Name: Complex Evaluation of Primary School Ski Courses in the Czech Republic Objective: The objective of this diploma thesis is a complex evaluation of a representative primary school ski courses in the Czech Republic according to the five following criteria, which are staffing of the course, content and organisation of the course, health and safety of the pupils, methodology of the training and economic side. The crucial aspect of the evaluation is the fact whether the working hypotheses will be proved or disproved. Methodology: Our thesis has the character of a qualitative research. Data that refer to the topic are collected in the form of non anonymous survey of at random chosen primary schools in all regions of the Czech Republic. For this purpose, a non-standardized questionnaire is used. It consists of open-ended, semi close-ended and close-ended questions. The questionnaire is compiled to enable a complex evaluation of ski courses in accordance with the areas of interest, which are staffing of the course, content and organisation of the course, health and safety of the pupils, methodology of the training and economic safeguarding. Collected data are analysed in Survio and Microsoft EXCEL® programmes; they are supplemented with graphs and commentaries. Results: Primary school ski courses were...

Title: Didactic methods for teaching of skiing of beginners 6-10 years old Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to create a "ranking alphabet" for skiing beginners at age from 6 to 10 years old (young school age) and following verification of its effectiveness by using different didactic methods during the skiing education in "Half-day skiing school" in Kubova Huť. Methods: This is a case study that has the character of descriptions with the nature of qualitative research. The main method was the participatory observation by five trained ski instructors. We also used the category system and created seven categories. These were skiing skills included in the "ranking alphabet". To capture the quality of execution, we chose the judging ranges for individual elements in the "ranking alphabet". Results: The ranking alphabet with seven elementary skills was created. Each skill was defined and its level was determined. Children were divided into two groups (parallel and plough ski position). It depended on the quality of individual skiing skills. Every group participated in modified skiing education. In the end skills of both groups were verified by slalom. The use of ski "ranking alphabet" at the beginning of ski training proved to be effective for skiing beginners. Key words: Children, downhill...

Introduction Researchers have, for decades, contributed to an increased collective understanding of the physiological demands in cross-country skiing; however, almost all of these studies have used either non-elite subjects and/or performances that emulate cross-country skiing. To establish the physiological demands of cross-country skiing, it is important to relate the investigated physiological variables to the competitive performance of elite skiers. The overall aim of this doctoral thesis was, therefore, to investigate the external validity of physiological test variables to determine the physiological demands in competitive elite cross-country skiing. Methods The subjects in Study I – IV were elite male (I – III) and female (III – IV) cross-country skiers. In all studies, the relationship between test variables (general and ski-specific) and competitive performances (i.e. the results from competitions or the overall ski-ranking points of the International Ski Federation (FIS) for sprint (FISsprint) and distance (FISdist) races) were analysed. Test variables reflecting the subject’s general strength, upper-body and whole-body oxygen uptake, oxygen uptake and work intensity at the lactate threshold, mean upper-body power, lean mass, and maximal double-poling speed were investigated. Results The ability to maintain a high work rate without accumulating lactate is an indicator of distance performance, independent of sex (I, IV). Independent of sex, high oxygen uptake in whole-body and upper-body exercise was important for both sprint (II, IV) and distance (I, IV) performance. The maximal double-poling speed and 60-s double-poling mean power output were indicators of sprint (IV) and distance performance (I), respectively. Lean mass was correlated with distance performance for women (III), whereas correlations were found between lean mass and sprint performance among both male and female skiers (III). Moreover, no correlations between distance performance and test variables were derived from tests of knee-extension peak torque, vertical jumps, or double poling on a ski-ergometer with 20-s and 360-s durations (I), whereas gross efficiency while treadmill roller skiing showed no correlation with either distance or sprint performance in cross-country skiing (IV). Conclusion The results in this thesis show that, depending on discipline and sex, maximal and peak oxygen uptake, work intensity at the lactate threshold, lean mass, double-poling mean power output, and double-poling maximal speed are all externally valid physiological test variables for evaluation of performance capability among elite cross-country skiers; however, to optimally indicate performance capability different test-variable expressions should be used; in general, the absolute expression appears to be a better indicator of competitive sprint performance whereas the influence of body mass should be considered when evaluating competitive distance performance capability of elite cross-country skiers.

