Int. J. Morphol., 35(1):199-207, 2017. SUMMARY:In order to achieve high results in sports, it is necessary to provide an adequate status of an athlete in according to various factors, among which the body structure is one of greater importance. The aim of this research is to define the most discriminated indicators of body structure indexes, thanks to which a specific change of physical structure can be observed according to a branch of sport and type of combat sport. Variables in the research were: body height, body mass, body mass index, free fat mass index, fat mass index, protein mass index, skeletal muscle mass index, percent of body fat, percent of skeletal muscle mass and protein fat index. The measuring of the body composition is realized by using multichannel segmental bioimpedance with InBody 720 apparatus, applied on the total of 112 male high level senior-age athlete members of different national team's member of Republic of Serbia (62 judokas, 29 Greco-Roman style wrestlers and 21 karatekas). The discriminative analysis has shown that subsamples of the athletes statistically differ in morphology on Wilks' lambda level (0.435, p = 0.000), and that following variables have the highest discrimination compared to athlete respondents in sport function: percent of skeletal mass (0.34), percent of body fat (0.28) and protein fat index (0.26), as the first isolated factor (p = 0.000) by which is explained 86.3 %, that is body weight (0.74), skeletal muscle index (0.73), protein mass index (0.72), body mass index (0.72) and free fat mass index (0.70), as the second factor (p = 0.030) by which 13.7 % variability of measured body structure space is explained. By establishing body structure models of judokas, wrestlers and karatekas for variables examined and by using modern technological method of measuring (InBody 720, 2008) we got new information that characterize specificity of the sport, which all contribute to spreading and improving already existing knowledge in the sports sciences and sport body morphology area.

Karate tournaments consist of two equally important karate disciplines: the kumite and kata competitions. Due to being based both on the distinctive selection of movement techniques and their kinematic and kinetic patterns, we hypothesized that the elite kumite and kata competitors could differ regarding their anthropometric and physical performance profiles. Thirty-one senior male karate competitors of the national karate team (kumite n = 19; kata n = 12) participated in this study. The tests applied included both the assessment of anthropometric (body height, mass and body mass index) and the following physical performance measurements: the adductor and hamstring flexibility (sideward leg splits test), speed and acceleration (20-m sprint test with 10-m acceleration time), explosive power (countermovement and standing triple jump), agility (“T”- test) and aerobic endurance (20-m multistage shuttle run test). The kumite competitors revealed a larger body size through body height (p = 0.01) and mass (p = 0.03), while the differences in body composition were non-significant. The kumite competitors also demonstrated higher acceleration (p = 0.03) and explosive power (standing triple jump; p = 0.03). A 6-7° higher flexibility of the kata competitors remained somewhat below the level of significance (p = 0.09). The findings could be interpreted by the distinctive differences in the movement techniques. Specifically, a higher explosive power could be beneficial for kumite, while both a smaller stature and higher flexibility (particularly of the lower extremity) could be important for the exceptionally low postures of the kata competitors. Although further elucidation is apparently needed, the obtained finding could be of importance for both the early selection and training of karate competitors.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of different Specialized Physical Education (SPE) teaching programs on the level of students’ physical abilities. Design/methodology/approach – In the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies (ACPS), one of the teaching program goals is an improvement of student's physical abilities level. Since the establishment of ACPS, three SPE programs have been implemented differing in number of class hours. Five different tests were used: “Isometric dead lift,” “Hand grip,” the Long jump (LJ), the Sit-up test and the Cooper test. Findings – Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated a statistically significant difference between the programs in tests LJ, Sit-up and Cooper. The Bonferroni test showed differences between all three programs. The discriminant analysis showed that both discriminant factors are statistically significant. The greatest factor in the first function was the test LJ, while the greatest factor in the second discriminant function was the Sit-up test. Practical implications – The importance of research was the fact that by determining the changes of students’ physical abilities level, the authors can evaluate the effectiveness of various SPE programs. Results could be used in planning standards, selection and control of the achieved physical abilities level. Social implications – Changes could contribute to the positive effects of the educational process on improvement of students’ physical abilities. Originality/value – This is one of the few studies which examine the influence of quantitatively different teaching programs on the level of physical abilities within a period of 15 years.

Since performance in police occupations may depend on body composition and physical abilities, women are less likely to become police officers. However, information on age-related differences in body composition among female police officers (FPO) barely exists. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between age and body composition in FPO. Body composition of 95 FPO was assessed and divided into 4 age groups: 21-25 (age = 23.58 ± 0.84 years, body height [BH] = 1.61 ± 0.04 m, body mass [

Regardless of sex or body size, police tasks may require officers to change direction speed (CODS) under occupational loads. The purpose of this study was to investigate body composition and CODS in female and male police cadets in both unloaded and occupationally loaded conditions. Body composition and CODS of 51 female (FPC) and 70 male police cadets (MPC) were assessed. Six body composition indices were used: Body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (PBF), percent of skeletal muscle mass (PSMM), protein fat index (PFI), index of hypokinesia (IH), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI). The CODS was assessed by Illinois Agility Test (IAT) and IAT while carrying a 10-kg load (LIAT). An independent sample t-test was used to identify the differences between the sexes. The regression determined associations between body composition and LIAT. The alpha level was set at p < 0.05 a priori. MPC had significantly higher (p < 0.001) BMI, PSMM, PFI and SMMI and lower PBF and IH than FPC. MPC were also faster in IAT and LIAT, carrying lower relative loads that imparted less of an impact on CODS performance. Body composition was strongly associated with the time to complete LIAT (R2 = 0.671, p < 0.001). Difference in relative load and body composition influenced CODS performance in both unloaded and loaded conditions. Thus, optimizing body composition through increasing skeletal muscle mass and reducing fat mass could positively influence unloaded and loaded CODS performance and improve elements of police task performance.