Potentially beneficial effects of cold therapies on training adaptation still remain unequivocal. We have, thus, decided to evaluate the effects of a 2-week volleyball training program supported by 10 sessions of whole body cryostimulation (WBC) on growth factors and physical performance. Twenty healthy college-aged men and women randomly assigned either to the cryostimulation group (CRY) or the control group (CON; executed passive rest). Both groups took part in the same 2-weeks training program. Additionally, the CRY group attended in 10 cryo-sessions (3 min, -110°C temperature, five times/week). Blood samples were collected at baseline, 1 h after the first cryo-session as well as before and 1 h after the last session of WBC to assess growth factors, myokines concentration and the amino acid profile. Motor abilities were tested before commencing the training program and 2 days after its completion. The applied intervention resulted in an increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations. The adjusted effect describing the difference between groups in response to applied procedures was for both growth factors large and very likely in the CRY, higher than in the CON group (113%; Coefficient Interval: 38–230%, 45%; Coefficient Interval: 17–79%, respectively). Physical performance dropped in both groups, yet in the CRY group, the magnitude of change was smaller. The fibroblast growth factor dropped significantly 1 h following the first cryo-session, yet irisin remained statistically unchanged. The similar tendency was maintained after the whole procedure, still the range of changes was smaller. In the CRY group, an elevated uptake of tryptophan and valine noted in response to the whole intervention, could have induced a significant decrease of fasting glucose concentration (the adjusted effect small and very likely -6%; Coefficient Interval: -10 to -2%). Overall, a 2-week volleyball training program supported by the whole body cryostimulation protocol resulted in an increase of growth factors and offset a decline of physical performance. Thus these procedure can be applied in professional sport during competition period, especially among those disciplines focusing on an explosive power and ability to concentrate.

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Background and Study Aim. Negative changes in the socio-economic environment in the territory of martial law (Ukraine) have a great impact on the ability to continue the training process for athletes. To a lesser extent, this affects experienced world-class athletes who have the opportunity to continue training in other countries. As for young athletes, they are closely connected with their family. This fact reduces the possibility of their preparation. The purpose of the work is to develop the coordination abilities of taekwondo fighters aged 13-14 under martial law Material and methods. The study involved young taekwondo players from Ukraine (n=8, age - 13-14 years old), compactly living in the same area. A survey was conducted among experienced trainers (n=10), who had the opportunity to answer the questionnaire through electronic means of communication ( similar to the Likert scale.) Parents gave their consent to the participation of their children in the experiment. Participants were given homework in the form of exercises to develop the ability to maintain balance. The participants performed the Romberg test on the left and right leg with visual control, without control and Yarotsky's test. Participants conducted tests during a specially organized ZOOM video conference. This study was conducted by the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of University. All participants were aware during the informed consent process that the results of this study may be published. Results. According to the coaches, the most important qualities for taekwondo athletes are speed and coordination. Among the coordination abilities trainers note as the most important the following: the sense of rhythm, the sense of time and distance, balance and vestibular stamina. Equilibrium indicators on an unstable support (Romberg test) have undergone significant positive changes (at p˂0.05). Although the Yarotsky test indicators had positive improvements, they did not have significant differences (at p˃0.05). Conclusions. When declaring martial law, it is recommended to pay special attention to the life safety of participants in the education and training process. It is also recommended to use exercises on an unstable support, which are in the nature of imitation percussion and protective actions. This approach leads to a tangible improvement in the balance of young athletes.

The purpose of the study was to identify the gender-related features of motor fitness of 9-year-old schoolchildren. Materials and methods. The study involved 83 9-year-old schoolchildren (35 girls, 48 boys). The children and their parents were informed about all the features of the study and gave their consent to participate in the experiment. The study used the following research methods: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical observations, testing of motor fitness, probabilistic approach to assessing the learning process, methods of mathematical statistics. In the experiment, the study controlled the level of proficiency in the following exercises: Rope climbing in 2 steps, Rope climbing in 3 steps, One leg swing upward circle. Results. In the girls and boys, the differences in the level of development of movement coordination between individual parts of the body and vestibular stability are not statistically significant. The 9-year-old boys have a statistically significantly higher level of development of strength, speed strength, speed, endurance, and a higher level of proficiency in gymnastic exercises and rope climbing than the girls. The obtained canonical function explains 100% of the variation of results and is informative for classifying 8-year-old schoolchildren’s motor fitness (r = 0.937). The analysis of the canonical function indicates its statistical significance (λ = 0.122; p = 0.001). Conclusions. The canonical discriminant function can be used to classify the gender-relatedfeatures of motor fitness of 9-year-old schoolchildren. The discriminant analysis revealed the indicators that have the greatest weight in assessing the gender-related features of motor fitness of 9-year-old schoolchildren. They include the level of relative strength of the shoulder flexors, speed strength, agility, and the level of proficiency in the One leg swing upward circle on a low bar.

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