Haris Pojskic - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Haris Pojskic

The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of rel... more The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of reliable and valid sport-specific measurement tools applicable in the evaluation of RT in trained athletes. This study aimed to identify the validity, reliability, and usefulness of four newly developed RT testing protocols among athletes from agility-saturated (AG) and non-agility-saturated (NAG) sports. Thirty-seven AG and ten NAG athletes (age: 20.9 ± 2.9; eleven females) volunteered to undergo: three randomized simple response time (SRT-1, SRT-2, and SRT-3) protocols that included a single limb movement, and one complex response time (CRT) protocol that included multi joint movements and whole body transition over a short distance (1.5 and 1.8m). Each RT test involved 3 trials with 5 randomized attempts per trial. Two sensors were placed at the left-and right-hand side for SRT-1 and SRT-2. Three sensors were positioned (left, middle, right) in SRT-3 and CRT. The intra-class-correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated as a measure of reliability. Independent sample ttest, effect size (d), and area-under-the-curve (AUC) were calculated to define discriminative validity of the tests. The results showed the newly developed tests were more reliable and useful in the AG than NAG athletes (i.e., ICC between 0.68 and 0.97 versus 0.31-0.90, respectively). The RT of AG athletes was faster than that of NAG athletes in the CRT test from the left (p <0.01, d = 2.40, AUC: 0.98), centre (p < 0.01, d = 1.57, AUC: 0.89), and right sensor (p < 0.01, d = 1.93, AUC: 0.89) locations. In contrast, there were no differences between the groups in the SRT tests. The weak correlation (i.e., r= 0.00-0.33) between the SRT and CRT tests suggests that response time of the single limb and multijoint limb movements should not be considered as a single motor capacity. In conclusion, this study showed that AG athletes had faster response time than their NAG peers during complex motor tasks. Such enhanced ability to rapidly and accurately reprogram complex motor tasks can be considered one of the essential qualities required for advanced performance in agilitybased sports.

Acta kinesiologica, 2009

The aim of the study was to find out global quantitative differences between successful and unsuc... more The aim of the study was to find out global quantitative differences between successful and unsuccessful teams, which had played on the Olympic basketball tournament, in twenty two standard and derived statistical indicators of situational efficiency. The research was performed on the sample of 37 matches, so that 74 different statistical samples have been included in analysis. Data were collected by means of statistics patterns provided by official FIBA web site www.fiba.com. A discriminative analysis has been conducted in order to track down possible differences between two groups of the teams. One statistically significant discriminative function has been obtained. The values of canonical correlation are pretty high, which is to say that the 22 statistical parameters make very good difference between successful and unsuccessful teams, but also that there were big differences between the groups. The obtained results show that assists, parameters of shooters' field goal efficiency, defensive rebound and number of points made by bench players are variables that make the most significant difference between victorious and defeated teams. The reason for big differences between the victorious and defeated national teams that participated on the final Olympic basketball tournament in Beijing is probably because they highly differentiated in technical, tactical and physical conditioning, what is conditioned by participation of various quality national teams that come from different continents and countries, where basketball leagues are not so good.

Sport science, 2008

The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students’ motor abilities, p... more The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students’ motor abilities, produced by applied 12-week combined fitness program. All participants were health sport faculty male students with ages 19 ± 1. The experimental program included a three times work out per week, two times resistance, weight training and once a week plyometric training. In order to detect potential changes we conducted paired sample t-test. The obtained results showed that the program has made statistically significant changes on 14 of 18 tests. The highest level of transformation has made on variables for static and repetitive strength assessment. The improvement was between 18 and 55 percent. Also, less, but no less significant changes have been produced on explosive power, flexibility and segmental speed tests. We think, that fine adjusted training load to all participants, respectively, an individualised approach, contributed to exceptional results. Our opinion is that this kind of fitness program should be part of regular faculty program during all educational period, in order to enhance students’ motor capacities and make their way to the finish line easier.

