DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2026.10.01.8

Authors: Kofi Nyantakyi Appiah, Divyanshu Kumar Singh, Nathanael Adu, Edward Edem Nartey

Abstract: In elite football, player age and playing position infl uence performance. This study examined the relationship between age and playing position on expected goals per 90 minutes (xG/90) among 1411 professional soccer players (M = 26.05 years, SD = 5.22, range = 17-40 years) in Europe’s top fi ve leagues. A linear mixed model analyzed the relationship between age (both linear and quadratic terms), playing position (midfi elder, forward, defender), and xG/90. A signifi cant diff erence in xG/90 was found between forwards and defenders (β = 0.206, 95% CI = [0.193, 0.219]; p < .001). A small, statistically signifi cant positive association was also observed between age and xG/90 (β = 0.002; p = .007). No evidence indicated a nonlinear decrease in xG/90. Age-related patterns were consistent across all playing positions. After controlling for xG/90, neither age nor position predicted actual goals per 90 minutes. Overall, this cross-sectional study indicates that tactical experience and positional deployment may be the primary drivers of age-related diff erences in scoring ability.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2026.10.01.4

Authors: José Carlos Ponce-Bordón, David Lobo-Triviño, Rosa Ayuso-Moreno, Borja Sanabria-Pino, Jorge Polo-Tejada

Abstract: Introduction: Monitoring training load (TL) is key to optimizing health, performance, and injury prevention in soccer, yet evidence across full-season microcycle types in women’s soccer is limited. Purpose and objectives of the study: This study analyzed the weekly TL distribution in a semi-professional women’s soccer team throughout a full competitive season, and examined diff erences in total weekly workload (training sessions and match demands) between diff erent types of microcycles. Additionally, the percentage contribution of training and match loads to the total weekly workload in each microcycle type was calculated. Applied methodology: A total of 170 training sessions and 35 offi cial matches were analyzed during the 2024/25 season from 20 semi-professional soccer players who competed in the Spanish Second Women’s Division. Training sessions were categorized based on proximity to the match into four categories. In addition, microcycles were classifi ed into three types: Non-Congested (i.e., included only one offi cial match during the week; NCON); Congested (i.e., included two offi cial matches in the same week; CON), and Non-Match weeks (i.e., corresponded to weeks without offi cial competition; NMA). External load (EL) variables were collected during training sessions and offi cial matches using 10 Hz GPS devices. Achieved major results: Linear Mixed Models revealed that the NCON microcycle emerged as the most demanding week, with the highest EL observed on MD-4 and MD-3. Specifi cally, players covered signifi cantly greater total distance and sprint distance during NCON weeks than during CON weeks (p < .01) and NMA weeks (p < .001). Leads: These fi ndings may guide coaching staff in adjusting weekly workload according to microcycle type, balancing training stimulus, and avoiding large week-to-week fl uctuations in training workload across diff erent competitive schedules. Originality/Value: This study clarifi es how EL is distributed throughout the microcycle and highlights the diff erences between training and match demands across diff erent microcycle structures in women’s soccer.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.11

Authors: Keisuke Onodera

Abstract: Change-of-direction (COD) ability is a critical component of performance in many team sports, yet practical methods to acutely enhance COD remain underexplored. This study aimed to determine whether adding a brief, targeted warm-up focused on gluteal muscle activation to a general warm-up could acutely improve COD performance in university athletes. Seventeen male athletes participated in a two-day, parallel-group controlled trial. On both days, all participants completed a standardized general warm-up. On the second day, the experimental group performed an additional three-minute targeted warm-up (band squats, band lateral walks, skater hops), while the control group proceeded directly to testing. COD performance was assessed using the Lane Agility Drill before and after intervention. The main result was that only the experimental group, which received targeted activation exercises, showed a significant improvement in COD performance (p < .01), whereas the control group showed no significant change. These findings suggest that a short, muscle-specific warm-up can effectively and immediately enhance COD ability, even without high-intensity or specialized equipment. The study’s limitations include a small, homogeneous sample of male university athletes and the use of a single COD test, which may restrict generalizability. Future research should examine whether similar effects occur across other populations and sports, and with various COD assessments. Practically, the protocol offers a simple, time-efficient approach for coaches and athletes to optimize performance in settings where rapid directional changes are essential. The originality of this study lies in demonstrating that acute performance gains can be achieved through accessible, field-based exercises integrated into existing warm-up routines.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.10

Authors: Hongxiang Huang, Amirali Salehi, Seyed Houtan Shahidi

Abstract: Background: Increasing evidence suggests that repeated sprint training (RST) enhances performance in male basketball players, yet findings have not been quantitatively synthesized.Purpose: To meta-analyze the effects of RST on countermovement jump (CMJ), linear sprint, and change-of-direction (COD) performance versus control.Methodology: Systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus identified peer-reviewed controlled trials of basketball players with baseline and follow-up measures. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed; study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Prespecified moderators were age, program duration, training frequency, inter-sprint recovery, and sprint direction; subgroup analyses explored heterogeneity.Results: Nine studies (n = 213) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled effects were small-to-moderate: CMJ (ES = 0.39, 95% CI 0.04–0.74; Z = 2.19; p = .03), linear sprint (ES = -0.40, 95% CI -0.75 to -0.06; Z = 2.29; p = .02), and COD (ES = −1.11, 95% CI −1.73 to −0.50; Z = 3.54; p = .0004). Most subgroup differences were not significant (p = .0004–1.00), but in COD performance, the sprint subgroup (ES = −1.02, p = .002) and the COD subgroup (ES = −1.68, p = .02) showed larger effects and reached statistical significance.Conclusions: RST can improve CMJ and COD in male basketball players, with a borderline improvement in linear sprint speed; the largest gains appear in COD. While most subgroup differences were non-significant, larger improvements in COD were observed in specific sprint and COD subgroups.Limitations and Consequences: Evidence is limited by few trials, modest samples, and protocol variability, which may constrain generalizability.Practical Implications: Adult athletes using ≤30-s inter-sprint recovery and <3 weekly sessions may experience larger benefits; coaches can integrate RST accordingly.Originality: This is a focused quantitative synthesis of RST-induced neuro-muscular adaptations in male basketball players.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.9

Authors: Yavor Asparuhov

Abstract: Information on coaching practices related to specialized training programs that affect speed and strength qualities in 14-15-year-old basketball players is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a specialized, periodized training program on the development of speed-strength qualities in 14-15-year-old boys playing basketball. Nineteen basketball players aged 14.5± 0.5 years who participated in a regular, well-organized training program were studied. A specialized methodology was applied for 5 months, from October 2024 to March 2025. Training sessions were held three times a week, with a wave distribution of intensity: Monday – high-intensity pure strength; Wednesday – explosive focus with variations and sprints; and Friday – emphasis on contrasting methods, including plyometrics and medicine ball throws. To determine the effect, a test battery of 10 tests was applied, including anthropometric measurements (height, weight, horizontal and vertical stretch) and physical fitness indicators (10 m and 20 m running, 5-0-5 test, long jump, push-ups with hands on hips, and isometric pull from mid-hip). The trainings were held three times a week, with a wave distribution of intensity: Monday – high-intensity pure strength; Wednesday – explosive focus with different variations and sprints; and Friday – emphasis on contrasting methods, including plyometrics and medicine ball throws. To determine the effect, a test battery of 10 tests was applied, including anthropometric measurements (height, weight, horizontal and vertical stretch) and physical fitness indicators (10 m and 20 m running, 5-0-5 test, long jump, push-ups with hands on hips, and isometric pull from mid-hip).After implementing the program, the basketball players showed statistically significant improvements in agility (5-0-5 test), upper-body strength, and lower-body strength (hands-on-hips jump and isometric pull from mid-hip). Positive developments were also observed in speed and explosive lower limb strength across other indicators, such as the 10 m and 20 m sprints and the long jump, although these improvements were not statistically significant.The results confirm the positive impact of a specialized, periodized strength-training program, which has been proven to enhance the development of speed-strength qualities in 14-15-year-old basketball players. This contributes to higher sports performance and injury prevention.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.7

Authors: Georgi Sergiev

Abstract: This study was conducted to make changes to improve the system for assessing special physical and technical preparation. These changes applied to competitors aged 13–16 in artistic gymnastics. The age (13–16) covers a very important period in the gymnasts’ many years of sports training. These periods were targeted sports training and a period of sports improvement. Along with age-related development and changes in gymnasts’ psychological characteristics, their training was restructured entirely during these periods. At this age (13-16), the training process moved to a new, higher quality level. This level is characterized by the study of more complex exercises, connections, and entire combinations. Also, profound changes were observed in the training load in terms of volume and intensity as basic indicators of the training load. This implies a high level of physical qualities of gymnasts, which must be monitored and evaluated promptly. All this has also required optimizing the change methods known to date for controlling and assessing competitors’ preparation during these periods. In terms of sports training, according to famous authors, specialized physical and technical training was particularly important. That is why the subject of this study was how to control and successfully evaluate the indices, providing information about the level of technical and physical training at every moment of the gymnasts’ sports preparation. Furthermore, the unified program and methodology for training and practice in artistic gymnastics for men in the Republic of Bulgaria were established in 1987 (Yordanov, D. et al., 1987) and now require updating to address contemporary challenges faced by gymnasts.Purpose of the study. After a long period during which 298 gymnasts were tested, changes were made to the system for the control and assessment of special physical and technical sports preparation by optimizing the existing normative tables (50-grade scale) and changing the indices.Methodology. The research methods used were testing and registering the indices, subsequent statistical analyses, such as variance analysis, and the sigma method.Expected results. The results of the study would help artistic gymnastics specialists in their practical work by enabling the preparation of gymnasts to be qualitatively evaluated and controlled at every moment of sports preparation, as well as enriching their theoretical preparation with upgraded normative tables.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.6

Authors: Johanna Weber

Abstract: Sports performance is influenced by several factors. Psychological factors are a main contributor to sports performance, but are themselves influenced by the athlete’s environment, e.g., social environment, financial situation, and so on. It is therefore necessary to assess the influence of environmental factors on competitive performance, which is likely to occur through psychological mechanisms. To this purpose, 592 athletes between 13 and 65 years of age (28.04 ± 9.15, 357 female, 204 male, 2 of unspecified gender) at various performance levels were surveyed using a set of questionnaires (MIPS, CSAI, GSE, TDEQ5 and additional questions) regarding their psychological and competitive performance as well as their perceptions of their social situation and social environment. Differences in environmental and psychological factors were found between different athlete groups, e.g. according to gender (e. g. self-efficacy being higher in male participants, p ≤ .010, η = .114), handedness (e. g. left-handers perceiving their social surroundings as more perfectionistic), and sport involved (e. g. higher values for CSAI worry in team sports, p ≤ .038, η = .009). Connections between performance and several environmental factors (e.g., highest competitive level and family, p ≤ .017, r = -.102) and intercorrelations among psychological scales, such as MIPS and CSAI, were also found. Self-efficacy correlated with highest competitive level in the current main sport (p ≤ .006, r = -.120) as well as CSAI worry (p ≤ .002, r = -.138), thus showing a probable effect of expected self-efficacy and CSAI worry on sports performance, while self-efficacy itself correlated with and was therefore most probably influenced by several environmental factors, for instance social environment (p ≤ .001, r = -.170), finances (p ≤ .001, r = -.206) and sleep quality (p ≤ .001, r = -.252), amongst others, and CSAI worry was influenced by perfectionism of the environment (e. g. MIPS coach, p ≤ .001, r = -.3420). Therefore, it can be said that sports performance is most likely influenced by a set of environmental factors (e.g., family, social surroundings, perfectionism of family, coach, and team) via psychological factors such as self-efficacy and CSAI. Psychological performance itself is a factor that influences sports performance, but it is most likely also the link through which environmental factors influence sports performance.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.3

Authors: Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Damjana Cabarkapa, Dragan Mirkov, Olivera Knezevic, Quincy Johnson, Minh Nguyen, Marko Smrkic, Andrew Fry

Abstract: While sprinting capabilities are crucial for success in futsal, there is a lack of research on how they relate to countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) force-time metrics during both the eccentric and concentric phases of the movement. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between short-distance sprint speed and acceleration capabilities over 5m and 10m sprint distances and CMJ performance within a group of professional athletes. Twenty-two male futsal players competing in the top-tier national league volunteered to participate in this study. Following completion of the warm-up protocol, athletes stepped onto a uni-axial force plate and performed two non-consecutive CMJs with no arm swing, followed by two 10m sprints. The body mass-dependent force-time metrics were analyzed in both absolute and relative terms, while sprint analysis included 5m and 10m sprint speed and average acceleration over 0-5m and 5-10m sprint distances. Pearson product-moment correlation coeffi cients (r) were used to examine the strength of the relationship between performance parameters of interest (p<.05). The results revealed that 10m sprint speed was positively associated with CMJ concentric peak velocity (r=.455; p=.032) and jump height (r=.457; p=.033). Besides providing sports practitioners working with this specific group of athletes with referent values about sprint and jump performance characteristics, the findings of this study suggest that athletes capable of generating greater CMJ concentric peak velocity and jump height tend to attain greater 10m sprint velocities.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.2

Authors: Slavka Durlević, Milica Filipović, Marija Durlević, Ina Marković Obrenov, Igor Ilić

Abstract: Basketball is a highly popular and complex sport classified as a monostructural activity. Various anthropometric parameters determine elite performance achievement in basketball. Morphological characteristics and motor abilities have been established as the most significant predictors of basketball success. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the influence of longitudinal dimensionality on explosive strength in young basketball players. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the impact of longitudinal dimensionality on the explosive strength of young basketball players. The sample comprised 15 cadet-level basketball players (age: 15.8 ± 0.6 years; body weight: 77.86 ± 8.37 kg; body mass index: 23.99 ± 1.01 kg/m²). The set of measurement instruments included four variables for assessing explosive strength: Standing Long Jump (LJ), 20-Meter Sprint (RUN20m), Medicine Ball Throw from Supine Position (TMBL), and Medicine Ball Throw from Seated Position (TMBS); and five variables for measuring longitudinal dimensionality: Body Height (BH), Forearm Length (FL), Upper Arm Length (UAL), Lower Leg Length (LLL), and Upper Leg Length (ULL). The impact of longitudinal dimensionality on explosive strength in young basketball players was assessed using linear regression. Statistical analyses were conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics software (Version 20). Linear regression analysis confirmed a statistically significant impact of longitudinal dimensionality on the explosive strength of young basketball players.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.02.1

Authors: Rich Kite, Harry O’Brien, Emma Vickers

Abstract: Talent identification (TID) within sport provides extensive development opportunities to enhance the potential for senior success. However, little is known about the effectiveness of TID in table tennis. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review is to examine current research and practice in TID in table tennis, identify commonalities, disparities, and gaps in the literature, and provide directions for future research on TID in table tennis. A search of the electronic databases (EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus) was conducted from September 2023 to March 2025. The search terms utilized represented table tennis, talent, performance, giftedness, and athlete selection. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, 31 articles were thoroughly reviewed. The results established three common themes: morphological qualities, performance profiles, and player characteristics. A key finding established maturation bias as a limitation in talent identification within table tennis, highlighting the importance of maturational assessments in future initiatives. Furthermore, given that most studies used a cross-sectional design, future research should consider longitudinal designs to provide a more accurate assessment of talent and development.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.10

Authors: Voja Milosavljević, Vladimir Kitanović, Miloš Milošević, Željko Rajković

Abstract: Early identifi cation and selection of candidates with the potential to become elite players are among the most common concepts in modern football. The goal of this research is to evaluate the predictive value of a wide battery of tests measuring the anthropometric, motor, and psychological characteristics of young elite soccer players during their youth phase, and to construct an eff ective predictive model of career success based on the results obtained. Anthropometric, motor, and psychological characteristics of 111 football players-members of the national teams from U13 to U18 of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (comprising the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro) at the time of initial data collection were retrospectively analyzed in relation to the career outcomes over a 23-year follow-up period, culminating with the offi cial retirement of the last participant.Quantifi ed data were processed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and canonical discriminant analysis with the SPSS 20 software package. Limitations of this study include: the small number of top-class players, which limits the ability to draw general conclusions; player selection was done chronologically instead of biologically, there is a lack of transitive testing, the choice of players for the team is determined by the coach’s personal taste, the factors of the social environment that infl uenced players’ development are not known, and there are not enough similar studies for comparison. The principal fi nding of this study is the eff ective diff erentiation of participants into distinct categories based on their anthropometric, motor, and psychological characteristics. The predictive model, derived from these variables, demonstrated a high level of accuracy in classifying players according to their subsequent career success.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.9

