Aleksandar Ignjatović

Effects of 12-week medicine ball training on muscle strength and power in young female handball players.

Abstract Ignjatovic, AM, Markovic, ZM, and Radovanovic, DS. Effects of 12-week medicine ball training on muscle strength and power in young female handball players. J Strength Cond Res 26(8): 2166–2173, 2012—The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of medicine ball training on the strength and power in young female handball athletes. Twenty-one young female handball players (age, 16.9 ± 1.2 years) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Experimental group (n = 11) participated in a 12-week medicine ball training program incorporated into the regular training session, whereas controls (n = 10) participated only in the regular training. Performance in the medicine ball throws in standing and sitting positions, 1 repetition maximum (1RM) bench and shoulder press, and power test at 2 different loads (30 and 50% of 1RM) on bench and shoulder press were assessed at pre- and posttraining testing. The athletes participating in the medicine ball training program made significantly greater gains in all medicine ball throw tests compared with the controls (p < 0.01). Also, the experimental group made significantly greater gains in bench and shoulder press power than control group (p < 0.05). Both training groups (E) and (C) significantly (p < 0.05) increased 1RM bench and shoulder strength, with no differences observed between the groups. Additionally, medicine ball throw tests showed stronger correlation with power tests, than with 1RM tests. These data suggest that 12-week medicine ball training, when incorporated into a regular training session, can provide greater sport-specific training improvements in the upper body for young female handball players.

Specific alterations of physiological parameters in competitive race walkers.

Race walking is the technical and athletic expression of fast walking and it can be considered as a type of endurance performance. The purpose of this study was to examine whether 12 weeks of a specially designed training program results in the further training enhancement of endurance performance and the related physiological parameters in already well-trained race walkers competing at the national and international level. The investigation protocol consisted of determining the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and related gas exchange values using an automated cardiopulmonary exercise system and of determining blood lactate variables (aerobic threshold - LTAer and the maximal lactate steady state - MLSS) during walking with proper technique at 8, 10, 12 and 14 km·h-1 for 4 minutes without rest in between. Thereafter, the speed on the treadmill was increased by 0.5 km·h-1 every two minutes until exhaustion to determine VO2peak. After 12 weeks of a specially designed endurance training, statistically significant increases in VO2peak (61.8±8.5 mL·kg-1·min-1 pre vs. 66.9±9.5 mL·kg-1·min-1 post training; p<0.05) and blood lactate variables (VO2-LTAer and VO2-MLSS; p<0.05) were noted. The obtained results suggest that the applied training program can improve endurance and race performance in previously well trained race walkers.

Physiological Demands, Morphological Characteristics, Physical Abilities and Injuries of Female Soccer Players

Abstract The popularity of female soccer is increasing as well as the number of females playing soccer. Similarly, over the last twenty or so years, research in soccer has increased significantly, but a large disparity exists in the volume of studies involving male and female players. As a consequence of this, female players remain less well understood compared to males. The purpose of the present narrative review was to describe morphological characteristics, physiological demands, physical abilities and injuries in female soccer players. Physiological demands are similar between men’s and women’s soccer, but competitive women’s matches were characterized by nearly 33% less distance covered, although at higher intensity levels (maximum speeds greater than 15 km/h) than typically found in the men’s game. Sub-elite female players also tended to run less at higher intensity levels at the end of both halves in comparison with elite female players. High intensity running is an important factor of success in soccer since many critical moments of the game occur under this condition. The ability to rapidly change direction also determined elite, sub-elite and amateur levels. The implementation of functional training, which focused on soccer-specific drills and plyometric exercises, to improve explosive power, may improve conditioning in female soccer players as well as decrease the risk of injuries which was 3-8 times higher in females compared to males. This review presents an in-depth overview of the most influential factors for determining success in female soccer.

