The muscles that exert most during sport climbing are the finger flexors followed by elbow flexors (EF). Nevertheless, climbers’ EF strength and endurance were not tested in an isolated manner and EF endurance was not assessed at different relative intensities. Purpose: To determine the importance of EF maximal strength and endurance in sport climbing. Methods: Nine male sport climbers and a control group of seven male sport students performed an EF maximal strength (MS) test and four EF endurance tests representing isometric muscle contractions at 90%, 70%, 50% and 30% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Results: Sport climbers sustained longer than the controls at 70 % (39±11 versus 28±7 s; p=0.044, ?2=0.259) and 50% MVC (57±10 versus 48±6 s; p=0.050, ?2 =0.248). The highest effect size was estimated for the force-time integral related to body mass at 70% MVC (107±27 versus 75±18 N.s/kg; p=0.018, ?2 = 0.338). The two groups did not differ in MS (313±52 versus 338±55 N; p=0.372) or MS related to body mass (4.6±0.6 versus 4.2±0.8 N/kg; p=0.623). Climbing ability significantly correlated only with MS related to body mass. The relationship between MS related to body mas and onsight ability was strong (r=0.806, p=0.016). Conclusion: EF strength and endurance appear to be key performance factors in sport climbing. Sport climbing demands a high level of EF endurance during muscle contractions of high intensity. An excessive increase of EF endurance would not necessary lead to a significant improvement in climbing ability. However, higher climbing ability demands increased EF maximal strength.

Yoga is an ancient system with complex effect on humans. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the different structural groups of yoga exercises on the balance abilities of the practitioners. The object of the research was the balance stability. The subject of the study was the value and frequency fluctuations of COG during the execution of the control balance exercise. A contingent of the study was a group of 25 practitioners. The basic scientific method used for the realization of this research is the method of posturographic analysis. It allows to determine the dynamics of COG. The practical experiment includes measurments after every training impact with various structural groups of yoga exercises. The results concern the movements of the projection of COG. The collected data is presented through tables and graphs. The results reflect the dynamics of the COG during the execution of the balance exercise. Thus, this paper established the effect of the impact of various yogic exercises on the balance stability of the participants.

Contemporary sport induces a serious physical and mental stress in athletes. This could result in lowering of their sports performance. Thus, the evaluation of stress in athletes is an important milestone in their preparation. Establishing levels of stress would allow targeted work by coaches and sports specialists to increase the resistance of competitors to stress. In this regard, the use of non-invasive methods for stress testing is essential. Recently, the use of saliva as a biological research material becomes of increasing interest. The aim of this study was to establish the potential of alpha amylase activity, protein and potassium concentrations in saliva to reflect adequately the degree of stress in athletes. Eleven boxers, participants in the National Championship, took part in the study. Saliva was collected by salivetes three times: 1) one week before the competition, 2) before the draw of lot, and 3) before the first bout. The salivary alpha amylase activity (sAA), protein and potassium concentrations were detected with commercially available kits. The sAA, protein and K+ concentrations rose significantly in stress conditions. The individual values of sAA showed large differences that could be explained by the poly-allelic expression of sAA whose activity depends on the number of alleles (2 to 14) with each individual. All tested indices could serve as indicators for evaluation of stress level in athletes as a high correlation between the protein and K+ and sAA values was found. In order to evaluate the changes in sAA and to compare the individual results between athletes we suggested the sAA to be presented in relative units. The activities, measured in calm conditions long time before a competition could be assumed as a baseline and the coefficient of increase in sAA in a stressful condition could be accepted as a “stress coefficient”.

Contemporary professional dance art is close, to a great extent, to sport of excellence. The requirements to performers are constantly increasing and hence the need of properly organised specialised training, including a system of drills, stretching and dance exercise for developing their motor skills. The aim of this empirical study is to establish the need of including a specialised methodology for the development of the motor skills in the dance practice in the Republic of Turkey – strength and flexibility for the dancers of Turkish folk dances. The tasks are: to study the dance practice in the Republic of Turkey and to explore the views of the future dance pedagogues on the implementation of a program in dance training for the development of motor skills. The survey was conducted among dance students of Turkish folk dances with the help of a specially designed questionnaire. Our sustained observations and the analysis of the existing literature show lack of exhaustive research in the field of the dance theory and practice in the Republic of Turkey. There is insufficient data on the existence of a uniform methodology for working in the dance groups for the development of flexibility and strength with the use of specially elaborated programs, including dance exercises. The results of the conducted survey confirm the absence of a unified and purposeful work in this area. At present, in teaching dance, there is not enough emphasis put on the purposeful development of dancers’ motor skills. Given the increasing requirements dancers face, we consider it unreasonable that the scientific achievements not be widely introduced in the pedagogic practice in Turkey. Such discrepancy between theory and practice may have serious consequences – an increased risk of injuries and lasting disabilities, shorter career as a dancer and a debased professional satisfaction.

