Doroteja Rančić

This study examined the differences in physical fitness between elite female football and handball players competing at the highest level. A total of 38 athletes participated, divided into two groups: football players (N = 20) and handball players (N = 18). Anthropometric characteristics, body composition, and motor abilities, including speed, agility, and explosive strength, were assessed using standardized tests. The results revealed significant differences in body composition, with handball players being taller (173.6 ± 4.7 cm vs. 165.7 ± 4.7 cm, p = .00) and heavier (69.7 ± 10.9 kg vs. 60.9 ± 8.0 kg, p = .00), while football players had a higher percentage of muscle mass (42.9 ± 3.4% vs. 32.2 ± 2.7%, p = .00) and lower body fat (22.4 ± 6.1% vs. 27.6 ± 6.0%, p = .01). Regarding physical performance, football players outperformed handball players in agility, particularly in the zig-zag test (5.74 ± 0.32 s vs. 6.08 ± 0.38 s, p = .00). Conversely, handball players demonstrated superior explosive strength, as evidenced by better results in the countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJa: 32.5 ± 5.0 cm vs. 28.8 ± 3.4 cm, p = .01). No significant differences were found in sprint performance over 10m (1.84 ± 0.16 s vs. 1.89 ± 0.12 s, p = .25), 20m (3.35 ± 0.22 s vs. 3.33 ± 0.18 s, p = .78), and 30m (4.66 ± 0.20 s vs. 4.75 ± 0.24 s, p = .20). These findings highlighted the influence of sport-specific demands on athletes’ physical profiles and motor abilities. Understanding these differences could assist coaches in designing targeted training programs to optimize performance and address specific fitness needs. Future research should incorporate a larger sample size and explore additional physiological and biomechanical variables to further elucidate the distinctions between these two sports.

This study examined the relationships between lower-body power, linear speed, and change of direction (COD) speed in young elite volleyball players. A sample of participants (N = 36) consisting of elite male volleyball players (age: 15.44 ± 2.02 years; height: 180.83 ± 10.08 cm; weight: 70.38 ± 10.97 kg) was measured in jump performance, speed, and COD abilities. Jump performance was assessed via squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and CMJ with arm swing (CMJA), while speed and COD abilities were measured using 5 m, 10 m, and 15 m sprints, and the t-test, 9-6-3-6-9, and 505 agility tests, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed powerful positive correlations among jump tests (e.g., CMJ and SJ: r = 0.955, p < 0.001), indicating a shared underlying construct identified as explosive power. Jump performance showed moderate to strong negative correlations with sprint times (e.g., CMJA and 10 m sprint: r = −0.675, p < 0.001) and COD times (e.g., CMJ and t-test: r = −0.618, p < 0.001), suggesting that greater power enhances acceleration and agility. Sprint and COD tests were strongly interrelated (e.g., 10 m sprint and t-test: r = 0.719, p < 0.001), highlighting their interdependence. These findings underscore the significant role of lower-body power in volleyball-specific movements, such as rapid sprints and directional changes. Practically, enhancing jump performance through targeted training could improve speed and COD abilities, aiding coaches in player selection and conditioning. Further research is needed to explore these relationships across diverse populations and over time.

Success in the basketball game does not only require technical, tactical and psychological abilities, but also depends on body composition and motor abilities. The motor abilities that contribute most to success in basketball are explosive power, agility with and without the ball, and speed of cyclic or acyclic movements. Given that body composition and motor abilities are the basis for every sport, the aim of this study is to determine whether there is a connection between body composition and motor abilities of female basketball players. The sample of respondents consisted of female basketball players who play in the cadet league, with an average chronological age of 15.08 ± 0.94 years, who trained volleyball for an average of 5.93 ± 2.46 years. First, the subjects' body composition parameters were measured (body height, body mass, body mass index (BMI), fat percentage (BF), muscle percentage (Muscle%), followed by agility tests (T-test, Slalom, Slalom with ball), speed (5m, 10m and 20m sprint), and explosive power (Counter Movement Jump (CMJ), Counter Movement Jump With Arm Swing (CMJwas), Squat Jump (SJ)). The results showed that there is a relationship between the parameter BH with CMJ, CMJwas and SJ, then BW with CMJ, 20m and Slalom. Furthermore, BMI was correlated with CMJ and Slalom, and the parameters BF% and Muscle % with the motor abilities of explosive power, speed and agility. Based on the obtained results, it can be conclude that there is a statistically significant correlation between body composition parameters and motor abilities of female basketball players.

This overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of resistance training (RT) on physical fitness of people with Down syndrom (DS). A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus, up until January 30th, 2024. The search included key terms like resistance training, strength training, weight training, intellectual disability, and Down syndrome. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration assessment tool. Eighteen articles were reviewed, with nine included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that RT interventions positively impacted physical fitness in individuals with DS, with significant improvements in both upper and lower limb strength and cardiorespiratory endurance, as indicated by VO_2peak (p = 0.000). Eleven studies were classified as high quality with low risk of bias, four had some methodological concerns, and three non-randomized studies exhibited a high risk of bias. RT interventions appear to significantly enhance physical fitness, including muscle strength, functional abilities, cardiorespiratory fitness, and balance, among individuals with DS, regardless of variations in training methods or program designs.

Background/Objectives: Today’s high school students often engage in sedentary behavior by choosing passive activities during leisure time. Increasing research shows that regular physical activity (PA) provides benefits beyond physical health, especially important during childhood and adolescence. Our study investigated the association between physical activity levels and academic performance (AP) in Serbian adolescents. Methods: We selected a sample of 836 fourth-grade high school students (avg. 17.9 ± 0.7 years old) who completed the IPAQ (short-version) and the Academic Performance Scale. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 21.0. Due to non-normal data distribution, Spearman’s correlation was used and hierarchical regression analysis to assess the association between PA and AP. Results: The findings revealed significant correlations between vigorous, moderate and light PA, as well as overall units of metabolic equivalent of task (METs), with AP (p-values: 0.000, 0.005, 0.021, 0.004, respectively), although with weak correlation coefficients (0.127, 0.098, 0.080, 0.181, respectively). Vigorous PA influenced AP by 10.1%, moderate PA by 8.2%, and light PA by 11.4%. Conclusions: These results suggest that adolescents engaging in higher PA levels tend to have better AP. This finding indicates a substantial association between PA levels and AP, with both moderate and vigorous PA showing a positive correlation and influence. Further investigation is necessary to comprehensively grasp the link between light PA and AP.

Background: The relationship between motor coordination and physical fitness in preschool children is of significant interest due to its implications for overall health and development. This study aims to investigate the correlation between gross motor coordination, as assessed by the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), and health-related physical fitness components. Methods: A cross-sectional study, involving 139 preschool-aged children, was conducted. Physical fitness was assessed using the PREFIT fitness test battery, which includes measures of flexibility, muscular strength, speed/agility, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Motor coordination was evaluated using the KTK test, comprising four subtests. Results: Pearson correlation analysis revealed weak to strong positive and negative correlations between motor coordination and various physical fitness measures, including flexibility (r = 0.402; p = 0.01), muscular strength (r = 0.178; r = 0.487; r = 0.601; p < 0.05), speed/agility (r = −0.742; p = 0.01), and endurance (r = 0.539; p = 0.01). Additionally, hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated significant influence of motor coordination on physical fitness, explaining a notable percentage of the variance across different fitness components (3.2–55%). Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of motor coordination in shaping physical fitness levels in preschool children. Promoting motor coordination skills early in childhood may have long-term benefits for overall health and fitness.

Purpose: The aim of this review was to determine the influence of physical activity on the arterial blood pressure of the elderly through a review of previous research. Methods: The search was performed on the Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases. The first search identified 1112 articles. In the initial assessment carried out in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles were found suitable and were included in the study, while 1097 studies were excluded. The search was limited to articles published in period of 2002­–2022. Results: After the applied exercise programs and evaluation at the final measurements, the mean values of systolic blood pressure, on the total sample, were 131 mmHg, while the values of diastolic blood pressure were 77 mmHg, which indicates that physical activity (regardless of whether swimming, walking, yoga, resistance training, high interval training, Tai Chi) have a positive effect on the arterial blood pressure of the elderly. Conclusion: All studies, except one, showed a positive influence of physical activity on the arterial blood pressure of elderly people. In this regard, it can be concluded that physical activity, regardless of the type of activity, has a positive effect on the arterial blood pressure of the elderly, in the form of a reduction in blood pressure values.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the literature analyzing the effects of aerobic interval training in the rehabilitation of cardiovascular patients. Methods: Research data was collected considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the research studies published in English. In order for the study to be included in the analysis, it had to meet the following criteria: year of publication (2004–2022), respondents were people with cardiovascular disease, and the studies included in this review must contain data on disease, training programme and outcomes. Papers without full texts available and systematic review studies were excluded. The first search identified 71 articles. In the initial assessment carried out in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles were found suitable and were included in the study, while 20 studies were excluded for being duplicates, 28 studies excluded for not having the full text available and eight for non-compliance. Results: The reviewed materials indicate that aerobic interval training has an impact on VO2 max, functional abilities, Vo2 peak and functional capacity in the rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases, especially in the elderly. The duration of the programme in most studies has a similar time range from 10 to 16 weeks. The programmes that showed the best effects are related to aerobic interval training, from 2 to 3 times per week with moderate (50–60% of VO2 max) or high intensity (80–90% of VO2 max). Conclusion: Studies indicate that properly dosed physical activity contributes to a better lifestyle for people with cardiovascular diseases. All 15 studies showed positive effects of aerobic interval training in cardiovascular disease rehabilitation.