The individual monitoring of cross-country skiers’ technique-related parameters is crucial to identifying possible athlete-individual deficits that need to be corrected in order to optimize the athlete’s performance in competition. To be able to record relevant biomechanical parameters during training in the field, the development of measuring systems exploiting the athlete’s full potential is the key. Known mobile monitoring systems for measuring forces on ski poles use comparably heavy uniaxial load cells mounted on the pole with a data logger also attached to the pole or carried by the athlete. Measurements that are more accurate can be acquired using wire-based systems. However, wire-based systems are highly immobile and only usable when the athletes undergo a stationary test, e.g., on a treadmill. This paper focuses on the functional design of a measuring system using specialized, miniaturized electronics for acquiring data from strain sensors. These data are then used to determine the technique-related parameters pole force and angle of bend. The functional design is also capable of transmitting the acquired data wirelessly via Bluetooth to a smartphone that runs a proprietary app. This approach is advantageous regarding mass, dynamic behavior, analyzing functionality, and signal processing compared to the state of the art.

Gender is a constantly debated subject, especially within the world of sports. The representation of athletes in the media is dominated by the males. It is often that the athletes are portrayed on the basis of their sex and gender. With the extreme skiing being a new and modern sport, should it not be autonomous from gender? This study aims to examine whether and if so how the cover design differ between female and male extreme skiing athletes and how it affects the professional skiers. A semiotic analysis was used on the covers of the Swedish skier’s magazine Åka Skidor and interviews were held with some of Sweden’s professional extreme skiers using a hermeneutic approach. The theoretical framework used for this study was poststructuralism, poststructuralist feminism and gender theory. The semiotic analysis showed that there is in fact a difference in both representation and how the skiers are portrayed on the covers of Åka Skidor. The interviews that were held resulted in three themes to answer the aim of this study. They were; the climate of extreme skiing, extreme skiing in media and the future of extreme skiing. The skiers had acknowledged that there is a difference between females and males when it comes to media representation and how they are portrayed. Although the explanation for this differs between the skiers they all mentioned the power of sponsors and sponsorship. However; the issue with athletes being portrayed and represented different based on their gender is not important enough to debate within the world of extreme skiing today. Therefore, it can be concluded that extreme skiing will probably not be autonomous from gender in the near future.

Syfte Syftet med studien var att undersöka om relative age effect förekommer på svenska längdskidgymnasier bland antagna elever och hur eventuell förekomst ser ut bland flickor och pojkar samt hur det ser ut vid Riksidrottsgymnasierna och de Nationell Idrottsutbildningarna. Metod För att besvara syftet har statistisk data analyserats med hjälp av ett Pearson Chi2-test. Analysen har skett genom att undersöka födelsemånad, kön och inriktning bland antagna elever vid svenska längdskidgymnasier mellan åren 2010-2015. Resultat Resultatet visar att det finns signifikanta bevis på att relative age effect förkommer på svenska längdskidgymnasier (p= <0,05). Vid uppdelning av respektive utbildningsinriktning kunde det endast konstateras förekomst av relative age effect vid Riksidrottsgymnasierna, vid uppdelning av kön går det inte att säkerställa en signifikant förekomst av relative age effect. Slutsatser Studiens resultat visar att det förekommer relative age effect på svenska längdskidgymnasier, dock varierar den mellan de analyserade undervariablerna. Tydligast förekommer relative age effect vid Riksidrottsgymnasierna, medan det vid Nationell Idottsutbildning, kunde det inte konstateras bevis för en signifikant överrepresentation av elever födda under första kvartalet. När flickor och pojkar analyserades separat kunde ingen relative age effect konstateras. Det behövs mer forskning inom området för att få en överblick av konsekvenserna av relative age effect på längdskidgymnasier men även konsekvenserna för svensk längdskidåkning i stort. / Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate if relative age effect occurs at Swedish cross-country ski schools and if there were a differences in the presence among boys and girls, and between Riksidrottsgymnasier (Country-wide sport academy) and Nationell Idrottsutbildning (National sport academy). Method To answer the aim, statistical data were analyzed using a Pearson Chi2-test. The analysis has been done by examining birth month, sex and education among students at Swedish cross-country ski schools between 2010-2015. Results The result shows that there is a significant evidence of relative age effect at Swedish cross-country ski schools (p= <0,05). When the results were partial between Riksidrottsgymnasier and Nationell Idrottsutbildning, the relative age effect was only seen at Riksidrottsgymnasierna. There were no significant evidence for relative age effect when boys and girls where analyzed separately. Conclusion The results show that relative age effect appears on Swedish cross-country ski schools; however, there were some varies between analyzed variables. Strongest evidence for relative age effect was seen at Riksidrottsgymnaiserna. Further research is needed to get a overview of the consequences of relative age effect at cross-country ski schools, and the consequences it has in Swedish cross-country skiing overall, both for younger and older skiers.

