Volume 55 (2015): Issue 1 (May 2015)

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide for males, and the fifth most common cancer overall. Using of autogenic training could reduce the influence of ADT and raise quality of prostate cancer patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of autogenic training in patients with prostate cancer. Patients were divided to experimental and control group. Experimental group participated in fourteen weeks long autogenic training program. Control group performed usual daily activities. Every subject of research performed input and output diagnostics which monitored psychical states of patients by psychological standardized tests - Differential questionnaire of depression (DDF) and Questionnaire of anxiety (STAI X1). Our data showed autogenic training program significant improved depressions symptoms and anxiety in experimental research group (p ≤ 0.05), however there was no main change of depression symptoms and anxiety values for control group (p = n.s.).

The study examines the acute response of bone turnover markers to two different single bouts of resistance exercises in women. Serum bone alkaline phosphatase and sclerostin concentration were measured before, 24 and 48 hours after the interventions to detect the dynamics of bone turnover. Subjects performed two exercises and a control experiment without exercise (CONTR) on different occasions, with 3-week breaks between the interventions, in a random order. First exercises protocol had a constant resistance of 75 % 1 RM (ISOF). Second, serial stretch loading (SSL), was isokinetic: velocity of concentric and eccentric phase of the movement was 50 and 40 cm/s, respectively. Short stops were incorporated into both phases of the movement after every 20 mm, resulting in a frequency of the force peaks of 10 Hz in concentric as well as in eccentric phase. Both protocols consisted of 6 sets of 6 repetitions and 2-minute resting periods. The exercises interventions had no statistically significant effect on either bone turnover marker concentration at any of the time points.

The aim of this study was to assess movement patterns by using Functional Movement Screen in three categories of Slovak women’s national football teams during two occasions interpressed with one year. The reason for this was to answer the questions: 1. if there is a tendency to perform better in the screen with respect to age category, and 2. if the players who did the screen more times and recieve recommendations, perform better after a year, irrespective to age category. Our results showed that every category achieved significant improvements (p<0.10) in total test score when compared the two occasions (2013 vs. 2014), except WU17, where significant decrement was found (p<0.01). These results probably represent the fact, that the WU17 is the less experienced category regarding FMS™, and the group where the most turbulence occurs in the nomination list. However, when we assessed the group of players who were present at both occasions of screening, irrespectively to age group they belong, results revealed significant overall improvements (p<0.05). In conclusion, we would suggest FMS™ as a useful tool to reveal potentially weak links in player's movement and therefore determine injury risk. Our results suggest that professional recommendations to remove these are effective and at least as much important as the screening scores alone.

This paper presents the results of research focused on the attitudes of schoolgirls at the 5th and 9th grade of primary schools towards physical and sport education. The aim of this project was to find out the level of the attitudes of schoolgirls at primary schools in the Bratislava Region. The research sample consisted of 247 schoolgirls attending urban and village primary schools. The basic research tool we have used was the standardized attitudinal questionnaire designed for the primary schools pupils. We have found out that in the 5th and 9th grade of primary schools the positive attitudes toward physical and sport education prevail over the indifferent attitudes. At primary schools in the Bratislava Region, the schoolgirls in the 5th grade showed more positive attitudes than schoolgirls in the 9th grade.

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) links tactics and skills by emphasizing the appropriate timing and application within the tactical context of the game. It has been linked to the development of enhanced tactical knowledge. The purpose of the study was to determine immediate and delayed effects of TGfU on procedural and declarative knowledge of basketball and to compare it with a technical approach. Experimental group (EG) (11 fifth graders + 18 sixth graders) was taught by TGfU and a control group (CG) (16 fifth graders + 24 sixth graders) was taught by a technical approach for 8 weeks in Physical Education (PE) classes, both. A written test was constructed to evaluate pupils’ declarative and procedural knowledge of basketball. The test was applied after the intervention to determine immediate effects and 8 months after the intervention to determine retention effects of the experimental programme. Shapiro-Wilk test, Wilcoxon T-test, Man-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis of obtained data. Cohen’s d was used to calculate effect size. Generally basketball knowledge was better in EG than in CG after the intervention (p<0.05) what confirms moderate effect size. When declarative and procedural knowledge were analysed separately there was no significant difference between EG and CG. Nevertheless, moderate effect sizes indicate that the data are particularly meaningful in terms of school practice. Retention effects of both approaches were similar. Total knowledge and declarative knowledge were worse after 8 months than immediately after the intervention in both groups (p<0.01). In both groups, there was no significant difference in procedural knowledge between the test written immediately after the intervention and 8 months later. Differences of changes were not significant between the groups.

