Journal of Applied Sports Sciences

13-25

Authors: Vladimir Angelov

Introduction: The relaxation is a psychophysiological state of a person and in particular of athletes. On the basis of the literature sources, two main types of relaxation can be defined – physi­cal and mental. Physical relaxation can be employed to reduce muscular tension and to improve coordination during the performance. It can be suggested that this psychophysiological state cre­ates appropriate conditions for the development of flexibility, speed and all psychomotor qualities. That’s why an alternative new means with relaxing effect in this study will be investigated. Aim: The aim of the study is to prove that the slow-dynamic gymnastic exercises practice leads to reduction of muscular tension. According to the hypothesis of the research, the applica­tion of the mentioned exercises will increase the performers’ sense of relaxation. The object of the study is a specialized set of gymnastic exercises which includes dynamic gymnastic exercises performed with slow movements and holding of static poses. Methods: The assessment of the relaxation degree was made through physiological and psychological parameters. The collected physiological data included heart rate, breathing fre­quency, blood pressure, and finger skin temperature measurement. The psychological data were assessed with Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory and four-point Likert type scale for self-rated relaxation. The measurements were made before and after the execution of the exercises. Results: Statistically significant changes were found for all variables studied, except systolic blood pressure. The comparison of the collected data from the two measurements showed the greatest differences in three indicators after the application of slow-dynamic gymnastic exer­cises – a decrease in the Spielberger Inventory results (-7.3 points, p<0.05), a decrease in the heart rate (-6 bpm, p<0.05) and an increase in the finger skin temperature of both hands (left: 3.5°, right: 3.8°, p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the established results confirm the hypothesis of the study and prove the relaxing effect of the slow-dynamic gymnastic exercises.

39-52

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

Young gymnasts should not have excessive body mass because that might lead to under-performance. Therefore, children practising 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.

66-76

Authors: Radoslav Penov, Milen Chalakov

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.

85-90

Authors: Rumiana Tasheva, Georgi Mitrev

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.

99-107

Authors: Oleg Hristov

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.

122-130

Authors: Mirela Hristova

Motor Competence (MC) is the ability to perform a wide range of motor activities, relying on adequate levels of motor coordination and physical capacity to achieve.The aim of this study was to assess the development of basic motor competence indicators among students with hearing impairment aged 7 to 11 years.The research was done among a total of 91 children aged 7 to 11 years, of whom 42 children with hearing impairment (14 girls, 28 boys) and 49 – with non-impaired hearing (26 girls, 23 boys). For the purpose of the study, the Kiphard and Schilling battery test – Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder (KTK, 1974) was used. It consists of 4 tests that were measured once. Based on these, four motor quotients were formed, which in turn formed the so-called “Gross Motor Quotient”. The results were processed statistically through variation and correlation analysis with the SPSS program.The results showed significantly lower development of motor competence among students with hearing impairment. The standardized motor quotients of the 4 tests (for boys - all 4; for girls - 3) and the total motor quotient were significantly lower than those of their hearing peers. The lack of significant differences in the mean values of the MQ3 in girls can be explained by the lower performance of the hearing girls compared to the KTK norms.As a conclusion, the motor competence of children with hearing impairment, assessed by both the overall motor quotient and the individual quotients obtained from the four tests is sig­nificantly lower than that of children with non-impaired hearing in primary school age.

150-156

Authors: Krassimir Rankov

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<0.005) was observed, as well as with more than 6-8 ms for sleep stage N3 (p<0.005). We found bigger dependence of PTT by Arousal Index (ArI) than AHI and Desaturation Index (DI). Therefore, PTT can be used as a good indicator of sleep fragmentation before the development of the clinical picture of UARS and OSA.As a good indicator for inspiratory effort and sympathetic changes in UARS and OSA, PTT gives an opportunity for early diagnosis of respiratory sleep disorders among athletes. Prevention, timely detection and appropriate treatment of sleep disorders before the development of their full clinical picture will improve the processes of recovery and performance in sports practice.

164-179

Authors: Efrem Karanfilov

This text covers theoretical and practical problems of the sport’s editor work in the conditions of media convergence. It provides analysis of issues, such as the trustworthiness of journalistic sources, the use of the social networks, the editor’s new functions and responsibilities. Another approach is the tendency for emphasizing more on the visualization as a message, which reveals completely new influence over the perception of the information and its influence for mind shaping among the society. The methods of research are based on content analyses, comparative analyses and historical review. The main researched objects are the technology of editing and framing the information in the modern media. The text combines theoretical knowledge and description of typical practical solutions, which editors may wish to apply in their day-to-day work.The main importance is given to presenting the rules and practices which combine the jour­nalistic principles and the requirements of the technologies, which are challenging the personal­ity of the journalists to have a wider and deeper all round preparation both in the humanitarian area and in the specific aspects of sport competition, and second – the operation skills, taking into consideration the modern aesthetical and technological tendencies in the media based on Internet communications.The research is based on the keys of media journalism in Bulgaria and selected media from Europe and USA from the recent years.It is the first investigation in the field of online editing in the sports media in Bulgaria and will serve as a guideline for further scientific research. It is also considered to be informative for the methodical practical preparation of sports journalists.