PubMed, Dec 1, 2019

The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of rel... more The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of reliable and valid sport-specific measurement tools applicable in the evaluation of RT in trained athletes. This study aimed to identify the validity, reliability, and usefulness of four newly developed RT testing protocols among athletes from agility-saturated (AG) and non-agility-saturated (NAG) sports. Thirty-seven AG and ten NAG athletes (age: 20.9 ± 2.9; eleven females) volunteered to undergo: three randomized simple response time (SRT-1, SRT-2, and SRT-3) protocols that included a single limb movement, and one complex response time (CRT) protocol that included multi joint movements and whole body transition over a short distance (1.5 and 1.8m). Each RT test involved 3 trials with 5 randomized attempts per trial. Two sensors were placed at the left- and right-hand side for SRT-1 and SRT-2. Three sensors were positioned (left, middle, right) in SRT-3 and CRT. The intra-class-correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated as a measure of reliability. Independent sample t-test, effect size (d), and area-under-the-curve (AUC) were calculated to define discriminative validity of the tests. The results showed the newly developed tests were more reliable and useful in the AG than NAG athletes (i.e., ICC between 0.68 and 0.97 versus 0.31-0.90, respectively). The RT of AG athletes was faster than that of NAG athletes in the CRT test from the left (p <0.01, d = 2.40, AUC: 0.98), centre (p < 0.01, d = 1.57, AUC: 0.89), and right sensor (p < 0.01, d = 1.93, AUC: 0.89) locations. In contrast, there were no differences between the groups in the SRT tests. The weak correlation (i.e., r= 0.00-0.33) between the SRT and CRT tests suggests that response time of the single limb and multijoint limb movements should not be considered as a single motor capacity. In conclusion, this study showed that AG athletes had faster response time than their NAG peers during complex motor tasks. Such enhanced ability to rapidly and accurately reprogram complex motor tasks can be considered one of the essential qualities required for advanced performance in agility-based sports.

Frontiers in Physiology, May 26, 2023

This study aimed to compare sprint skating profile characteristics of the different playing posit... more This study aimed to compare sprint skating profile characteristics of the different playing positions of junior and senior bandy players. In total, 111 male nationallevel bandy players (age: 20.7 ± 5.0 years, height: 1.80 ± 0.05 m, body mass: 76.4 ± 0.4 kg, training experience: 13.8 ± 5.0 yrs) were tested on their sprint skating profile over 80 m. The main findings were that no differences between positions were found in sprint skating performance (speed and acceleration), but that elite players were in general heavier (p < 0.05) than junior players (80.0 ± 7.1 vs. 73.1 ± 8.1 kg), they could accelerate faster (2.96 ± 0.22 vs. 2.81 ± 0.28 m/s 2), and they reached a higher velocity (10.83 ± 0.37 vs. 10.24 ± 0.42 m/s) earlier over 80 m than the junior players. This implies that junior level players should spend more time in power and sprint training to meet the specific demands of playing at a higher, elite level.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Sep 1, 2022

Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, May 1, 2020

Balance as a skill and task-specific capacity is considered an essential physical quality in curl... more Balance as a skill and task-specific capacity is considered an essential physical quality in curling, required for executing effective stone delivery. However, no testing protocols have been developed to test curling-specific balance in the delivery position. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the reliability, validity and usefulness of a newly-developed, curling-specific balance test (CSBT) which involved the delivery position. The secondary aim was to examine the differences between elite and sub-elite curlers for core strength and flexibility, which have previously been identified as important qualities in curling and determinants of balance. Twenty curling players (13 females aged 19 ± 3.1 years; 7 males aged 19.6 ± 2.3 years) from five Swedish super-league curling clubs were divided into two groups according to playing level: elite and sub-elite. Variables included body mass, body height, body mass index, age, playing experience, training frequency, plank test, sit and reach test, standing singleleg balance test (SLBT) and CSBT. The CSBT was executed on a multiaxial tilting balance plate while mimicking the curling delivery position (i.e., a deep lunge position with the front foot on the plate). The participants completed the CSBT on three separate occasions, with each test consisting of three, 20-s attempts. Both the relative and absolute reliability were good for the CSBT (ICC = 0.90; CV = 14.5%). The CSBT demonstrated good measurement usefulness, being sensitive to detect moderate changes that exceeded 0.5 times the test standard deviation. Construct validity of the CSBT was evidenced by the large discriminatory capacity to differentiate expertise level in curling players (t-test: 2.85, p < 0.01; large ES), irrespective of other physical capacities (e.g., flexibility and core strength). However, the elite and sub-elite players also differed in age, playing experience and training frequency. Content validity was confirmed by a weak correlation (r = 0.21; 95%CI:-0.26 to 0.60) between the CSBT and SLBT, which suggests that curling-specific and standing balance should be considered as independent and task-specific motor skills. In conclusion, the CSBT can be used as a reliable, valid and useful tool for the assessment of curling-specific balance performance. In addition, longer and more extensive involvement in curling training contributed to superior specific balance in elite curlers.

