This study examined factors that motivate parents to involve their children in organized gymnastics programs. A questionnaire based on McCullagh et al.'s (1993) study of recreational soccer players was used along with open-ended questions. The questionnaire was administered to parents of children who were involved in a private gymnastics club. Descriptive statistics of 156 surveys showed that fitness, skill development, and fun were most frequently cited reasons for parents in their decision to enroll and keep their child in gymnastics programs. Competition was the least important factor. ANOVA showed that competition and team membership factors were more important to the parents of competitive gymnasts than parents of recreational gymnasts. Coaches and youth sport program organizers could use these findings to develop and market youth activity programs.

Gymnasts must attain extreme ranges of flexibility to execute performance requirements, thus effective stretching proves vital to advancement in the sport. This study examined the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on passive and dynamic flexibility in young, female gymnasts. Participants (n = 27, Junior Olympic levels 5-10) served as their own control. Measurements of passive and dynamic flexibility were obtained using the TOPS forward split testing method to examine passive flexibility and dynamic flexibility was measured via split jumps that were analyzed with video and Dartfish software. According to randomized order, all participants completed a stretching protocol either with the WBV platform turned on (VIB) or off (C) separated by 48 h. Participants performed 4 sets of three stretches on the WBV platform. An ANCOVA was performed (using height, weight, age, years of experience, and gymnastics level as covariates). Significant improvements were found in passive flexibility for both VIB and C conditions, but there was no significant difference between the two stretching conditions (p = 0.17). The maximum split jump decreased significantly from pre to post measurement in both the VIB (p < 0.0001) and C (p = 0.04) conditions. VIB decreased the split jump significantly more than C. Based on the results of our study, an acute session of static stretching or stretching with WBV immediately before performance decreases split jump performance. Therefore, this WBV protocol is not recommended immediately prior to gymnastics competition.

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Nineteen elite (E) gymnasts (>15hours/week gymnastic training), 14 high recreation (HR) gymnasts (8-15hours/week), and 15 low recreation (LR) gymnasts (1-7. 9 hours/week) were investigated to determine the effects of varying volumes of gymnastic training on bone mineral density (BMD) in prepubescent girls. Two normoactive control groups were additionally investigated to determine whether there was a magnitude effect of mechanical loading on BMD: 16 controls (C) and 15 height-and weight-matched controls (M). The mother of each daughter was measured in order to control and investigate the familial component of bone mass. Areal bone mineral density at the left proximal femur, lumbar spine (LS), and whole body (WB) and % body fat were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and volumetric BMD was measured at the distal radius by peripheral QCT (pQCT). DXA BMD measures were corrected for bone size and expressed as bone mineral apparent density (BMAD). The HR group was significantly younger (8.68 ± 0.844 y, mean± SD) than both the E (10.02 ± 0.776 y) and C (9.96 ± 0.898 y) groups. The C group was significantly heavier (38.88 ± 4.868 kg) than the E (27.15 ± 2.819 kg), HR. (25.44 ± 3.564 kg), LR (32.98 ± 5.786 kg), and M (26.95 ± 3.301 kg) groups. Additionally, the LR group was significantly heavier than all other groups, with the exception of the C group. Femoral neck (FN) BMD was only significantly different between the E (0.706 ± 0.051 g•cm⁻²) and LR (0.649 ± 0.069 g•cm⁻²) groups. FNBMAD was only greater in the E (0.232 ± 0.048 g•cm⁻³) group compared to the C (0.191 ± 0.052 g•cm⁻³) group. LSBMAD and WBBMAD were significantly greater in both E (0.233 ± 0.019 and 0.100 ± 0.008 g•cm⁻³) and HR (0.239 ± 0.038 and 0.100 ± 0.006 g•cm⁻³) groups when compared to the LR (0.212 ± 0.022 and 0.090 ± 0.008 g•cm⁻³) and C (0.219 ± 0.020 and 0.085 ± 0.004 g•cm⁻³) groups, respectively. Total radial and cortical radial BMD was greater in both E (360.50 ± 51.569 and 484.28 ± 70.179 mg•cm⁻³) and HR (373.10 ± 45.318 and 480.66 ± 46.720 mg•cm⁻³) groups compared to the C (296.61 ± 29.677 and 426.144 ± 37.652 mg•cm⁻³) and M (306.42 ± 24.430 and 414.571 ± 25.194 mg•cm⁻³) groups, respectively. Radial trabecular BMD was greater in both E (211. 19 ± 38. 202 mg•cm⁻³) and HR (212. 61 ± 44.299 mg•cm⁻³) groups compared to the LR (175.89 ± 29.191 mg•cm⁻³), C (162.68 ± 27.304 mg•cm⁻³), and M (171.05 ± 30.639 mg•cm⁻³) groups. There were no significant differences for any bone measure among the groups of mothers. Mother-daughter correlations were relatively weak, and often insignificant, for BMD measures (r = 0.10-0.37), but strong for radial morphometric measures (r = 0.43-0.55). Radial trabecular BMD (r = 0.37; p<0.01) was more significantly correlated with gymnastic training volume (hours/week) than radial cortical BMD (0.30; p<0.05). These results suggest that there is a volume of training effect on BMD and a magnitude effect of mechanical loading on BMD. It appears that trabecular bone at the distal radius may adapt more rapidly or be more sensitive than cortical BMD to the strains imposed by impact loading. Additionally, it appears that, during prepubescence in females, bone morphometric properties may be more genetically regulated than bone mineralization. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Title: Evulation the level of acquiring selected skills of artistic gymnastics in the basic training stage Objectives: The main goal to be achieved in my thesis is to asses the changes in the adoption level of selected motor skills of gymnasts aged 7-9 years in the basic training. Methods: I used qualitative and quantitative methods of research to resolve main goals of this thesis and to find answers on established scientific questions and the resulting hypothesis. The most important is the choice of appropriate criterion of evaluation according to the evaluation of the adoption level of selected gymnastic skills.Gained datas will be processed through statistics methods. Training diary will be used to monitor and record the content of the training. Results: Results show that the adoption level of selected skills improved at predetermined skills as well as for all the tested gymnasts. Keywords: artistic gymnastics, evaluation, gymnastics skills

