Longevity and high quality of life are amongst the most desired traits of humanity. However, the incidences of non-communicable diseases are rising, while sedentary lifestyles and malnutrition are more common than ever, and in general both functional and cognitive health is declining. Besides the concurrent costs to provide healthcare for such an aging population are dramatically increasing and depend on pharmacological treatment. There is an urgent need to raise awareness for cost-saving healthier customs and to adjust lifestyles. From specific geographic areas around the globe, where its citizens tend to grow (very) old, that is over 100 years of age (indicated as ‘oldest old’), without the obvious health-deficits, the so-called blue zones, lifestyle factors have been identified, or will be proposed, and taken as candidate for nonpharmacologic approaches to improve general health. This paper will summarize scientific studies focussing on cardiovascular and cognitive health benefits induced by: Physical activity through exercise, light to moderate intensity, and nonexercise outdoors activities; Nutrition through the Mediterranean diet and the incidence of neurodegeneration; Cognitive engagement through cognitive-motor exercises, language usage, and meditation; and finally: Sleep. The identified denominators are reviewed through various scientific studies regarding substantiated healthinducing effects. Adherence to such nonpharmacologic lifestyles is eventually a personal choice, and for governments to take notice of, and to include in policies.

TThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy training on mental skills of young soccer players. For this purpose, 30 soccer players were assigned to an experimental group of 15 players (intervention based on Mindfulness) and control group of 15 players that participations’ age ranged from 17 to 20 years old in provincial competitions in the year 2017-18. Athletes in the experimental group participated in MBCT course over eight weekly sessions of 2 h each. The control group did not receive any intervention. Before and after interventions Ottawa mental skills assessment tool questionnaire (Omsat-3) were used to collect data. The results of MANOVA showed that significant improvement in all sub-scales scores; Focusing (P=0.001), Refocusing (P=0.001), Imagery (P=0.001), Mental practice (P=0.001), and Competition planning (P=0.001) in the experimental group than control group. According to these findings, we concluded that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy training is appropriate to improve the level of cognitive skills of soccer players.

To test the effectiveness of dance aerobics to optimize the motor activity and the psychophysical state of female students. Medical and biological: body weight (kg), BPM and BPD (mmHg), ChSS in a state of rest and the Stange test. All the data obtained by the study were processed by the procedures of descriptive and comparative statistical methods. From the area of the descriptive statistics the following parameters were defined: representative central and dispersive parameters: arithmetic average; standard deviation; initial and final measuring. Unpaired test, applied in comparative statistics, was performed in order to compare the arithmetic means of two independent data sets (experimental and control groups). Statistical analysis was performed by applying SPSS statistical software. Comparative analysis of data confirmed the effectiveness of dance aerobics tools not only in the absence of negative changes during the examination session, but also improvement of the psychophysical state (state of health by the method of WAM in KG – 3.8 points, EG1 – 4.3 points, EG2 – 4.5 points, ЕG3 – 4.8 points) and the level of somatic health of students (in KG 0.23 ± 0.04 points, ЕG1 8.78 ± 0.50 points, ЕG2 8.77 ± 0.61 points, ЕG3 11, 65 ± 0.55 points). During the studying, and especially the examination time, students experience strong psycho-emotional stress and the physical state becomes worse. The use of dance aerobics has a positive influence on the psychophysical state of female students and the optimization of their physical activity.

The aim of our research was to determine the effects of small-sided games on explosive strength in young volleyball players. The authors hypothesized that this program might significantly improve explosive strength in adolescent volleyball players. Thirty-eight adolescent volleyball players participated in this study (12.26±1.01). They were tested for lower body explosive power and passing accuracy. Players were randomly allocated into a small-sided games group (n = 20) and instructional training group (n = 18). Each player participated in a 12-week training program that included 3 organized court training sessions per week. Both groups made significant increases in block jump (p < 0.05) after 12 weeks of training, with significant interaction effect between the groups. There were no significant interaction effects between the groups (p>0.05) for spike jump. In SJ and CMJ results revealed a statistically significant difference between groups pre- to post- training (p < 0.05). Both groups made significant increases in passing accuracy with significant interaction effect between the groups. Small-sided games appears to be an effective way of improving explosive power and passing skills in young volleyball players. The results of this study indicate that game-based training method was more effective for lower body explosive power than traditional instructional programme.

There was lot of previous researches about achievement motivation, but also not lot of comparisons between young footballers and nonfootballers. This article intends to improve psychological way of working with young sportsmen and help to coaches how to approach in positive way to young person. The main objective of this research was to determine the differences in the level of achievement motivation at boys age 10-14 years (N=200) in relation with sport status, school success and economic characteristics who were divided into 2 subsamples: who are/or not engaged in football. In this study, for data collection the MOP2002 scale was used (Franceško, Mihić, & Bala, 2002). For the purpose of data processing in this study were used methods of descriptive and multivariate statistics (t-test, canonical discriminant analysis, F-test). Application of canonical discriminant analysis which showed that the discriminating canonical correlation function of 0,39 (λ= 0.86; χ2 = 22.40; r = 0.00), which means there is a statistically significant difference regarding the structure of the achievement motivation. The results of the research indicate that engagement in football by an individual causes the higher level of the achievement motivation, with the most pronounced contribution by the component “persistence in achieving goals”, and then “goals achievement as a source of satisfaction”. Also, the  results show that the economic status of the family didn’t contribute to differences in achievement motivation of their children, and difference in the school success of the respondents is followed by level of its motivation. 

