Assessing Motivational Factors in Young Serbian Athletes: A Validation Study of the Sport Motivation Scale-II.

Background: Motivation is considered crucial in sports participation and performance, influencing athletes' psychological well-being, investment in training, and interpersonal relationships. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a prominent framework used to understand motivation in sports, highlighting the importance of autonomous motivation for optimal performance and well-being. A large number of questionnaires for examining processes in sports were created by relying on the constructs of SDT.

Effects of Additional Plyometric Training on the Jump Performance of Elite Male Handball Players: A Systematic Review.

Handball is one of the most popular team sports around the world that has become physically very demanding, related to both competitions and daily training sessions. Optimal training programs are necessary to improve performance, especially when taking into account the frequency of jump shots (vertical jumps) and handball feints (changes of directions) during daily training. The main objective of the present study is to review the available literature systematically, and to determine what are the effects of additional plyometric training on handball players' vertical jump abilities.

Mental skills in Serbian handball players: In relation to the position and gender of players.

Objectives: Despite the potential link between mental skills and athletic performance, little is done to examine handball players' present level of mental skills concerning their performance. To begin with, the study has three folded aims; the first one is to examine the factor structure of Bull's Mental Skills Questionnaire, which was developed in the United Kingdom to measure selected mental skill, of Serbian athlete population. The second aim is to determine gender differences in those mental skills, and the third aim is to determine differences between the playing positions in the mental skills of handball players to create a mental profile of Serbian handball players.

Stress Levels in Handball Coaching-Case Study: Preliminary Analysis of the Differences between Training and Match.

Stress plays a significant role in competitions and in the training of sports participants, and coaches are no exception. To better cope with stressful situations, close monitoring of coaches' stress levels before, during, and after training and competitions is recommended. According to studies, the use of cortisol (C) and alpha-amylase (AA) as biomarkers for monitoring acute stress is recommended.

Somatotype Profiles of Montenegrin Karatekas: An Observational Study.

Competitive karate activity involves numerous factors affecting performance in sport. Physical structure and somatotype is considered to be one of them. This study aimed to determine whether there are differences between karate athletes in five male and five female official weight categories in different anthropometric measurements and to determine the somatotype profiles of athletes divided by weight categories.

Effects of small-sided games and high-intensity interval training on physical performance in young female handball players.

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of small-sided handball games in combination with handball training (SSG group) versus high-intensity interval training in combination with handball training (HIIT group) on physical performance of young female handball players during pre-competitive period. Twenty-four young female handball players, who have a 6.17 ± 1.

Effects of a Nine-Month Physical Activity Intervention on Morphological Characteristics and Motor and Cognitive Skills of Preschool Children.

(1) Background: Regular physical activity (PA) plays an important role during early childhood physical and psychological development. This study investigates the effects of a 9-month PA intervention on physiological characteristics and motor and cognitive skills in preschool children. (2) Methods: Preschool children ( = 132; age 4 to 7 years) attending regular preschool programs were nonrandomly assigned to PA intervention ( = 66; 60 min sessions twice per week) or a control group ( = 66; no additional organized PA program) for 9 months.

Somatotypes and hand-grip strength analysis of elite cadet sambo athletes.

The objectives of this research were to establish somatotype and hand-grip strength between elite cadet male and female sambo athletes divided by weight categories.A total of 97 elite cadet sambo athletes, participants of the World Cadets Sambo Championships 2018 participated in the study. Male and female sambo athletes were divided by official weight categories.

Relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life in children aged 7-8 years.

Background: The dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity in developed and developing countries has become a major health care concern. Accordingly, there is growing recognition of the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and obesity in the pediatric population. This study aimed to explore the relationship between HRQOL and different indicators of obesity in children aged 7-8 years.

Differences in motor and cognitive abilities of children depending on their body mass index and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in motor and cognitive abilities of children depending on their value in quantitative indicators of Body Mass Index (BMI) and subcutaneous fatty tissue. The study sample consisted of overall 910 boys and girls, aged 11 to 14, all from elementary schools in Vojvodina (Serbia). Six anthropometric, eight motor and one cognitive variable were analyzed to identify quantitative and qualitative differences in motor and cognitive functioning of children.