Authors: Shaher A. I. Shalfawi, Henrik Egeland

Abstract: Background: This study investigated training distress and perceived exertion among Norwegian upper secondary school students in sports and physical education programs. Specifi cally, it sought to explore whether diff erent Athlete Self Report Measures (ASRM) provided similar indications of training distress. Methods: Ninety-four upper secondary school students who enrolled in a sports and physical education program were followed over time using a longitudinal research design. For 12 weeks, participants reported the duration and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) for each training session. Concurrently, the students completed the Multi-Component Distress Scale (MTDS) and the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC-H2) injury/illness questionnaire once a week. Results: A marked correlation was observed between the MTDS and RPE scores among Grade 3 students (graduate students), with girls contributing the most to the statistically signifi cant correlations. The most considerable diff erences in training distress between boys and girls were observed among Grade 3 students, recreational athletes, and football players. Additionally, the data suggested that girls experienced higher injury and illness rates than boys. Conclusions: The study found that the MTDS was more eff ective than RPE in assessing weekly training distress among Grade 3 students. Moreover, the results showed that an increase in physical distress, as measured by the MTDS, was associated with a higher likelihood of injury and/or illness among Grade 3 girls. In contrast, psychological distress was linked to a greater risk of injury and/or illness among Grade 3 boys. Although both ASRM instruments used in this study have been validated, we recommend that the MTDS be used as a supplementary tool rather than the primary instrument for assessing training distress.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.8

Authors: Johannes Wunder, Maximilian Priem, Gert G. Wagner, Oliver Stoll

Abstract: This study investigates the life satisfaction of basketball coaches, addressing a gap in research on sports professionals. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), it examines life satisfaction scores among basketball coaches, categorized by license level, and compares them to teachers and managers. While previous research leads to the assumption of above-average life satisfaction of coaches due to specifi c personality characteristics, e.g., higher extraversion and lower neuroticism, the results do not support these suggestions. However, no signifi cant similarities were found between A-license coaches and managers or C-license coaches and teachers. In contrast, both managers and teachers report above-average levels of life satisfaction. Although no signifi cant diff erence between A- and C-license coaches was found, the results indicate that higher license levels can be associated with greater life satisfaction.Considering current research and the results of this study, practical suggestions state that structured career development and professional support could enhance coaches’ life satisfaction. Drawing from eff ective models in related professions, recommendations emphasize mentorship, experiential learning, and innovative training strategies. The study acknowledges limitations, including its reliance on cross-sectional data and potential external infl uences such as pandemic-related restrictions. Future research should explore these dynamics in various contexts and sports disciplines to develop targeted strategies for improving coaching environments, benefi ting individual coaches, teams, and the broader sports community.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.7

Authors: Stoyan Bahchevanski

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the typical anthropometric profi le of elite ILCA 6 class sailors at the Olympic Games. To achieve this goal, trends in key anthropometric indicators, such as weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and age of the competitors in this class were analyzed, along with their impact on the fi nal results at the Olympic Games. A sample of 150 Olympic ILCA 6 class sailors took part in this study, with an average age of 25.59 ± 4.83 years, a body height of 171.51 ± 5.02 cm, a body weight of 66.15 ± 3.88 kg, and a BMI of 22.5 ± 1.48 kg/m². These sailors participated in the Olympic Games of 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021. The data were collected from offi cial results books published by the Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games, which included the age, height, and weight of all sailors. Means and standard deviations were calculated, and Spearman correlation was used to determine the relation between fi nal performances and age, height, weight, and BMI. The fi ndings revealed a moderate negative correlation between performance and age (r = -.336) among female ILCA 6 sailors at the Olympic Games. The results suggested that the dominant anthropometric characteristics were ages between 20 and 28 (63.8%), height between 1.65m and 1.76m (81.4%), and weight between 62 kg and 70 kg (82.7%).

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.6

Authors: Iveta Bonova, Bozhiya Noeva

Abstract: Anthropometric characteristics and anaerobic fi tness are recognized as key factors for successful sports performance. Data thereof are used for more thorough analysis and a better understanding of the results of sports performance. However, the needed data regarding adolescent girls in many sports are still scarce or absent. The aim of this study was to make a comparative assessment of the anthropometric parameters and the characteristics of the anaerobic fi tness of 15-year-old female football players and track and fi eld athletes. The study included 32 subjects who had competed in national championships in Bulgaria. We used established standards to determine the anthropometric characteristics. To determine the anaerobic power, we applied the Wingate test to assess anaerobic fi tness, which is particularly important for sports such as football and track and fi eld athletics – sprint disciplines. The two groups of studied subjects did not diff er signifi cantly in age and height, but there were statistically signifi cant diff erences between the groups in terms of weight, BMI, and Fat%. The Wingate test results also showed a statistically signifi cant diff erence between the two samples regarding the indicators Relative Peak Power (RPP) (W/kg) and Relative Average Power (RAP) (W/kg). The 15-year-old female football players studied were characterized by height that was higher than average for the age, BMI and Fat% that were average for the age, and average RPP values. The studied 15-year-old female track and fi eld athletes were characterized by height that was average for the age, BMI and Fat% that were low for the age, and high RPP values. This study is the fi rst in Bulgaria to focus on adolescent female football players and track and fi eld athletes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2025.09.01.5

Authors: Angeleau Scott, Michael Wilson, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Andrew Fry, Mary Fry

Abstract: Tennis is a sport that requires a mix of both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Many studies have quantifi ed performance metrics of tennis populations related to sprinting, jumping, aerobic endurance, and other metrics, but no studies have quantifi ed performance and endocrine measures during live gameplay. The purpose of this study was to analyze the eff ects of multiple tennis matches on selected measures of performance and physiological responses in male adult tennis players. Eleven amateur male adult tennis players participated in fi ve 70-minute (3 single and 2 doubles) matches with ~30 minutes of rest between matches. Testing included: agility, 20-yard sprint times, service speed, dominant hand grip strength, vertical jump height (VJH), peak power derived from jump height (PPj), mean power derived from jump height (MPj), and performance on a 10-sec modifi ed Wingate test which resulted in the determination of peak power (PP) and mean power (MP). Serum concentrations of cortisol, testosterone, IgA, IgM, and IgG were also collected. Results of repeated measured ANOVA (p < .05) indicated that (mean ± SE) agility (13.17 ± 0.68-10.41 ± 0.24 sec), VJH (45.95 ± 2.59-44.91 ± 2.18 cm), PPj (7608.47 ± 43.90-7531.50 ± 119.79 Watts), MPj (1460.84 ± 54.42-1430.73 ± 48.75 Watts), PP (949.55 ± 30.85-783.32 ± 27.99 Watts) and MP (823.61 ± 27.77-783.32 ± 30.36 Watts) signifi cantly decreased by the end of the simulated tournament. Results suggest that there is a signifi cant demand for short-term aerobic power and capacity after playing multiple tennis matches. Therefore, training programs need to be adopted by amateur male adult tennis players to meet these demands.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.8

Authors: Yuliya Krasmik, Tatiana Iancheva, Bolat Rahmalin

Abstract: Paralympic sport enables people with disabilities to significantly develop their functional abilities, improving their opportunities for full personal development and social integration. One of the main challenges for athletes is maintaining their internal motivation for sport and withstanding the stress and difficulties throughout the preparation and competition period. The relationship between resilience and motivation in the context of Paralympic sports is paramount for this group of athletes.The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of motivation and its relationship with resilience in Paralympic athletes. The study was conducted on the grounds of the Federation of Paralympic Sports of Kokchetav, Shymkent, Taraz. Sixty Paralympic athletes participated in the study. The methodology of the study included: 1) Methodology to study the motives for sports activity of V.I.2) Motives for Sports Activity (MSA) questionnaire by E. I. Tropnikov. А. E. Kalinin’s Motives for Motivation Test; S. Maddy, adaptation of D. А. Leontiev and E. I. Raskazova.The results revealed the motivation and resilience of Paralympic athletes, depending on gender and level of sports qualification. It was found that control and the integral indicator of resilience act as key constructs within the motivational system of Paralympic athletes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.7

Authors: Johannes Wunder, Maximilian Priem, Gert Wagner, Oliver Stoll

Abstract: This research examines the risk behavior of German basketball coaches to understand how risk propensity varies across coaching license levels. Addressing gaps in previous studies on coaches’ psychological traits, the study compares basketball coaches with teachers, managers, and the general population. Data from 360 coaches and the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) were analyzed. Results show that A-license coaches exhibit higher risk-taking, similar to managers, while C-license coaches align more with teachers and the general population. These findings reveal a link between risk preferences and coaching license level, emphasizing the value of large-scale surveys in exploring professional personality traits and the need for further research across sports.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.6

Authors: Ntsako Mboweni, Mosa Selepe, Sylven Masoga

Abstract: Introduction: Soccer is a popular sport in the Xikundu area. However, soccer players’ dietary intake remains unknown.Objective: To determine soccer athletes’ energy and macronutrient intakes in the Xikundu area in Limpopo province, South Africa.Methodology: Ninety-seven (97) competitive soccer athletes were randomly sampled from five soccer teams in the Xikundu area, Limpopo province. The dietary intake of athletes was collected using multiple 24-hour-recall questionnaires on different days. The body Mass of the athletes was measured to calculate nutrient requirements. SAMRC Food Finder was used to analyze meal intakes, and mean nutrient intake from the three recalls was considered. The dietary and demographic data were exported onto the SPSS (v.28), and descriptive statistics were applied. Results were compared to the sports nutrition guidelines. Pearson test was used to correlate data, and a probability value (p) of ≤ .05 was a significant criterion to correlate variables.Results: All athletes were young males aged 21.6±4.2 years. The majority (84.5%) had grade 12 certificates and a few (4.1%) - degrees. More than half (60%) participated in soccer for >4 years. Athletes (74%) trained once per day in a week. Athletes consumed energy (23.0±6.6 kcal/kg/day), carbohydrates (3.0±0.9 g/kg/day), and protein (1.0±0.3 g/kg/day) suboptimal, while fat consumption was optimal (0.7±0.5 g/kg/day). No significant correlation (p>.05) was found between dietary intake with demography and anthropometry.Conclusion: The soccer athlete’s energy and macronutrient intakes were mostly suboptimal to the sports nutrition recommendations.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.5

Authors: Dimitar Avramov

Abstract: Flexibility is one of the key components of success in Taekwondo, and, due to the demands of human anatomy, should be developed appropriately. The aim of this study was to determine the level of flexibility in male and female Taekwondo athletes and to identify any significant difference between the two genders in this physical quality. A total of a hundred and forty-one Taekwondo athletes took part in the research. Thirty-nine males and forty-three females aged 7 to 9 years old and forty-one male and 18 female athletes aged 10 – 11 years old. All of them had at least 2 years of Taekwondo training. The acquired data showed that the female participants in both age groups outperformed males in both tests. The average results were X1 males 7-9 = 12.94 cm and X2 females 7-9 = 6.26 cm and X1 males 10-11 = 14.41 cm and X2 females 10-11 = 6.11 cm on the “Side Split” test. For the “Stand and Reach” test, the average results indicated values of X1 males 7-9 = 1.48 cm, X2 females 7-9 =7.70 cm and X1 males 10-11 = 4.6 cm, and X2 females 10-11 = 8.5 cm. The differences were statistically significant for the 7-9 years old group, with Cohen’s d = 1.01 and P(t)= 99.94 on the “Stand and Reach” test, Cohen’s d = .74 and P(t)= 99.99 on the “Side split” test. The 10 – 11 years old group also showed a significant difference with Cohen’s d = 0.71, P(t)= 98.89 on the “Stand and Reach” test, and Cohen’s d = 0.91 and P(t)=99.89 on the “Side Split” test. These results could serve as a starting point for creating an evaluation system for flexibility in Taekwondo athletes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.4

Authors: Tereza Marinova, Diana Popova-Dobreva

Abstract: Introduction. Flexibility, or joint range of motion, is often highlighted as a crucial aspect of physical fitness. It is commonly believed that improving flexibility can enhance performance and help lower the risk of injury.Methodology. This study involved a sample of 30 Track and Field athletes who were tested once before the stretching programs were applied (April 2024) and once after (October 2024).Results. The data from descriptive analyses for both tests before and after the application of stretching programs showed slight improvements in the SLJ, VJ, BOMBT, and SSPMBT metrics. The results from the comparative analysis of the VJ, SLJ 30-meter Flying Start, and BOMBTS indicators showed a statistically significant improvement from Test 1 to Test 2.The data from the descriptive analysis: M. Triceps Surae: Test 1 mean of13.27 and Test 2 mean of 16.57 for the right limb; Test 1 mean of 13,2 and Test 2 mean of 17,4 for the left limb; Hamstring: Test 1 mean of 79.47 and Test 2 mean of 86.3, for right limb. Test 1 mean 79.37 and Test 2 mean 85.87 for the left limb; M. Rectus Femoris: Test 1 mean 151.33 and Test 2 mean 153.83 for the right limb. Test 1 mean of 150,9 and Test 2 of 154 for the left limb; M. Erector Spinae: Test 1 mean of 26.77 and Test 2 mean of 28.9.The improvement in the M. Triceps Surae R/L flexibility (The t-value of-2.35/-2.81 at a significance level of α = .05 suggests a statistically significant difference between the two test results, indicating the effectiveness of the applied intervention or training program.Conclusions. The comparative analysis of the Vertical Jump, Standing Long Jump, 30-meter Flying Start, and Backward Overhead Medicine Ball Throw indicators showed a statistically significant improvement from Test 1 to Test 2, indicating a positive effect on the development of speed and strength qualities during the application of the stretching programs. Additionally, Welch’s t-test results highlighted the effectiveness of the intervention program, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in the flexibility of the M. Triceps Surae R/L between Test 1 and Test 2.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.2

Authors: Jennifer Bunn, Andrew Thornton, Paula Parker

Abstract: Introduction: Daily assessments of wellness via short quantitative surveys are becoming a mainstay across professional and collegiate sports. The data typically provide a numerical value on a scale indicating negative and positive scores across several wellness domains. However, little has been reported on why athletes indicate negative scores in wellness. Purpose: This study evaluated reasons reported for low wellness scores in sleep quality, stress, and nutrition, as well as differences in reasons for low wellness among sports and by sex. Methodology: Collegiate athletes from women’s volleyball (n=67), men’s and women’s soccer (n=119), men’s and women’s swimming (n=79), and men’s and women’s basketball (n=87) completed daily assessments of wellness. With a negative wellness score (≤ 3 on a 5-point scale), athletes were prompted to provide a reason for feeling unwell. Results: Chi-square analyses indicated a sex difference for reasons provided for poor sleep and a difference by sport for females and males (all p < .001). Reasons cited for poor sleep quality were late night (23.7%) and “other” (22.3%). For stress, analyses showed differences by sex and sport for females and males (all p < .001). Academic/work stress was the most common reason for poor stress (60.2%). For nutrition, analyses indicated differences by sex (p < .001) and by sport for females (p < .001) and males (p = .008). Consuming fewer than three meals/snacks per day (26.2%) and low fluid intake (21.9%) were the top two reasons for poor nutrition. Conclusions: These data shed light on reasons why athletes experience low wellness. Coaches and support staff can target specific reasons to enhance athlete wellness and the student-athlete experience.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.02.1

Authors: Liam Younger, Darryl Cochrane

Abstract: Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is a phenomenon that has been used as a warm-up strategy to enhance subsequent muscular performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a flywheel warm-up to elicit a PAPE effect in eight male youth rugby athletes. Participants completed three warm-up interventions (flywheel, stationary cycle, and no warm-up) across three days, each separated by 24 hours. A 5-minute rest followed each warm-up before assessing posterior chain flexibility, countermovement jump (CMJ), and linear acceleration. The results showed a significant increase (p < .05) in poste- rior chain flexibility and 10 m sprint performance following the flywheel warm- up compared to stationary cycling and no warm-up. However, the interventions had no significant differences in CMJ peak power or jump height (p > .05). The current findings suggest that the flywheel warm-up is effective in improving pos- terior chain flexibility and sprint performance in youth rugby players.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.01.8

