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Learning artistic gymnastics skills in childhood can increase children’s capacity for skill performance and improve their motor abilities and fundamental movement skills. Gymnastics vaulting is a complex motor skill and requires teaching of individual elements and slowly combining the pieces into a whole. In such progression it is important to track the improvement and define the dynamics of learning process. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the level of acquisition of the springboard jump in novices in the beginning and at the end of a three-month learning process. The sample of respondents was comprised out of 76 first-class students (44 female and 32 male students with a mean age of 7 years). Besides their regular physical education classes, they attended additional gymnastics lessons. The sample of variables represented a single vaulting skill - springboard vertical jump. The criteria for the assessment of this skill were clearly defined on a 5-point Likert scale and assessed by 5 experience judges. Children were assessed at the beginning of the gymnastics program and after three-month time. Besides descriptive parameters, three t-tests were administered to determine the differences between the assessments separately for boys and girls and for determining the differences between boys and girls. The results of dependent t-tests clearly identified significant differences between the two assessments of springboard jump both in boys (p=0.00) and girls (p=0.00). Such a result suggests that the additional gymnastics program produced significant changes in the degree of acquisition of springboard jump. However, the numerical values (from grade 2 to grade 3) suggest that children still haven’t developed the skill to a highest point. T-test for independent samples revealed that no differences occurred between the sexes neither in the initial (p=0.32) nor the final assessment (p=0.69), which was expected due to previous findings of similar skills. The observed progress in the performance of the springboard jump in both boys and girls suggests that a three-month gymnastics program can significantly improve children’s vaulting skills. However, this period is not enough for children this age to master such skill and they need additional exercising time. Since gender differences were not found, we can conclude that the similar development of specific artistic gymnastics skills is accompanied by the similar development of fundamental movement skills in 7- year-olds.

Basic motor abilities are crucial in the early phases of the motor learning process. As individuals go through different learning stages, the question is are the same motor abilities important in all learning stages? So, the main goal of this study was to determine relations between motor abilities and gymnastics skills in different stages of learning in adult beginners. Sample of respondents were 40 second-year physical education students who attended the gymnastics classes for 15 weeks, two times per week for 90 minutes. Two sets of variables were used: 7 motor abilities and 9 gymnastics skills variables, which were tested two times (first and final week of classes). Regression analyses were used to check for possible influence between motor abilities and individual gymnastics skills. Results suggest that the set of predictors has a significant influence only on the variable of mount pullover in the first measurement (R=0.70, R2=0.49) and on the variable scale in the final measurement (R=0.71, R2=0.49). Individually, medicine ball throw (p

The subject sample was composed of N=293 gymnasts who competed at the 49th FIG Men's Senior Artistic Gymnastics World Championships (Stuttgart, GER) and N=134 gymnasts who competed at the 1st FIG Men's Junior Artistic Gymnastics World Championships ( Gyor, HUN). This study aimed to determine the differences between the two age groups of gymnasts (juniors and seniors) in all the predictor variables by analyzing the Ddifficulty score, E-execution score and FS-final score from 6 apparatus: Floor Exercise (FX), Pommel Horse (PH), Rings (RI), Vault (VT), Parallel Bars (PB), High Bar ( HB). The E jury score is no different during the competition. Average D and FS scores on the vault are significantly higher than on all other apparatus. The study established significant differences between the samples in almost all the analyzed scores. The results of the independent t-test were significant, indicating there a significant difference between juniors and seniors is 7.4 years of age. We can conclude that juniors and seniors differ significantly in D scores, and the FS final scores without making a big difference in the performance technique of the composition in the E scores: Q = qualification (C-I), AAF = all-around finals (C-II), TF = team finals (C- III) and AF = apparatus finals. Based on what was presented in the work, the importance of the permanent identification of how to reach the maximum potential of how to determine team competition strategy, should we strive for the balanced development of all disciplines, do you intensify one or a combination of discipline groups, which disciplines have the most positive transfer to other disciplines, what disciplines are most contributing to success?

The aim of this study was to determine the differences between the two age groups of gymnasts (juniors and seniors) in all the predictor variables by analysing the D, E and FS score. In team competition, the highest scores are on the VT and the lowest on the BB. Average FS scores on vault are significantly higher than on all other apparatus.

Kolut naprijed osnovni je akrobatski element u čijoj se metodici primjenjuje velik broj metodtskih postupaka. Isti, između ostalog podrazumijevaju izvedbu ovog elementa iz različitih početnih položaja i u različitim završnim položajima. Cilj ovog rada bio je prikazati moguće početne i završne položaje prilikom izvedbe ovog elementa.