Asian journal of sports medicine, Mar 20, 2015

Background: The application of whole body vibration (WBV) as a warm-up scheme has been receiving ... more Background: The application of whole body vibration (WBV) as a warm-up scheme has been receiving an increasing interest among practitioners. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of loaded and unloaded WBV on countermovement jump, speed and agility. Patients and Methods: Twenty-one healthy male college football players (age: 20.14 ± 1.65 years; body height: 179.9 ± 8.34 cm; body mass: 74.4 ± 13.0 kg; % body fat: 9.45 ± 4.8) underwent randomized controlled trials that involved standing in a half squat position (ST), ST with 30% of bodyweight (ST + 30%), whole body vibration at f = 50 Hz, A = 4 mm (WBV), and WBV with 30% bodyweight (WBV + 30% BW) after a standardized warm-up. Post measures of countermovement jump, 15-m sprint, and modified t-test were utilized for analyses. Results: One way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the countermovement jump performance, F (3, 60 = 9.06, η2 = 2.21, P = 0.000. Post-hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW posted significant difference compared to (P = 0.008), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). There was also a significant difference in the sprint times among interventions, F (3, 60) = 23.0, η2 = 0.865, P = 0.000. Post hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW displayed significantly lower time values than ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). Lastly, there was a significant difference in the agility performance across experimental conditions at F(2.01, 40.1) = 21.0, η2 = 0.954, P = 0.000. Post hoc demonstrated that WBV have lower times than ST (P = 0.013). Also, WBV + 30% BW posted lower times compared to ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Additional external load of 30% bodyweight under WBV posted superior gains in countermovement jump, speed and agility compared to unloaded WBV, loaded non-WBV and unloaded non-WBV interventions.

BMJ Open, Nov 1, 2015

To cite: Zenic N, Ostojic L, Sisic N, et al. Examination of the community-specific prevalence of ... more To cite: Zenic N, Ostojic L, Sisic N, et al. Examination of the community-specific prevalence of and factors associated with substance use and misuse among Rural and Urban adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Frontiers in Physiology, Nov 28, 2018

This study aimed to examine: (i) the level of physical activity (PA), obesity indices and cardior... more This study aimed to examine: (i) the level of physical activity (PA), obesity indices and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among boys and girls in primary school, and (ii) to determine the association of obesity indices and PA with CRF for the total number of participants, and then separately for boys and girls. 753 sixth to ninth grade girls and boys aged 10-14 years took part in this cross-sectional study. The PA was assessed by the "Physical Activity Questionnaire-Children" and CRF was assessed by the Maximal multistage a 20 m shuttle run test. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences (WC), and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were considered as obesity indices. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore correlates of CRF. The results obtained showed the prevalence of general overweight and obesity was 25.5% in our sample which was lower than that in the regional estimate (e.g., ∼28%) for Eastern Europe. Among all participants, CRF was associated with male sex, older age, a lower WC percentile, higher WHtR, and higher level of PA. The model accounted for 24% of the variance. CRF was associated with older age and higher level of PA among girls and boys. Lower WC percentile was a significant determinant of CRF among boys. In conclusion, general overweight/obesity was not independently associated with CRF. Those with better CRF were more likely to be male and older, had a higher level of PA and lower central adiposity. These findings emphasize the importance of supporting school age children to take a part in programmed physical activity regardless of their body composition.

Frontiers in Physiology, Jan 25, 2023

There is no research examining female bandy players, which creates a gap of knowledge of female s... more There is no research examining female bandy players, which creates a gap of knowledge of female skating performance and its determinants with male skating performance, not only in bandy but also in exercise science in general. Therefore, the aim of this explorative study was to investigate position and playing-level differences in the sprint skating performance and anthropometrics of 74 elite female bandy players (age: 18.9 ± 4.1 years; height: 1.67 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 63.2 ± 7.4 kg). Participants were categorised according to playing level (26 elite and 48 junior elite players) and position (22 defenders, 35 midfielders, and 17 forwards). They were tested on their anthropometric characteristics and sprint linear skating profile over 80 m with the split times measured at 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 m to calculate the average velocities between these different 10 m intervals. Results revealed that elite players had more training experience, were heavier, could accelerate faster, and reached a higher maximal velocity than the junior elite players (9.52 ± 0.37 vs 8.84 ± 0.40 m/s, respectively). In general, defenders were heavier than forwards, and the elite forwards accelerated faster in the first 10 m than the midfielders (p = 0.041). In summary, playing level and position, body mass, and training experience modulated skating sprint performance. The findings suggest that female junior-level players should spend more time developing skating sprint and acceleration abilities to meet the specific demands of playing at the elite level. Moreover, the coaches and professionals who work with female bandy players should be aware that the development of acceleration ability is more important for forwards.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 12, 2021

