Podología General y Biomecánica.

Analysis and assessment of athletes’ adaptation potential are important components of effective selection and prediction of sports successfulness. Purpose: study and analysis of kick boxers’ cardio-vascular system’s adaptation potentials under standard physical load and in recreation. Material: in the research kick boxers (n=17, students) participated. The athletes were divided into 2 groups, depending on reaction to physical load: 1st group - athletes with normotonic type of reaction (n=9, age 17.56±0.80 years); 2nd group - athletes with reaction different from normotonic (n=8, age18.25±0.88 years). Indicators of cardio-vascular reaction type and tolerance to physical load were found with the help of PWC170 test. Results: we confirmed similarity of kick boxers’ reaction to physical load. After 1st stage of physical load heart beats rate was noticeably lower in the 1st group. After 2nd stage of load systolic blood pressure was lower in the 1st group. After load, in the 1st group heart beats rate and systolic BP restored quicker. Reduction of heart beats rate under load in 1st group can serve as a proof of better adaptation mechanisms. Conclusions: training of athletes with periodic control of electric cardiogram under physical loads permits to assess functional state of cardio-vascular system; its adaptation and correspondence to definite physical loads. Such approach permits not to admit progressing of cardio-vascular system’s pathological state.

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Analysis of adaptation potentials of kick boxers’ cardio-vascular system

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the new judging system in DanceSport. Methods Eighteen judges rated the 12 best placed adult dancing couples competing at an international competition. They marked each couple on all judging criteria on a 10 level scale. Absolute agreement and consistency of judging were calculated for all main judging criteria and sub-criteria. Results A mean correlation of overall judging marks was 0.48. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance for overall marks (W = 0.58) suggesting relatively low agreement among judges. Slightly lower coefficients were found for the artistic part [Partnering skills (W = 0.45) and Choreography and performance (W = 0.49)] compared to the technical part [Technical qualities (W = 0.56) and Movement to music (W = 0.54)]. ICC for overall criteria was low for absolute agreement [ICC(2,3) = 0.62] but higher for consistency [ICC(3,3) = 0.80]. Conclusion The relatively large differences between judges’ marks suggest that judges either disagreed to some extent on the quality of the dancing or used the judging scale in different ways. The biggest concern was standard error of measurement (SEM) which was often larger than the difference between dancers scores suggesting that this judging system lacks validity. This was the first research to assess judging in DanceSport and offers suggestions to potentially improve both its objectivity and validity in the future.

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Reliability of Judging in DanceSport

The performance evolution in rhythmic gymnastics depends on changes in code of points. At the beginning of each Olympic cycle the code of points changes and therefore, the content of the competition exercises, as well. This study aimed to analyze - for each apparatus - the evolution of number of technical elements and final score over the last two decades (last 13 world championships), how they have been affected by changed code of points, and how the final score relates to the number of technical elements performed. The sample consisted of 416 exercises in five apparatus: ball (96), rope (40), hoop (96), ribbon (88), and clubs (96). The following variables were gathered: code of points, apparatus, technical group, total number of elements, final classification, and final score. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects on the number of elements and final score in each apparatus. The number of technical elements increased in all apparatus, between 7.4 and 20% over a 10-year period. There were mixed evolutions of final score between the different apparatus, between -6.3 and 14% over a 10-year period. There is small increase in number of elements in hoop and a small decrease in rope after a code change. There was a small decrease in final score in championships after a code change in hoop, moderate in clubs and ribbon, and large in rope. There was a negative relationship between number of elements performed and final score in clubs. In conclusion, the code change generally effects the final score negatively, but there were apparatus specific effects of code change on number of elements and relationship between number of elements and final score.

Longitudinal Study of Individual Exercises in Elite Rhythmic Gymnastics.

This study aimed to analyse the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics, at different levels of performance. The sample consisted of 1152 difficulty scores concerning 288 individual routines, performed in the World Championships in 2013. The data were analysed using the mean absolute judge deviation from the final difficulty score, a Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intra-class correlations, for consistency and reliability assessment. For validity assessment, mean deviations of judges' difficulty scores, the Kendall's coefficient of concordance W and ANOVA eta-squared values were calculated. Overall, the results in terms of consistency (Cronbach's alpha mostly above 0.90) and reliability (intra-class correlations for single and average measures above 0.70 and 0.90, respectively) were satisfactory, in the first and third parts of the ranking on all apparatus. The medium level gymnasts, those in the second part of the ranking, had inferior reliability indices and highest score dispersion. In this part, the minimum of corrected item-total correlation of individual judges was 0.55, with most values well below, and the matrix for between-judge correlations identified remarkable inferior correlations. These findings suggest that the quality of difficulty judging in rhythmic gymnastics may be compromised at certain levels of performance. In future, special attention should be paid to the judging analysis of the medium level gymnasts, as well as the Code of Points applicability at this level.