Authors: Khutso Ramokolo, Sylven Masoga, Sefora Makuse

Abstract: Female soccer sport is recently gaining popularity across the world. However, there remains little research on nutritional recommendations devoted to this group. This can pose a challenge for sports and health practitioners when conducting interventions in this group. A few authors suggested nutritional recommendations for energy and macronutrients close or similar to those used in males, usually around 7 – 12 g/kg/day for carbohydrates, 1.2 -1.7 g/kg/day for protein, 0.5 – 1 g/kg/day for fat and different resting energy expenditure formulas for energy. Still, these recommendations have not been made quite clear or at least emphasized for use amongst female soccer athletes, including the timing of these macronutrients before, during, and after training or competition. Noting the physiological and body composition differences between males and females, this review aims to explore available nutritional recommendations for female athletes so that they, coaches, and sports practitioners have a clear guide for adherence during training and intervention sessions.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.01.6

Authors: Lubomir Petrov, Mihail Kachaunov, Albena Alexandrova

Abstract: Introduction: Iron deficiency is a common feature in athletes, and optimizing iron levels may become a contributing factor to improved athletic performance.Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate body iron stores and their relationship with sports performance. It also sought correlations between the swimmers’ hematological, hormonal, anthropometric, and functional status and their sports achievements.Methodology: The research involved 19 athletes (11 women and 8 men) from the Bulgarian national swimming team. They were tested for maximal aerobic capacity on a cycle ergometer and had blood samples taken to determine iron status and hematological and hormonal markers. Their swimming achievements (Swimming points) were evaluated as a percentage of the world records in the respective discipline.Results: There were statistically significant differences between the female and male swimmers for Unbound Iron Binding Capacity (UIBC) and ferritin. A higher UIBC in women indicated lower iron levels in them. Among female swimmers, five had ferritin levels below 40 ng/mL. In women, a highly reliable correlation between the Swimming points and ferritin concentration (r = .68) was observed. All male swimmers had ferritin values above 40 ng/ mL, and there was no reliable correlation between ferritin concentration and Swimming points, probably because ferritin was in the optimal range and is no longer a significant performance factor.Conclusions: In swimmers, the optimal serum ferritin concentration is probably in the range of 40–90 ng/mL. Many female swimmers have a relative iron deficiency with sub-optimal ferritin values. In competitive female swimmers, low ferritin level is an indicator of both iron deficiency and inadequate diet. It can be expected that an adequate nutritional regime in athletes with low ferritin values will lead both to the replenishment of iron stores and to an increase in muscle mass and, ultimately, to an improvement in sports performance.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.01.4

Authors: Dace Eikena, Tatiana Iancheva

Abstract: In recent years, sports psychology researchers have shown a growing interest in exploring various facets of sports careers, career transitions, the personal qualities profile of athletes who achieve peak sports performance, and the existing models and distinctions within career stages.This research aimed to examine the link between the mental qualities and skills and the sports careers of elite Latvian athletes and to seek potential differences dependent on sports career stages, level of qualification, and gender. The research was done among 109 elite athletes from Latvia aged 17 to 40, practicing 19 sports – 71 men and 38 women. For the purposes of the research, the subjects were divided into groups according to two criteria: 1) depending on the different stages of their sports career and 2) depending on the type of development of their sports career. The research methods included: Latvian personality survey (LPA-v3, Perepjolkina et al., 2011); Sports et al. (SMTQ; Sheard et al., 2009), adapted for Latvian conditions by Astaficevs et al. (2020); Psychological Performance Inventory Alternative version (PPI-A; Golby et al., 2007), adapted for Latvian conditions by Astafi cevs et al. (2020.); General et al. (GSE; Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995), adapted for Latvian conditions by Astafi cevs et al. (2020); Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports (PSIS-R5), adapted for Latvian conditions by Fernāte Andra, 2008.The obtained results revealed some differences in the personal profiles of the Latvian athletes depending on the stages and type of their sports careers, level of qualification, and gender. We found higher results along the factors conscientiousness, honesty and modesty, and the lowest results along the factor neuroticism among the elite athletes. We found significantly higher values of the mental skills: anxiety control, concentration, mental preparation, motivation, self-confidence, and control among the men.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.01.3

Authors: Mariana Borukova, Ivan Kalinov

Abstract: In the basketball game, lower extremity strength plays a key role in various game actions. The jumping mat (Chronojump), an open-source (free software and open hardware), is available to the public on official servers, emphasizing peer review and corrections by the user community. The aim of this study was to establish the explosive power of the lower limbs of 16-year-old female basketball players from the Bulgarian National Basketball Team. We used specialized software, a signal transducer, and an electro-contact mat Chronojump. The subject of the study was the explosive power of the lower limbs of 16-year-old female basketball players from the national team of Bulgaria. The object of the study was the performance of the Chronojump platform tests to establish the explosive strength of the lower limbs. The study was conducted among 16 active female basketball players selected for the Bulgarian national team. Each participant performed all jumps at the same time of day. They performed CMJ - 90-degree squat jump; SJ - Squat, two-second hold, and jump; CMJAT - Jump with arms extended forward and up; RCMJ - Manipulative 90-degree squat jump; Stiff ness - Manipulative ankle jump. The test’s mathematical-statistical results were processed with variance analysis and One-way ANOVA, with a critical value of the F-criterion (F = 2.38) and high statistical reliability (Pt ≥ 95%). Results showed that hand involvement is key in rebounding. In terms of jumping endurance and explosiveness quotient, female athletes had a lower level of development. This research has the potential to significantly impact the training and performance of female basketball players.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2024.01.2

Authors: Petar Peev, Oleg Hristov, Anisa Nurja, Serafim Lazov, Petya Petkova, Milena Zdravcheva, Vera Antonova, Vlаdimir Kotev, Hristo Andonov

Abstract: There are a large number of publications related to conditioning in volleyball and in general. However, a very small part of them are related to the development of motor abilities in an age aspect. Such a study would be very difficult to implement, but at the same time, it would be beneficial in terms of the selection and sports orientation of youth volleyball. Volleyball as a sport has developed extremely dynamically in recent years, which makes it even more demanding in terms of fitness. The basic skills necessary for successful implementation in sports are complex and based on the athletes‘ ability to jump, sprint, and hit. From this point of view, the interest in this research was dictated, with the primary goal of determining the values of the main signs related to the volleyball game and compiling normative tables for control and assessment of preparedness. The research tasks also arise from the goal set in this way. To investigate the differences in the main essential characteristics of the volleyball game regarding age. To propose standards of control and evaluation. The methods we used to solve the problems are anthropometry, chronometry, tensiometry, speedometry, and mathematical-statistical methods (frequency, variation analysis, and sigma method). Results: The most significant increase in women was observed in the results of the jump tests and the speed of the serve (over 20 %) and smaller within 10% in the running tests. We attribute these results to the fact that the listed movements emphasize the training and competition process. Based on the obtained results, norms for evaluating the readiness of the contestants have been drawn up.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.9

Authors: Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Drake Eserhaut, Anthony Ciccone, Damjana Cabarkapa, Nicolas Philipp, Andrew Fry

Abstract: In a sport-specific setting, the external load represents the cumulative amount of stress placed on the athlete during a specific activity, while the internal load describes the athlete’s individual physiological response to that particular activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between external load measured with a tri-axial accelerometer and salivary testosterone (T), cortisol (C), and testosterone-to-cortisol ratio (T/C) as measures of internal load during a 5-on-5 basketball game. Six professional male basketball players volunteered to participate in the investigation (age=28.3±1.9 years; height=193.3±10.6 cm; body mass=90.7±10.7 kg). Upon completing a standardized warm-up protocol, athletes played a simulated basketball game composed of four 10-minute quarters with the Elam Ending. Each athlete wore a tri-axial inertial measurement unit (StriveTech, Bothell, WA, USA) embedded within tightly fitted compression shorts throughout the competitive period. The salivary samples were collected immediately upon arrival at the gym and immediately after each quarter. To determine the relationship between the external load and T, C, and T/C, separate restricted maximum likelihood linear mixed-effects models were fitted (p

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.8

Authors: Emilia Vitanova

Abstract: The Munich Olympic Games in 1972 were organized and held in the atmosphere of political and ideological controversies, which directly affected the organization and the Olympic Torch Relay along the route Olympia – Munich. This article aims to present newly found evidence about Bulgaria’s participation in planning the overall route of the Olympic Torch Relay across the country. The manuscript includes various documents and scientific and popular publications systematized through content analysis, comparative analysis, and critical analysis. In the course of the research, we also found 32 articles in periodicals. We researched some books and publications by foreign and Bulgarian authors, documents preserved in the regional libraries, the central state archive, the regional archives, and the archives of the Bulgarian Union for Physical Culture and Sport (BUPCS) and “Bulgarian Photography”. The research traced the difficulties and influences making the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) doubtful about the organization of the Olympic Torch Relay. On the basis of the newly found documents, we can have a clearer view of the political and ideological influences on BOC determining the decision on this matter.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.7

Authors: Yuliya Krasmik, Tatiana Iancheva, Bolat Rahmalin

Abstract: Athletes’ true self-realization depends on the degree of mobilization of personal resources, particularly the motivational ones, which act as long-term regulators of athletes’ activity. The optimal management of motivation at each stage of the sporting career, both in elite and amateur sports, predetermines athletes’ self-realization to a great extent. The aim of the research was to examine the motivational determinants, resilience and self-realization components and their specificity among elite athletes, amateurs, and para-Olympians. The research was conducted among 180 athletes: 60 elite athletes, 60 amateurs, and 60 para-Olympians. For the purposes of the study, we used: Questionnaire for researching the motives of sports activity, Tropnikov; Questionnaire “Motives of Sports activity”(MSA), Kalinin, adapted by Y. Krasmik (2022); Psychic Resistance Test, Muddy, adapted by D. A. Leontiev and E. I. Raskazova; Multidimensional questionnaire on personality self-realization, Kudinov. The results revealed different motivational profiles of elite athletes, amateur athletes, and para-Olympians and a specific hierarchy of motives. The level of self-realization of the athletes belonging to the three groups corresponds to the adaptive one. The established differences showed a higher level of self-realization in the group of elite athletes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.6

Authors: Robyn Aitkenhead, Lewis Kirkwood, Geraint Florida-James, Lesley Ingram-Sills

Abstract: Female physiology is unique and driven by fluctuations in sex hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. These hormones present myriad mechanisms that may influence physiological systems, potentially implicating exercise performance. However, research exploring the MC in athletes is limited. This study investigated if training status (well-trained/elite) influenced MC-related symptoms, training schedules, sleep quality, arousal, and alertness of elite and welltrained female mountain bike, road, and cyclocross athletes. Fifteen well-trained (n= 7) and elite (n= 8) cyclists (age: 29 ± 7yrs, height: 1.7 ± 0.1m, body mass: 61.9 ± 7.7kg) tracked their MC symptoms, basal body temperature, body mass, sleep, arousal, and alertness measures daily for three months. The MC was split into two phases, follicular and luteal, and participants were provided ovulation kits to identify the phases. The most reported symptoms were fatigue, bloating, abdominal pain, and cramping. Athletes’ BBT was significantly greater (p0.05) in body mass, sleep duration and quality, alertness and arousal were observed between well-trained and elite athletes. Further, no significant differences between statuses for any training variables, average or maximum heart rate, training load (bTRIMP), average or maximum speed, and rate of perceived exertion were observed. The MC did not influence physiological responses and training variables in well-trained and elite mountain bike, road, and cyclocross female athletes. Nevertheless, individual fluctuations were present, and it is recommended that athletes monitor their own MC to optimize training and ultimately performance.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.3

Authors: Gerasimos Grivas, Antonios Vantarakis

Abstract: Physical fitness is important to the general population, but for naval cadets, achieving a high level of physical fitness may be essential for success in their jobs. The purpose of this review was to summarize the current literature on physical fitness and body composition in naval cadets narratively and examine the effects of training programs on their physical fitness and body composition. The length of time that the personnel is on a ship cannot always be determined. For this reason, cadets must follow an exercise program to increase or maintain their physical condition during their voyages on a warship. This review revealed that endurance and strength training programs lasting 8 weeks to 12 months improved naval cadets’ physical capacity, body composition, and BMI. In conclusion, this review provides practical suggestions for improving naval cadets’ physical fitness and body.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.02.1

Authors: Antonios Vantarakis, Gerasimos Grivas, Stamatios Kalligeros, Konstantinos Karakatsanis, Nikolas Theodorou, Nikolaos Vezos, Anthia-Dimitra Vantaraki, Sotirios Vantarakis

Abstract: Introduction. The military readiness of the naval personnel serving on a warship requires a high level of physical health and fitness which is considered a given capability, regardless of the service they serve. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a weight training program (WTP) on the physical fitness of Greek naval cadets during a training trip on a warship. Material & Methods. The sample consisted of 21 male Greek cadets of the Hellenic Naval Academy (HNA) (age: 21.0 ± 0.83 years, height: 177.9 ± 6.9cm, body mass: 78.2 ± 7.1kg). The cadet team that participated for four weeks on the trip performed 20 training sessions lasting 60-80 min each, five times a week. The measurements of the participants before and after 4 weeks of a weight exercise training program were related to body mass (BM), body fat percentage (% BF), body mass index (BMI), number of sit-ups (SU1) and push-ups (PU1) done in one minute, one repetition maximum (1RM) in a squat (SQ) and bench press (BP), and the 30m run and 5m rope climb. Results. The results of the study showed that the WTP did not affect BM (t20 = -0.412, p = .685 > .05) and BMI (t20 = -0.477, p = .639>.05). Respectively, no significant difference was observed in %BF in all cadets between the measurements (t20 = -0.962, p > .05). The number of PU1 significantly increased by 10.82% (t20 = -4.191, p < .01). The SU1 significantly increased by 9.34% (t20 = -4.613, p < .01). The 1RM increased on BP by 5.71% (t20 = -5.769. p < .01) and SQ by 7.73% (t = 20, p < .01). The time on 30m sprint decreased by 1.33% (t20 = 7.640, p < .01) and for 5m rope climb decreased by 3.15% (t20 = 6.663, p < .01). Conclusion. The results of this study showed that it is necessary for the naval cadets to follow a WTP during their trips in the sea on a warship to increase their physical condition/fitness and sustain their body composition.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.01.8

Authors: Emil Videv

Abstract: For the purpose of this research, experienced stuntmen were given the task of performing an extreme action - a jump from a height of 11 meters. Some psycho-physiological and biochemical reactions were studied, giving indications of the changes in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system of the subjects in such an extreme situation. One of the tasks of the study was to determine how such a stressor affects their sense of time. In the publication, we present the conclusions drawn on the basis of the obtained results. The research included work in normal and extreme situations. In the first case, it took place in a hall, while in the second one, it took place on the edge of an 11 meters platform. The experiment was conducted in two variants. In the first, the subjects were required to count the time between two sound signals issued by a computer, and in the second variant - to jump off the edge of the platform at a randomly determined by the computer second after the first signal. In the hall, they jumped from a height of 20cm and in the extreme situation - from 11m. The results were subjected to a mathematical-statistical processing with SPSS 20. Some of our findings overlapped with findings made by other researchers, but some were diametrically opposed. We noticed that in an extreme situation, the subjectively calculated time of the person changes its course. For those motivated to act, it slowed down its course, and for those motivated to give up, it accelerated.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.01.5