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of experimental short-term program of intensive training of alpine skiing techniques (experimental program) on morphological characteristics (body composition) of students. The sample is divided into an experimental group (31 males, age 21.4 ± 1 and body height 180.7 ± 6.3cm) beginners who were on skis for the first time and control group (34 males, age 20.6 ± .8 and body height 180.3 ± 6.8 cm). The following body parameters were measured at the beginning and end of the experimental program: body weight, body mass index, fat percent, total weight (in kg) of fat in the body, total weight (in kg) of body mass without body fat, total weight (in kg) of water in the body. To determine the effects of an experimental program on some morphological characteristics of students a univariate covariance analysis was applied. Results of ANCOVA show statistically significant effects of the applied experimental program in variable total weight (in kg) of water in the body p = .018 where the variable showed higher values for the experimental group compared to the control group

After Vault Qualifications (in C-I competition), the top eight scores, maximum two gymnasts from one national team, qualify for Vault Finals. During the Vault Finals, these top female vaulters need to perform two different vaults. The aim of this study was to determine: 1)trends of the Difficulty Scores (DS), Execution Scores (ES) and Total Scores (TS) of the first vault and the second vault ; 2) differences between differently ranked gymnasts (Medal Winners vs Non-Medal Winners) on all major competitions held from 2008 to 2016. An increase in results of all scores, from initial competition (OG2008) to final competition (OG2016), confirms the progress in quality and complexity of the female vaults. Numerically higher values of all scores have been demonstrated for Medal Winners compared to Non- Medal Winners, but only some of them have been determined to be significant. The ES has been determined as the score that makes the difference among differently ranked gymnasts.

The aim of the research was to analysis development and the age structure of male and female participants at the Olympic Games (OG) and World Championships (WC) from 2003 until 2016. The total number of analyzed WC participants in men's artistic gymnastics (MAG) was 2678 and the women's artistic gymnastics (WAG) was 1981 ; while at the OG in MAG 391 and in WAG 389. In the last 15 years, there has been identified a linear and second-order polynomial- regression increase in the age structure of participants in MAG and WAG in the largest world competitions. In the analyzed period of time, MAG and WAG age of gymnasts increased. The male gymnasts from 2003 to 2016 are on average older for 2.3 years and female gymnasts for 3.3 years. In the upcoming period, we do expect (with apparatus specialization) that age will rise.

The Olympic Games (OG) and World Championships (WC) represent the crown of each athlete’s career, so it is the same with gymnasts. The aims of this study it was to investigate the historical analysis of the chronological age trend of all participants of women’s artistic gymnastics who have won medals in the period between 1928 and 2016 has been made. The examinees were gymnasts who had won medals at the following competitions: OG from 1928 to 2016 (n = 655) and WC from 1934 to 2015 (n = 997). If we compare the age of the WAG by disciplines, the oldest gymnasts are on the BB with an average age on (OG 20.88 ± 4.93) and on VT (WC 19.79 ± 4.17) years old, and the youngest in the FX (OG 20.24 ± 4.14) and BB (WC 18.38 ± 3.62). The results of independent t test were significant difference between OG and WC on All- around individual (AAI), Valuting table (VT), Uneven bars (UB), Balance beam (BB), Floor (FX), and second place on AAI, BB and FX. Since artistic gymnastics becomes each Olympic cycle over more demanding in terms of complexity and difficulty value of the elements, it is expected fact that gymnasts need more time to acquire stability, experience and safety when performing such complex exercises in future.

Purpose. Success in sports certainly depends on the morphological characteristics of the athletes, some of which are basic body height and weight, which are evaluated with respect to the current age of athletes. The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in the body height and weight between the disciplines of the male and female participants on the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Basic procedures. The sample included all the Olympic Athletes in Rio de Janeiro 2016, (191 athletes ; WAG, n = 97 and MAG, n = 94). The following variables were chosen: body weight (kg), body height (cm). Main findings. The results did not show significant differences between six apparatus in men's artistic gymnastics and four in womens artistic gymnastics in body height and weight. In the Olympic Games 2016, women are on average shorter than men for 12.34 cm and weight less for 14.75 kg. Correlations between body height and weight amounts to (MAG: R=.712 ; p < 0.01) and (WAG: R=.755 ; p < 0.01). Conclusions. This research is important in setting comparative parameters in the selection process and sport specialization regarding morphological characteristics according to different events of gymnasts in the elite level.