É notável o crescimento da Ginástica Artística (GA), principalmente no Brasil. A modalidade vem ganhando maior visibilidade após o bom desempenho de alguns ginastas brasileiros nas competições. Com isso, percebeu-se que existiam algumas diferenças entre os movimentos artísticos utilizados por ginastas brasileiros e estrangeiros. E foi deste fato que surgiu a interesse em verificar qual é a preocupação com os componentes artísticos no contexto da GA competitiva. Por isso, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar, analisar e discutir a preparação artística na GA competitiva do ponto de vista de técnicos e árbitros das categorias feminina e masculina da modalidade. Para isso, foi utilizado um delineamento qualitativo, aplicando uma entrevista com questões abertas à técnicos e árbitros da GA competitiva. Para a análise foi utilizada a análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin (2008). Concluímos que existem muitos desentendimentos sobre as questões artísticas da modalidade, tanto por parte dos técnicos quanto por parte dos árbitros, de ambos os setores. Este estudo nos mostrou a importância das discussões e pesquisas sobre a preparação artística na GA competitiva, bem como sobre alguns itens dos códigos de pontuação, para que a modalidade se fortifique cada vez mais / (indisponível)

É notável o crescimento da Ginástica Artística (GA), principalmente no Brasil. A modalidade vem ganhando maior visibilidade após o bom desempenho de alguns ginastas brasileiros nas competições. Com isso, percebeu-se que existiam algumas diferenças entre os movimentos artísticos utilizados por ginastas brasileiros e estrangeiros. E foi deste fato que surgiu a interesse em verificar qual é a preocupação com os componentes artísticos no contexto da GA competitiva. Por isso, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi identificar, analisar e discutir a preparação artística na GA competitiva do ponto de vista de técnicos e árbitros das categorias feminina e masculina da modalidade. Para isso, foi utilizado um delineamento qualitativo, aplicando uma entrevista com questões abertas à técnicos e árbitros da GA competitiva. Para a análise foi utilizada a análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin (2008). Concluímos que existem muitos desentendimentos sobre as questões artísticas da modalidade, tanto por parte dos técnicos quanto por parte dos árbitros, de ambos os setores. Este estudo nos mostrou a importância das discussões e pesquisas sobre a preparação artística na GA competitiva, bem como sobre alguns itens dos códigos de pontuação, para que a modalidade se fortifique cada vez mais / (indisponível)

The purpose of this study was to discover whether the gymnasts' body shape affects the judging of gymnastics. The goal was to discover whether the judges' perceptions of the gymnasts' body shape related to the gymnasts' performance scores. A second goal was to discover whether performance scores differed when given by judges with two levels of experience (experienced and novice). Videotapes of compulsory routines performed by 16 gymnasts on bars, beam and floor were constructed to simulate a competition. Eighteen judges, nine novice and nine experienced, evaluated the routines. They were also required to rate their perception of the aesthetic appeal of the 16 gymnasts' body shape. Each gymnasts' body mass index (BMI) was calculated from their height and weight measurements to quantify body shape. The scores were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed a significant main effect of BMI on judges' perception of gymnasts' body shape scores, $F(3,48)=9.50, p<.001.$ Gymnasts with a medium-low BMI received significantly higher perception scores than gymnasts with a medium-high BMI and gymnasts with a high BMI. The results also showed a significant main effect $(p<.001)$ of BMI on performance scores. Gymnasts with a high BMI received higher performance scores than those gymnasts with a low BMI, medium-low BMI and medium-high BMI. The effect of judge experience was very close to significant $(p<.059)$ in relation to performance scores. Experienced judges gave lower performance scores than novice judges. Although all judges preferred smaller body shape, this preference did not affect the performance scores award by the judges.

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