A number of scientific studies in the field of sports psychology are aimed at revealing the reasons, factors and conditions, which lead to success. The other side of the problem – how we cope with success – remains underestimated. The effect of the subjective experience of success can lead to different behavior effects - from mobilization and psychic upsurge to self-reassurance, disorganization, and loss of activity. The consequences of success make the researchers examine their connection with different coping strategies. The aim of the present study is to examine how success is defined, how its determinants and consequences are interpreted, and what their connection with the applied coping strategies is. The research was done among 115 athletes, practicing different kinds of sport, divided into groups depending on their gender, age, and qualification. We used: 1) Specially developed scale for surveying the attitude to success; 2) Coping Orientation s to Problems Experienced scale – COPE –1 (Carver, et al., 1989),adapted for Bulgarian conditions and optimized for sports practice (Georgiev at al., 2003). Athletes define success mainly as confidence and assertiveness. Mobilization and belief in one’s abilities is dominant. The most important factors for success are good preparation and input efforts. There are some negative consequences with some of the athletes – remissness, insufficient efforts, enhanced emotional reactions. The leading ones are cognitively engaged coping strategies. There are significant differences depending on age, gender, and qualification. The dependences between the researched indexes were given. The obtained results and established regularities direct the attention to possibilities of control and regulation of the negative consequences in the process of preparation with appropriate purposeful, scientifically proven influences, part of which are the coping strategies.

Cellulite is a very common problem with women of all ages, and many of them try to solve it using various methods. To evaluate the effect of swimming and physiotherapy on subcutaneous fat in overweight women with female type of adipose deposition. The research was done among 38 women aged between 22 and 48 years, with gynoid accumulation of fat and cellulite II, III-A and III-B classes. For one month, a complex of fifteen procedures was applied every other day. The procedures included a combination of the following methods: free style intermittent swimming for 20 min in a pool, a vacuum massage - 30 min, a lymphatic press massage - 20 min, a manual massage with anti-cellulite creams - 20 min. The combination of exercises for the muscles of the abdominal wall, hip muscles and thighs had to be performed at home daily. Five circumferences and ten skin folds were measured before and after the treatment. We found out that a total of ten skin folds was an integral indicator of the nutritional obesity degree and level of subcutaneous fat. At the end of the study, subcutaneous fat was reduced from 222.4 mm to 209.9 mm (10.34%). The reduction of the skin folds, typical for gynoid type deposition of fat and cellulites, was the most pronounced in the following zones: a fold over anterior superior iliac spine, a fold over the patella, a fold in the popliteal fossa and a fold on the medial side of the cruris. The results of the complex therapeutic approach revealed a reduction in the examined indicators within the first month. It is suitable to apply swimming and physiotherapy in the comprehensive treatment of cellulite with women who have female type of adipose deposition.

The motivation for conducting the present research is the creation of kinesitherapeutic algorithms adapted to visually impaired student so that they can achieve greater autonomy and activity in motor skills during sports classes. The aim of the study is to develop a kinesitherapeutic program to improve the physical fitness of students with visual impairments during their sports classes. Tasks: To explore the peculiarities of the students’ adaptation to regular physical workload; To analyze the students’ social behavior and attitude within and outside the group; To optimize the methods of teaching sport. The research was done among 105 people (male and female) with major Vision-impaired Masseurs. The Kinesitherapeutic Program included five successive stages: 1. Improving coordination 2. Training proper breathing. 3. Investigating and practicing Chi gon exercise. 4. Learning and applying yoga exercises. 5. Filling in a questionnaire. The survey shows that 82.86% of students believe the kinesitherapeutic program improves their autonomy and locomotion activity, increases their motor skills and physical fitness. The kinesitherapeutic program is applicable to pupils as well as students with visual disturbances with different majors. For the first time, sports classes combine Chi gong and yoga exercises with static-strength workouts and balance exercises to increase physical activity as well as to prevent and treat clinical conditions associated with visual disturbances.

The respiratory function of patients with stroke becomes worse and may lead to restrictive disorders in ventilation and pulmonary complications. The purpose of this study is to establish the ability to influence respiratory disorders through a feedback breathing device in the acute period after a stroke. The research was done among 59 patients who were monitored in the acute period after an ischemic stroke. They were divided into two groups, exercise group (EG) and control group (CG), according to their consent to perform breathing exercises at home. Forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1) and inspiratory capacity (IC) were measured. There were significant differences in the first month in the PEF and IC between the two groups. All spirometric parameters improved in the EG with significant increase in FEV1 and IC. The conducted study and the results indicate that goal-oriented training by incentive breathing device provides informative feedback on inspiration, facilitates cognitive stage, and positively influences inspiratory capacity among patients with acute ischemic stroke. The self-control during breathing facilitates early involvement of the basic principles of motor learning.

Aim: This research aims to evaluate the effect of swimming and physiotherapy in a complex treatment of patients with nephrolithiasis treated under sanatorium conditions. Materials and methods: Twenty patients with nephrolithiasis who can swim, were surveyed and all of them were included in the experimental group (EG n=20). They performed swimming and physical therapy. Mean age of EG was 44.1 years. Swimming was not applied to another twenty-eight patients with the same disease, because they cannot swim. They were included in the control group (CG n=28). Mean age of CG was 49.5 years. For the purpose of the research changes in: body weight, vital capacity, abdominal muscle strength and elimination of the concretions visualized by ultrasound imaging were assessed. During their 15-day sanatorium stay, all patients performed daily physiotherapy for half an hour, tourist hikes and in addition patients of EG swam twice daily for 15 min. Results: The results revealed that the applied physiotherapy and swimming significantly improved the monitored indicators. Targeted physical exercises were effective for increasing the effect of balneological treatment, leading to clearly expressed positive changes among patients with nephrolithiasis. Conclusion: The study revealed that the rehabilitation program consisting of therapeutic exercises and swimming benefited the patients of the experimental group.

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 highintensity 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.