Authors: Tatiana Iancheva, Doychin Boyanov, Nikolay Panayotov

Abstract: The interest in behavior, psychological changes, stress coping strategies, and polar expedition members’ functioning has been growing in recent years. The third group of the XXXI Bulgarian Antarctic expedition in Livingston Island at the beginning of 2023 included participants from three fields – scientists, logisticians, and builders. Participants’ activities are greatly dependent on extreme environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the sensation-seeking need, major stress factors, and preferred stress coping strategies of the participants in XXXI Bulgarian Antarctic expedition in Livingston Island. The research was done among 28 participants from XXXI Bulgarian Antarctic expedition, aged between 30 and 71 years. To fulfill the aim of the research, we used: 1) Methodology for researching psychic instability and sensation seeking, adapted by Velichkov & Radoslavova, 2005; 2) Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced scale – COPE – 1, Carver et al., 1989, adapted for Bulgarian conditions (Georgiev et al., 2003); 3) Methods for researching stress sources among participants in Antarctic expeditions. The results showed that the subscale functional impulsivity had the highest values. It was followed by the subscales of sensation seeking and dysfunctional impulsivity. The factor Interpersonal relationships and an abrupt change in the familiar environment had the highest values as a stress source. The emotional coping strategies were domineering, followed by the active coping strategy. The strategy of Cognitive and Emotional disengagement had the lowest values. There were signifi cant diff erences from the results obtained from previous Bulgarian expeditions. The results can help adaptation and adequate prevention to decrease participants’ psychological stress.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.01.4

Authors: Iliya Kiuchukov

Abstract: Visualization of the movement is crucial both for research and pedagogical activities. The aim of this study was to introduce some methodology for the visualization of the movement on the basis of the data obtained from conducting numerical experiments when studying various movements and exercises. The main task was to design a program module for the visualization of spatial movements. The visualization of the results from the conducted simulations allows for having an idea of the studied movement in the course of solving the equations of motion. The program module for the visualization of an athlete’s movement is working in the MATLAB Computing Environment. We have constructed an anthropomorphic structure (model) which resembles the shape of a human body. The model possesses a high degree of mobility which makes it suitable for applying various movements and actions. A set of artistic gymnastics exercises was provided as an example. The visualization of the current results from the simulated movement contributes to the detailed analysis and facilitates the interpretation of the obtained results. The model can also be applied to research activities for movements in other sports.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.01.2

Authors: Katharina Zebura, Stefan Fuhrmann, Astrid Mathy, Christoph Triska, Klaus Wirth

Abstract: Swimmers reach the highest accelerations during starts. These are initiated by a high amount of force produced by the lower limbs in a short amount of time. It is established in senior athletes that there is a relationship between lower-body maximum strength and swim start performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lower-body maximum strength and swim start performance up to 5 and 15 m in elite youth swimmers. Twenty-two (10 females, 12 males) well-trained adolescent swimmers executed a one repetition maximum (1RM) back squat test, a counter movement jump (CMJ), a squat jump (SJ) test, and two trials of a swim start following a freestyle sprint up to 15 m. Bivariate Pearson correlation analyses were used to assess the relationship between strength and jumping performance and start performances up to 5 and 15 m. The level of significance was set at p < .05. Strength and jumping performance explained 55–73% of the variance in start performance up to 5 and 15 m. Strong correlations were found between resulting forces on the block and times to 5 and 15 m as well as between 1RM back squat test, CMJ, and SJ and times to 5 and 15 m (all between r = –.75 and r = –.86; p < .01). This study demonstrates that strength parameters of the lower limbs aff ect jumping performance off the block in swimming. Therefore, these parameters are usable predictor variables in assessing start performance up to 5 and 15 m in swimmers.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2023.01.1

Authors: Michail Michailov, Jiří Baláš

Abstract: The rate of upper limb force development (RFD) is one of the important performance factors in sport climbing. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of various force-time indicators for the assessment of finger and shoulder girdle strength in climbing. Ten male lead climbers (climbing ability: advanced; IRCRA: 22 ± 2) performed two RFD and two maximal strength tests for the finger fl exor and shoulder girdle muscles (one-arm finger hangs and lock-off s, respectively). The maximal strength tests were used to assess maximal force (Fmax). The RFD tests were used to assess: peak force (Fpeak); time for reaching force representing 25%, 50%, and 75% of the body weight (T25%BW, T50%BW, T75%BW ); and absolute and relative RFD indicators (e.g., RFD at 200 ms and 95% Fpeak, respectively). The reliability of the finger fl exor RFD indicators was high (intrasession intraclass correlation coefficients - ICC between .760 and .973; intersession ICC between .883 and .955). Intersession reliability of the finger fl exor T50%BW and T75%BW reached excellent values (ICC = .949 and ICC = .978, respectively). Reliability of the finger fl exor and lock-off Fpeak and Fmax was also high (ICC between .850 and .966). Consistency between Fpeak and Fmax was not satisfactory, though. These variables differed significantly (p = .035) in the finger flexor tests, and ICC was moderate (.605) in the lock-off tests. Most of the lock-off force-time indicators had moderate or poor reliability. Finger flexor and lock-off Fmax/kg and T50%BW correlated significantly (p < .05) with the climbing ability (R = .805, R = .653, and R = -.703, respectively), while lock-off force-time indicators did not. T50%BW was the most reliable and valid force-time indicator in advanced climbers. RFD indicators were reliable, but muscle strength appeared more important than RFD in advanced climbers

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.8

Authors: Ivan Ivanov

Abstract: Physical exertion and sport cause changes of different nature and degree (positive or negative, strong, weak, moderate) in blood and blood cells’ biomechanical and fluid properties. The aim of this minireview was to attempt to summarize the main red blood cell deformability alterations during and after physical activity classified as follows: erythrocyte geometric shape; erythrocyte membrane rheological properties; biochemical and structural properties of erythrocyte membrane lipids and proteins; hemoglobin concentration; calcium ion concentration; intracellular diffusion and osmosis; nitric oxide and erythrocyte nitric oxide synthase; erythrocyte ATP synthase; erythrocyte age and degree of erythrocyte cell maturation; body and erythrocyte temperature. It is essential to study and evaluate the individual hemorheological response profile of erythrocyte deformability during physical activity because it is strongly personal. This is one of the major erythrocyte properties determining oxygen supply to working muscles. The multiple hemorheological changes during physical activity and their interconnectedness and strong personality make their differentiation very difficult. It is reasonable to weigh their effects (with specific quantitative measurements) to simplify the analysis and increase the likelihood of obtaining valid conclusions. But there will always be the probabilistic nature of these conclusions, determined by the complex and strictly individual picture of the hemorheological effects of physical exercises and activities.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.7

Authors: Gustavo Api, Danilo Arruda

Abstract: Periodization has been used for years in the sports domain as a method of controlling and planning training to reach the highest performance and decrease injury risk. Several periodization models have been developed, such as traditional, block, and undulating. Those models are theoretical training structures designed to facilitate understanding, study, and organization of training. Based on studies, certain models have shown to be superior to others. For instance, block periodization seemed to be more efficient for advanced athletes than traditional and undulating models. While for novice athletes, the chosen model has not seemed to affect their development. Although periodization has been largely studied, the experiments have several limitations, such as considering only training variation as periodization, using short-term investigations, and disregarding the technical and tactical components. Therefore, this critical review aimed to describe and discuss the contents related to traditional, block, and undulating periodization models and to provide coaches with a practical application of each of those models to develop strength, power, and endurance for novice and advanced athletes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.6

Authors: Tatiana Yordanova

Abstract: Figure skating is the most subjective winter sport. If in other competitions, the result of the athlete is clearly monitored by a stopwatch, here the judges give marks for the performance. Judges are people who can be biased in judging or simply can make mistakes. 2002 was a turning point in figure skating judging. After the 2002 Salt Lake City USA Winter Olympics scandal, the so-called six-zero scoring system was replaced by a new judging system. The purpose of the research is to analyze the judges’ scores and dependencies between the final result and the separate segments of the evaluation when the ISU judging system was introduced in 2004. In order to achieve the set goal, the judging protocols of the Winter Olympic Games in women’s figure skating were studied after the introduction of the ISU judging system in 2004. After the introduction of the ISU judging system, the evaluation of the programs has become much more precise, where each element is evaluated separately. Expanding the scale for evaluating technical elements from -5 to +5 after the Winter Olympic games in 2018, according to the analyses carried out, leads to a greater weighting of the judging panel, which consists of 9 judges, rather than the technical panel, consisting of 3 specialists. This could ultimately lead to more objective judging in figure skating.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.4

Authors: Iliya Iliev

Abstract: The research aimed to establish the level of variability of some major indicators characterizing the physical development of adolescent wrestling competitors’ basic motor qualities. The research was carried out in 2021 with the age group 12-14 years, and the results had to be compared with those obtained from a survey in 2012. The research was done among 22 coaches and wrestling specialists (part of whom are Olympic, World, and European champions) and 79 boys, divided into three age groups as follows: U12 –25, U13 –32, and U14 –22. Sports-pedagogical testing and an interview were used for the purposes of the research, as well as a review of literary sources and their theoretical analysis. The results from the research were processed statistically with Microsoft Office Excel 2016 and IBM SPSS Statistics - v23. We applied the following statistical methods: variation analysis, comparative analysis with Student’s t-criterion, Cohen’s d, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and Shapiro-Wilk tests. The summary of the data and the analysis made for the three researched groups established variability of some basic indicators characterizing the physical development of basic wrestling qualities. There were three main groups of indicators in the three groups of researched individuals: indicators with low variability, relatively high variability, and very high variability. There was a decrease in the difference in the coefficient of variation in most physical indicators and an improvement in the mean values from U12 to U14. The hypothesis was confirmed that the final results after the surveys held in 2021 would be lower than those obtained in 2012. The obtained data are interesting for the specialists because they enrich training methods with new facts, which are essential for increasing the efficiency of sports preparation in sports clubs and national teams.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.2

Authors: Nicolas Philipp, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Drake Eserhaut, Damjana Cabarkapa, Andrew Fry

Abstract: Basketball is a sport that relies heavily on an athlete’s ability to rapidly decelerate in order to change direction, avoid a defender, or create space. Recent literature has proposed novel ways of measuring maximal horizontal deceleration using radar technology. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between different countermovement jump (CMJ) force-time characteristics and metrics related to maximal horizontal deceleration for a sample of professional male basketball players. To gain further insight into performance qualities that influence horizontal deceleration performance, athletes were separated into high- and low-performance groups for all horizontal deceleration metrics, using a median split analysis, and differences in CMJ force-time metrics were investigated between groups. The results revealed no significant correlations between any CMJ force-time metrics and horizontal deceleration performance. However, athletes’ height and body mass were correlated with different deceleration performance measures, such as average deceleration, horizontal deceleration impulse, and time to stop. Higher performing athletes with regards to average horizontal deceleration and horizontal braking impulse relative to body mass generated greater concentric power (effect size (ES) = 1.04, ES = 0.86) and concentric velocities (ES = 1.17, ES = 0.97), as well as greater jump heights (ES = 1.19, ES = 0.99). Reactive Strength Index modified values were also greater in the higher performing group for horizontal braking impulse relative to body mass (ES = 1.06). On the other hand, higher-performing athletes with regard to horizontal braking impulse generated greater eccentric deceleration force (ES = 0.81) and eccentric power values (ES = 0.88) in the CMJ. Findings may be of interest to practitioners physically preparing basketball players for the sport-specific deceleration actions they may encounter.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.02.1

Authors: Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Michael Deane, Damjana Cabarkapa, Grant Jones, Andrew Fry

Abstract: Knowing how to design training regimens and modify offensive and defensive strategies to accurately resemble on-court competitive demands can help the team secure the winning game outcome. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine differences in game-related statistics between winning and losing teams at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-II level of men’s basketball competition and determine which performance parameters have the greatest impact in differentiating between winning and losing game outcomes. The data scraping technique was used to obtain publicly available box scores during the 2018-19 competitive season. The total number of games examined in the present investigation was 4630. The findings of the present study indicate that winning teams: a) made more field-goal and three-point shots; b) attempted and made more free-throw shots; c) attained superior free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting efficiency; d) accumulated more assists, steals, blocks, and offensive, defensive, and total rebounds; e) had fewer turnovers and personal fouls. Moreover, field-goal percentage, defensive rebounds, and assists showed to be the top three game-related statistics capable of discriminating winning from losing game outcomes on the NCAA Division-II level of competition, accounting for 17.0%, 12.7%, and 12.6% of the total percentage of the explained variance, respectively.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.01.5

Authors: Iveta Bonova, Stefan Kolimechkov, Petko Mavrudiev, Dimcho Mitsov, Daniela Dasheva

Abstract: Athletic talent represents a high level of trainability in a certain type of sport. The earlier the level of trainability is identified, the more effective the sports training of the athlete will be. The aim of this study was to establish the effect of trainability on the physical fitness of adolescent athletes as a consequence of an applied training program adequate to the age and sports experience of the athletes. This study included 52 young athletes (24 boys and 28 girls), divided into 4 groups: male athletes from the control group (n = 10, mean age 14.88 ± 1.29 years), male athletes from the experimental group (n = 14, mean age 13.72 ± 1.15 years), female athletes from the control group (n = 14, mean age 15.69 ± 1.00 years), and female athletes from the experimental group (n = 14, mean age 13.41 ± 1.68 years). The experimental groups followed a specialized 12-week program signed for the purposes of the study. All participants completed the Alpha-Fit physical fitness test battery in addition to specific fitness tests before and after the training intervention. This study showed significant differences with larger effect sizes in nearly all components of health-related and specific physical fitness for the experimental groups after the training intervention in contrast to the control groups. The results of the standing long jump in the male (184.57 ± 19.79 cm vs 200.79 ± 20.01 cm, effect size = 0.8) and female athletes (179.07 ± 18.56 cm vs 183.93 ± 16.26 cm, effect size = 0.3) from the experimental groups showed significantly better values after the intervention, which indicated that strength is highly trainable for both genders at this age (13-14 years of age). The results of this study showed that the effect of trainability on physical fitness was greater for the athletes who were following the specialized training program based on the expected transfer of development in physical qualities.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.01.4

Authors: Nicolas Philipp, Trent Herda, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Andrew Fry

Abstract: The implementation of resistance training to enhance muscular strength alongside other physical performance tasks such as linear speed or agility is a primary goal for strength and conditioning practitioners working with American football athletes. This study aimed to investigate changes in body weight, relative and absolute lower body strength, as well as linear speed ability and sprint momentum over three collegiate American football seasons. Additionally, relationships between change scores within the previously mentioned metrics, as well as the effect of Season-1 baseline strength levels on subsequent improvements in strength and linear speed were analyzed. Significant increases in body weight as well as relative and absolute lower body strength and sprint momentum were observed between Season-1 and Season-3. However, no significant improvements in linear speed were observed. Further, only change scores in body weight were found to be significantly related to change scores in the linear speed. Lastly, the group of athletes with lower Season-1 strength levels experienced significantly greater improvements in linear speed (i.e., reduction in 40-yard dash times), compared to the group with higher Season-1 strength levels. Our results indicate that athletes within our sample were able to experience increases in strength and body weight. However, such increases were not accompanied by improvements in the linear speed. While speculative, the significantly greater improvement in linear speed within the group with lower Season-1 relative strength levels may indicate that improvements in linear speed align with increases in strength, until athletes reach a certain level of strength.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.01.3

Authors: Mihail Konchev, Dimcho Mitsov

Abstract: The aim of this case study was to develop and verify a math model of running index (RI) for evaluation and control of specific efficiency and tracing the fatigue level in long distance running. The suggested RI was modelled on the basis of polynomial function between the running velocity and the change in heart rate frequency (V=f(HR)). The method was designed in such a way that the infl uence of denivelation of the terrain was removed when calculating RI. The research was done among 19 highly qualified athletes competing in long distance running events (16 men and 3 women), with a mean age of 28 years (SD±8), BMI 20 (SD±2), maximum oxygen consumption 67 ml/min/kg (SD ±5). The participants in the research were subjected to two lab and two terrain surveys. In a period of one week after the testing, RI was traced and calculated on the basis of the data taken from the major training loads. The model was verified only for the studied subjects - highly qualified competitors in long-distance running. RI was tested for validity through comparing the values obtained from the lab and terrain tests. The obtained results showed there was no significant difference between the values of RI measured during the lab testing and the terrain testing compared to the values of the velocity of ventilatory and lactate anaerobic threshold (VAnT). The results from this research revealed that the suggested method for calculation of the running index is more accurate than the previous ones. This manuscript discusses the possible implications of this new method for measurement of RI. Future scientific research is needed to prove its efficiency and applicability in sport.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2022.01.2

Authors: Rupak Singh, Jayant Rastogi, Chandra Guru, Varad Apte, Karuna Datta, Atul Sharma

