of great importance to combat sports coaches and athletes as it evaluates the effect of RWL on performance parameters. Therefore, the results of our study could serve to improve the wrestlers’ weight-reduction plan.Učinki naglega zmanjševanja telesne mase pri športnikih v borilnih disciplinah so področje, ki še ni povsem raziskano. Zato je bil cilj te študije ugotoviti, kako nagla izguba telesne mase vpliva na moč oprijema pri rokoborcih v grško-rimskem slogu.V pričujočo navzkrižno študijo smo vključili deset športnikov, pri katerih smo pre-verjali moč oprijema za vsako roko v treh različnih časovnih obdobjih. Prvo meritev ‒ ki je predstavljala izhodišče ‒ smo opravili pred začetkom zmanjševanja telesne mase. Drugo meritev ‒ 1. faza ‒ smo opravili po visokointenzivni športnospecifični vadbi v kombinaciji z naglo izgubo telesne mase. V tej fazi so sodelujoči morali v treh dneh za 5 odstotkov zmanjšati svojo telesno maso, nato pa opraviti visokointenzivno športnospecifično vadbo (tretji dan). Tretja meritev ‒ 2. faza ‒ je bila izvedena se-dem dni po 1. fazi in je vključevala visokointenzivno športnospecifično vadbo brez zmanjševanja telesne mase.Pri primerjavi podatkov o moči oprijema smo občutno višje vrednosti zaznali med rezultati meritev v 1. in 2. fazi za levo roko, saj so slednji pokazali, da se je moč opri-jema občutno povečala po zmanjšanju telesne mase v kombinaciji z visokointenzivno športnospecifično vadbo.Študija, ki meri učinke naglega zmanjšanja telesne mase na parametre zmogljivosti, prinaša pomembne uvide za trenerje in športnike v borilnih disciplinah in bi lahko pripomogla k izboljšanju programov za zmanjševanje telesne mase pri rokoborcih

Effects of Participating in Martial Arts in Children: A Systematic Review

Background: The application of various martial arts programs can greatly contribute to improving the of physical fitness of preschool and school children. The purpose of this review paper was to determine the effects and influence that martial arts program intervention has on children’s physical fitness, which includes motor skills and the aerobic and anaerobic abilities of children. Method: We searched the following electronic scientific databases for articles published in English from January 2006 to April 2021 to gather data for this review paper: Google Scholar, Pub Med, and Web of Science. Results: After the search was completed, 162 studies were identified, of which 16 studies were selected and were systematically reviewed and analyzed. Eight studies included karate programs, four studies included judo programs, two studies contained aikido programs, and two studies contained taekwondo programs. The total number of participants was 1615 (experimental group = 914, control group = 701). Based on the main findings, karate, judo, taekwondo, and aikido programs showed positive effects on the physical fitness of the experimental group of children. According to the results, the effects of these programs showed statistically significant improvements between the initial and final measurements of most of the examined experimental groups. Conclusion: We concluded that martial arts programs were helpful for improving the physical fitness of preschool and school children, especially for parameters such as cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, agility, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance

THE EFFECT OF RAPID WEIGHT LOSS ON THE HANDGRIP STRENGTH OF NATIONAL-LEVEL WRESTLERS

The effects of rapid weight loss (RWL) in combat sports athletes is an area that is not yet fully discovered. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the impact of weight loss on HGS (handgrip strength) in Greco-Roman wrestlers. This cross-over study included ten athletes examined for HGS during three time points for each hand. The first measurement – baseline (BL), was performed before we- ight reduction. The second measurement ‒ phase 1 (P1), was taken after high-intensity sports specific training (HISST) combined with RWL. In this phase, participants had to lose 5% of their body mass within three days, after which HISST was carried out (on day 3). The third measurement ‒ phase 2 (P2), was performed seven days after P1, which included HISST with no RWL. When comparing the HGS values, significantly higher values were observed only when P1 was compared with P2 for the left hand (p=0.039). This means that the grip was significantly stronger after RWL was conducted together with HISST. This research could be of great importance to combat sports coaches and athletes as it evaluates the effect of RWL on performance parameters. Therefore, the results of our study could serve to improve the wrestlers’ weight-reduction plan

Motivation Profile of Youth Greco-Roman Wrestlers; Differences According to Performance Quality

Athletes have to possess high motivation levels to perform each training session and competition at the highest level. Thus, the motivation of the wrestler is essential to reach the highest performance quality. The research included 47 Greco-Roman wrestlers aged 17.71 ± 1.62 years. Variables included anthropometric indices, sports motivation assessed by the revised Sport Motivation Scale (SMS-II), and competitive success (medal winners and non-winners at the National Championship). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients checked the internal consistency of the SMS-II. Differences between performance quality were determined by Cohen’s d effect sizes, and MANOVA for motivation and anthropometric variables/body build variables. In the total sample, wrestlers had high levels of intrinsic motivation (5.97 ± 0.90), integrated (5.99 ± 0.83), and identified (6.08 ± 0.82) regulation, while they had low amotivation (2.53 ± 0.98) and external regulation (3.26 ± 1.24). Successful wrestlers had significantly higher intrinsic motivation than less successful wrestlers (Cohen’s d = 0.76, moderate effect size). Results evidenced that wrestlers have high self-determined motivation, which is vital for maximal performance and persisting in sports. Future research should investigate wrestlers from other age groups to ultimately determine the sport motivation profile of wrestlers and enable their optimal sports development