Lately, different tournaments of strongmen become very popular in the world, where participants demonstrate phenomenal strength and great power of the muscles. This sports discipline becomes popular in Lithuania, and strongmen of our country achieve more and more victories at the competitions of different level. Year 2005 was of particular success for Lithuanian strongmen. Main achievement of this year was title of Strongman World Championships won by Zydrunas Savickas; together with other team members they also become winners of team competition. Consequently, it is relevant to research training methods as well as aspects of the dynamics of physical and functional abilities. So we suppose that it would be possible to understand better the phenomena of the strongest man of the planet and to organise more purposeful training of athletes in this sport discipline, if contents and peculiarities of training and preparation, level and dynamics of physical fitness and physical abilities of Strongman World Championships champion, would be thoroughly analysed. Methods. Subject of the research is physical training, physical fitness level, physical and functional abilities of the world strongmen champion. Indices of physical fitness level were measured, namely: height, body mass, muscular and fat mass and their index, lung volume, power of right and left hand. Muscular power was tested in different energy production zones: single muscular contraction power (SMCP), anaerobic alactic muscular power (AAMP). Anaerobic alactic glycolytis muscle capacity was tested using loads of 30s duration under maximal strain (Wingate test). Psychomotor functions were determined according to psychomotor response rate and movement frequency per 10s. To evaluate the functional capacity of the circulatory system, we employed Roufier test, measuring nnisp. ratp in lying position, in response to an active orthostatic test and dosed physical...

Specific qualities of competitive performance observed in different sports demand that athletes demonstrate definite special characteristics. Training and competitive performance provokes different adaptive changes within athletes' organisms. There are some sports giving preference to tall athletes. However in the greater part of sports, remarkable results may be achieved also by medium-height or even short athletes. To compare the specific influence produced by separate sports on athletes' organisms, it would be necessary to choose study groups involving athletes similar in terms of height characteristics. Study purpose was to examine specific characteristics of physical development, physical skills, and definite functions demonstrated by high performance athletes, very similar in their body height yet very different in terms of performed sport activity; and to carry out a corresponding comparative analysis. Our study involved 48 high performance athletes practising different sports. All of them were either member candidates or full members of Lithuanian Olympic Team: kayakers and canoeists (k/c) (n=12); - skiers and biathlonists (n=12); cyclists (n=12); and master team football players (n=12).). There was determined that body height and most other indices of physical development and capacity demonstrated by Lithuanian high performance athletes practising different sports differ slightly. It was only kayakers and canoeists who surpassed others in their body built and muscle power which allowed them to get among the leading athletes of the world. It was found that athletes' muscle mass was closely related to SMCP, AAMP, and high jump indices. Development of the mass of special muscles is one of the vital factors for the improvement of muscle power at short work. The study revealed problems existing in the area of selection and training of Lithuanian high performance athletes. This information may help elaborate further training of athletes...

The aim of the research was to analyze the dynamics of physical development and physical capacity of high performance women track cyclists during the four year Olympic period and to search for the interdependence of particular indices of physical development and physical capacity. Three the best women cyclists of Lithuanian Olympic team were tested: cyclist A – the vice-champion of the World Championship, cyclist B – the champion of the World Cup Championship, the champion of the European Youth Championship, cyclist C – the one who makes to the top ten of World women track cyclists. The research was being carried out in the framework of the programme Beijing 2008 for four years. Physical development data were measured. Single muscular contraction power (SMCP), anaerobic alactic muscular power (AAMP), while using step ergometry method, were established aiming to evaluate physical capacity. The 10-s veloergometer test on max exertion was applied aiming to measure special anaerobic alactic powers, the 30-s veloergometer test on max exertion was applied aiming to measure mixed anaerobic alactic glycolytic powers, the 60-s veloergometer test was applied aiming to measure anaerobic glycolytic capacity. THE DYNAMICS of high performance women track cyclists ‘ ind ICES OF physical development AND physical capacity AND their interdependence during the four - year olympic period Assoc. Prof. Dr. Linas Tubelis, Antanas Jakimavičius, Prof. Dr. Habil. Algirdas Raslanas, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rūta Dadelienė, Prof. Dr. Habil. Kazys Milašius Lithuanian Olympic Sport Centre, Vilnius Pedagogical University Summary Functional capacity of blood circulation was estimated by establishing blood pressure while sitting, heart rate while lying for 5 min, establishing its reaction to active orthostatic sample and to standard physical load.