This study was about the elite sport environment in a city in the north of Sweden. The purpose of the study was to understand what support and resources that already exists and also are needed for the athletes in floorball and cross-country skiing to proceed to the absolute elite in their sports. The purpose was also to get knowledge about what economic, human and material resources that are deeming to have in order to create a good elite sport environment and finally, when an organization or athlete are successful. The study analyzed the current situation and how an organization can create an even greater environment that produces top athletes. To answer the purpose of the study, interviews were conducted with representatives from special sport districts federation, sport clubs and athletes from the chosen sports in the study. The result showed many similarities and differences between the two sports. The two sport clubs does not make enough money to fully support their athletes as in football for example. Differences in the chosen sports were mainly in the cooperation were floorball had far better cooperation between special sport districts federation and sport clubs in comparison to cross country-skiing.

This academic work deals with children who are school age or younger school age and their interest in skiing and snowboarding. It tries to expose the reason of decreasing attendance at ski courses offered by schools. The research made by questionnaire shows that most of the children attending lower grades of elementary schools do some sport. They would also like to attend the ski course but they often listed finances as the obstacle. The results of interviews made with teachers of elementary schools and high schools display that only the children who had experienced winter sports either before entering elementary school or soon after entering school want to participate. This work considers as important placing the ski courses at the first grade of the elementary schools. The number of children interested in winter sports would increase. More of them would consider participating at ski courses that help raising the physical and mental condition. Keywords: younger school age, physical activities, snowboarding, skiing

Title: Analysis of Didactic Interaction in Group Skiing Lessons for Adults Objectives: The aim of this thesis is to perform detailed analysis and comparison of the didactic teacher - student interaction during adult skiing lessons between two instructors with the same level of experience but different educational background. Methods: In our research we have employed a participant observation method using classification into a category system based on a standardised MADI (Modified Analysis of Didactic Interaction) technique. This includes 7 categories describing the forms of the teacher's behaviour, the didactic content of the lessons, didactic situations, and attitudinal characteristics. Results: The results of the study confirmed, among others, a higher incidence of the two most effective forms of teacher behaviour (correction and feedback information provision) in the instructor with pedagogical education, which was associated with a higher quality of the teaching process. Keywords: teaching, skiing, instructor, didactic interaction, analysis, ADI, MADI

Title: The influence of alpine skiing on balance Author: Nikola Volejníková Objective: The aim of this work was to study the available literature, to characterize alpine skiing from its inception through biomechanics and physiological demands for skiers to characteristics of the individual disciplines. At the same time characterize motor skills in whole and focus on the main reference factor: the balance ability. The main objective of this work was to perform an experiment on two groups: experimental and control group. The aim of the experiment was to test the influence of alpine skiing on the balance and if there is the potentiality to improve the results of balance tests by only one week of intense skiing. The results of the experimental group were compared with the control group. Method: Measurement was carried out using the GymTop USB and one test for measuring static equilibrium. The main group consisted of 10 subjects selected from the participants of the ski-instructor course APUL "C" and measurement took place in two phases - before the course and after a week of intense duration of the course. An important criterion for the selection of subjects was their good health with no on-going acute musculoskeletal diseases. Only one year younger injuries were the reason for non-inclusion in the...