All physical activity of preschool children during the day occurs while they are in kindergarten or during their leisure time. The aim of the study was to present the results related to the participation of children in organized activities during leisure time and what is the perception of parents about the scope of their children's physical activity and the time spent on watching TV, using computers and playing video games (as a part of wider study). The research was conducted in 2017 in the Preschool institution “Naša Radost” in Subotica. The survey questionnaire was filled in by 135 parents for children of the average age of 5.14 years (±0.91). The survey questionnaire contained questions about children's nutrition (NutriStep survey) and their involvement in organized activities with educational and sports-recreational content during leisure time, as well as parent’s opinion on quantity in child’s sedentary activities. 65.9% of children aged 5 to 7 was found to attend some kind of organized activity, most often within programs of foreign language schools, sports schools and programs with aesthetic  presentation of skills is important (ballet, dance and folklore). The largest number of parents reported that their child spent one hour watching TV, using a computer or playing games. About 71% of parents reported that their child was physically active enough. In both cases, a statistically significant difference was found between boys and girls. Within the family circle and within the educational institution, where children spend most of the time, it is necessary to provide conditions for undisturbed growth and development. One of the best ways is through exercising physical activity. 

The lack of common rules and credible judgement created particular problems gymnastics competitions, organized by the two international sports institutions (IOC, EG), until the beginning of the World War I. After the end of the war, these institutions began to cooperate, to widen and to put under their aegis all the existing Gymnastics Federations. In the decades of 1920 and 1930 totally five International Gymnastics competitions were organized by the IGF and five Olympic Games by the IOC. Despite the considerable efforts of the two institutions for commonly accepted regulations, reliable judgment and uniform apparatuses, no solution was found. So, there were a lot of problems, since several federations were introspective and followed their own regulations and principles. This fact affected negatively the general development of gymnastics.

The purpose of this study is to research and show off the structures and characteristics of the regulations of gymnastics in the decades of 1920 and 1930 as well as the reasons that caused the lack of common rules and their effects in the development of gymnastics.  

Lately, there has been increase of interest in examining the motives of male and female adolescents for taking part in physical activities, as well as examining their depression, anxiety and stress. The objective of this paper was to investigate intergender differences between male and female adolescents concerning the motives for physical exercise, depression, anxiety and stress. The pertinent sample accounted for 332 high-school students of both sexes from Valjevo (164 females and 168 male high school seniors), aged 18.10 ± 0.86. Three measuring instruments were used: Questionnaire for collecting basic data, The Exercise Motivation Inventory 2 („EMI–2“) questionnaire and the Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS – 21). The internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire and the scale was satisfactory. The given results revealed that there are statistically significant gender differences, as the male adolescents, compared to the female adolescents, more frequently took part in physical activities (p ≤ 0.01). The important difference between the motives for participating in physical activities between the male and female participants was defined, so the motives: Socializing, Competition, Enjoyment, Social recognition and Strength and Persistence were more dominant with male adolescents, whereas motives: Appearance, Agility, Maintaining and improving health, and Body mass control were manifested more with female high school seniors. The findings revealed, with the probability of error being 0.05 the statistically significant differences of the depression dimension between the adolescents who rarely or never take part in physical activities and those who take part in physical activities three or more times a week. The results suggest that there are significant differences between male and female participants when it comes to stress variable (t = -2.47, p ≤ 0.01) and anxiety variable (t = -2.17, p ≤ 0.05). Differences on the depression variable are not significant. The findings were discussed within the context of current empirical and theoretical frame. 

Although beach handball comes from the sport that is played indoors it has significant differences from it. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare tactical options in both defense and attack between men and women. In 16 games from 2017 European Beach Handball Championship, 1074 attacks and defense situations were analyzed, in order to examine different attack and defense tactics. The selected method was video-analysis. The ꭓ2-test was used to compare the differences between the formations in defense and attack. In defense the results showed that men use more often 3:0, 2:1C and 2:1L formations, while women use more often 3:0. From the comparison between men and women it appeared that, in the initial formation of defense, there are significant differences, while in the final tactical formation are minimal. Men, in the initial and final tactical option in attack, used the system with one pivot and the specialist in center. Women use the same formation but also the one with a pivot and specialist at the left side of the attack at the substitution area. In the initial attack formation, appeared few significant changes between men and women, while in the final tactical formation there were no changes. Finally, the final throwing attempts, men choose to make them mainly from the center while women from the right and from the center. In conclusion, we can say that men’s and women’s tactical choices in defense and offense show some differences, but these differences are small. 

The aim of the study is to examine if and to what extent the evaluations of fitness studios by persons who have recently resigned from their membership are related to general studio conditions such as studio atmosphere, facilities, trainer’s competence and other features. In other words, the question is whether there are typical prioritizations on positive or negative evaluations by dropouts from fitness sport. In the survey a total of 225 people, who had quitted their membership in the past, were questioned in a telephone inquiry. The study was conducted in a health-oriented fitness center in a major city in Germany. At the time of the study the fitness facility had up to 1.151 memberships. Among them, 59% of the members were women and 41% were men. The average age of the respondents was 43.5 years. The average duration of membership added up to 4.4 years. Overall, the various aspects of the studio offer and its surroundings were mostly rated as “good”.  The respondents appreciated particularly the coaches (friendliness, helpfulness, competence), followed by opening hours, trial training and the first impression.  The membership costs and individual aspects such as space, music and ventilation are assessed more critically, if not really badly. The data show that the various evaluation aspects were clearly assessed differently by the respondents, and that there was apparently little generalized information on the studio evaluation.