Abstract: Background: Nationwide lockdown was enforced due to the spread of the new Coronavirus-19. This resulted in cessation of all sports training across the country, including elite athletes. This COVID-19 lockdown was hypothesized to result in detraining effects on elite athletes. Aim: We aimed to study the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on athletes’ physiological and anthropometric sports performance parameters. Methodology: Seventy-five athletes (age: 23.25 ± 3.9 years, training experience 7.49 ± 3.5 years) from different sports participated voluntarily. International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to grade home-based non-supervised physical activity undertaken during COVID-19 lockdown (137.81 ± 39.20 days). We compared the measured anthropometric, aerobic, and anaerobic performance parameters post-lockdown with pre-lockdown competitive phase recordings using Kruskal Wallis non-parametric test. Parameters were expressed as mean ± SD with level of significance fixed at p < .05. Results: Statistically significant reduction of 33.28% was observed in aerobic capacity post- COVID-19 lockdown (p = .01). We did not find any statistically significant variation in the other anthropometric and physiological performance parameters, namely weight (↑17.50 %), body mass index (↑20.69 %), body fat mass (↑20.76 %), waist (↑21.07 %), hip (↑19.13 %), waist: hip ratio (↑10.71 %), peak power (↑11.32 %) and mean power (↑5.17 %). Conclusions: We found that the athletes exhibited generalized detraining features despite maintaining home-based physical activity. Compared to other performance parameters, there was a significant decrease in the aerobic capacity post-lockdown. This shows the importance of incorporating an indoor-based supervised program including aerobic exercises to guide and monitor athletes. Practical Implications: Off -season/home confinement requires a remotely supervised tailored exercise program with optimal stimuli to maintain training adaptations. Awareness and incorporation of these findings would aid coaches and trainers in designing training programs to promote athletes’ injury-free gradual return to sports.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.02.6

Authors: Polina Hadjiyankova, Tatiana Iancheva

Abstract: In the last years, the issue concerning individualism and collectivism in sport has increasingly attracted researchers’ attention. The relation between individualism-collectivism and performance has been surveyed (Cox et al., 1991, Mann, 1980, Wagner, 1995), the stability of teamwork (Kiffin-Petersen & Cordey, 2003, Kirkman, 1996, Kirkman & Shapiro, 2001), team performance (Karsh, 1984, Smith, 1984). This study aimed to examine individualism and collectivism and their relation to goal orientation among athletes with different levels of qualification practicing six different kinds of sport. The research was done among 160 athletes practicing six sports – three (3) team sports and three (3) individual sports. To fulfill the aim of the research, we used: 1. Scale for measuring the horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism INDCOL of Singelis, Triandism Bhawuk, & Gelfand, 1995; 2. Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire – TEOSQ, Duda & Nicholls, adapted for Bulgarian conditions by Domuschieva-Rogleva, 2003. 3. Psychological Collectivism Measure – Jackson et аl., 2006. We established significant differences among competitors practicing individual and team sports and differences depending on the qualification, club affiliation, gender. The influence of individualism and collectivism on goal orientation in sport was revealed.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.02.5

Authors: Mariana Borukova

Abstract: The introduction of an updated test battery, covering tests accessible for all age groups and with duration of one training session is needed for the execution of effective control on the growing up basketball players. The purpose of the study was to create an updated test battery for basketball players (boys and girls) of U12, U14, and U16, including three groups of indicators: for physical development, physical preparedness, and technical skills. Three hundred and ten children from the clubs in the country (137 boys and 173 girls) participated in the sport-pedagogical tests. We applied a new test battery, covering 21 indicators, divided into three groups: for physical development, physical preparedness, and technical skills. The results were processed with a variation analysis and comparative analysis by the t-criterion of Student. The results showed statistically important differences for both sexes between U12 and U14 for the physical development and physical preparedness signs and for some tests in relation to the technical preparedness. An important difference was observed between U14 and U16 from both sexes for some of the sings only; as far as the technical skills were concerned, the differences for the boys were due to occasional reasons; for the U16 girls, they were considerably better than the U14 girls. The new test battery objectively reflects the real status of the level of all U12, U14, and U16 competitors. Normative tables will be developed to help the work of the coaches in relation to the optimization of the school-training process.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.02.4

Authors: Borislava Petrova

Abstract: Soccer is a high-intensity intermittent team sport where both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems contribute to the physiological demands of the game. The study aims to search and determine relationships between the values of cardiopulmonary and gas exchange indices during frequently used laboratory tests - the CardioPulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT), exploring the capacity of the energy systems. Forty-seven soccer players (15.06 ± 0.84 years of age) performed both tests as Oxygen uptake (VO2 ), Oxygen pulse (O2 HR), Pulmonary ventilation (VE), Volume of expired air (VTex), and Breath frequency (BF) were measured online using a breath-by-breath cardiopulmonary exercise testing system. Ergometric achievements during WAnT: PP (Peak Power) 662.4 ± 121.2 W; AP (Average Power) 494.67 ± 98.5 W; FI (Fatigue Index) 61.2 ± 28.7%. There was no correlation between WAnT PP and AP and maximum power output in CPET. WAnT VE and VTex correlate significantly with CPET VO2 max (r = .676 and r = .772, respectively). The main finding was a presence of approximately identical maximal values of cardiopulmonary parameters achieved in the very different in duration and intensity CPET and WАnT: insignificant differences between CPET versus WAnT: VO2 max (55.97 ± 2.02 versus 56.02 ± 17.3 ml.kg.min-1); VEmax (133.96 ± 21.77 versus 126.77 ± 24.77 l.min-1); VTex max (2.19 ± 0.37 l versus 2.06 ± 0.43 l); BFmax (62.20 versus 75.43.min-1). We assume that when conducting WAnT with simultaneous registration of respiration, together with the indices of athletes’ power output, reliable information about the magnitude of VO2max and other cardiopulmonary parameters of players could be obtained. This will greatly facilitate the ongoing control of the exercise conditioning status of athletes

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.02.3

Authors: Dimitar Avramov

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine aerobic fitness through the VO2 max treadmill test of elite Bulgarian taekwondo players with international results, and to determine whether the aerobic system had an effect upon the sports result in taekwondo. Fourteen elite taekwondo athletes, members of the Bulgarian national team (8 male and 6 female) were tested using a continuous progressive treadmill test. Physiological characteristics such as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), blood lactate and heart rate were measured. The male athletes recorded 58.2±3.4 ml kg–1 min–1 and the female 46.0±2.8 ml kg–1 min–1. The lactate level reached its highest at the 6’ after the VO2 maxwith results for the males of 11.5±3.7 (mmol l-1) and 9.9±4.1 (mmol l-1) for the females respectively. A comparison between our results, regarding VO2 max and previously reported was made using the One-way ANOVA for independent samples. It showed no significant difference between the male subjects (58.2±3.4 versus 60.7±3.3 ml kg(-1) min(-1), p>.05) and significant difference between the female ones (46.0±2.8 versus 49.8±2.8 ml kg(-1) min(-1), p

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.9

Authors: Nina Atanasova, Emil Atanasov

Abstract: Football attracts the attention of a number of researchers who study the management of football clubs and academies in different countries. The focus is on the managerial philosophy, goal setting, organization of the sports training process and others. An important element in the business management of football clubs is the use of marketing techniques - active communication, targeted promotional activities, the choice of communication constants to impose corporate identity and reputation. The purpose of this research was to examine the experience and operational capabilities of some football academies in Bulgaria in creating a corporate identity and establishing a football brand. The research tasks were related to: researching literary and documentary sources on the problem under study, conducting expert research with heads of football academies (14 people) in connection with the application of brand management as a form of brand management and enforcement, researching and analyzing the experience of PFC “Levski” in the policy of imposing the brand among the fans. As part of our work we used different research methods, such us: content analysis, survey method, with a strong expert focus and case studies. During the research we analyzed the promotional tools used by football academies, their policy to create a club identity, the importance of quality in the creation and supplying the service of teaching and the professional training of young players. A study of similar nature is a novelty for sports management practice in football. The conclusions and final recommendations can be used as a starting point in order to upgrade and diversify the forms of promotional policy of football academies.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.7

Authors: Yavor Asparuhov, Mariana Borukova

Abstract: It is often needed in basketball practice to evaluate the stage of the young basketball players‘ preparation. In this way the necessary information is received which serves as a landmark about the level of their development – whether they have the necessary physical qualities and basketball skills, whether they go forward within the educational and training process and whether there is a perspective for their development as highly qualified competitors in the future. The disclosure of the factor structure of the physical development and the specific workability of growing up basketball players has high informative value for the optimization of the educational and training process. The aim of the study is to optimize the training process for growing basketball players by revealing the factor structure and identifying the main factors of sports preparedness in the age range of 15-16 years. The subject of research is the sports training of growing basketball players. The object of the study is the signs of physical development, the special physical and specific techno-tactical preparation. The research was done among 65 basketball players (15-16 years old). Sport and pedagogical tests as per 20 indicators, bearing information about the basic symptoms of the physical development and the specific basketball workability, were made for the needs of the study. The results of the tests were subjected to processing by descriptive statistics, correlation and factor analysis. Results: At the beginning of the study, seven main factors were identified that characterize the specific preparedness in basketball, while at the end of the study, the derived components were five.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.6

Authors: Konstantinos Salonikidis, Aikaterini Mantziou, Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Fotini Arabatzi

Abstract: Background: The anatomy, origin, function, and appearance of the Palmaris Longus Muscle (PLM) in different populations are well studied. However, little is known about its contribution to wrist flexion movements in sports. This study investigates whether the existence or absence of the PLM affects maximal torque output or torque consistency of submaximal wrist flexion moment. Methods: One hundred ninety-seven well-trained sports students were clinically examined to ascertain the presence of the PLM. Forty of them from different sport disciplines were assigned to two groups (athletes in handgrip sports: HG, athletes in non-handgrip sports: NHG). Their 80 upper limbs were divided based on the PLM-presence/absence and hand-dominance/non-dominance. Maximal Isometric Torque (MIT) at 150º, 180º, and 210º wrist angle, and torque steadiness at 150º and 180º, at 25%, 50%, and 75% of MIT were measured on a Humac Norm dynamometer. Results: In all MIT tests, HGs significantly surpassed NHGs, independently of the dominant or non-dominant side in presence of the PLM (p

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.4

Authors: Nikola Nikolov

Abstract: It is widely assumed that wrestling is a sport posing high requirements as regards one’s physical qualities strength and endurance. A lot of specialists, however, point out the necessity of harmonious and balanced development of all motor qualities, including flexibility. This research is aimed at wrestlers’ physical preparation and more specifically the dynamics in the physical quality flexibility. We attempted to find out whether altitude influences the manifestation of the physical quality flexibility and to what extent. The research was done among 13 wrestlers from Bulgarian National team, Greco-Roman style, men. We measured the flexibility of the spinal cord and coxofemoral joint during training camps held at low and high altitude. The tests used (Т1, Т2, Т3 and Т4) are easy to be applied. The results were processed statistically and further discussed. It is clear that there were statistically significant differences only along T2, and there was no reliable difference in the results along the rest of the tests - Т1, Т3 and Т4 at a low and high altitude.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.3

Authors: Sasho Chanev

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to reveal the average level and variability of the signs of physical development and specific working capacity of 17-19-year-old Bulgarian handball players and, on this basis, to develop an up-to-date norm framework for control and optimization of sports training in the studied age group. The object of the study is the characteristics of physical development, specific physical fitness, technical and tactical skills, and some mental characteristics. The research was done among 115 handball players between the age of 17 and 19 from the top 10 teams, participating in the national championship for juniors under 19 years old. Anthropometric measurements and sports-pedagogical testing were conducted for the needs of the study with a total of 34 indicators for establishing the level of physical development, specific physical and technical-tactical preparation and some mental characteristics and qualities of the handball players of the studied age group. The following research methods were applied to solve the purpose and tasks of the research: review study and theoretical analysis of the specialized literature, anthropometry, manual dynamometry, sports-pedagogical testing and ascertaining psychological experiment. Frequency analysis and descriptive statistics, sigma estimation method, and index method were used for mathematical-statistical data analysis. The applied approach allowed developing normative tables for evaluation of the results of each competitor or team, based on which, person or team optimization models could be developed, revealing both strengths and weaknesses in their preparation.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.2

Authors: Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Andrew Fry, John Poggio, Michael Deane

Abstract: Despite its importance and significant contribution to the final game outcome, the free throw shooting motion is greatly understudied. The purpose of this study was to examine kinematic differences between proficient and non-proficient free throw shooters and to determine which variables have the greatest impact on successful free throw shooting performance. Thirteen healthy recreationally active males volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant shot three sets of ten consecutive free throws from the regulation distance from the basket. Each set was performed under 3 minutes with 1-2-minute rest between each set. A high-definition camera recording at 30 fps captured the free throw shooting motion from a sagittal point of view. Video analysis software was used to analyze the following kinematic variables: knee angle, elbow angle, hip flexion, ankle flexion, release angle, shoulder angle, hand release height, and elbow height. The findings of this study suggest that lower elbow positioning influenced by greater knee, ankle, and hip flexion during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion may lead to improvements in free throw shooting accuracy. Moreover, greater ball release height and release angle, as previously suggested, could decrease the margin of error and enhance free throw shooting performance. By using these kinematic variables to create the discriminant function projection model, it is plausible that proficient free throw shooters can be accurately classified in 94% of cases.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2021.01.1

Authors: Subhojit Chatterjee, Usra Hasan, Subhra Chatterjee

Abstract: Introduction: Physiological and body composition variables have important role for assessment of training status and evaluation of health status of athletes. Regular monitoring of these variables during training may provide valuable information to coaches for training and selection of players’ training protocol participating in both team sports and individual events. Purpose and objectives of the study: The aims of this study were to compare physiological and body composition variables between male athletes participating in team sports (football) and individual sprint event and also to correlate training duration (both in years and hours per week) of male athletes participating in both team sports as well as sprint with physiological and body composition variables. Applied Methodology: The study was carried out with thirty-year-old (n=30) and BMI matching male Indian athletes participating in team sports (football, n=16) and individual sprint event (n=14), having minimum 2 years of official training. They were in post competitive phase during the test. Several physiological and body composition variables were assessed such as height, weight, body mass index, training age (years), training time (hours/week), fat mass, fat-free mass, body cell mass, muscle mass, VO2 max, maximal power, training intensity and fatigue index following standard protocol. Achieved major results: The sprinters were found to possess significantly more fat-free mass (p < .01), body cell mass (p < .01), muscle mass (p < .01), less fat mass (p < .05) and more average anaerobic power (p < .01) than their peers - football players. However, no significant correlation was found between any of the measured physiological and body composition parameters and the training status of these players. Conclusion: This study would provide useful information for assigning training protocols to the athletes participating in team sports and individual sprint events on the basis of physiological and body composition parameters.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.02.9

Authors: Veselin Vasilev, Nikolay Boyadjiev

Abstract: The selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are androgen receptor ligands that bind to androgen receptors on target cells and exhibit a more pronounced anabolic effect at the expense of the androgenic effect on the latter. The aim of the article is to explain what SARMs are and how they are connected with sports. We used over 300 articles for the last 20 years connected with SARMs. Recently, the interest in these new molecules and their use has grown significantly, including in sports, which has led to their listing on the WADA prohibited list. In recent years, a lot of data have been gathered, both on the mechanism of action of a number of steroidal and non-steroidal representatives of this class of substances and on the adverse side effects of their use, as the latter should be well-known to sports doctors and especially to amateurs practicing in their free time and willing to increase their muscle mass with a view to preventing any potential health risks.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.02.8

Authors: Martin Eremiev, Bobi Krumov, Irena Lyudmilova, Nadezhda Popova, Daniela Lubenova