The OG and WC represent the crown of each athlete’s career, so it is the same with gymnasts. The aims of this study were to investigate the historical analysis of the chronological age trend of all participants of men’s artistic gymnastics who have won medals in the period between 1896 and 2016 has been made. The examinees were gymnasts who had won medals at the following competitions: Olympic Games (OG) from 1896 to 2016 (n=1177) and World Championships (WC) from 1903 to 2015 (n=1651). The oldest gymnasts are on the Rings with an average age on (OG: M = 26.48, SD = 3.85) and (WC: M = 40.23, SD = 3.50) years old, and the youngest in the same are contestants (OG: Floor = 23.09, SD = 3.88) and (WC: M = 7.86 SD = 4.02). The results of independent t-test were significant difference between OG and WC on Pommel horse (PH), Rings (RI), Parallel bars (PB), All-around individual (AAI) first place and Parallel bars (PB) first place. Changes in the General Rules and Code of Points by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique after 1997 years the trend is a significant change only on WC but not on OG. Since artistic gymnastics becomes each Olympic cycle over more demanding in terms of complexity and difficulty value of the elements, it is expected fact that gymnasts need more time to acquire stability, experience, and safety when performing such complex exercises in the future.

Physical inactivity and intensive sports activity have been found to be associated with Lower Back Pain - LBP. The aim of this study is to present the data about the prevalence of LBP in young adults and its associations with vitality, physical activity and emotions. We also studied the impact of low back pain on daily activity. The study sample presented (n = 323) students from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the chronological age of 21.06 ± 1.93 years. The current study assessed the level of LBP amongst students of Faculty of Sport with the level of physical activity in last six months. Average values of body mass index – BMI was: FFK – Skopje 23.13 (2.53), FTOS – Tuzla 22.94 (2.37) i FASTO – Sarajevo 22.95 (2.66). We used the questionnaire, which included the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) for the evaluation of levels of chronic pain. With a Short Health Survey (SF-36) we have established the health status. All tested students (n = 323) had pain intensity at some point in last six months. Seventy three procents of students (n = 236) reported prevalence of LBP. In this study body mass index, level of physical activity were not significant independent predictors of intensity and disability scores. 3/4 of all respondents said to have had any episode LBP. The results of our study can be used by officials in the area of prevention to support efforts to improve the health of the student population and to reduce the LBP risk

Despite the fact that they predominantly qualified as All-Around competitors for the Olympic Games in Beijing (OG2012), only about 61% of gymnasts competed All-Around in the Qualifying competition (C-I), while others competed on some or only on one apparatus. The smallest percentage of gymnasts competed the vault (70%) ; the apparatus on which the lowest value of Difficulty Score (DS=5.35), the highest value of the Execution Score (ES=8.43) and finally the highest Final Score (FS=14.03) were determined, as compared to other apparatuses. Approximately 82% competitors competed in Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor. Although these were the world's best gymnasts, significant differences were determined in almost all DS, ES and FS (of all apparatuses) between differently ranked All-Around competitors of the C-I competition at the OG2012. These results are probably the consequence of tactics, but also the objectives of different gymnasts related to the results at the Olympic Games. The selection of appropriate tactics is the key in extending relatively short career of elite female gymnasts.

On a sample of all female gymnasts judges scores (n=5795) from 2006 to 2011 year, we analyzed the score of judges results from the European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. The subject of the analysis was the D, E and F scores competitors got for the exercises shown in the qualifying competition (CI). The main objective of this study was determination of the differences on individual apparatus and between competitions. The results of the analysis show that the marks differ from one to another competition. The evaluation at the vault is not currently on equal footing with the results of evaluations of all-round competition and the Code of Points (FIG, 2006, 2009) should be revised in terms of the starting D marks for vaults, because this apparatus shows the small-scale deduction by the E referee committee in comparison with other apparatus. The distribution of evaluation of the D and E referee committee in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics in the major competitions shows that 8 variables do not have a normal distribution of the results. Final score results (F) shows that only 4 variables do not have a normal distribution of the results (VT: WCh ; UB: ECh and WCh ; BB: ECh).

According to the official curricula, teaching of some gymnastics skills should be implemented in physical education in elementary school. However, due to various restriction factors, and mostly because of the inappropriate material conditions, the teaching of gymnastics skills is absent. Apart from the school system, teaching and training of structurally simple gymnastics skills should be carried out in extracurricular sports activities because of the positive transfer of gymnastics skills on skills of various sports disciplines. According to those facts, the aim of this study was to: 1) determine the level of gymnastics skills from the official curriculum of physical education for female (N = 126) and male (N = 110) sixth grade elementary school students ; 2) to determine the differences in levels of the analyzed gymnastics skills taking into account the pupils’ involvement in extracurricular sports activities. According to the results of the study, female students’ performance of the analyzed gymnastics skills is generally graded by a school mark good (3), and performance of male students is graded as sufficient (2). No significant difference in the level of gymnastics skills, with regard to involvement in extracurricular sports activities, was determined in male students, and in female students significant difference was determined only in the level of cartwheel

At the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, on the second year (3. semester) of the study female students attend classes of sports gymnastics. Their program includes mostly gymnastics skills that are a part of the current physical education curricula in the elementary and secondary school. Primary aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of gymnastic skills, from the female students curricula, on vault, uneven bars, beam, floor and rings. Secondary aim of the study was to determine differences between average levels of knowledge achieved on different gymnastics apparatus. Results revealed: a) female students generally learn gymnastics skills on the level that is equivalent to school mark very good (4) ; b) there is no statistically significant difference between average levels of the skills on different gymnastics apparatus. Results confirmed adequacy of the sports gymnastics curriculum for the female students who attend it.