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Oct 7, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Applied sciences, Jun 9, 2020

The study findings can be applied in the development of modalities and strategies aimed at the pr... more The study findings can be applied in the development of modalities and strategies aimed at the preservation of physical activity levels during crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students' specific handball ... more The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students' specific handball motor abilities, produced by applied 12-week combined fitness program. All participants were health sport faculty male students with ages 19 ± 1. The experimental program included a three times work out per week, two times resistance, weight training and once a week plyometric training. In order to detect potential changes we conducted paired sample t-test. The obtained results showed that the program has made statistically significant changes on 8 of 9 tests. The highest level of transformation has made on variables for ball handling estimation (28, 20 and 10, 66 %), while the smallest changes are produced on variables for evaluation of movement speed with the ball (2, 87 and 10, 66 %). We think, that fine adjusted training load to all participants, respectively, an individualised approach, contributed to the obtained results. Our opinion is that this kind of fitness program should be a part of regular faculty program during all educational period, in order to enhance students' basic and specific motor capacities and make their way to improve tehnical elements of different sports, easier.

Frontiers in Physiology, Oct 27, 2021

Although high and simulated altitude training has become an increasingly popular training method,... more Although high and simulated altitude training has become an increasingly popular training method, no study has investigated the influence of acute hypoxic exposure on balance in team-sport athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether acute exposure to normobaric hypoxia is detrimental to balance performance in highly-trained basketball players. Nine elite and nine sub-elite male basketball players participated in a randomized, single-blinded, cross-over study. Subjects performed repeated trials of a single-leg balance test (SLBT) in an altitude chamber in normoxia (NOR; approximately sea level) with FiO 2 20.9% and PiO 2 ranging from 146.7 to 150.4 mmHg and in normobaric hypoxia (HYP; ∼3,800 m above sea level) with FiO 2 13.0% and PiO 2 ranging from 90.9 to 94.6 mmHg. The SLBT was performed three times: 15 min after entering the environmental chamber in NOR or HYP, then two times more interspersed by 3-min rest. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at four time points: after the initial 15-min rest inside the chamber and immediately after each SLBT. Across the cohort, the balance performance was 7.1% better during NOR than HYP (P < 0.01, η 2 p = 0.58). However, the performance of the elite group was not impaired by HYP, whereas the sub-elite group performed worse in the HYP condition on both legs (DL: P = 0.02, d = 1.23; NDL: P = 0.01, d = 1.43). SpO 2 was lower in HYP than NOR (P < 0.001, η 2 p = 0.99) with a significant decline over time during HYP. HR was higher in HYP than NOR (P = 0.04, η 2 p = 0.25) with a significant increase over time. Acute exposure to normobaric hypoxia detrimentally affected the balance performance in sub-elite but not elite basketball players.

Acta kinesiologica, 2011

The aim of this study was to find out if there were any differences between the home and road bas... more The aim of this study was to find out if there were any differences between the home and road basketball teams that played in three different levels of competition, in nineteen standard and derived statistical indicators of situational efficiency. The home and road teams from NLB-Adriatic league, Euroleague-regular season and Euroleague-Top 16 were analysed. Three discriminant analyses have been conducted in order to track down possible differences between the home and road teams in game stats. Obtained results show the differences in game related statistics between the home and road teams from NLB and Euroleague (regular season) competition. Home teams are characterised by higher number of assists, steals, points and points scored by the starting five, while the road teams have more turnovers. This points to aggressive defensive and offensive tactics of the home teams. There were no statistically significant differences between the home and road teams played in Euroleague-Top 16. As the quality of competition becomes stronger, the advantage of home court becomes less dominant. In other words, when the quality of teams is pretty equal, home advantage is low and does not have a dominant and crucial role in winning games.

Journal of Sports Sciences, Nov 25, 2020

Vaquera et al., 2016a). To assist officiating success, referees' physical preparation and 11 read... more Vaquera et al., 2016a). To assist officiating success, referees' physical preparation and 11 readiness to officiate at the highest level of competition has been focussed upon by the FIBA 12 Referee Department and Regional Referee Managers (FIBA, 2020). This concentration has 13 involved the implementation of a standard strength and conditioning program for international 14 referees to cope with the competitions held annually (FIBA, 2020). This program enables all 15 referees, nominated for international matches (eg, men's and women's), to optimise their 16 physical fitness for successful completion of FIBA, pre-competition fitness tests and undertake 17 official FIBA competition matches (FIBA, 2020). However, only one aspect of fitness has been 18 historically prioritised for referees (eg, aerobic capacity) despite a limited knowledge of the 19 physiological and locomotory stresses placed on elite referees (García-Santos et al., 2020; Nabli 20 et al., 2019). A greater understanding of the stresses or demands is necessary to develop 21 appropriate, specific and quality training programs (Nabli et al., 2019). 22 Previous studies have examined aspects of these demands however, have only included a 23 small number of referees and matches within unique match and/or competition settings across 24 FIBA's regions (