Abstract: Objective: Тo study the potential effectiveness of individual physiotherapy program for wheelchair athletes with shoulder girdle persistent pain and dysfunctions. Materials and methods: Thirteen athletes, members of the Bulgarian National Teams in wheelchair basketball and track and field athletics, with mean age 40.6 ± 10.9 participated in the study. The studied athletes had had a history of persistent pain and shoulder girdle dysfunctions for more than 6 months. Individual physiotherapy programs were applied to the participants for a period of two weeks. The selection of techniques was based on the initial assessment and evaluation. The participants were evaluated before treatment, after the first week of treatment, and at the end of the period with the use of the following specific questionnaires and tests: Goniometry of shoulder flexion and horizontal adduction, Apley’s Scratch test, Active compression test of O’Brien (ACT), Athletic shoulder outcome rating scale and Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI). Results: Post­treatment effects demonstrated a significant (p<.05) increase in shoulder fl exion (14.6° for the right and 12.7° for the left) and horizontal adduction (21.9° for the right and 18.8° for the left). A corresponding increase in the scores for the Athletic shoulder outcome rating scale was found with 10.92 points difference to the initial score (p<.05). The WUSPI demonstrated a non­signifi cant improvement of 0.69 points. The results of ACT and Apley scratch test showed a non­signifi cant decrease of 23.1% for the right shoulder and, 15.4% decrease for the left shoulder after 7 days of treatment. Those results remained unchanged in post-treatment testing. Conclusion: This study showed that the individual physiotherapy programs are effective in the management of wheelchair athletes with chronic shoulder pain. The involvement of Mulligan’s manual therapy techniques combined with other types of exercises for the shoulder and the trunk are beneficial for wheelchair athletes with chronic shoulder pain.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.02.6

Authors: Ruzha Nedkova-Ivanova, Yuri Valev

Abstract: The competitive pairs of horse and rider in the endurance discipline of equestrian sport in Bulgaria have ranked, in the past several years, amongst the elite contestants in Europe and the world, which has necessitated deeper studies in the areas of training methods and the ways of achieving high sport results. Therefore, this study is focused on 6 Bulgarian horses (Arabian horse and Shagya, Table 1) that are preparing for European and World championships. They were trained together under the same conditions (climate, time zone, terrain, speed) by riders with the necessary qualifications and experience. Seven training rides were performed, and the pulse was measured at the moment of the highest load, as it is the most indicative of the horse’s level of effort. By studying the pulse of horses during a training session, the research aimed to determine the efficacy of the short­term training program in the prep season. The results showed that 2 to 4 minutes after coming to a full stop, regardless of the terrain, speed (in this research between 5.2 km/h and 22.5 km/h) or distance travelled by the horses, their pulse varied between 36 and 99 bpm (beats per minute) and they improved their physical condition and increased their stamina without this leading to trauma or more serious injuries, which is a main priority in the equestrian sport and allows for the successful completion of every race. In the long run, such a training methodology will allow the horses to be trained and ready to race at any time. Monitoring the heart rate and keeping it within the studied limits showed that this was the optimal option for a training regime for the six examined horses. In the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a possible solution for maintaining athletic fitness in endurance horses.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.02.5

Authors: Tatiana Yordanova

Abstract: Jump Elements in figure skating are an integral part of motor activity. One of the conditions for their good performance is great height and length. Criteria for this are the indicators of speed and power qualities. The aim of this research work is to analyze the relationship between anthropometric indicators and those for jumping takeoff of young female figure skaters of the basic level of training. Seventeen female skaters aged 10-14 years old (prepuberty) from ice skating clubs in Bulgaria voluntarily participated in the study. The age of the participants was 10 to 14 years old, which is considered favorable for the development of speed and strength abilities. They were subjected twice to 8 anthropometric measurements and 5 different types of takeoff, conducted in office conditions. To achieve the goal of the survey, the following research methods were used: theoretical analysis and generalization of data in specialized scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical observation, pedagogical testing, anthropometric research methods and methods of mathematical statistics for processing the results of the study. The results showed significant intragroup dependences for the anthropometric and biomechanical parameters for all types of jumps takeoff in the first study and a decrease in the correlation coefficients in the second measurement. The maximum force in all types of jumps increases with increasing indicators of height, weight, length of the lower limbs, chest circumference, shoulder width, while the width of the pelvis does not affect the strength of the takeoff. The height of the jumps with the help of the arms depends on the width of the shoulders – r = .497, and for vertical jump with the hands on the hips – r = .664.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.02.3

Authors: Igor Shishkov

Abstract: The article is devoted to the study of effectiveness of building training and competitive loads of women’s national team of the Republic of Belarus for the European Indoor Hockey Champion ship (Indoor Hockey). The study was conducted at a separate, three-month stage of the annual training cycle. The Purpose of the study: To find optimal ratio between training and competitive loads using block training system for highly qualified hockey players. To achieve the goal, the following Tasks were set: 1. To determine the structure of training of Belarus national hockey players in clubs and during the training camps of the national team before the European Championship; 2. To evaluate training and competitive process as two separate areas of training for highly qualified hockey players; 3. To identify necessary volume and evaluate effectiveness of the use of non­specifi c loads of anaerobic orientation in shock microcycles during training process of hockey players and final result. Research hypothesis: it was assumed that control and test games, as well as non­specifi c loads of anaerobic orientation in shock microcycles, may have a positive effect on the efficiency of using block system for preparing highly qualified hockey players for a short-term tournament. An analysis of the training structure of the women’s national team of the Republic of Belarus is presented from the perspective of the modern block system of periodization. Thus, it can be stated that the polycyclic principle of building the training process in Indoor hockey game sport is approved today. The obtained data on the structure of training of hockey players can be used as model characteristics.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.7

Authors: Tatiana Yordanova

Abstract: One of the characteristics of modern figure skating is the progressive complication of the competitive programs. This process develops, in particular, in the way of athletes’ mastery of complex coordination elements and compounds of a rotating nature, which appear to be a strong irritant to the vestibular analyzer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of anthropometric factors on the balance stability of female figure skaters. The study’s tasks, which are divided into three groups, as well as the subject and object of the study, are presented. The used methods are described. The methodology of the study is separated and detailed. Also, the different abilities of the body for balance resistance, in various motor actions are described. One of the main used methods is called Stabilometry. The design of the study is followed. The results are visualized in six tables, which are illustrated by five figures. In conclusion, the dependence of Anthropometric status is noted in accordance with the height and length of the lower limbs and the width of the pelvis. The dynamic retention of the balance in landing position is more effective than the static balance in the Romberg posture, which is explained by the specificity of the sport figure skating. There is a worsening of the balance in the increase of anthropometric parameters – height, weight and chest circumference. Balance fluctuations in the Romberg position are significantly dependent on the weight and chest circumference, while the height of the skaters affects the balance – with increasing amplitude there is also an increase in balance fluctuations in the landing position after a jump, i.e. the balance is unstable, which is explained by a higher placement of the center of gravity of the body.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.6

Authors: Julian Karabiberov

Abstract: The manuscript presents the model for conditional training implemented in 2018 in the new female volleyball national team. The methods of the Bulgarian training system Fit Motion-Professional were used with a female national team for the first time. The training scheme follows the modular principle and is based on innovative methods and principles, various means and parallel-consecutive planning aimed mostly at the development of the motor qualities in each module. The interrelations between the basic motor qualities have been surveyed as well as the dynamics in their development at the different stages and in the different modules, and their efficiency in the volleyball game. The major aim of this manuscript is to study the efficiency of the model for conditional training of elite female volleyball players. Some new equipment and facilities have been designed for functional-conditional training in relation to the team’s preparation. In order to prove the higher efficiency of the model compared to the standard conditioning training used in Bulgaria, an experiment was further carried out with the Republican Women’s Volleyball Champion, the team of Maritsa Plovdiv.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.5

Authors: Antonio Antonov, Dafina Zoteva, Olympia Roeva

Abstract: The penalty corner (PC) is one of the most important game situations in hockey (both outdoors and indoors), which results in 30 – 40% of all goals. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the quasi-experimental methodology on the dynamics in the development of indicators characterizing the accuracy of shooting when performing PC in the potentially effective goal zones. Through the application of InterCriteria Analysis (ICrA), the research team sought to establish relationships and directions of dependencies between indicators reflecting the accuracy of zone shooting. Four elite female indoor hockey players from the team of the National Sports Academy in Bulgaria, participants in the European Indoor Hockey Clubs Challenge, were involved in the examination sessions. According to the requirements of the quasi-experimental “Push & Flick” methodology, the duration of the specialized training was set to 16 weeks. Each player performed 4,800 shootings, or approximately 300 shootings each week. Tests were carried out at the beginning (the first week) and at the end (the sixteenth week) of the experiment in order to determine the accuracy of the shooting – push/flick from a penalty corner spot (9 meters, central from the goal line). We used InterCriteria Analysis and Variance Analysis to analyze the results. The results of the study provide valuable information related to the training and specialization of elite hockey players profiled in the execution of a penalty corner.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.4

Authors: Mariana Borukova

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe some anthropometric characteristics, to trace the physical preparedness level and the technical skills of children (girls and boys) up to 14 years old participating in competitive basketball, to make comparative analysis of the average values of both totalities, and to find the relation and dependence between the anthropometric characteristics, physical preparedness and basketball skills of both sexes. Methods: One hundred twenty-nine children were subjected to study, out of which sixty-three basketball players (boys) at the age of 13 ± 0,7 and 66 basketball players (girls) at the age of 13 ± 0,5. Sport-pedagogical test was applied to the participants, and a probated and standardized test battery including twenty indicators was used. The basketball players participated in the test voluntarily, they received no money or financial compensation for their contribution and their anonymity was guaranteed. Data analysis: Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS-23 and variation, correlation and comparative analysis were made, t-criterion of Student and U-criterion of Mann-Whitney were used. Results: As we had supposed and as it was proven by the results for that group, the gender differences had a more substantial impact on some physical development indications and greater part of the physical preparedness indications. In favor of the boys these differences were more strongly expressed in their height, degree of body mass and horizontal stretch, while in favor of the girls the differences were in the functional capacity of the chest. Boys were fully favored as far as rapidity, speed abilities, explosive strength of the lower limbs were concerned. Conclusion: We have to note that the accumulated training experience and the biological ripening impact positively on the performance of young male and female basketball players. The results of this study showed that there were statistically significant differences between boys and girls in terms of technical skills (TS) only along two indicators.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.3

Authors: Viktor Kostiukevych, Oksana Shynkaruk, Natalia Shchepotina, Valentina Voronova, Larysa Shevchenko, Olena Zmievska, Vadym Stasiuk, Halyna Gordiichuk, Galina Putiatina, Andrii Drachuk, Petro Danchuk

Abstract: Introduction and aim. The problem of constructing a training process for highly skilled players at the special preparation phase is not researched well enough. The special preparation phase should involve the specificity of the competition calendar, development of the structure and content of the corresponding types of micro cycles, and scientifically based selection of methods of training. The aim of the research is to analyze the structure and content of the training process of highly skilled football players during the special preparation phase of the preparation period at the first macrocycle of the annual cycle. Materials and methods. 22 highly skilled football players of Kamianets-Podіlskyi National Ivan Ohiienko University aged 18-23 participated in the research. All of them are MA students and elite athletes. Methods of analysis of scientific literature, pedagogical observation, timing of training work, and mathematical statistics were used in the research. Results and conclusions. The special preparation phase consists of two mesocycles. The basic stabilizing (control and preparation) mesocycle - the volume and intensity of training sessions - was characterized by the widespread use of special-training exercises. In comparison with previous mesocycles, considerably more trainings were devoted to technical, tactical and game preparation. Technical and tactical training was carried out in the form of adaptive training exercises along with special physical training. Pre-competition mesocycle rolled up the preparation of the athletes for the competition period. The reparation in this mesocycle had an expressed “integral” character. In this mesocycle, one should not forget about maintaining the level of special physical fitness. Maintaining it throughout the mesocycle is one of the important prerequisites for the steady growth of athletes’ physical state, but the composition of the means significantly changed by increasing the proportion of special technical and tactical exercises being held. In this mesocycle, the largest number of control games, starts, competitions, etc. were carried out. A special place in pre-competition mesocycle was taken by tactical and psychological training. The proportion of theoretical training also increased.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2020.01.2

Authors: Tatiana Iancheva, Liudmila Rogaleva, Alejandro Garcia Mas, Aurelio Olmedilla

Abstract: The pandemic COVID-19 constituted one of the greatest ordeals the world has seen in the last decades. Social isolation has changed athletes’ lives completely and brought a number of consequences – both technical and psychological. The aim of this study was to investigate the dominant psychic conditions and perfectionism and their relation to the preferred coping strategies during the pandemic COVID-19 among sports students from Bulgaria and Russia and to outline their specificity depending on their gender, kind of sport, qualification, and nationality. The research was done among 199 sports students from Bulgaria and Russia who practice 18 kinds of sport, aged between 16 and 32 years, divided into groups according to their gender, kind of sport, level of qualification, nationality. The research methods included: 1) Sociodemographic, personal and sports evaluation; 2) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS, Frost, Marten, Lahart & Rosenblate, 1990), adapted for Bulgarian conditions by T. Iancheva, 2009; 3) Profile of Mood States (McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman, 1971); 4) Approach to Coping in Sport Questionnaire (ACSQ-1; Kim 1999; Kim & Duda, 1997). There are significant differences depending on gender, kind of sport, qualification, and nationality. The specific role of adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism was viewed in relation to the dominant psychic conditions during social isolation and the preferred coping strategies.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.02.8

Authors: Almaz Galimov, Liubov Botova, Andrey Nazarenko, Marat Galyautdinov

Abstract: A majority of the students at physical education universities are actual athletes who have “double career”. They combine getting professional education with professional sport activities. In this regard, sport activities of students form an important part of their future career, because it is the informal way of getting professional knowledge and skills. However, today there are no officially recognized organizational and pedagogical approaches to the formalization and assessment of informal education outcomes, which student-athletes demonstrate during their sport activities. Consequently, there are very few practices of making individual university programs for student-athletes based on their informal education outcomes. The study purpose was to develop and approbate a model of substantial integration of study process and sport training at the sports university as a method of combination of formal and informal education types for student-athletes. The study included a comparative analysis of educational and professional standards, elaboration of measures for substantial integration of sport and educational process, and study of athletes’ academic performance. In addition, we used methods of modeling, interviewing, expert assessment and mathematical statistics in our study. The study revealed the coherence of athletes’ knowledge, skills and activities and the competencies they acquire at the sports university. We demonstrated that elite athletes gain knowledge, skills and attitudes envisaged in the educational program in the framework of their sport activities. We have designed the model of individual university program for elite athletes, which corresponds to the techniques of integration of formal and informal education types.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.02.7

Authors: Ivan Ivanov, Vladimir Kotev

Abstract: Introduction: In the game of volleyball, game efficiency is based not only on physical preparation and technical skills. A great deal of it depends on the players’ abilities to cooperate, communicate and adapt to the psychosocial aspects of team group dynamics. In this study we attempt to establish the players’ behavior in conflict situations, their basic personality characteristics and how these influence some game indicators. Methodology: 1) Background information; 2) Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (1977); 3) Big Five Personality Test developed by Goldberg (1992). Results: The results of our research reveal that the scale with the highest result is Compromising, which is the trait described by both assertiveness and cooperativeness. We have significant differences between teams and age groups in terms of the scale Competing from the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument and Conscientiousness and Agreeableness from the Big Five Personality Test. Conclusions: The younger players are more open and try to find more information about the sports environment and learn more about the game and their personal growth. The higher the qualification and the age, the more the players prefer competing and being assertive in their interpersonal relationships. The lower-level players prefer clearer rules and instructions. The players from Maritza are more sport-aggressive and with a higher winners’ attitude.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.02.5

Authors: Aleksandra Suprun, Elena Medvedeva, Anna Titova, Vera Borisova

Abstract: Starting from 2018 the judges began to evaluate the level of difficulty of the compositions with an open scale according to the rules of the competition. The article is devoted to the evaluation of the compositional difficulty of competitive compositions of group routines in rhythmic gymnastics. One of the factors that determines both the difficulty of the composition and the synchronization of motor interaction execution by sportswomen in group routines is defined. The purpose of this research is to justify the necessity of taking into account tempo-rhythmic abilities of gymnasts that predetermine difficulty of compositional decision of competitive program in group routines. The objective of this study is to reveal the correlational interconnections between tempo-rhythmic abilities and expert evaluations of synchronicity of group motor activity. The methods that were applied in are an expert evaluation that assesses the synchronization of motor actions of gymnasts in group routines and testing that consists of listening to and playing of parts of pieces of music of different rhythmic patterns. The revealed correlational interconnections allow increasing the synchronicity of motor actions of gymnasts in group routines that will make competitive programs more qualitative and spectacular.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.02.3

