PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the reliability, validity and usefulness of the 30–15IFT in competitive female soccer players.METHODS: Seventeen elite female soccer players participated in the study. A within subject test-retest study design was utilized to assess the reliability of the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (IFT). Seven days prior to 30–15IFT, subjects performed a continuous aerobic running test (CT) under laboratory conditions to assess the criterion validity of the 30–15IFT. End running velocity (VCT and VIFT), peak heart rate (HRpeak) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) were collected and/or estimated for both tests.RESULTS: VIFT (ICC = 0.91; CV = 1.8%), HRpeak (ICC = 0.94; CV = 1.2%), and VO2max (ICC = 0.94; CV = 1.6%) obtained from the 30–15IFT were all deemed highly reliable (p > 0.05). Pearson product moment correlations between the CT and 30–15IFT for VO2max, HRpeak and end running velocity were large (r = 0.67, p = 0.013), very large (r = 0.77, p = 0.02) and large (r = 0.57, p = 0.042), respectively.CONCLUSION: Current findings suggest that the 30–15IFT is a valid and reliable intermittent aerobic fitness test of elite female soccer players. The findings have also provided practitioners with evidence to support the accurate detection of meaningful individual changes in VIFT of 0.5 km/h (1 stage) and HRpeak of 2 bpm. This information may assist coaches in monitoring “real” aerobic fitness changes to better inform training of female intermittent team sport athletes. Lastly, coaches could use the 30–15IFT as a practical alternative to laboratory based assessments to assess and monitor intermittent aerobic fitness changes in their athletes.

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The aim of this study was to determine the level of physical activity of elderly women living in the Canton of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample consisted of 115 subjects, divided in two sub-sample: fi rst group aged 50-59 (54.87 ± 2.59), N = 75; and second group aged 60-69 (64.52 ± 2.80), N = 40. Data collection was obtained using a long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ). After the results analysis, a high overall level of physical activity of the treated sample of elderly women was determined. The fi rst group of elderly women (age 50-59) achieved the total work MET 13990.56 ± 11012.0; the second group of elderly women (age 60-69) achieved the total work MET 9921.02 ± 7861.13. Determined exceptionally heavy physical activity (MET) was the most dominant mode of energy consumption in the case of both elderly women groups, was not expected. The fi rst group was more physically active compared to the second group of elderly women (p <0.05). This research has confi rmed that physical activity decreases with age. Promoting physical activity to improve the quality of life of elderly people should be a priority task of health policy of all local communities. It is important to provide appropriate ways of information about the health status of elderly people in order to determine priorities, and accordingly plan appropriate programs of physical activity.

High relationships between muscle strength and various forms of jumps are usually based on the research samples of professional athletes or students of sports and physical education. However such studies are less known in the case of recreational women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between isokinetic parameters of knee joint muscle strength with the efficiency of performing vertical jumps. The sample represents a group of 16 healthy and physically active women (age=31.04±3.71; height 168.13±8.34; weight 59.80±9.80). Knee extensors and flexors were evaluated by using an isokinetic dynamometer, while the two-foot vertical jump performance was measured using the Opto Jump System. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine correlation magnitude (p<.05). The obtained results indicated high correlations of the knee extension peak torque dominant leg (KEPT D), knee extension peak torque non-dominant leg (KEPT ND) and knee flexion peak torque non-dominant leg (KFPT ND) with counter movement jump free arms (CMJFA) (r=.525; r=.511; r=.594; p<.05). High correlations was also indicated between KFPT ND with counter movement jump (CMJ) (r=.514; p<.05). Given that these are recreational women, we can assume that the countermovement free arm jump type was the most natural form of expressing their explosive potential. It is certainly important that future studies further examine the relationships between muscle strength and performance of primary and specific motor tasks in recreational women.