The paper presents changes in the level of coordination in children (6 -7), as a result of an exercise programme within the frame of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Kids' Athletics project. The monitoring period lasted for 5 months, during which the members of the experimental group went through 37 training sessions (2 training sessions for 60 minutes a week). The exercise programme consisted of preparatory athletic and gymnastic exercises and cardio games. Versatility training was focused on the development of all fitness abilities, coordination abilities, and articulated mobility. The experimental group consisted of 24 children (17 boys and 7 girls), aged 6.62 ± 0.31 years. The control group consisted of 31 children (22 boys and 9 girls), aged 6.78 ± 0.3 years. Measured indicators of physical development were height, weight and BMI. Tests used to determine the level of coordination were: precision standing long jump, precision kneeling overhead throw, rhythmic lateral line jumps with the aid of a metronome, run to targets, reaction speed of lower extremities, static balance on dynamometric plate. The experimental group showed statistically significant changes (p < 0.05) in these disciplines the precision kneeling overhead throw. The effect size was medium. The rhythmic lateral line jumps test with the aid of a metronome showed no statistically significant changes. The effect size was small. We have observed statistically significant changes (p < 0.01) during these tests: the precision standing long jump, run to targets, reaction speed of lower extremities and static balance on dynamometric plate. The effect size of the precision standing long jump reached medium, run to targets reached medium, the reaction speed of lower extremities showed a large effect and the test of static balance showed a small effect. The results show that children involved in the IAAF Kids' Athletics project had larger improvements in their level of coordination as opposed to kids who were not

ABSTRACTČillík, I., Kollár, R., Kremnický, J., Pivovarniček, P., & Mandzáková, M. (2015). The level of general physical performance and physical development of 7 and 10-year-old boys and girls. J. Hum. Sport Exerc., 9(Proc1), pp.S259-S268. This contribution deals with the level of general physical performance and physical development of 7 and 10-year-old pupils attending primary schools. The sample consisted of pupils from all primary schools in Banska Bystrica: 492 pupils attending the 1 st grade and 433 pupils attending the 4 th grade. The following indicators of general physical performance were monitored: sit-andreach, standing long jump, sit-ups in 30 s, flexed arm hang, shuttle run 4x10 meters, endurance shuttle run. Also basic somatic indicators such as body height, body weight and BMI were found out. In both age categories we found out that male pupils achieved better level in five tests of general physical performance: standing long jump, sit-up, flexed arm hang, shuttle-run 4 x 10 m and endurance shuttle-run. At the age of 7, male pupils are statistically significantly better in three tests (p<0.05) and at the age of 10, they are better in four tests (p<0.05). Girls achieve statistically significantly better level of trunk flexibility (p<0.05). 7-years old boys and girls achieve better level of joint flexibility than10-years old boys and girls. In other tests, the 10-year-old boys and girls are better.

Purpose: Change of direction speed (CODS) and reactive agility (RAG) are important qual-ities in futsal, but studies rarely examined the predictors of these conditioning capacities in players of advanced level. This study aimed to evaluate predictive validity of certain an-thropometric and conditioning capacities in evaluation of futsal specific CODS and RAG in top-level players. Methods: The sample comprised 54 male players from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, members of teams competing at the highest national rank, including national champions for the 2017–2018 competitive season in both countries. The variables comprised set of pre-dictors (body mass, body height, triceps skinfold, reactive strength index [RSI], sprint 10 m [S10M], and broad jump [BJ]; and four criteria: futsal specific CODS and RAG, performed with and without dribbling (CODS_D, CODS_WD, RAG_D, RAG_WD). To identify the asso-ciation between variables Pearson’s correlation and multiple regressions were calculated. Results: Observed predictors explained statistically significant (p < 0.05) percentage of vari-ance for all four criteria (Rsq: 0.28, 0.30, 0.23 and 0.25, for CODS_WD, CODS_D, RAG_WD, RAG_D, respectively). Body mass was significant predictor for all criteria (Beta: 0.35–0.51), with poorer performances in heavier players. In both performances which involved dribbling, significant predictors was RSI (Beta: −0.27 and −0.31 for CODS_D and RAG_D, respective-ly), with superior performances in players with better RSI. The S10M and BJ were not identi-fied as being significantly correlated to studied RAG and CODS performances. Conclusion: Study confirmed specific influence of studied predictors of futsal specific CODS and RAG with consistent negative influence of body mass on studied performances. Almost certainly this can be explained by specifics of RAG and CODS execution. Specifically, tests are performed over relatively small distances, with several changes of direction, which clear-ly mimic the futsal specific performances. Although sprint performance is often observed as important determinant of CODS and RAG, herein we did not confirm its predictive validity in explanation of futsal specific CODS and RAG. Future studies should evaluate other poten-tially important predictors of these capacities in futsal.

Physical activity is associated with many physical and mental health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a 24‐month after‐school physical activity intervention on body composition in normal‐weight children. Participating students (6–7 years of age at baseline) were divided by reason of their parental preference to intervention and control groups. Children in the intervention group ( n = 20; 10 boys and 10 girls) followed an aerobic training program (two 60‐min sessions per week), whereas children in the control group ( n = 20; 10 boys and 10 girls) participated in the usual practice. Body composition characteristics were repeatedly measured by means of bioelectrical impedance method. At 2 years, finally, intervention boys had a smaller rise in BMI (mean difference, MD: −0.97 kg/m 2 , p < 0.05), BMI z ‐score (−0.44, p < 0.09), body fat % (BF%) (−6.47%, p < 0.01), and fat mass index (FMI) (−1.32 kg/m 2 , p < 0.001) than controls. In girls, however, the intervention program induced no significant differences ( p > 0.9) in the measured variables compared to controls at the final follow‐up (MD: −0.04 kg/m 2 for BMI and −0.01 for BMI z ‐score). Changes in BF% and FMI in a positive direction occurred at 18 months (MD: −3.38%, p < 0.05 and −0.99 kg/m 2 , p < 0.01, respectively), but did not persist over time ( p > 0.07). In addition, no significant changes ( p > 0.07) in the fat‐free mass index were associated with the physical activity intervention in either boys or girls. In conclusion, compared to the controls, a long‐term physical activity intervention in boys was associated with a significantly smaller rise in BMI and improvement of body composition by reducing both BF % and FMI. In girls, however, this intervention did not result in any statistically significant changes in body composition variables.

Overweight and obese children often suffer for many physiological and psychological is-sues. Resistance training allows them to excel over their peers due to strength ability which is related to their somatotype. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an eight-week resistance training program on body composition in overweight and obese children. Study sample included 8 boys and 4 girls (age = 11.7 ± 1.54) who were involved in an eight-week strength specifically designed program consisted of two strength training unit per week. Resistance of exercise was set on 8‒10 RM. Body composition were measured by InBody 720 two times before and after the training intervention. The Wilcoxon matched pairs test was used. Results showed increase in total body weight (2.7%), lean body mass (2.5%) and fat mass (3.7%). This effect indicates that used resistance training program is suficient to lean body mass grow. Nevertheless, program proved to be inadequate to avoid an increase in fat mass. This could be caused by many factors which should be consider in further research (e.g. longer technique practice, diet, number of training units).