Judging in Rhythmic Gymnastics at Different Levels of Performance.

The aim of this study was to analyze the practical skills of rhythmic gymnastics judges and to identify how their degree and experience influence the assessment of these skills. Sixty one rhythmic gymnastics judges participated in the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection. This tool was composed of 28 questions and divided into six categories: identification, experience, initial training, continuing education, skills and training needs. The results suggest that the most valued skills are those related to the sport’s technical parameters and the ability to adapt to any level of competition with self-confidence and self-assuredness. Significant differences were found regarding the variables for: the ability to communicate (p = 0.002) and for the ability to observe, identify and register performance (p = 0.005). The results showed that experience was not a decisive factor in assessing skills. This study thus presents evidence that rhythmic gymnastics judges must implement and optimise a set of skills that contribute to the effectiveness of the assessment process. These findings might help in the design of programs and training models that contribute to effective professional development.

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Practical skills of rhythmic gymnastics judges.

The aim of this study was to identify the training variables that can determine the score in elite rhythmic gymnasts. Seven female rhythmic gymnasts participated in the study (age 15.7 ± 1.2). Performance data were collected from elite gymnasts (n=7) in competition exercises executed over 10 sessions occurring in the competition period. Additional variables such as heart rate, subjective rate of perceived exertion, competition category, number of apparatus, number of competitive exercises and number of training sessions were also collected. Data were examined using linear regression. Results showed that the heart rate average values ranged between 137 and 154 beats per minute. At the end of the competitive period, a decrease in the perceived exertion and the average score of the exercises were observed. An increase in the heart rate (p <0.01) and in the perceived exertion (p <0.05) has a positive impact on the total final score. The variables of heart rate and subjective rate of perceived exertion are significant to control the effects of training on the performance of individual rhythmic gymnasts. Moreover, they enable the coaches to control the training load in an affordable and reliable way.

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Performance indicators in individual rhythmic gymnastics: Correlations in competition

The pandemic caused by the COVID 19 Virus creates an unprecedented situation of global confinement altering the development of competition and sports training at all levels of participation and in all sports, including rhythmic gymnastics (RG). To avoid possible effects of physical, technical and psychological detraining, coaches looked for home training alternatives. The objectives of the study were to know how rhythmic gymnastics training developed during the lockdown period (the conditions, type of training, performance monitoring means, and determinants of gymnasts' participation) and to provide recommendations for a possible future lockdown. Three hundred and two RG coaches from twenty-six different countries throughout the five continents and four professional levels took part in the study: national team (28), international (26), national (172) and regional (75). The data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting of 39 closed questions structured in three dimensions: identification data of the coaches, training data during confinement and gymnast participation data. The independent variable was the gymnasts' performance levels and the dependent variables organized in four categories: the technical media used to conduct and monitor the training sessions, the type of training done, the mechanisms for monitoring training performance and the aspects that determined participation. Most coaches kept their gymnasts training during confinement, although 76.5% confirm abandonment of any of their gymnasts. The main means used were real-time video conferencing, although at the lower practice levels the media stand out in deferred time. The contents of the training were mainly body technique, physical preparation and body difficulties. For performance monitoring, challenges, physical, and technical tests were predominant. The determinants for the development of training in the confinement vary depending on the level of the gymnasts, connectivity and electronic resources at the highest level, and the availability of spaces and social distancing at lower levels. For future lockdowns, it is necessary to review the content of the trainings, as well as the performance evaluation and the means necessary for it.

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Elena Sierra-Palmeiro

Papers

Longitudinal Study of Individual Exercises in Elite Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Practical skills of rhythmic gymnastics judges.

Judging in Rhythmic Gymnastics at Different Levels of Performance.

Performance indicators in individual rhythmic gymnastics: Correlations in competition

Training in Rhythmic Gymnastics During the Pandemic