The aim of the study was to determine reliability and factorial validity of six basketball shooti... more The aim of the study was to determine reliability and factorial validity of six basketball shooting accuracy tests. Fifty five healthy basketball players (age 19.1 ± 3.1 years; body mass 83.4 ± 12.5 kg; height 189.1 ± 8.2 cm; body fat percentage 13.1 ± 4.1) from four Bosnian basketball teams participated in this research. The applied tests have been constructed in order to measure basketball shooting accuracy from three different distances and under different intensity loads. The standard statistical parameters were calculated for each trial of all six basketball shooting tests (arithmetic mean, standard deviation and range). The average intertrial correlation coefficients (AVR), interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients (α) were used to determine the between-subject reliability of basketball shooting tests. The within-subject variation for the tree tests was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV). In order to determine the factorial validity of six basketball shooting tests, an intercorrelation matrix of the six tests was factorized using a principal component factor analysis. Structurally and physiologically more demanding tests performed from longer distances, produced higher variation in the applied tests. The most reliable tests are those that were performed from short distances in physiologically and structurally less demanding conditions. Results showed that all six tests have a similar measurement goal, that is to say basketball shooting accuracy, but they do not measure the same aspects of basketball shooting accuracy. As reliable and valid instruments, the tests can be used in future studies, but also can help coaches to evaluate players' accuracy in more realistic conditions, or to use the tests as training drills for improving basketball accuracy and players' fitness.

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Jul 1, 2018

Little is known about the influence of conditioning capacities on shooting performance in basketb... more Little is known about the influence of conditioning capacities on shooting performance in basketball. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between different conditioning capacities and shooting performance in professional basketball players. In this investigation, we examined 38 males (all perimeter players; height: 185.5±6.73 cm; mass: 78.66±10.35 kg). Conditioning capacities were evaluated by tests of muscular-strength, aerobic-endurance, jumping-and throwing-capacities, sprinting-speed, pre-planned-agility, anaerobic-endurance and fatigue-resistance. Shooting performance was evaluated using game statistics, as well as six tests of shooting-performance performed in controlled settings: (i) three tests of static (i.e., non-fatigued) shooting-performance (standardized execution of one-(S1), two-(S2) and three-point shots (S3) in stationary conditions), and (ii) three tests of dynamic (i.e., fatigued) shooting-performance (standardized execution of one-(D1), two-(D2), and three-point shots (D3) in dynamic conditions). All three dynamic shooting tests and the S1 test were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with corresponding game statistics. Multiple regression indicated that conditioning capacities were significantly related to D1 (R 2 =0.36; p=0.03), D2 (R 2 =0.44; p=0.03), S3 (R 2 =0.41; p=0.02) and D3 (R 2 =0.39; p=0.03) tests. Players with a higher fatigue-resistance achieved better results on D1 test (β=-0.37, p=0.03). Pre-planned-agility (β=-0.33, p=0.04), countermovement jump (β=0.42, p=0.03) and fatigue-resistance (β=-0.37, p=0.02) were significant predictors of D2 performance. The countermovement jump (β=0.39, p=0.04), medicine ball toss (β=0.34, p=0.04) and anaerobic-endurance (β=0.46, p=0.04) predicted the results of D3 performance. Jumping, throwing and anaerobic endurance capacities were good determinants of the skill of dynamic shooting over a long distance. These findings emphasize the importance of

