DECATHLON TRAINING Thesis objectives: The aim of the thesis was to describe an actual performance process, to characterize an athletic training in its three stages, and to analyse in more detail a training in the last three years training cycles. The other aim was an evaluation of the last three seasons, searching for unbalanced results, and estimation of further performance possibilities. Methods: The methods used in the thesis were description, comparison and analysis. Results: We found out the individual training cycles are consistent to a large extent. The performance had a rising tendency almost to the final training cycle; nevertheless, the performance according to possible performance potential heretofore was not achieved. Better results are achieved in individual competitions, than in the whole decathlon. Keywords: decathlon, training, performance

Rationale: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with onset prior to the age of three years characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication skill, along with a restricted repetitive and stereotyped pattern of behavior, interests, and activities. In addition to these core diagnostic features, aberrant sensory responding has also been widely reported in the literature describing children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Aberrant sensory processing has, however, been infrequently studied compared to communication and cognition in autism and existing studies have had multiple methodological deficiencies, especially with sampling procedures. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to describe patterns of sensory processing found in children with an ASD to test the relationship(s) of these patterns to diagnostic and developmental variables. Method. Retrospective data collection was used to collect developmental and sensory processing variables of 400 children with an ASD. Sensory processing abilities were measured by the SSP. Results. The majority of the sample (80.5%) had a diagnosis of autism. The average age of the sample was 49.58 months. The adaptive, social, language, and motor developmental variables were consistent with diagnostic patterns in that the children with Asperger Disorder demonstrated higher developmental levels than the children with autism and PDD-NOS. Eighty-nine percent of the sample demonstrated some degree of sensory processing dysfunction on the SSP Total Score with the greatest difficulties reported on the Underresponsive/Seeks Sensation, Auditory Filtering, and Tactile Sensitivity sections. Exploratory factor analysis identified 6 parsimonious factors: Low Energy/Weak, Tactile and Movement Sensitivity, Taste/Smell Sensitivity, Auditory and Visual Sensitivity, Sensory Seeking/Distractibility, and Hypo-responsivity. These factor variables contributed to explaining the differences in five of six developmental variables of the sample that are associated with the diagnosis of autism. Receptive language, adaptive and expressive language performance were significantly correlated with sensory processing factor scores. Conclusions. Together, the sensory processing findings noted in this study describe a pattern of dysfunctional sensory modulation. These findings have significant implications for intervention programs involving individuals with an ASD, given the potential impact of these findings on a childs ability to maintain active engagement.

The Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach is a sport psychology programme aimed at performance development in athletes. This study set out to gain an understanding of how adolescent equestrian athletes experienced this programme, using an in-depth qualitative approach called interpretive phenomenology analysis (IPA). Four equestrians, three females and one male, ranging in age from 16 to 18 years, completed an experiential learning-based programme over a two-day period. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with each participant to gain an understanding of their experience of the programme in terms of (1) their learning regarding the programme; (2) possible application of the learning to equestrian sport; and (3) possible transference of the learning to other areas of their lives. The interviews were transcribed and analysed according to the principles of IPA and the findings pertaining to each participant are discussed in terms of the most significant themes identified during the interviews. The concluding chapter discusses both the common and the unique findings obtained from the participants’ accounts in relation to the existing literature. The findings of this study highlight the importance of the partnership between equine and human when applying MAC in equestrian sport and also illustrate the applicability of MAC, not only in equestrian sport, but also in other areas of an adolescent’s life. This project contributes to sport psychology since it is the first qualitative study describing the experiences of adolescent equestrians regarding the MAC approach. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

Name: Individual performance development of young female heptathletes Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate and judge performance development of young female czech heptathletes aged between 16 and 19 years old. From the analysis their personal performance development and other factors that may affect their performance we want to find out which of them have the best assumptions to succeed in athletic heptathlon. Methods: The work was a qualitative research. Specifically, it was a case study. We collected data through document analysis methods. We evaluated performance development of each selected athlete. We used the comparison method to compare the performance development of each athlete considering to other heptathletes and Eliška Klučinová. Using a semi-structured interview we researched another information about their training and social, psychological, health and somatic assumption, which may affect their further performance growth. Results: From the point of view of the long term athlete development it is positive, that all athletes competed in heptathlon, but we think that Jana Novotná, Barbora Zatloukalová, Denisa Majerová and Tereza Vokálová have the best assumptions for athletic heptathlon. Jana Novotná and Barbora Zatloukalová have balanced performance in all events of...

The Swedish Wrestling Association are in the process of constructing a new Elite Development Plan which will include the fields: Elite Sports Environment, Coaching Development, Performance Development, Performance Analysis and Research Development. This study will aim to produce knowledge in the field Performance Development. The study analyzes elite wrestlers from the Swedish National Wrestling Team views on how to develop their performance and what factors are most significant. To answer the purpose of the study the Swedish Wrestling Association helped us conduct interviews with eight different wrestlers whom all had different backgrounds. The result showed that there are several important factors that have a significant impact on their performance development, which include training facilities, setting clear short and long-term goals and having support from their surroundings. A short conclusion of the study is that the Swedish wrestlers all have the physical ability to compete on a high international level, however, that they lack in the mental ability which disables them to take the next step in their development. Our hope with this study is that it will lay a foundation for the Swedish Wrestling Association and their future Elite Development Plan.

Title: Trends in world and czech swimming performance during years 2000-2017 Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to analyze the performance development of czech and world elite swimmers in the last 18 years. The trend of progressive performance changes is monitored in the male and female categories in all individual disciplines on the short course races. Methods: To obtain the data for the thesis, we used a combination of historical and documentary methods. The initial data processing was performed by basic statistical survey, in the result part in the graphical form, with used tables and graphs with partial discussions. The studied object was represented by the national czech and world swimming records of the short course of all individual disciplines for women and men in the senior category Results: During the period 2000-2017, in all individual disciplines, record-breaking values in the Czech Republic and in world swimming were improved. The trend of swimming performance development in the Czech Republic is comparable to the performance development in the world swimming. The development of record values have been greatly influenced by changes in swimming rules, especially in rules, which defines swimwear. The 2008- 2009 period shows a significantly above-average value of the flooded record...

The Diploma thesis is focused on analysis of the current status of motivation system of chosen company and also on creation suggestions for its improvement. Specifies, which motivation system is used in this company and on the base of questionnaire survey evaluate whole satisfaction of employees. Provided suggestions contain resources for improvement of situation in the company.