In order to determine the influence of some motor abilities on the performance of basic acrobatic elements of artistic gymnastics, in various stages of their acquisition, this study evaluated a sample of 44 first graders. ANOVA, with Fisher post hoc test, revealed significant differences in measured variables, at various stages of the learning process. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the influence of some motor abilities on the gymnastics skills in all phases of the learning process. Results confirmed a statistically significant effect of predictor variables on all analyzed skills in the initial point of the learning process, on four skills in the transitive point of the learning process and statistically significant influence on two skills in the final point of the learning process. The percentage of explained criteria variability ranged from 43% to 64%. It can be concluded that the application of the proper kinesiological treatment, which results with higher level of learned skills, reduces statistical reliability of the influence of motor abilities on the performance of some skills.

According to the Code of Points (FIG, 2009) the balance beam difficulty value is determined by the sum of maximum 8 most difficult elements (including the dismount), fulfilling 5 composition requirements and by the values that exceed from the connections between the acrobatic elements, turns and acro-rhythmic elements. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of performed dance elements on the balance beam and their influence on: difficulty value, execution value and final score. The sample consisted of 109 women top junior athletes, who participated in qualifications on the European Championships in Birmingham in 2010. The results obtained showed that the gymnasts in average perform 4.28 dance elements in their balance beam routines. The highest frequency was determined to a C difficulty jump ˝switch leap˝ (N=101), to two A difficulty jumps: “wolf hop or jump from cross or side position” (N=83) and to ˝Sissone˝ (leg separation 180°) take off from both legs (N=61) ; and to A difficulty turn: “1/1 turn (360°) on one leg – free leg optional below horizontal” (N=66). Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant influence of some dance elements on the difficulty value of the exercise (p

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship and effect between mechanical output in maximum vertical and horizontal jumping students 3 year of Faculty of PE and Sport, University of Tuzla, on the sample consisted of female (n=30) and male students (N=37). Sample of dependent variables were drop jumps from 20, 40, 60, 80, 100cm. A sample of independent variables included only one variable bunny jump: all data were analyzed using Tanita TBF-300A, Optojump, Brower Timing System and SPSS 17.0. Regression analysis explained (R Square) 34% of the common variables criteria. Analyzing the effect of individual variables, statistically significant effect on criterion variable was determined only to a variable drop jump from 80 cm (Beta: 0.611 ; p

The sample of study are gymnasts who competed at the World Championships in men's artistic gymnastics, which held in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010. The subject of the analysis were the scores that the gymnasts get the exercises shown in the qualifications (C1). From official results we made six variables: Floor Exercise (FX), Pommel Horse (PH), Still Rings (RI), Vault (VT), Parallel Bars (PB) and HIgh BAr (HB. The problem was to determine differences in ratings between the disciplines and the judges commission D, E and the final score (D+E). Final score of the vault is significantly different from the average of all other disciplines for 1, 483 points. The lowest score of all disciplines has pommel horse with 13.266 points, the highest scores is on the vault with 15.115 points. Vault has the lowest deduction by the E judges commission with 9.204 points and the lowest scores on the pommel horse with 8.009 points, which means that the average scores of all the disciplines vault different for 0.476 points. Vault has the highest D scores 6.125 points and the lowest scores on the pommel horse with 5.128 points., which means that the average scores of all disciplines vault different for 0.561 points. From a total of 36 t-tests showed that the three pairs differ significantly at level (p

The main objective of the study is to determine differences between male and female gymnasts in 4 mechanical variables during the qualification C.1 Aarhus (Denmark) 2006 in Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. On a sample of 449 gymnasts (44 MAG vault and 34 WAG vault) only 13 vaults are performed the same by men and women. During World Championship Qualification in Debrecen 2002 and Aarhus 2006 we found that only 14 men and women together performed first phases of the vaults the same. By analyzing the WCQ 2002 and WCQ 2006 only 20 male gymnasts executed second flight phases of the vaults the same. The results in 4 mechanical variables acquired from the vault elements performed by both male and female gymnasts are extremely high. Vault is the most studied biomechanical gymnastics apparatus because it is the only one during which gymnasts make only one skill (Sands et. al., 2003).