The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of rel... more The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of reliable and valid sport-specific measurement tools applicable in the evaluation of RT in trained athletes. This study aimed to identify the validity, reliability, and usefulness of four newly developed RT testing protocols among athletes from agility-saturated (AG) and non-agility-saturated (NAG) sports. Thirty-seven AG and ten NAG athletes (age: 20.9 ± 2.9; eleven females) volunteered to undergo: three randomized simple response time (SRT-1, SRT-2, and SRT-3) protocols that included a single limb movement, and one complex response time (CRT) protocol that included multi joint movements and whole body transition over a short distance (1.5 and 1.8m). Each RT test involved 3 trials with 5 randomized attempts per trial. Two sensors were placed at the left-and right-hand side for SRT-1 and SRT-2. Three sensors were positioned (left, middle, right) in SRT-3 and CRT. The intra-class-correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated as a measure of reliability. Independent sample ttest, effect size (d), and area-under-the-curve (AUC) were calculated to define discriminative validity of the tests. The results showed the newly developed tests were more reliable and useful in the AG than NAG athletes (i.e., ICC between 0.68 and 0.97 versus 0.31-0.90, respectively). The RT of AG athletes was faster than that of NAG athletes in the CRT test from the left (p <0.01, d = 2.40, AUC: 0.98), centre (p < 0.01, d = 1.57, AUC: 0.89), and right sensor (p < 0.01, d = 1.93, AUC: 0.89) locations. In contrast, there were no differences between the groups in the SRT tests. The weak correlation (i.e., r= 0.00-0.33) between the SRT and CRT tests suggests that response time of the single limb and multijoint limb movements should not be considered as a single motor capacity. In conclusion, this study showed that AG athletes had faster response time than their NAG peers during complex motor tasks. Such enhanced ability to rapidly and accurately reprogram complex motor tasks can be considered one of the essential qualities required for advanced performance in agilitybased sports.

Acta kinesiologica, 2009

The aim of the study was to find out global quantitative differences between successful and unsuc... more The aim of the study was to find out global quantitative differences between successful and unsuccessful teams, which had played on the Olympic basketball tournament, in twenty two standard and derived statistical indicators of situational efficiency. The research was performed on the sample of 37 matches, so that 74 different statistical samples have been included in analysis. Data were collected by means of statistics patterns provided by official FIBA web site www.fiba.com. A discriminative analysis has been conducted in order to track down possible differences between two groups of the teams. One statistically significant discriminative function has been obtained. The values of canonical correlation are pretty high, which is to say that the 22 statistical parameters make very good difference between successful and unsuccessful teams, but also that there were big differences between the groups. The obtained results show that assists, parameters of shooters' field goal efficiency, defensive rebound and number of points made by bench players are variables that make the most significant difference between victorious and defeated teams. The reason for big differences between the victorious and defeated national teams that participated on the final Olympic basketball tournament in Beijing is probably because they highly differentiated in technical, tactical and physical conditioning, what is conditioned by participation of various quality national teams that come from different continents and countries, where basketball leagues are not so good.

Sport science, 2008

The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students’ motor abilities, p... more The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students’ motor abilities, produced by applied 12-week combined fitness program. All participants were health sport faculty male students with ages 19 ± 1. The experimental program included a three times work out per week, two times resistance, weight training and once a week plyometric training. In order to detect potential changes we conducted paired sample t-test. The obtained results showed that the program has made statistically significant changes on 14 of 18 tests. The highest level of transformation has made on variables for static and repetitive strength assessment. The improvement was between 18 and 55 percent. Also, less, but no less significant changes have been produced on explosive power, flexibility and segmental speed tests. We think, that fine adjusted training load to all participants, respectively, an individualised approach, contributed to exceptional results. Our opinion is that this kind of fitness program should be part of regular faculty program during all educational period, in order to enhance students’ motor capacities and make their way to the finish line easier.

PubMed, Dec 1, 2019

The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of rel... more The importance of response time (RT) in sports is well known, but there is an evident lack of reliable and valid sport-specific measurement tools applicable in the evaluation of RT in trained athletes. This study aimed to identify the validity, reliability, and usefulness of four newly developed RT testing protocols among athletes from agility-saturated (AG) and non-agility-saturated (NAG) sports. Thirty-seven AG and ten NAG athletes (age: 20.9 ± 2.9; eleven females) volunteered to undergo: three randomized simple response time (SRT-1, SRT-2, and SRT-3) protocols that included a single limb movement, and one complex response time (CRT) protocol that included multi joint movements and whole body transition over a short distance (1.5 and 1.8m). Each RT test involved 3 trials with 5 randomized attempts per trial. Two sensors were placed at the left- and right-hand side for SRT-1 and SRT-2. Three sensors were positioned (left, middle, right) in SRT-3 and CRT. The intra-class-correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated as a measure of reliability. Independent sample t-test, effect size (d), and area-under-the-curve (AUC) were calculated to define discriminative validity of the tests. The results showed the newly developed tests were more reliable and useful in the AG than NAG athletes (i.e., ICC between 0.68 and 0.97 versus 0.31-0.90, respectively). The RT of AG athletes was faster than that of NAG athletes in the CRT test from the left (p <0.01, d = 2.40, AUC: 0.98), centre (p < 0.01, d = 1.57, AUC: 0.89), and right sensor (p < 0.01, d = 1.93, AUC: 0.89) locations. In contrast, there were no differences between the groups in the SRT tests. The weak correlation (i.e., r= 0.00-0.33) between the SRT and CRT tests suggests that response time of the single limb and multijoint limb movements should not be considered as a single motor capacity. In conclusion, this study showed that AG athletes had faster response time than their NAG peers during complex motor tasks. Such enhanced ability to rapidly and accurately reprogram complex motor tasks can be considered one of the essential qualities required for advanced performance in agility-based sports.

