The purpose of this project is to review current literature on the mechanics and physiology of the vertical jump and to provide an understanding of the jump itself. The second purpose is to develop a step by step program to increase vertical jump from grade school through high school.

In the sport of track and field, proper hurdling technique is a complicated combination of various running and jumping kinematics. With most research having been done on sprint hurdling, there is a growing need for research on hurdling events of different lengths. The intermediate hurdles (IH) and the steeplechase (SC) are two events where there are a number of differences in hurdling technique. This study compared the differences in hurdling technique between events (IH and SC) as well as the differences in technique between genders. Subjects for this study consisted of 20 elite intermediate hurdlers (10 male, 10 female) and 20 elite steeplechasers (10 male, 10 female). Subjects were filmed performing their respective events at the 2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships. A 2-D analysis was performed on each subject to determine differences between events and genders for the following variables: loss of horizontal velocity, peak center of mass relative to hurdle height, horizontal position at peak center of mass, deviation angle at takeoff, hurdle step length, penultimate, and recovery step lengths, takeoff and landing distance, minimum lead leg hip angle, trail leg knee height relative to the hip at peak height, trunk angle at peak height, landing angle, and finally, the ratio of the recovery step to the penultimate step. Significant differences (p < .05) were observed in 11 of the 13 variables analyzed. Steeplechasers showed significantly higher values than hurdlers in deviation angle, landing angle, minimum lead leg hip angle, peak height over the barrier, takeoff and landing distances, as well as penultimate, hurdle and recovery step lengths. Trail leg knee height was shown to be higher for hurdlers. Also, female steeplechasers were shown to have a greater trunk angle and loss of horizontal velocity than female hurdlers. Females showed higher values than males in deviation angle, landing angle, minimum lead leg hip angle, and peak height over the barrier. Landing distance, hurdle step length and trail leg knee height were higher for males. Also, female steeplechasers had a longer penultimate step length than males. Several differences in hurdling technique exist between events and gender. Hurdlers appear to place more emphasis on the kinematics which helps to promote a low center of mass hurdle clearance. Steeplechasers, on the other hand, are less pronounced with their hurdling kinematics. This is likely due to the greater economy required of the longer event. Gender differences appear to be, in large part, a function of differences in barrier height. As athletes and coaches go about evaluating and training hurdling technique, it is important to recognize the differences that exist between these different events.

Tittle: Childrensˈopinions on Track and Field and their attitudes towards the practices in athletic clubs of Prague 6 (comparative study) Student: Bc. Lucie Drncová Supervisor: PhDr. Aleš Kaplan, Ph.D. Main goals: an investigation of the attitudes and opinions towards Track and Field and athletic practices for school age children in the selected clubs in Prague 6, a monitoring of selected world and Czech popular track and field athletes and also an exploration of the knowledge of important track and field athletes by children in this age group. Methodology: A survey was used in order to meet the main goals of this work. Four athletic clubs from Prague 6 that work with the youth were asked to participate in this survey. N = 154 completed questionnaires were collected. Questionnaires were divided into categories by gender and also by age. The interviewees were between the ages of 8 and 12. The main scope and purpose of the research was to investigate the attitudes, beliefs and motivation of children to do track and field and its various disciplines. In this study we were also interested in the children knowledge of the most famous world and Czech athletic personalities. Results: Research has shown that there are no major differences in attitudes and opinions between the boys and girls or between the...

Title The use of methods FMS on athletes of category U16 - U19 Objectives: This thesis aims to point on the possibilities of a new method based on physio-therapeutic principles of physical preparation and training primarily of young athletes, named Functional movement screening (FMS), invented by Gray Cook. Most in particular the thesis is focused on what FMS method is and what possibilities are given to identify fundamental movement patterns of junior and teenager athletes. Short examination of the methods FMS was based on two tests invented by Gray Cook and evaluated on a group of ten athletes of category U16 - U19. Methods: The thesis comes out from two crucial works published by Gray Cook. Subsequently I resumed results found out in foreign articles and studies about methods FMS, its principles, relationship with athletic performance and prevention of injuries, as well as relevant norming data. My attention was devoted to studies focused on implementing FMS testing of young athletes. Therefore I decided to select two particular tests and conduct short testing on athletes of category U16 - U19. When scoring the quality of their movements, I've applied the criteria of the methodology itself first. Later there were extended by my own verbal evaluation of particular segments of tested movements. In...

