Background Intensive physical exercise that competitive sports athletes participate in can negatively affect their pro-oxidative–antioxidant balance. Compounds with high antioxidant potential, such as those present in chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), can prevent these adverse changes. We here investigated the effect of antioxidant supplementation on oxidative stress balance in young footballers. Methods The study was designed as a double-blind randomized trial. Diet of a group of young football players (male; n = 20; mean age, 15.8 years-old) was supplemented with 200 ml of chokeberry juice per day, for 7 weeks. The players were randomly assigned to the experimental (supplemented, FP-S; n = 12) and control (placebo, FB-C; n = 8) groups. Before and after the supplementation period, the participants performed a beep test. Venous blood was sampled for serum analysis before, immediately after, 3 h, and 24 h after the beep test. Serum levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive products, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, total antioxidant capacity, iron, hepcidin, ferritin, myoglobin, and albumin, and morphological blood parameters (red blood cells, (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT) mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and lactic acid) were determined. Results Chokeberry juice supplementation did not significantly affect the outcome of the beep test. The supplementation did not significantly affect any of the morphological, biochemical, or performance parameters analysed. Conclusions Chokeberry juice supplementation did not affect the measured parameters in the studied population, which may indicate insufficient antioxidant capacity of the juice.

The purpose of this study was to determine the weight of motor skills in the structure of motor fitness of 7-year-old boys.  Materials and methods. The study participants were 38 7-year-old 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 research methods used in the study include analysis of scientific and methodological literature, pedagogical observations, testing of motor fitness, probabilistic approach to assessing the learning process, methods of mathematical statistics.  Results. The level of fitness of the 7-year-old boys is homogeneous by the development of “agility” and “movement coordination”, inhomogeneous – by the development of arm strength and vestibular stability. The 7-year-old boys’ motor fitness is determined by their physical development, the level of general physical fitness and the level of motor skills development. A graphic representation of a two-factor model of testing results shows that analysis identifies two sets of data with high correlation coefficients. The first set includes tests No. 2, 1, 4, and 5, which characterize physical development, agility and endurance; the second – the level of proficiency in exercises No. 14, 13, 12, and the result of test No. 7 “Mixed hang rope pull-ups”. Conclusions. Based on factor analysis, the study found that the level of proficiency in exercises determines the variation of testing results by 28.437%, and the development of motor skills is a priority in the educational process at primary school. The development of “agility” and “movement coordination” ensures the formation of motor skills, and the development of arm strength and vestibular stability is the reserve in training boys aged 7 which will make it possible to increase the effectiveness of the educational process.

Abstract. Purpose: to clear up effectiveness of learning-education process for counteraction of students' harmful passion to computer games' ubiquity. Material: 1 st -3 rd year students (main health group) were the objects of the research. In total they were 952 boys and 523 girls. In 1 st year students' academic groups testing was carried out ant the beginning of academic year (October); in academic groups of 1 st -3 rd year students the testing was at the end of academic year (May). Results: it was found that among 1 st year boy students ubiquity of computer gaming as well as time losses, connected with it are higher than among girl students. Educational process is not sufficiently effective in struggle against computer gaming. For girls, this passion is not dangerous in general. In the course of study at HEE, the strength of this passion reduces independent on sex. Conclusions: for increase of educational process's effectiveness and improvement of students' life quality it is necessary to consider personal features of boy students as well as to organize health related measures with the help of health related physical culture means.

The purpose of the study was to determine the place of motor skills in the motor fitness structure of 9-year-old boys.  Materials and methods. The study participants were 48 9-year-old 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 two steps”, “Rope climbing in three steps”, “One leg swing upward circle”. Results. The level of fitness of the 9-year-old boys is homogeneous by the development of “agility”, “movement coordination”, “speed strength”, and “endurance”; inhomogeneous – by the development of flexibility, arm strength, vestibular stability, and the level of proficiency in rope climbing. The most informative indicators that determine the level of 9-year-old boys’ motor fitness are: No. 12 “Rope climbing in two steps, level of proficiency” (r = 0.960); No. 13 “Rope climbing in three steps, level of proficiency” (r = 0.960); No. 14 “One leg swing upward circle, level of proficiency” (r = 0.875); No. 10 “Maintenance of stable posture – standing on one leg with closed eyes, s” (r = 0.683). Conclusions. Based on factor analysis, it was found that the level of proficiency in the exercises determines the variation of testing results by 24.287%, and the development of motor skills is a priority in the educational process at primary school. The level of proficiency in rope climbing shows that the exercises are difficult for 9-year-old boys to perform. Based on the data analysis, it can be argued that the comprehensive development of motor abilities ensures the formation of motor skills, and the improvement of the level of development of 9-year-old boys’ arm flexors will positively influence the educational process effectiveness.