Physical characteristics play an important role in the selection of young basketball players and the progress in their playing performance. The aim of the study was to analyze differences in chosen physical characteristics of Slovak U17 female basketball players with respect to their playing positions. We assumed, that there will be statistically significant differences between playing positions in each performance tests results. Chosen characteristics were analyzed for 14 players (mean/SD, age 16.34±0.82; body height 179.72±8.04 cm; body weight 67.62±7.10 kg; body fat 16.59±2.04 %; VO₂max 46.20±4.71 ml.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹) according to their playing positions (guard, forward, center). Five specific performance tests for each player were conducted as a 3/4 Basketball court sprint, 10 × 5m Shuttle test, Lane agility drill, No-step vertical jump and Maximum vertical jump. The differences in tests results by playing positions were evaluated by one-way ANOVA. There were no significant differences found in results of chosen performance tests between playing positions (p>.05). In spite of fact, that there were no significant differences, we found interesting results between playing positions in physical characteristics. Guards had better results in speed (3.73±0.16 s), quickness (17.43±0.56 s) and both lower-body power tests (47.16±3.06 cm; 57.00±3.40 cm) than forwards and centers. Forwards had the best results in agility test (12.54±0.43 s). The results of this study produce useful information about physical characteristics of young basketball players according to their playing position and help to diagnose and improve their performance.

This research aimed to explore a relation between Body image (PSPP) and Sensation Seeking (SSS-V) and to determine gym-goers based on these entities. The research file (N = 182) consisted of gym-goers aged between 24 – 45. The comparison of the tests showed a weak relation (0.25) between PSPP and SST tests and also among the individual subscales. The comparison of men and women did not come up with any significant differences. In terms of Body image, the file showed above-average results, in the case of Sensation Seeking, its score was average. The outcome of our findings is that there is no marked relation between PSPP and SST and the same goes for men and women.

The aim of the study was to verify the efficiency of two frisbee ultimate teaching models at 8-year grammar schools relative to age. In the experimental group was used a game based model (Teaching Games for Understanding) and in the control group the traditional model based on teaching techniques. 6 groups of female students took part in experiment: experimental group 1 (n=10, age=11.6), experimental group 2 (n=12, age=13.8), experimental group 3 (n=14, age =15.8), control group 1 (n=11, age =11.7), control group 2 (n=10, age =13.8) and control group 3 (n=9, age =15.8). Efficiency of the teaching models was evaluated based of game performance and special knowledge results. Game performance was evaluated by the method of game performance assessment based on GPAI (Game Performance Assessment Instrument) through video record. To verify level of knowledge, we used a knowledge test, which consisted of questions related to the rules and tactics knowledge of frisbee ultimate. To perform statistical evaluation Mann-Whitney U-test was used. Game performance assessment and knowledge level indicated higher efficiency of TGfU in general, but mostly statistically insignificant. Experimental groups 1 and 2 were significantly better in the indicator that evaluates tactical aspect of game performance - decision making (p<0.05). Experimental group 3 was better in the indicator that evaluates skill execution - disc catching. The results showed that the students of the classes taught by game based model reached partially better game performance in general. Experimental groups achieved from 79.17 % to 80 % of correct answers relating to the rules and from 75 % to 87.5 % of correct answers relating to the tactical knowledge in the knowledge test. Control groups achieved from 57.69 % to 72.22 % of correct answers relating to the rules and from 51.92 % to 72.22 % of correct answers relating to the tactical knowledge in the knowledge test.