Background: The purpose of this study was to design a factor model whose application would refine the diagnostics of actual and continuous states in ice hockey players. Material/Methods: The following batteries of tests were used: Test battery 1 serves as a monitoring tool for the Methods Department of Slovak Ice Hockey Federation. Test battery 2 was designed on the basis of previous empirical evidence. A comparative analysis of the batteries was aimed at the qualitative aspect of the criteria of the individual test items. Results: The results showed partial incompleteness of the battery and a need to complement the battery with test items that would be more indicative of skating performance. The saturation of five factors within test battery 2 demonstrated a hierarchy of individual parameters, which were actually indicative of skating performance. Conclusions: With a high degree of probability, one may conclude the incidence of a common base of running parameters (factor model 1), which despite a different character of loading shared an identical base. This contradiction represents a certain knowledge paradox indicating that the implementation of these items into the test battery does not sufficiently assess general fitness in ice hockey players making their number redundant.

The purpose of the study was to assess core stability and to determine age-related diff erences in the unilaterality of limb movements in hockey players. The sample included 152 hockey players aged 12 to 35 years. Every player performed the upper quarter and the lower quarter Y-balance tests. Performances of players showed high degree of individuality, which was expressed as the composite score. The diff erence greater than 4 cm in movements performed by a left or right limb indicates imbalance and higher risk of injury. Of 152 players, 27 and 26 players showed a diff erence higher than 4 cm for the lower quarter and the upper quarter, respectively. Of all age categories, 61% of senior players showed muscle imbalance. This may have been caused by factors present at school age because 52% of U13 players showed imbalance. We conducted statistical analysis to determine diff erences for each of the directions in relation to limb length. The cross-sectional data have shown non signifi cant diff erences between age categories studied. For the development of ice hockey players, it is important to eliminate movement imbalance. The results have shown that the category at risk includes the U13 players, who may suff er from movement imbalance in the senior category.

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between body composition measures and cardiorespiratory fitness in Slovak high school students. Data on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness were obtained from students attending 14 high schools in Presov self-governing region. Body composition was measured using a direct segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer InBody 230 (Biospace, 2006). Cardiorespiratory fitness was determined by multistage shuttle run and Ruffier test. The results showed that boys had higher level of cardiorespiratory fitness indicated by VO2max and Ruffier index than girls across all age groups. Overall, maximal oxygen uptake of both boys and girls increased with age. According to VO2max the level of cardiorespiratory fitness was poor for boys and girls. The physical development was found to be normal as expressed by BMI. Mean values of WHR and VFA showed normal degree of abdominal obesity and visceral fatness. Correlation analysis showed inverse association of percent body fat and waist-hip ratio with performance in multistage shuttle run for both genders. Body height of girls negatively correlated with performance in Ruffier test. There were no statistically significant associations between Ruffier index and body composition measures for boys.

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Introduction. The purpose of the study was to assess physical fitness based on using FITNESSGRAM test battery in Slovak high school students. Material and methods. The reference sample consisted of 1,016 high school students from schools located in the Prešov self-governing region. Students were tested for physical fitness components using selected Fitnessgram test items. In addition, students performed 20-meter endurance shuttle run to determine their level of cardiorespiratory fitness and 10-second jumping test on a jumping ergometer to determine their lower-body explosive power. Results. Results of one-way ANOVA showed significant differences for curl-up test (p = .012) between 15-year-old boys and 18-year-old boys. There were no differences between boys living in rural areas and their age-matched counterparts living in urban areas. Contrary to boys, girls from rural areas had higher level of abdominal strength (p = .046; d = .19). In the 20-meter endurance shuttle run, boys averaged 448.87 meters more than girls. Conclusions. This study enables to create norm-referenced standards, which through their content will to a great extent indicate the measures of physical fitness.