Acta Gymnica, 2022 (vol. 52)
Comparison of high-intensity patterns between possession games and small-sided games in professional soccer
Javier J. Vilamitjana, Gabriel I. Heinze, Pablo E. Verde, Julio Calleja-Gonzalez
Acta Gymnica e2022.009 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.009 
Background: Many specific games are practiced with the aim of maintaining the possession of the ball by the team. Among them, possession games (POG) are similar to small-sided games (SSG), and as such, have a few different characteristics.Objective: The aim of this study was to compare high-intensity patterns of professional soccer players in relation to the positional role between POG and SSG in professional soccer. Methods: A descriptive analysis was conducted over one season, during typical training sessions with 5 vs. 5 designs and 10 official matches. Twenty-six male professional players (age 24.7 ± 5 years, body mass 73.6 ± 7 kg, body...
Effect of Pilates training on respiration, joints mobility, and muscle strength in healthy middle-aged women with sedentary occupations
Olha Kolomiitseva, Anna Prikhodko, Inna Bodrenkova, Ihor Hrynchenko, Ivan Vashchenko, Roman Honchar
Acta Gymnica e2022.008 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.008
Background: Pilates training has proven to be an effective method of mental and physical conditioning in rehabilitation, and it has become increasingly popular within the general fitness community. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of Pilates training practice on the respiratory system, joint mobility, and muscle strength of healthy middle-aged women with sedentary occupation. Methods: Thirty-two healthy women (age 45.4 ± 2.3 years, range 40-49 years; body mass 73.5 ± 1.5 kg; body height 1.70 ± 0.03 m) were recruited and randomised into experimental (n = 18) and control (n = 14) groups. The experimental...
Feasibility randomized controlled trial of a virtual reality exergame to improve physical and cognitive functioning in older people
Agris Liepa, Jason Tang, Ingemara Jaundaldere, Evita Dubinina, Viesturs Larins
Acta Gymnica e2022.007 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.007
Background: Falls risk becomes more common with age and is associated with higher rates of disability, mortality, and healthcare costs. Exergames have shown to elicit improvements in prefrontal cortex activity, balance, and postural control of seniors, all of which are associated with fall risk, but it is unknown whether virtual reality (VR) exergames, played using a three-dimensional headset can enhance the effects of cognitive and physiological functioning. Objective: Evaluation of the effects of a co-produced VR exergame "Falling diamonds" on physical performance, trunk stability and cognition, three attributes linked to falls risk in seniors. Methods:...
Selected parameters characterizing physical activity behavior in pupils of the second grade of elementary school in the Ústí Region, Czech Republic
Ladislav Bláha, Josef Heidler
Acta Gymnica e2022.006 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.006
Background: By the application of pedometers and subjective evaluation techniques, one can obtain information about the importance of physical activities (PA) in the lifestyles of adolescents. The conduct of PA in the Ústí Region, which is a structurally affected region within the Czech Republic, may be specifically impinged upon. Objective: The aim of this study is to establish indicators of adolescent participation in PA during school days and weekends and to evaluate them from the point of view of recommended criteria for health. We compare our findings with other studies and draw attention to the role of school movement programs. Methods: Physical...
How different are soccer training sessions based on small-sided games? A cluster analysis to explore perceived exertion and training load
Diego Marqués-Jiménez, Jaime Sampaio, Julio Calleja-González, Ibon Echeazarra
Acta Gymnica e2022.005 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.005
Background: Soccer coaching staffs may have difficulties in classifying properly the load accomplished during training sessions and understanding how players rate the effort and the training load during the micro-cycles. Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate if the features and duration of training tasks can automatically classify the different weekly training sessions into different clusters, and to describe and compare the features and duration of training tasks, rating of perceived exertion and training load from the different training sessions across both classifications (prescribed by staff per day vs. automatically per cluster)....
Examining adolescent football dropout in the Czech Republic
William Crossan, Jiří Mudrák, Tadeáš Helešic
Acta Gymnica e2022.003 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.003
Background: Increases in early sport specialization, professionalization of youth sports, and leisure opportunities have led to growing numbers of youth dropping out of competitive sport. Understanding youth sport motivation and reasons for dropout is essential to crafting national federation policy, finance, and strategy decisions, as well as for clubs in aiding youth to reach their maximum potential. Objective: The study explored the leisure constraints perceived by former Czech youth football players as their main reasons for dropout. Based on leisure constraints theory, the hierarchical relationship between structural, intrapersonal, and interpersonal...
The influence of fatigue on internal and external load using game-based drills in junior and adult male basketball players
Karel Hůlka, Matěj Strniště, Michal Hrubý
Acta Gymnica e2022.002 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.002
Background: Fatigue demonstrated by decreasing performance seems to occur towards the ends of periods of matches and can lead to a win or loss of the match. Objective: This study aimed to assess the influence of fatigue on internal and external load using game-based drills in junior and adult male basketball players. Methods: A total of 50 elite basketball players participated in this study. Every participant was monitored by the Team Pro Polar system to find out heart rate and activity demands during a game-based drill. Mixed analysis of variance 2 × 4 was used. Results: Significant interactions between age category and playing quarter were found...
Gender-based differences in game-related statistics between winning and losing teams in an amateur handball league
Sveinn Þorgeirsson, Miguel Pic, Demetrio Lozano, Olafur Sigurgeirsson, Damir Sekulic, Jose M. Saavedra
Acta Gymnica e2022.001 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2022.001
Background: The literature on performance analysis in team handball has increased at the top level, but there has been far less research published at the amateur level. Objective: The objectives of the present study were: (i) to compare handball game-related statistics by match result (winning and losing teams) for the men's and women's teams in an amateur league, (ii) to compare handball game-related statistics by gender, and (iii) to identify characteristics that discriminated performance in amateur men and women handball leagues. Methods: The game-related statistics of the 190 matches (113 men, 77 women) played in the 2018/19 Icelandic League by...