Ivan Radman

Influence of Basic Ski-school in Building Attitudes toward Alpine Skiing as a Leisure Time Recreational Activity

The ski beginners attitude toward skiing can potentially affect the success of basic alpine ski learning. This research aimed at determining the influence of alpine ski learning toward recreational alpine skiing. It included 136 alpine ski beginners (41 females and 95 males), with no previous knowledge of alpine skiing. The 26 item scale questionnaire was constructed for the purposes of this research, with both positive and negative statements toward skiing. The Likerts scale type of questionnaire was fulfilled twice during this research; initially before the start of alpine ski school, and finally at the end of the seven day alpine ski school. Out of 26 claims, positively directed differences between initial and final testing, leading to attitude change were detected in 20 claims. Male participants included in this study had initially more positive attitude toward alpine skiing than female participants (Mean 106.6 vs. 100.7, respectively), but after completion of seven day alpine ski school program, both female and male participants attitude became more positive (Mean 110.7 vs. 109.4, respectively). Specifically, alpine ski school program exerted positive effect on attitude change toward mountain environment (p=0.01) and winter weather (p=0.04). Because of the sedentary way in which todays children and young people spend their free time, it is of utmost importance not only to interest them in physical activity in start, but also to maintain their interest in physical activity through formation of positive attitude toward it. Our results show how alpine ski program can positively affect ski beginners attitude toward alpine skiing and how ski instructors, through simple questionnaire can identify potential obstacles and fears of their pupils in order to choose the appropriate approach of basic ski learning.

Sport Courage, Worry and Fear in Relation to Success of Alpine Ski Learning

(1) Background: Individuals’ psychological traits can influence not just success in sport but also the ability to learn new motor skills. We investigated whether sport courage, worry and fear differ between alpine ski-naive and basic level skiers and how they affect ski learning. (2): A total of 337 students (249 ski-naive and 88 basic level) participated in research consisting of a four-part questionnaire and structured skiing program. (3) Results: For beginners, lower fear (r = −0.30, p < 0.01) and higher Self-efficiency (r = 0.28, p < 0.05) and mastery (r = 0.20, p < 0.01) were associated with better performance; reducing fear and increasing self-efficiency and worry increased performance. Experienced skiers were better in determination, mastery, and self-efficiency (all p < 0.05). In case of lower score in worry (r = −0.28, p < 0.01) and higher in self-efficiency (r = 0.22, p < 0.05) performance was better. Males scored higher in sport courage scale-31 (all p < 0.05). In particular, self-efficiency was associated with better (r = 0.39, p < 0.01), and higher fear with poorer performance (r = −0.33, p < 0.01). Moreover, self-efficiency was a predictor of ski success (p < 0.001). On the other hand, females like ski beginners scored higher in fear (p < 0.001). In females, determination, mastery and self-efficiency had a positive correlation with skiing (r = 0.21, p < 0.05, r = 0.28, p < 0.01, and r = 0.33, p < 0.01, respectively), while association between Fear and skiing (r = −0.46, p < 0.01) was negative, and fear (p < 0.001) was inversely related to success. (4): Conclusions: Psychological factors and gender differences need to be considered during learning phases of alpine skiing. There is a positive association between self-efficiency and performance of male ski beginners, and negative association between fear and achieved results in basic alpine ski school in case of female ski beginners.

The influence of ski helmets on sound perception and sound localisation on the ski slope

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to investigate whether a ski helmet interferes with the sound localization and the time of sound perception in the frontal plane. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-three participants (age 30.7±10.2) were tested on the slope in 2 conditions, with and without wearing the ski helmet, by 6 different spatially distributed sound stimuli per each condition. Each of the subjects had to react when hearing the sound as soon as possible and to signalize the correct side of the sound arrival. RESULTS The results showed a significant difference in the ability to localize the specific ski sounds; 72.5±15.6% of correct answers without a helmet vs. 61.3±16.2% with a helmet (p < 0.01). However, the performance on this test did not depend on whether they were used to wearing a helmet (p = 0.89). In identifying the timing, at which the sound was firstly perceived, the results were also in favor of the subjects not wearing a helmet. The subjects reported hearing the ski sound clues at 73.4±5.56 m without a helmet vs. 60.29±6.34 m with a helmet (p < 0.001). In that case the results did depend on previously used helmets (p < 0.05), meaning that that regular usage of helmets might help to diminish the attenuation of the sound identification that occurs because of the helmets. CONCLUSIONS Ski helmets might limit the ability of a skier to localize the direction of the sounds of danger and might interfere with the moment, in which the sound is firstly heard.