Authors: Maria Gateva

Abstract: In sports such as gymnastics it is difficult to monitor the fitness and endurance level of the athletes. In rhythmic gymnastics it is proven that the competitive program is in anaerobic regime of work. Some authors state that there is no contribution by the aerobic energy system in gymnastics. Very few attempts have been undertaken to create specific anaerobic tests in the different gymnastics disciplines. That’s why the aim of this study was to create a laboratory test to measure the fitness level (specific endurance) of the rhythmic gymnasts competing at national and international level. Twelve high-level gymnasts aged 15.7 (±2.1) were involved in this study. Two tests were performed in the laboratory – VO2 max and submaximal 2-min test (author’s test) and one field test – competitive routine was carried out. Two min submaximal treadmill test with constant load (95% of the maximal test) requires a 2-min run on a treadmill with a constant speed of 8,4 km/h and individually set up incline of 95% of the maximum for each athlete. The incline is fixed on the basis of: reached HR and incline during the maximal test; extrapolation of the incline as 100% from the theoretical maximal pulse and calculation of the 95% of the incline for each gymnast. Rhythmic gymnastics routine clearly showed better results in the competitive period and is an indicator for tapering into peak performance. We received some contradictory information as regards the laboratory results. Heart rate during the whole load on the treadmill test was lower (significantly proven). This means that in the next stage of the investigation, the experiment needs to be done with the same duration, but we should increase the load to 100%.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.02.2

Authors: Diana Dimitrova, Lubomir Mladenov, Anna Nikolova

Abstract: The aerobic capacity is considered to be a prerequisite for high training and competitive performance in judo. However, it is not clear how the differences in the body composition of judokas affect their aerobic performance. The present study was aimed at comparing the body composition variables and aerobic capacity among judo players from different weight categories and examining the best method for scaling the VO2 max for differences in body mass. The subjects were 109 male and 108 female judokas 15-26 years old, grouped in three weight categories for each sex. Percentage of body fat (%BF) was predicted by skinfold equations. Fat mass, fat-free mass (FFM) and BMI were also calculated. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was measured during a graded maximal bicycle ergometer test. The correlations between VO2 max, normalized by different methods, and body size variables were tested by Pearson’s product-moment correlations. The %BF and body composition variables significantly differed among weight categories and were with the highest values in the heaviest athletes. The average V̇O2 max.BM-1 of the entire groups of male and female judokas were respectively 48.4±4.7 ml.kg-1.min-1 and 39.7±4.0 ml.kg-1.min-1. The lightweight classes demonstrated the highest relative to BM values of VO2 max. When VO2 max was adjusted to BM with derived allometric exponents (0.77 for males and 0.69 for females) the results for the three weight categories of male and female judokas were similar, regardless of the differences in their body composition. The interpretation of the between-weight categories differences in aerobic capacity in judokas is dependent on the method of expression of VO2 max. The VO2 max, normalized for BM or FFM, did not remove the effect of body size and still correlated with body composition variables in both sexes. The power function expression of VO2 max produced size-free variables, which did not correlate with body size in judokas.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.14

Authors: Krassimir Rankov

Abstract: Sleep is essential for everyone and is important for the normal human functioning. Lack of sleep, called sleep deprivation, is a condition leading to poor sports training and achievements. Different factors contribute to sleep deprivation among athletes. Respiratory sleep disorders such as Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are factors that rebound most to sleep deprivation for certain groups of athletes such as wrestlers, judokas and sumo wrestlers. The present study investigates the UARS and OSA occurrence in the above mentioned groups of athletes using Pulse Transit Time (PTT) as an early noninvasive indicator of respiratory effort and sympathetic nervous system activity. Sixty-seven elite athletes, practicing wrestling, sumo wrestling and judo were screened by enquiry for sleep breathing disturbances. The study involved the most suspicious ten cases for sleep-disordered breathing symptoms. They underwent full standard polysomnographic (PSG) examination using Alice 5 System Philips - Respironics Inc. with the registration of PTT. Among all athletes, regardless of the presence of changes in hemoglobin saturation or apnea-hypopnea index changes (AHI), a significant drop in the PTT value with more than 8-15 ms for sleep stages N1 and N2 (p

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.13

Authors: Sam Mugandani

Abstract: Sports is a large industry with vibrant leagues running in many countries. Some of the most popular sports are soccer, rugby, cricket and netball. To meet the demand for better performance of athletes and sustain this growing industry, coaches and trainers have depended on the manipulation of factors such as physical and physiological parameters, nutrition, tactics, techniques and psychological factors to try and improve the performance of athletes. These have been referred to as the environmental or nurture constraints. The quest for better performance continues hence microtechnology such as accelerometers, heart rate monitors and global positioning systems are also being used to gather data to determine some of the physical and physiological demands of games. Evidence from studies with twins revealed that there are performance traits which are genetically determined. Research also shows that more than 60% of performance in sport and exercise is genetically determined. The unraveling of the human genome and advances in molecular biological studies resulted in the quest for knowledge relating to the influence of genes at the molecular level on performance in exercise and sport. The human genome project established approximately 20 000 genes in humans. To date, the gene map for performance and health-related fitness phenotypes has identified more than 200 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with some performance and fitness linked traits. Among the most studied gene polymorphisms are the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene, the human α- actinin-3 (ACTN3) gene and the adenosine monophosphate deaminase (AMPD1) gene, as they relate mostly to anerobic and aerobic related activities. The use of hematological and biochemical indicators to identify injuries and exercise stress calls for exploration of association between gene polymorphisms and indicators such as C-reactive protein, uric acid and blood parameters such as red blood cells and sub-components of leukocytes.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.11

Authors: Petar Peev, Vasil Tsvetkov, Nestor Youroukov

Abstract: The focus of the research is the motion characteristics of the teams which participated in the World cup 2018 in Russia. For the purpose of the research we collected the data from all the matches in the knock out phase of the tournament. We divided the results for every position during the halves and calculated the total distance covered. This way we could get an idea of the intensity and the profile of elite soccer players. In the analyses we included 273 players that played in the knock out phase. As a result of the research, we found that the goalkeeper had total distance covered of 4061,59 metеrs; defenders had a 9352 metеrs; midfielders had a 10708 metеrs and strikers had a 9731 metеrs. It is interesting that the total distance covered during the second half is greater than in the first one. Conclusion of the research is that the total distance covered is different for all of the researched positions which is a predisposition for disclosing the motor profile of the players. From the study of motor activity in football at world championships we can draw the following conclusions: 1) The results are comfirmation that even at a World Cup the performance characteristics are greatly influenced by position of play; 2) The higher total distance covered during the second half suggests extremely high aerobic capabilities of elite football players

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.10

Authors: Oleg Hristov

Abstract: Speed-strength qualities are significant for obtaining high power, especially in sports such as rowing. There are few surveys quoted in literature on multi-joint movements with increasing load in the training and competitive range of intensity where the speed-strength qualities are traced. In our research, we aim to make a comparative analysis of speed-strength qualities with increasing load in two multi-joint exercises: rowing on rowing ergometer and the clean pull strength exercise. The research was conducted among rowers (n=7; age - 16.28 ± 1.11 years; weight - 73.12 ± 7.63 kg; height - 186.27 ± 7.20 cm). The test on a rowing ergometer was performed with Concept II Model C, and the data were processed with the system BioRowTech. The data from the strength exercise were recorded and processed with the system GymAwareCloud. Regression equations were worked out for the speed-strength qualities: in clean pull exercise – peak force R2 =0.52 and average force R2 =0.76; in rowing on ergometer – peak force R2 =0.72 and average force R2 =0.56. We found out that in both exercises the mean power reached was almost identical (in rowing = 692.28 W, in clean pull = 609.42 W), but in rowing it is on account of higher velocity and less force.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.9

Authors: Ivaylo Lazarov

Abstract: Modern athletics is developing with incredible dynamics. In sports science and practice there are a number of proven methodological approaches that are related to the diagnosis of the training effects. One of the tasks of functional diagnostics in sports is researching and tracing the body changes related to energy supply in a certain training activity. The aim of the research is to increase the effectiveness of the mid-distance training exercise through the creation of criteria for assessing the adaptation effects of the workloads. The subject of the study is the adaptation changes in the level of HR, VO2 max and La in the conditions of the training activity. The research was done among 27 male middle-distance competitors. The test was performed on the athletics track with the use of a special K4 set which recorded the pulse frequency and oxygen consumption dynamics. The concentration of lactate in capillary blood was recorded immediately after the run. The results show that the speed of recovery of the pulse frequency in the phases of the shortened rest is the correct adaptation marker for the determination of the individual tolerance in running loads and the level of athletes’ training. The recommended quantitative values of the respiratory and metabolic adaptation markers and their associated running speed are as follows: aerobic threshold - 2 mmol/l at a running speed of less than 4.10 m/sec. and a heart rate up to 157 HR.; anaerobic threshold - 4 mmol/l at a running speed between 4.10 and 5.13 m/s and a pulse limit of 157-178 HR - an effective aerobic zone (economic zone); over 178 HR and the running speed over 5.13 m/s.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.8

Authors: Rumiana Tasheva, Georgi Mitrev

Abstract: The functional evaluation of athletes is the sports physiotherapist’s initial opportunity to identify dysfunctions and muscle imbalance. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between basketball players’ shortening hip adductors with Patrick’s Test and their balance and coordination with the Shark Skill Test. Methods: We tested 65 healthy active basketball players in Basketball Club “Rilski sportist” – Samokov and the National Bulgarian Basketball Team. The athletes were divided into 2 groups: 22 players in the first Control Group with average 20.9 years and 21 youth players in the second Group with average 15.6 years. They were observed voluntarily in 2016. The 2 tests were applied at least 12 hours after the training. The shortness of hip adductors was assessed with Patrick’s Test and balance and coordination skills - with Shark Skill Test. Results: The results from the Shark Skill Test on the left and on the right lower limb demonstrated statistically significant better time and fewer mistakes among 1G basketball players (average 20.9 years) with shorter left and right adductors than these with normal adductors’ elasticity. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences among the youth athletes. Conclusion: Summarizing the results, it is clear that the basketball play causes the shortening of the hip adductors of men and teenagers. In this aspect, it is important that the asymmetry of the adductor elasticity in both groups does not lead to statistically significant differences in the duration and mistakes during performance of the Shark skill test. In our opinion, it is necessary to expand the study by applying physiotherapy for the shortened hip adductors and track changes in the implementation of the Shark Skill Test before and after treatment.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.6

Authors: Radoslav Penov, Milen Chalakov

Abstract: That article aims to present the development of an experimental methodology that improves the speed of kicks in Karate. The rationale behind creating the methodology is the fact that the speed of kicks in Karate is instrumental for overcoming the opponent. In addition, kicks are among the most commonly used techniques in matches. Therefore, our goal was to study the effect of applying the methodology we created onto improving the speed of kicks in Karate. In order to conduct the study, we used a video-computerized system to record and analyze the speed of kicks performed by the participants in the experiment. The results concerning the speeds of kicks were measured in identical ways in order to make sure that the survey was performed under uniform conditions. The input data was processed by means of kinematics analysis software. To prove the credibility of the data registered, we applied the necessary statistical analysis methods. We hope that by applying the methodology that we developed and have presented in this article, more coaches will start using modern tools and methods in order to improve the quality of the training process in Karate.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.4

Authors: Stefan Kolimechkov, Iliya Yanev, Iliya Kiuchukov, Lubomir Petrov, Albena Alexandrova, Dilyana Zaykova, Emil Stoimenov

Abstract: Young gymnasts should not have excessive body mass because that might lead to underperformance. Therefore, children practicing gymnastics should consume a balanced diet, which will promote their physical abilities and optimal body mass. The aim of this study was to compare the nutrient intake of young Bulgarian artistic gymnasts to matched groups from the National Nutrition Survey in Bulgaria (NNSB2003). The study consisted of 76 artistic gymnasts (5 to 14 years of age) from four cities in Bulgaria, and the participants were divided into three groups in accordance with the age and gender categories applied in the NNSB2003. Anthropometric measurements were taken and a food frequency questionnaire was applied in order to assess the body composition and nutrient intake of the gymnasts. The percentile scores in the height and %Fat of the gymnasts were significantly lower than the 50th percentile of the international norms. The energy intake of the gymnasts did not differ significantly from those reported in the NNSB2003, whilst the protein intake, relative protein intake, and energy contribution of proteins were significantly higher than those in the same survey. The energy contribution of fats was above the recommended norms (15-30%), as provided by the WHO. The fat intake was slightly higher, and the carbohydrate intake was slightly lower than the recommended values in the literature, and, therefore, the former should be reduced and the latter increased in their food.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.3

Authors: Georgi Sergiev

Abstract: One of the main purposes of this paper is to perfect sports preparation in artistic gymnastics at the stage of initial sports specialization. This stage coincides with the sensitive period for development of flexibility. This manuscript deals with the issue of flexibility being one of the most significant motor qualities. High level of flexibility development guarantees the successful performance with maximum amplitude of a great number of exercises in artistic gymnastics. The aim of the research was updating the system for tracing the improvement and evaluation of young male gymnasts’ flexibility. The main tasks of the survey were selecting suitable tests for evaluation of the quality flexibility as well as carrying out testing with competitors of all age groups. In the end, a 50-grade scale for evaluation of flexibility was designed along the different indexes (tests). The research was done among 38 male 10-12-year old gymnasts with the help of 8 tests. On this basis specification tables were designed for each test with the use of a 50-grade (point) scale. The specification tables allowed for the quick evaluation of competitors along a certain test right after their measurement. On the basis of the conducted research, testing, collected information and specification tables made, it will be possible to improve the evaluation of the temporary state of competitors’ flexibility at each stage of the preparation. We will also be able to evaluate (notice) the smallest changes (increase) in the indexes during the preparation both in positive and negative aspect.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2019.01.1

Authors: Maria Gateva

Abstract: Several attempts have been made in the past years to create adequate tests in order to determinate the fitness level of the athletes in the gymnastics disciplines. Considering the high-intensity movements and the total routine time, we hypostatized that anaerobic metabolism is a determinant for rhythmic gymnastics performance. Based on the physiological indicators of a competitive routine the aim of this study was to create a reliable and valid specific field test to measure the fitness level (specific endurance) of the rhythmic gymnasts competing at national and international level. 12 high-level gymnasts aged 15.7 ± 2.1 were involved in this study. The testing was done twice – once in the preparatory and second time in the competitive period. Two tests were performed in the field – the specific anaerobic test and a competitive routine. The heart rate and the blood lactate were recorded during and after the load. Specific endurance gymnastics field test is a simple routine including specific but very basic rhythmic gymnastics exercises from each body group – steps; waves; balances; pivots; leaps and acrobatic elements with very low level of difficulties. The maximal blood lactate concentration levels recorded in both tests and periods did not show any significant difference and varied between 7.2 to 8.4 mmol/l. All of the heart rate values after the loads indicated high work intensity – above 185 bpm. There were significant differences in both exercises (specific test & routine) between the preparatory and the competitive routine. The heart rate clearly showed adaptation of the cardiovascular system towards the load when tapering into the peak performance period. The suggested test is a standard field test suitable for active, mid to high-level rhythmic gymnasts aged above 12 years, which can measure the current specific endurance of a gymnast and compare it with her previous testing or gymnasts.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.02.6

Authors: Tatiana Iancheva, Gancho Prodanov

Abstract: Coaches’ confidence in their coaching abilities has a great influence on athletes and the results from their activity. In an attempt to explain coaching efficacy some authors relate it to emotional intelligence. The aim of the present research is to study the interdependence between emotional intelligence and coaching efficacy among football coaches. Methodology: The research was done among 50 football coaches aged between 23 and 45 years with different level of qualification. In order to fulfill the aim, we used: 1) Background information; 2) Coaching Efficacy Scale (CES; Feltz et al., 1999); 3) Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS; Schutte et al., 1998). Results: the results reveal that the leading subscales for the researched football coaches are „Technique efficacy“ and „Motivation efficacy“. We established significant correlations among the subscales of emotional intelligence and coaching efficacy. The results show a significant influence of emotional intelligence on coaching efficacy expectations. High Emotional Intelligence leads to increase in Technique efficacy. Conclusions: Our results regarding coaching efficacy reveal a certain specificity in comparison with the data published by foreign authors but confirm the findings in literature about the role of emotional intelligence as a predictor of coaching efficacy.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.02.3