Black Devil of Germany Company ALMONDI per day: 2 capsules in the morning and 2 - in the evening. One capsule consisted of 500 mg dry Lepidium meyenii (Maca) roots powder and 70 mg plant Tribulus terrestris powder. The members of control group (n=12) did not consume any food supplements. The research revealed that consumption of food supplement Black Devil has positive influence on athletes' muscle power at different energy production zones, on their aerobic capacity and on functional capacity of blood circulation and respiratory system. The consumption of food supplement Black Devil did not have positive influence on testees' morphological blood composition. Creatinkinasis blood concentration increased in athletes statistically significantly after 20 days of consuming food supplement Black Devil and creatinine amount had a tendency to grow. The tendency of urea and cholesterol concentration reduction has appeared and bilirubin amount decreased statistically reliably. Testosterone concentration had increased in first 10 days period of consuming supplement Black Devil and during further 10 days period of consuming this supplement testosterone concentration did not grow any more. Growth of testees' cortisol blood concentration also was observed while Black Devil had been consumed.

the basketball player, and healthy people are close to the evaluation criteria. Specific and valid indicator of basketball players are the reaching height in standing position. Its average value is 237 cm. This indicator is the standard deviation of 14.9 cm, and represents only 6.3 percent, from the average. Hand force is a static anthropometric indicator variable not only depending on the physiological factors of growth but also on environmental conditions including coaching. According to the study, we can see that a very large hand strength when the player has reached 46 kg or more, and very little hand strength if the ratio is less than 32 kg. Right-hand power average was 39.4 kg and the left - 37.4 kg. These indicators are characterized by moderate levels of dispersion around the average. The CI range of vital capacity of lungs is between 4.6 and 4.8 1. Its dispersion is the average of the mean. Lithuanian basketball players average fat mass of 9.3 kg and 39.5 kg of muscle mass. The dispersion of the body fat mass was high, of the muscle mass - an average. Rank scale to FMMI rates of 3 to 5.6. Physical scale of development provides a sports science special knowledge. They enable a more appropriate assessment of anthropometric indicators and helps to select young player in school groups and to predict their success in sports.

The research results disclosed that program that we prepared and applied for the first and the second training year groups was effective. During the first two years of training, young swimmers of experimental group had training sessions in amount of respectively 288 and 396 hours; 180 and 288 of them were allocated to practical workouts, 12 hours in each year devoted to theoretical education, while supplementary general physical preparation overland took 96 hours each year. Members of the control group used to have training sessions respectively for 192 and 300 hours per year. The results of data analysis showed greater change in experimental group members’ physical development indices compared to those of control group; nevertheless, it can be stated that our experimental program for swimmers’ preparation overland did not have considerable influence on change of young swimmers’ anthropometric and physiometric physical development indices. The results of the experimental group members’ physical preparedness were of greater increase comparing to the ones belonging to the control group.

what is very important for mountain cyclists. Mountain bikers during the 10-second test demonstrated higher alactic anaerobic relative peak power output and relative average power output (respectively p<0,001 and p < 0,05). Elite road cyclists had higher VO2max, but maximal power output (400 W) was the same during the progressive incremental laboratory cycling test. All elite road cyclists’ aerobic capacity indices were higher (p<0,001) at the anaerobic threshold compared to ones of mountain bikers. The indices of physical development differ insignificantly (except muscle mass and hand grip strength) between these two groups. Mountain bikers demonstrated higher alactic anaerobic and composite alactic anaerobic glycolytic power output than elite road cyclists. Aerobic capacity of the elite road cyclists’ of Lithuania meets the level of elite road cyclists, however aerobic capacity of the mountain bikers of Lithuania meets the level of amateurs only.

Swimmers’ VLC average exceeded averages of adult girls; fat mass was significantly smaller, it was particularly small in R. M. and it did not prevent her from healthy physical development and reaching great physical capacity. Our established exceptional R. M. muscle contraction speed leads to a statement that her muscle contain a large amount of rapidly contracting fibres and this was the basis to develop high single muscular contraction power leading her to gain advantage when taking starts from swimming tower. Exceptional R. M. functional capacity of blood circulation system and ability quickly to recover after physical loads, comparing to other swimmers of her age, ensured possibilities for her to execute intensive physical loads and better to adapt them. Only wide complex analysis enables to establish the level of the most significant swimmers’ physical and functional powers and use it as the basis to anticipate the development of their sport achievements.

The following body development indices were under investigation: height (cm), body mass (kg), chest circumference (cm), waist circumference (cm), hip circumference (cm), thigh circumference (cm), calf circumference (cm); body mass index was calculated (BMI). For the evaluation of women’s physical fitness and functional capacity, the following tests were applied: dynamic force endurance test of rectus abdominis muscle – sit-ups (times in 30 s); test for evaluation of static balance standing on the front of one foot (s); test for shoulder joints flexibility evaluation, lying on the chest and raising up hands (cm); side pass test (cm); push-ups – bending and stretching hands on plain, supporting by hands and knees; squats (t/30 s); resting heart rate; evaluation of circulatory system functional capacity by Ruffier. Body development indices of the women, having carried out aerobic exercises three times a week with one additional Body Balance complex of exercises, used to increase more in comparison to the indices of women, having participated only in aerobic exercises program. The greatest change was established in E group women’s body mass decrease, in average from 70.2 to 67.5 kg. All body development and functional capacity indices of senior women, who attended six months duration aerobic classes, had a tendency to increase. For C group women, having attended only aerobic classes, statistically significant change of increase was recorded only in standing on front of one foot test, while for E group women, who attended aerobic classes with additional Body Balance program exercises, physical fitness results increased more than for C group investigated, and statistically significant changes were established in standing on front of one foot test and stick elevation up lying on chest tests results (p<0.001 and p<0.01).