Opportunities and constraints in online physical education

In this difficult pandemic period, the imminent changes have mainly affected physical activity and particularly physical education lessons at all education levels. This is a reality for both urban and rural schools. While the transmission of information through the online environment is done without too many obstacles in other purely theoretical teaching activities, in physical education, the transmission and acquisition of knowledge but especially evaluation have been and are still affected. In this paper, we aimed to identify the main constraints in conducting online physical education lessons from the subjective point of view of students, parents and teachers. We also set out to make a comparison between the views of urban and rural actors. The assessed period was from March to December 2020, when the activity took place only online due to the “red code”. The survey was carried out between December 7-18, the last school week of the year. The conclusion showed that parents, teachers and students had different opinions on the main difficulties encountered during this period. Students’responses mainly highlighted their poor knowledge of using educational platforms, inappropriate space for practical activities and lack of connection devices. Parents’ responses focused on both their impossibility of supervising children and reduced possibilities of supporting them due to lack of knowledge or time. From the perspective of teachers, we identified their impossibility of actively monitoring students’ health and problems related to the verification of compliance with labour protection rules during practice.

The importance of using circuit training in the development of speed endurance, agility and body control in male U17 handball players

The growing importance of physical preparation in the training plans of handball coaches must be the basis for consolidation and improvement during the specific training of junior handball players. The higher the motor indicators, the higher the difference between the technical and tactical skills of junior handball players in terms of achieving maximum efficiency. The research took place over an eight-month period. The research participants were 32 U17 junior handball players aged 15 and 16 years. They were divided into two groups as follows: the experimental group, consisting of 15 handball players from the Bucharest Municipal Sports Club, and the control group, consisting of 17 handball players from the Bucharest School Sports Club No. 2. The methods used for the experimental group included set training circuits performed in the corresponding part of basic training. Each training circuit was introduced systematically and quantifiably for 15 minutes, three times a week on successive days and according to the training period covered by the U17 male handball team. The training of the control group was based on traditional methods provided in the annual training plan. Throughout this period, the specific physical training parameters of the experimental group were influenced by the chosen training methods: for speed endurance in different directions and at different angles with forward, backward and lateral movements; for the ability to rotate in different directions and at different angles with an emphasis on execution speed, acceleration speed, speed endurance, agility and body control.

Current trends in the training of elite judo athletes

Studies on the training of elite judo athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic are indispensable, in the context of observing the necessary measures and their influence on the training components to solve the specific demands of competitive activity. Similar research is being conducted in various countries to determine the impact of the pandemic on the training of judo athletes. This research aims to identify the most efficient means and methods of training and assessment in orderto remodel them. The focus is on establishing the main adaptation criteria regarding the way of conducting judo competitions in pandemic conditions, as well as the structure of the fight and its effects on technical, tactical, psychomotor and physical training. Results are statistically processed, interpreted in relation to similar studies and graphically represented. Research participants are elite judo athletes of both genders from different sports clubs, competing in the 2020-2021 Romanian National Judo Championship. The data highlight the characteristics of the fight structure, the actual combat time related to weight divisions, the efficiency of various techniques and the technical and tactical model, the penalties and the relationship with physical training. Determining the effects induced by the new pandemic conditions and training remodelling allow coaches, athletes and methodologists to effectively intervene on the use of material resources, means and methods of training and participation in competition. Conclusions are drawn regarding the characteristics of current competitions and the cause-effect relationship with the selection and training of elite judo athletes in the pandemic context of sports activity.

The beneficial effects of dryland training on prepubertal swimmers – a case study

Dryland training is an important part of any competitive swimmer’s programme. However, this non-specific training is usually neglected in prepubertal swimmers, its importance being recognised more often in junior and senior swimmers. This paper is a case study regarding the beneficial effects that a well-developed and suitable dryland training programme can have on a prepubertal swimmer’s results. The participant in this case study was a Romanian male swimmer born in 2010, who got the highest score at the National Championships in 2020. The detailed dryland programme (developed by the author of the current study) was followed by the athlete for a period of 7 months. The implementation of this programme took place between two national championships (October 2020 - June 2021). The specific objectives were: winning the title of national champion in 50-meter butterfly and making a progress of 2 seconds; ranking among the top three swimmers in 100-meter freestyle and making a progress of 4 seconds. After applying the programme, the athlete made a progress of 2.57 seconds and won first place in 50-meter butterfly. In 100-meter freestyle, he made a progress of 6.34 seconds and won second place. This paper emphasises the beneficial effects of an organised dryland training programme and also proposes a model of such a plan that can be followed by prepubertal swimmers.

Motivations for the training effort of Romanian masters athletes

The aim of this study was to investigate the motivations of Romanian Masters athletes to train for endurance running in order to participate in half-marathon competitions. The research method used was the survey. This tool consisted of a questionnaire that was purposely developed for the present research. Out of the 111 experienced respondents practising running for 13 years on average, 61.8% are men and 38.2% are women. The results are different and are mainly focused on reaching a state of well-being (67%) for both men (67.2%) and women (66.7%); there are significant differences between the 35-44 and 55+ age categories (t = 2.776, p < 0.01). This motivation has contributed to maintaining and improving physical performance with aging. Women are more motivated than men to run for health benefits. In conclusion, we believe that paying attention tomotivation is important in terms of encouraging people of all ages to play outdoor sports, promoting a healthy lifestyle based on exercise and managing grassroots sport. The Masters athlete is a rich source of information regarding a person’s ability to maintain maximum physical performance and physiological function as they get older. The impressive capacity for physical performance and physiological functioning makes Masters athletes a model for society.