Title: Athletics in physical education from the perspective of grammar school students Aim: The aim of this thesis is to determine how grammar school students in selected regions view athletics in physical education classes and their relationship to the sport as a whole and its individual disciplines. Methods: The thesis is based on the quantitative research conducted among grammar school students of third and fourth grades in selected regions of the Czech Republic. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analysed in Microsoft Excel and SPSS programs. Basic descriptive characteristics were identified and then processed into tables and charts. Results were verified in a manner based on the nature of the variables, using either the Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney non-parametric test or Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Tests were conducted at 5%, resp. 1% level of significance. Results: Athletics are perceived as negative by 40.1 % of responding students - with girls prevailing over boys in this group. The perception of athletics is mostly influenced by teachers of physical education, but also depends on the level of physical activity. Classes for the most part emphasize learning skills in various athletic disciplines, but grading still often reflects only the performance. The preferred...

Pre-competition anxiety in sports is very common not only among professional athletes, but also among adolescents who are active in sports, compete a lot and experience physical, emotional and social changes in their lives. The aim of the study was to evaluate track-and-field adolescent athletes’ (12-18 years old) personal anxiety level and pre-competition anxiety. The hypothesis of the thesis was based on the assumption that adolescent track-and-field athletes’ personal anxiety level and pre-competition anxiety components (somatic, emotional and cognitive) differ depending on gender. Personal anxiety level was determined using J. Taylor’s test. V. A. Alekseev’s pre-competition anxiety test showed dominant competition state anxiety component among adolescent athletes. Examination of the results and setting the personal anxiety level for the track-and-field adolescent athletes studied showed no gender differences (p>0,05). The findings of the results among track-and-field athletes’ pre-competition anxiety components (somatic, emotional and cognitive) suggest dependable differences between adolescent girls and boys (p<0,05). The test results also showed that cognitive anxiety was most common in both groups, i.e. boys and girls. The comparison of the results (those of both methods studied individually for every athlete) of the personal anxiety level and pre-competition anxiety tests from the perspective of gender suggested that the differences between gender do exist (p<0,0... [to full text]