Frontiers in Physiology, May 26, 2023

This study aimed to compare sprint skating profile characteristics of the different playing posit... more This study aimed to compare sprint skating profile characteristics of the different playing positions of junior and senior bandy players. In total, 111 male nationallevel bandy players (age: 20.7 ± 5.0 years, height: 1.80 ± 0.05 m, body mass: 76.4 ± 0.4 kg, training experience: 13.8 ± 5.0 yrs) were tested on their sprint skating profile over 80 m. The main findings were that no differences between positions were found in sprint skating performance (speed and acceleration), but that elite players were in general heavier (p < 0.05) than junior players (80.0 ± 7.1 vs. 73.1 ± 8.1 kg), they could accelerate faster (2.96 ± 0.22 vs. 2.81 ± 0.28 m/s 2), and they reached a higher velocity (10.83 ± 0.37 vs. 10.24 ± 0.42 m/s) earlier over 80 m than the junior players. This implies that junior level players should spend more time in power and sprint training to meet the specific demands of playing at a higher, elite level.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Sep 1, 2022

Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, May 1, 2020

Balance as a skill and task-specific capacity is considered an essential physical quality in curl... more Balance as a skill and task-specific capacity is considered an essential physical quality in curling, required for executing effective stone delivery. However, no testing protocols have been developed to test curling-specific balance in the delivery position. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the reliability, validity and usefulness of a newly-developed, curling-specific balance test (CSBT) which involved the delivery position. The secondary aim was to examine the differences between elite and sub-elite curlers for core strength and flexibility, which have previously been identified as important qualities in curling and determinants of balance. Twenty curling players (13 females aged 19 ± 3.1 years; 7 males aged 19.6 ± 2.3 years) from five Swedish super-league curling clubs were divided into two groups according to playing level: elite and sub-elite. Variables included body mass, body height, body mass index, age, playing experience, training frequency, plank test, sit and reach test, standing singleleg balance test (SLBT) and CSBT. The CSBT was executed on a multiaxial tilting balance plate while mimicking the curling delivery position (i.e., a deep lunge position with the front foot on the plate). The participants completed the CSBT on three separate occasions, with each test consisting of three, 20-s attempts. Both the relative and absolute reliability were good for the CSBT (ICC = 0.90; CV = 14.5%). The CSBT demonstrated good measurement usefulness, being sensitive to detect moderate changes that exceeded 0.5 times the test standard deviation. Construct validity of the CSBT was evidenced by the large discriminatory capacity to differentiate expertise level in curling players (t-test: 2.85, p < 0.01; large ES), irrespective of other physical capacities (e.g., flexibility and core strength). However, the elite and sub-elite players also differed in age, playing experience and training frequency. Content validity was confirmed by a weak correlation (r = 0.21; 95%CI:-0.26 to 0.60) between the CSBT and SLBT, which suggests that curling-specific and standing balance should be considered as independent and task-specific motor skills. In conclusion, the CSBT can be used as a reliable, valid and useful tool for the assessment of curling-specific balance performance. In addition, longer and more extensive involvement in curling training contributed to superior specific balance in elite curlers.