The duration of technical elements in rhythmic gymnastics jumps – a longitudinal and correlational study

The research purpose is to identify the development level of some skills/components that condition the execution of Body Difficulties in the group of Jumps/Leaps according to the requirements of the FIG Code of Points and increase the value of technical elements in competition routines. The research was conducted on 14 rhythmic gymnasts, members of the National Junior Team of Romania, and included two stages as follows: the first test took place in December 2019, and the second, in August 2020. Motor and biomechanical information was collected to objectify some motor skills involved in the performance of technical elements specific to the group of Jumps/Leaps. Muscle power, contact times, jump height, flight times and jump rhythm were assessed using the Microgate OptoJump Next device, and the duration of technical elements in the group of Jumps/Leaps was measured by a stopwatch. A programme for the improvement and consolidation of technical elements belonging to this group was applied during the research. Statistical analysis of the collected data required checking the normal distribution of results (using the Skewness and Kurtosis coefficients), identifying the mean differences between the two tests by applying the Student’s t-Test and identifying correlations between the parameters resulting from the two tests using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Analysing the correlations between the investigated variables for both lower limbs, it can be stated that there is clear evidence of the dependency links between the two symmetrical segments as well as positive and negative correlations between OptoJump variables and the average duration of jumps.

Determining the risk of disease based on Body Mass Index in higher education

At international and national levels, there is a decline in physical activity because technology has become increasingly present in each person’s life, as evidenced by the growing interest in new developments in the field. We believe that giving up exercise will lead to increased indicators of growth and development but also to the emergence of health problems. The current paper aims to determine the body mass index (BMI) of students from two universities, one with a sports profile - National University of Physical Education and Sport, and the other, a non-sports profile higher education establishment - National University of Arts, by performing anthropometric measurements such as height and weight. The purpose of this study is to place students in the category corresponding to their body mass index and determine their risk of disease. This experimental research includes 323 first-year students from the two aforementioned universities in Bucharest. The research methods used are: literature review, anthropometric measurements, mathematical and statistical method, graphical method. Analysis of the collected data reveals differences between the students of the two universities. After interpreting the anthropometric data and calculating the body mass index, the study participants were included in the category corresponding to their risk of disease.

Professional responsibility of coaches

This paper wants to make available to those interested, namely people working in the field of physical education and sport, not exclusively coaches, the knowledge necessary to acquire a specialised legal culture, which is indispensable for the responsible development of coaches’ duties at the workplace and outside. It is increasingly obvious that familiarisation with the set of rights and freedoms offered to sport professionals, already considered by the Romanian Civil Code, is a first step towards normality, which mainly consists, in our opinion, in initiating an approach to enact laws in the field. It will be taken into account that the topicality of this paper “depends” on the positive law in the matter, and we refer here to the regulations regarding the deontology of the coaching profession, whose non-violation can partially provide us with the basics of practising clean sports. The legal and legislative factors should consider the management of the institutions in charge of physical education and sport as very important. The training of “sports workers” as well as the management of specialised structures in a society undergoing an intense process of transformation, with a development perspective, requires a kind of training that includes modern general culture and specific knowledge but also legal training. It has to be able to bring about changes in the way of approaching physical education and sport. The considerations regarding the stated topic compel us to support the need to assimilate knowledge regarding the professional deontology, with special regard to the legal culture as an integral and mandatory part in the training of sports coaches.

Predictors of superior performance in coaches – the role of A-trait

Anxiety represents a multifaceted response that can hinder or help performance. Anxiety experienced at high intensity and in the long term is a noxious phenomenon. However, moderate anxiety can lead to improved performance, stimulating on-task effort. The aims of our study are to determine the pattern of anxious reactions in coaches with superior results in competition and to identify which facet of anxiety is a better predictor of sports performance. A total of 57 coaches (19 women and 38 men) participated in the research. We assessed four facets of trait anxiety using the Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales. The results highlight significantly lower scores in successful coaches compared to novice coaches for anxiety in new situations and in separation conditions. When talking about anxiety in physically dangerous and sociallyevaluative circumstances, no significant differences were found between the two groups of coaches (successful and beginner ones). After performing two separate binomial logistic regressions, we can argue that the scores for anxiety in separation conditions are a better predictor of sports performance than anxiety in new situations, the model explaining 30% of the variance in international or national performance and correctly classifying 75.4% of cases. The conclusions of our study represent valuable resources for sports psychologists, future (and current) coaches and researchers who are eager to better understand the impact of A-trait on sports performance, in the case of coaches.

Analysis on the vulnerabilities of middle school students in Mehedinți county

This research is part of the “Sustainable social and educational integration through sports activities” project, which aims to increase the school attendance rate and the transit rate to ISCED level 3. Mehedinți county presents a lot of vulnerabilities for middle school students. The purpose of the current study is to emphasise the structure of vulnerabilities for the middle school population from this Romanian county. The identified vulnerabilities were structured in eight categories, namely: Roma students, students with one or both parents working abroad, remigrated students, students from disorganised or single-parent families, students raised in foster care, students who are children of immigrants or refugees in Romania, students with a degree of disability and students at risk of early school dropout. This applied research was conducted over a period of 2 years. The participants are 170 students (93 boys and 77 girls) from two schools in rural areas, who have a moderate ISCED level. The methods used in this study are: literature review, survey, mathematical and statistical method, graphical method. The research results identify the structure of vulnerabilities affecting the middle school population in Mehedinți county. The research provides a deep insight into the social challenges faced by the lower secondary population in rural areas.