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-11T17:48:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 marcusviniciusdasilva.pdf: 3307250 bytes, checksum: 5237cca25b500fed8d68027a19990087 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-27T19:23:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 marcusviniciusdasilva.pdf: 3307250 bytes, checksum: 5237cca25b500fed8d68027a19990087 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-27T19:23:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marcusviniciusdasilva.pdf: 3307250 bytes, checksum: 5237cca25b500fed8d68027a19990087 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-12 / O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar o estado mental flow e a motivação em corredores de velocidade e de resistência do atletismo. No estudo 1, que investigou a teoria do Flow-feeling, a amostra foi composta de 25 atletas sendo 18 do sexo masculino, divididos em grupos de acordo com a especialidade: 8 velocistas (VE) (20±3,3 anos), 7 meio fundistas (MF) (25±8,4 anos), 8 fundistas (FD) (31,3±12,3 anos), e 2 ultramaratonistas (UM) (44±7,07 anos). No estudo 2, sobre motivação, participaram 31 atletas (23 do sexo masculino), sendo: 8 velocistas (20±3,3 anos), 8 meio fundistas (24,2±8,1anos), 8 fundistas (31±12,1 anos), e 7 ultramaratonistas (37,7±9,3 anos). Para investigar a teoria do Flow-feeling optou-se pela entrevista individual, aberta e semi-estruturada, orientada por um roteiro com 11 questões. As dimensões equilíbrio desafio-habilidade e concentração intensa na tarefa foram as mais citadas pelos atletas, representando respectivamente, 17,7 e 16,1 % do total das unidades de registro. Os indivíduos da amostra relacionaram a ocorrência da dimensão equilíbrio desafio-habilidade ao nível de treinamento e à possibilidade de êxito na competição. A ocorrência da dimensão concentração intensa na tarefa demonstrou que os atletas de velocidade utilizam mais a estratégia de atenção associativa. Em contrapartida, os atletas de resistência utilizam predominantemente a estratégia de atenção dissociativa. No estudo 2, a motivação intrínseca e extrínseca foi avaliada por meio do questionário Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) validado para a língua portuguesa (BARA FILHO et al., 2010). A motivação dos corredores das diferentes modalidades foi similar, à exceção da subescala de motivação extrínseca identificada que foi maior nos ultramaratonistas, quando comparados aos corredores meio fundistas (p=0,029). Em todos os grupos, os valores de motivação intrínseca total apresentaram valores ligeiramente superiores à motivação extrínseca, contudo, apenas no grupo de fundistas a diferença estatística foi constatada (p<0,000). Não foram encontradas diferenças ao comparar os gêneros. Conclui-se a partir dos resultados dos estudos 1 e 2 que há diferenças entre a ocorrência das dimensões do fluxo em cada modalidade, sugerindo que as predominâncias dessas características do fluir estão fortemente relacionadas às peculiaridades de cada prova. Já a motivação para a prática de corridas independe da modalidade e do gênero do atleta. Além disso, a motivação intrínseca tende a ser maior do que a motivação extrínseca. / The present study aimed to investigate the mental state flow and motivation in the runners sprinters and endurance of track and field. In the study 1 that it investigated the theory of Flow-feeling, the sample was composed of 25 athletes being 18 males, divided into groups according to specialty: 8 sprinters (VE) (20±3.3 years), 7 middle distance runners (MF) (25±8.4 years), 8 distance runners (FD) (31.3±12.3 years), and 2 ultramarathon runners (UM) (44±7.07 years). In the study 2, about motivation, they participated 31 runners (23 males), divided into groups according to specialty: 8 sprinters (20±3.3 years), 8 middle distance runners (24.2±8.1 years), 8 distance runners (31±12.1 years), and 7 ultramarathon runners (37.7±9.3 years). To investigate the theory Flow-feeling opted for the interview, open and semi-structured, guided by a script with 11 questions. The dimensions of challenge-skill balance and intense concentration on the task were the most mentioned by athletes, representing respectively 17.7 and 16.1% of total registration units. They individuals of the sample related to occurrence of challenge-skill balance dimension to the level of training and the chance of success in the competition. The occurrence of intense concentration on the task dimension demonstrated that sprinters use more to attention associative strategy. In contrast, endurance athletes use predominantly attention dissociative strategy. In the study 2, the intrinsic motivation and extrinsic, it was evaluated through the questionnaire Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) validated for Portuguese (BARA FILHO et al., 2010). The motivation of runners of different modalities was similar, with the exception of the subscale of extrinsic motivation identified, which was greater in ultramarathon runners when compared to middle distance runners (p = 0.029). In all groups the values of intrinsic motivation showed slightly higher extrinsic motivation, however, only in the group of runners distance was found statistical difference (p<0.000). No differences were found when comparing genders. Was concluded starting from the results of the studies 1 and 2 that there are differences among the occurrence of the dimensions of the flow in each modality, suggesting that the predominances of those characteristics of flowing are strongly related to the peculiarities of each proof. Already the motivation for the practice of run does not depend of the modality and of the athlete's gender. Besides, the intrinsic motivation tends to be larger than the extrinsic motivation.

Sports have become economic activity. Marketing, especially marketing communication has played an important role in its shift from pure nonprofit basis to more commercial character. The thesis examines development of communication in one of the sports, athletics (track & field) in the Czech Republic (CR). In terms of narrow approach to marketing in sports it focuses on these subjects - Czech athletic federation, meetings in the CR, Czech athletes. It analyzes level of communication, suggests solutions to improvement of athletics` status in the Czech Republic using promotion. It is one of the first sources of marketing communication in given sports branch.

This dissertation will describe the theory of Market Research focussing on the types and methods. The aim of the thesis is to analyse parent´s decision-making process when they are choosing clubs for their children. I will uncover the process of decision-making by questionnaire and will also find out the level of public awareness of athletics and the Athletics for kids project.

No description available.