Changes in the muscular outputs of young judoists during resistance exercises performed on unstable equipment: A case study

BackgroundResistanceexercisesunderunstableconditionshavegainedpopularityamongathletes.�Theaimofthestudywas� toinvestigatethechangesinmuscularoutputs�(peakpowerandvelocityofmovement)�duringbenchpressesand� squatsunderunstableconditionsincomparisontotheoutputsunderstableconditions. �:� Atotalof�20�participants,�dividedintotwogroups,�tookpartinthestudy.�Thefirstgroupconsistedof�9�top-lev- elyoungmalejudoists,�whilethesecondgroupconsistedof�11�students.�Alloftheexerciseswereperformedonce� 70%�ofone-repetitionmaximum�(1RM)�wasdetermined. � Results:� Theanalysisshowedasignificantreductioninmuscularoutputsduringsquatsunderunstableconditions�(the� BOSUball)�incomparisontostableconditionsforthegroupofjudoists.�However,�therewasnosignificantreduc- tioninmuscularoutputsduringthebenchpressesunderunstableconditions�(theSwissball)�comparedtothesta- bleflatbench.�Forthegroupofstudents,�theanalysisshowedasignificantreductioninmuscularoutputsduring� thebenchpressunderunstableconditionswhencomparedtothestableflatbench.�Inaddition,�forthisgroupthe� muscularoutputsweresignificantlylowerduringsquatsunderunstableincomparisontostableconditions. � Conclusions:� ThebenchpressasaresistanceexerciseperformedonaSwissballwithreducedtrainingloadcannotberecom- mendedasaneffectivetrainingmodelforjudoists.�Nevertheless,�thesquatwithreducedtrainingloadunderun- stableconditionsprovidedsufficientchallengestotheneuromuscularsystemandcouldbeincorporatedintotrain- ingprograms.

Anti-Doping through the Pedagogical Approach

Abstract Anti-doping programs need to preserve and promote what is essential in sport and that is sport spirit and achieving perfection through the development of its own natural talents, in order to raise awareness about the importance of fair play and creating an environment that supports the sport without doping. These programs should be directed to the athletes and young people by creating a positive and long-term impact on the choices they make. Thanks to games that are used for children in preschool and primary school age it is possible to efficiently and timely impact on the development character and virtues because it is incomparably more difficult to form character and moral values in already formed athletes than in childrens who are just getting to know the world of sport and everything what he is carries. Childrens need to be instilled the importance of physical exercise and the importance of participation in sport without prohibited resources and methods that roughly violate the ideal of fair play and on that way promote at childrens health, fairness and equality for all athletes. Fair play was created out of chivalry and gentlemanly in the middle ages where many reformers proposed sport and games with the aim of education and strengthening moral values in children. Teaching children the ideals of fair play in which the sport is based, and their continued involvement in sports activities with special accent on the pedagogical aspect leads to raising the awareness of moral values and ideals of sports chivalry. Developing awareness among children about fair play and anti-doping implies greater satisfaction with the results achieved in sports activities, which is a win at all costs and with the use of illegal resourses worthless, and victors would not be able to refer to with pride.

Physical Activity in Adolescent with Mental Retardation: Is Adapted Basketball Training Adequate Stimulus to Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Sport Skills Performance?

Summary The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of an adapted basketball training program on the cardiorespiratory fitness and sport skills performance of adolescents with mental retardation (MR). Fifty adolescents with mild MR who participated in this study were divided in two groups. Experimental group (n = 25; mean ± SD age: 15.7 ± 0.9 years) performed the adapted training program, four times per week during eight weeks. A control group (n = 25; mean ± SD age: 15.9 ± 0.8 years) followed ordinary physical education classes and continued with their normal lifestyle. Exercise testing included the six-minute walk test (6MWT), monitoring of heart rate frequency and sport skills performance test battery. Results showed a significant difference between groups pre- and post-treatment in 6MWT distance. The experimental group experienced a 10% increase in covered distance pre- to post-testing (p < 0.05), whereas controls had no significant changes in the same period. Conducted adapted training also resulted in significant improvement in examined sport skills performance. However, this kind and duration of experimental procedure did not result in significant differences in anthropometric variables and heart rate frequency. This study demonstrated that adapted basketball training is an adequate stimulus for improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness and sport skills performance of adolescents with mild MR. The advantage of this type of adaptive training program is that it does not require a large financial input, but only the engagement of a qualified and dedicated physical education professor.