Journal of Applied Sports Sciences

3-12

Authors: Michail Michailov, Stanislava Lambreva, Diana Deneva, Hristo Andonov

The muscles that exert most during sport climbing are the finger flexors followed by elbow flexors (EF). nevertheless, climbers’ EF strength and endurance have not been tested in an isolated manner and EF endurance has not been assessed at different relative intensities. purpose: to determine the importance of EF maximal strength and endurance in sports climbing. methods: nine male sports climbers and a control group of seven male sports 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: sports climbers sustained longer than the controls at 70 % (39±11 versus 28±7 s; p=0.044, ^η2=0.259) and 50% MVC (57±10 versus 48±6 s; p=0.050, ^η2 =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, ^η2 = 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 mass and on sight ability was strong (r=0.806, p=0.016). conclusion: EF strength and endurance appear to be key performance factors in sports climbing. sports 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.

21-30

Authors: Lubomir Petrov, Albena Alexandrova, Evtim Lefterov

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”.

46-57

Authors: Tatiana Iancheva, Milena Kuleva

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.

63-77

Authors: Mariana Albert, Evald Albert

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.

84-89

Authors: Nikolay Izov, Ivan Maznev, Milena Nikolova, Dance Vasileva

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.