Authors: Radoslav Penov, Milen Chalakov

Abstract: This article presents the development of an experimental methodology that aims to improve the speed of the front-hand punch in karate. The rationale behind developing this methodology is that the speed of the front-hand punch in karate is one of the most important criteria for the successful defeat of the opponent. In addition, the front-hand punch is one of the most commonly used punches during matches. The objective that we set was to study the effect of the application of the methodology we developed for the purpose of improving the speed of the front-hand punch (Kizami Tsuki) in karate. To accomplish this study, we used a computerized video system to register and analyze the speed of karate punches performed by the participants in the experiment. The results regarding the speed of the straight-hand punch were measured in the same way in order to provide identical conditions. Input data was processed by means of applied software for kinematic analysis. To prove the credibility of the registered data, we used statistical analysis methodology. We hope that by presenting our methodology in this article, more coaches will begin to use modern tools and methods in order to improve the quality of training in karate.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.02.2

Authors: Daniela Oronova, Oleg Hristov, Nikola Gospodarski, Rumian Hristov

Abstract: The power of the stroke in rowing is one of the main factors which determines good sport results. In this relation, increasing of power is а key task during rowers’ muscular and strength training. The main purpose of the current research was to determine speed-strength ability of specific muscle groups of rowers, performing specific strength exercises: bench pull, squat and clean pull. Methods of the experiment include measurement of velocity and power in different load levels using Gym Aware device and its adjoining software Gym Aware Cloud. The received results demonstrate the specific strength and velocity abilities of the muscular groups which are involved in these movements. It was determined that the maximal power of each of them is achieved at a different point in the range of its working velocity. In squat the maximal power is in the range of the highest velocity achieved with small resistance, in bench pull the maximal power is achieved in the middle of the velocity range and in the clean pull it is achieved at a big resistance and at low velocity. These results arise lots of questions for further discussions.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.02.1

Authors: Albena Alexandrova, Radoslav Penov, Lubomir Petrov, Dilyana Zaykova

Abstract: Successful performance in the Kumite discipline of Karate-do requires well developed aerobic and anaerobic cell-systems for supplying energy. Therefore, more and more often over the recent years, the preparation of martial arts athletes has included intensive interval training sessions following the Tabata method. The objective of this survey was to create a highly-intensive Tabata-based circuit training that is suitable for the functional preparation of Karate competitors and for defining the physiological and the biochemical characteristics of the training load through measuring the heart rate and the concentration of lactate in the peripheral blood. A group of six Karate practitioners, all Kumite competitors, took part in the survey. They performed tree times 10 exercises with Karate-technique elements following the classical Tabata scheme of 20 seconds work with a maximum number of repetitions and 10 seconds of break. The results proved that; 1) The heart rate increased after each circuit and exceeded 180 bpm, and in the break time it went down to 120-140 bpm; 2) The lactate concentration in the blood rose progressively after the first two circuits, and after finishing the last circle an overall decrease was registered regarding this indicator (9.3 ± 3.32 vs 13.4 ± 2.39 vs 11.8 ±1.63 mmol/L, respectively). In conclusion, the intensity of the latter circuit training model is very high because the levels of blood lactate after performing each circuit of the training were higher than the respective concentrations after Kumite competition matches at the same heart rates.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.01.7

Authors: Tatiana Iancheva, Galina Rogleva, Milena Kuleva

Abstract: The activities performed by people who go on military missions or on Antarctic expeditions to Livingston Island often arise various questions and interpretations. On the one hand, they suppose a tendency toward risky acts; on the other hand, they require discipline and balance in one’s behavior. The aim of our study was to examine the peculiarities of the need of security and the need of sensation seeking as basic personal variables of participants in military missions in Afghanistan and Bulgarian Antarctic expeditions and to examine their relation to the coping strategies applied. The research was done among 141 individuals (107 participants in Bulgarian military contingent which took part in an international NATO mission in Afghanistan in 2017 and 34 participants in two Bulgarian Antarctic expedition on Livingston Island in 2014/2015 and 2016/2017. All the individuals researched were divided into groups according to their age, gender and rank. We used: 1) Need of security assessment test (A. Velichkov, M. Radoslavova, S. Vassileva, V. Todorov, 1998). 2) Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Scale – COPE – 1 (Carver et al., 1989), adapted for Bulgarian conditions (M. Georgiev et al., 2003) and 3) Research methods of psychic instability and sensation seeking, adapted by A. Velichkov and M. Radoslavova (2005). It is based on M. Zuckerman’s methods (1979, 1994). The researched participants in military missions and the explorers from Antarctic expeditions showed significant differences along the indexes between the two groups. The participants in military mission have lower values along all scales of the need of sensation seeking in comparison with the established norms for the Bulgarian sample and higher values of the need of security. The results of the participants in the Antarctic expeditions are particularly interesting. Regardless of their pronounced inclination to adventurous experiences and risky behavior, to hasty and impulsive actions, when subjected to tension, uncertainty and stress they revert to cognitive engaged coping strategies, which suppose active coping, planning, mobilization and a sense of control over the situation. The established regularities are a valuable reference point both for the selection of the participants in military missions and expeditions and for the insurance of their safety.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.01.6

Authors: Giurka Gantcheva, Emil Videv, Bisser Grigorov

Abstract: Rhythmical abilities, being part of the coordination abilities of athletes, are an important factor for the successful realization in the complex-coordination kinds of sports. The initial learning of the exercises requires the strict following of a rhythm, set with music, to distinguish the different phases of motor activities and their duration. The rhythm of motor activities is subjected to the inner rhythm of the performer, to the different rhythm of the movements with the apparatuses, and to the rhythmical structure of the music accompaniment. The rhythmical execution and the harmonious connection between movements and music is one of the major characteristics of gymnastics events. The aim of the research is to study the rhythmical abilities of athletes, practicing kinds of sports whose motor activity requires the use of musical accompaniment and those which do not require such. The research was done among 72 individuals. Methods: For coordination in rhythm we used four tests: Frontal kicking with legs and armsonthewall - (Fkla), Jumpsinfoursquares – (J4sq), Crossover jumps in four squares – (Cj4sq), Kicking with legs and arms – (Kla). The results from the tests – Jumps in four squares и Crossover jumps in four squares – correlate with each other significantly with the gymnasts (.710**) and moderately with the athletes practicing other kinds of sports (.358**). The results from the agility tests correlate significantly with the gymnasts (.723**), and moderately with the athletes from the other sports (.654**). The mean values (х=10.20, х=4.41) and (х=10.6, х=8.24) of the tests, performed with arms and legs are better with the gymnasts. The results from the research showed the necessity of adapting the applied tests so that they could be implemented in research with different age groups.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.01.5

Authors: Petar Peev, Marin Gadev

Abstract: Focus of this research is the relationship between the motor abilities. The interest in this topic is dictated from the fact that there isn’t enough information about it in elite female football. For the purpose of the research we made tests to define the level of development of the motor abilities of 68 elite female football players. We also made a descriptive statistics and correlation analysis and we received the following results: descriptive statistics shows that the researched indicators are highly homogeneous (in range of V% =2,67 to 5,05); the correlation between accelerative abilities and maximal sprinting abilities is moderate and positive (r= 0,634); the correlation between power abilities with explosive character and other researched abilities is moderate and negative (r= -0,430, r= -0,494, r= -0,455); the speed endurance abilities have moderate to strong and positive correlation with the accelerative and maximal sprinting abilities (r= 0,600, r= 0,809). Conclusions: 1) Improving the power abilities with explosive character creates beneficial conditions in development of the other motor abilities; 2) Improving of the speed abilities is a major component of the conditioning in female soccer; 3) The most important factor for improving the speed endurance is creating a “speed reserve”.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.01.4

Authors: Mihail Kachaunov

Abstract: The aim of this study was to seek a possible significant correlation between post-competition blood lactate concentrations (BLc) and the times achieved in swimming events. The research was done among 71 swimmers (44 men and 27 women) of the Bulgarian national swimming team. The average age of the participants was 17.48 ± 2.50 years (18.02 ± 2.62 for men and 16.59 ± 2.00 for women). Blood lactate concentrations were measured 3 to 6 min after the finals of all individual swimming events in official competitions and the time ranged between 653 and 898 FINA points. The total number of measurements was 280 (175 samples from men and 105 from women) collected during a 3-year period (2016 -2018). The results indicated that the highest mean values of BLc were obtained after sprint distances: men’s 100 m freestyle (16.91 ± 4.32 mmol/L) and women’s 100 m butterfly (16.89 ± 2.35 mmol/L). The lowest mean values were measured after distance swimming of 1500 m freestyle: 7.14 ± 3.34 mmol/L for the man and 5.10 mmol/L for the women. Statistically significant coefficients of correlation between swimming times and BLc were observed in men’s swimming events of 100 m butterfly (r = -0.484); 100 m backstroke (r = -0.721); 100 m freestyle (r = -0.854); 50 m freestyle (r = -0.891) and women’s swimming event of 50 m freestyle (r = -0.688). In conclusion, there is no statistically significant difference in the post-competitive BLc levels depending on gender; significant differences in mean values of BLc between breaststroke and all other strokes; in sprint swimming events (especially in 100 m freestyle) statistically significant correlations between BLc and swimming times were observed.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2018.01.2

Authors: Iveta Bonova

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in the sports achievements for 5,000 meters running as a result of interval normobaric hypoxia training. Ten college sportsmen preparing for national and students long distance track and field championships, were randomly assigned into two groups - Experimental and Control. The Experimental group performed 3 training sessions weekly with interval normobaric hypoxia. The experiment was of 6 weeks duration. Every new week the hypoxic stimulus was increased with 500 m simulated altitude while speed of running remained constant during the whole experiment. The training speed of running was determined individually as 70% from the maximal running speed at VO2 max from incremental cardio-pulmonary test to exhaustion. The control group was performing standard training at 560 m altitude. The results show statistically significant improvement (p< 0.05) in the sports results in the experimental group which improved their personal best records in 5000 m long distance. The results also show small, but significant increase in VO2 max for the Experimental group, while there is not such a tendency in the Control group

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2017.02.9

Authors: Lachezar Stefanov, Ivan Ivanov, Daniela Aleksieva

Abstract: Cycling is a sport that integrates man‘s physical condition and the technical parameters of the cycle. The position of the body in relation to the cycle is particularly important for obtaining results of this physical activity. Together with the other factors determining the right upright posture saddle height is also important. We studied the relationship between the Monark 618-E cycle ergometer saddle height and mechanical effectiveness when pedalling. For this purpose, we chose the Wingate cycle ergometer anaerobic test. We studied 8 men volunteers, aged between 19 to 25 years, all of them students at the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski” in Sofia, with major - cycling coach. The research demonstrates that the lower height of the saddle compared to the one recommended in the “Heel” method, leads to lower mechanical effectiveness of pedalling in terms of W/kg body weight. This affects both the maximal and the average power of pedalling, with statistical significance of 99% determined by Mann-Whitney non-parametric test. Relative to the literature discussed, the study presents new evidence of the height of the cycle saddle for mechanical pedaling effectiveness.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2017.02.6

Authors: Dorothea Stefanova, Borislava Petrova

Abstract: The Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is the most commonly used test for the assessment of anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity of athletes. The well-known parameters recorded during the WAnT routine procedure, in our opinion, could be subjected to additional analysis generating substantial additional physiological data. The aim of this study was to develop a new, easy to set up method estimating the relationship between the contribution of the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems in athletes performing WAnT. A parallel registration of WAnT parameters and the oxygen consumption breath by breath was done. Thus, the indicators for the activity of the aerobic and anaerobic systems, ensuring the physical effort in each segment (in seconds) of the test, were calculated. The proposed method was introduced and applied to twelve soccer players, 14 years of age; height 164,7±8,0 cm; body weight 50,7±9,2 kg; maximal heart rate 195,7±7,0 bpm; maximal oxygen uptake 58,1±9,9 ml.kg-1. Participants were tested twice, before and after 5 months specialized training program focussed on the improvement of speed/power and endurance. Statistically significant progress was found in: Total power output by 16,4%; O2 deficit by 32,4%; O2 deficit/O2 excess by 80,3% in favor of the deficit. It was established that the differences in the calculated physiological parameters during the performance of the WAnT before and after the fivemonth training program are more pronounced compared to the ergometric ones, especially with regard to the participation of each system in energy processes. The results indicate that the proposed physiological parameters are of high sensitivity and reflect strong associations with the metabolic changes in response to the training modalities. The method is easy to implement, allowing quick analysis of the individual results and its application in exercise physiology laboratories and the sports practice could be beneficial.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2017.02.5

Authors: Diana Dimitrova, Galina Vanlyan

Abstract: Introduction: There is still conflicting information about the prevalence of EDs with female athletes. The results for different countries and subpopulations of athletes also show large variations due to various reasons including intercultural differences, eating habits and behaviors. Purpose: The aim of this first for Bulgaria study was to examine the prevalence of eating disorder attitudes and behaviors among Bulgarian female athletes and to estimate how eating disorders vary across the nature of the sport and level of proficiency. Methods: A total of 363 female athletes, aged between 12-25 years participated in the study. All participants completed an anonymous paper-based EDE-Q and provided information about their age, sports experience, participation in competitions and competitive level. The subjects were divided into groups according to the type of sport (aesthetic and non-aesthetic) and level of participation (non-competitive, low and high competitive level). Results: There were no differences between the athletes in the subgroups with respect to any of the EDE-Q subscales. On the basis of pre-established cutoff score of 4 on EDE-Q scales and the presence of pathological eating behavior we found the same prevalence rate of eating disorder with female athletes in both aesthetic sports (33.3%) and non-aesthetic sports (31.8%). Although the tendency of increasing the incidents with DE was observed, the statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the three groups with respect to the level of participation. Conclusion: This study found a relatively high prevalence of abnormal eating patterns with Bulgarian female athletes, as measured by EDE-Q. Eating disorder behavior is a prerequisite for increased risk of mental eating disorders and serious health problems.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2017.02.4

Authors: Galina Rogleva, Tatiana Iancheva, Aleksander Shopov

Abstract: The ХХV Bulgarian Antarctic expedition on the Livingston isles, which included scientists and alpinists, began in November 2016. The participants’ activities are highly dependent on the extreme conditions they are in. The aim of the present research is to study dynamics of anxiety and perceived stress and to find a relation with the participants’ preferred strategies for coping with stress in highly risky activities in an extreme climatic and social environment. Subject of the study were 21 participants in the ХХV Bulgarian Antarctic expedition, mean age 27 and 70. We have used Bulgarian adaptation of: Spielberger‘s Anxiety Inventory (STAI); Questionnaire for perceived stress (PS-1) and Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced scale – COPE 1. The first two tests were applied before the departure for Antarctica and before the return to Bulgaria. The level of perceived stress in the beginning of the expedition is significantly higher compared to the results obtained in the end of the expedition. Similar results were observed in terms of situational anxiety, which refers to the dynamic mental states. The cognitive engagement coping strategies are the main ones, whereas cognitive and emotional disengagement strategies are the least used. The results from the regression analysis show that the high levels of perceived stress has the biggest impact on the levels of anxiety in participants studied. The present study adds to the understanding the role of anxiety and perceived stress in difficult and challenging missions in extreme conditions in highly risky activities.

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DOI: 10.37393/JASS.2017.02.3

Authors: Mariana Borukova

Abstract: Knowing the age and gender characteristics of children is a prerequisite for the sports pedagogue to manage the different stages of the multi-annual sports training. The complex development of motor skills raises the question of the assessment and control of the specific functional training of the athletes. Permanent control over the level of development of basic motor skills allows coaches to determine the main directions for optimization of the educational and training process and to work more effectively for the development of specific technical and tactical skills of adolescent basketball players. Undoubtedly, one of the main factors of gaming efficiency is the ability of the athletes to materialize their motor potential in rational technical and tactical actions. To the greatest extent, the contribution of each of the indicators studied to the sports performance of an individual or group depends on 3-4 key factors. The disclosure of the factor structure of physical development and the specific work capacity of 14-15-year-old basketball players is of high information value for the optimization of the training process. In the present study, the five identified factors have the largest contribution to the basketball achievement for this age group.

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