Asian journal of sports medicine, Mar 20, 2015

Background: The application of whole body vibration (WBV) as a warm-up scheme has been receiving ... more Background: The application of whole body vibration (WBV) as a warm-up scheme has been receiving an increasing interest among practitioners. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of loaded and unloaded WBV on countermovement jump, speed and agility. Patients and Methods: Twenty-one healthy male college football players (age: 20.14 ± 1.65 years; body height: 179.9 ± 8.34 cm; body mass: 74.4 ± 13.0 kg; % body fat: 9.45 ± 4.8) underwent randomized controlled trials that involved standing in a half squat position (ST), ST with 30% of bodyweight (ST + 30%), whole body vibration at f = 50 Hz, A = 4 mm (WBV), and WBV with 30% bodyweight (WBV + 30% BW) after a standardized warm-up. Post measures of countermovement jump, 15-m sprint, and modified t-test were utilized for analyses. Results: One way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the countermovement jump performance, F (3, 60 = 9.06, η2 = 2.21, P = 0.000. Post-hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW posted significant difference compared to (P = 0.008), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). There was also a significant difference in the sprint times among interventions, F (3, 60) = 23.0, η2 = 0.865, P = 0.000. Post hoc showed that WBV + 30% BW displayed significantly lower time values than ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% BW (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.000). Lastly, there was a significant difference in the agility performance across experimental conditions at F(2.01, 40.1) = 21.0, η2 = 0.954, P = 0.000. Post hoc demonstrated that WBV have lower times than ST (P = 0.013). Also, WBV + 30% BW posted lower times compared to ST (P = 0.000), ST + 30% (P = 0.000) and WBV (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Additional external load of 30% bodyweight under WBV posted superior gains in countermovement jump, speed and agility compared to unloaded WBV, loaded non-WBV and unloaded non-WBV interventions.

BMJ Open, Nov 1, 2015

To cite: Zenic N, Ostojic L, Sisic N, et al. Examination of the community-specific prevalence of ... more To cite: Zenic N, Ostojic L, Sisic N, et al. Examination of the community-specific prevalence of and factors associated with substance use and misuse among Rural and Urban adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Frontiers in Physiology, Nov 28, 2018

This study aimed to examine: (i) the level of physical activity (PA), obesity indices and cardior... more This study aimed to examine: (i) the level of physical activity (PA), obesity indices and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among boys and girls in primary school, and (ii) to determine the association of obesity indices and PA with CRF for the total number of participants, and then separately for boys and girls. 753 sixth to ninth grade girls and boys aged 10-14 years took part in this cross-sectional study. The PA was assessed by the "Physical Activity Questionnaire-Children" and CRF was assessed by the Maximal multistage a 20 m shuttle run test. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences (WC), and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were considered as obesity indices. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore correlates of CRF. The results obtained showed the prevalence of general overweight and obesity was 25.5% in our sample which was lower than that in the regional estimate (e.g., ∼28%) for Eastern Europe. Among all participants, CRF was associated with male sex, older age, a lower WC percentile, higher WHtR, and higher level of PA. The model accounted for 24% of the variance. CRF was associated with older age and higher level of PA among girls and boys. Lower WC percentile was a significant determinant of CRF among boys. In conclusion, general overweight/obesity was not independently associated with CRF. Those with better CRF were more likely to be male and older, had a higher level of PA and lower central adiposity. These findings emphasize the importance of supporting school age children to take a part in programmed physical activity regardless of their body composition.

Frontiers in Physiology, Jan 25, 2023

There is no research examining female bandy players, which creates a gap of knowledge of female s... more There is no research examining female bandy players, which creates a gap of knowledge of female skating performance and its determinants with male skating performance, not only in bandy but also in exercise science in general. Therefore, the aim of this explorative study was to investigate position and playing-level differences in the sprint skating performance and anthropometrics of 74 elite female bandy players (age: 18.9 ± 4.1 years; height: 1.67 ± 0.06 m; body mass: 63.2 ± 7.4 kg). Participants were categorised according to playing level (26 elite and 48 junior elite players) and position (22 defenders, 35 midfielders, and 17 forwards). They were tested on their anthropometric characteristics and sprint linear skating profile over 80 m with the split times measured at 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 m to calculate the average velocities between these different 10 m intervals. Results revealed that elite players had more training experience, were heavier, could accelerate faster, and reached a higher maximal velocity than the junior elite players (9.52 ± 0.37 vs 8.84 ± 0.40 m/s, respectively). In general, defenders were heavier than forwards, and the elite forwards accelerated faster in the first 10 m than the midfielders (p = 0.041). In summary, playing level and position, body mass, and training experience modulated skating sprint performance. The findings suggest that female junior-level players should spend more time developing skating sprint and acceleration abilities to meet the specific demands of playing at the elite level. Moreover, the coaches and professionals who work with female bandy players should be aware that the development of acceleration ability is more important for forwards.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 12, 2021

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Oct 7, 2022

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Applied sciences, Jun 9, 2020

The study findings can be applied in the development of modalities and strategies aimed at the pr... more The study findings can be applied in the development of modalities and strategies aimed at the preservation of physical activity levels during crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students' specific handball ... more The aim of the study was to find out partial quantitative changes of students' specific handball motor abilities, produced by applied 12-week combined fitness program. All participants were health sport faculty male students with ages 19 ± 1. The experimental program included a three times work out per week, two times resistance, weight training and once a week plyometric training. In order to detect potential changes we conducted paired sample t-test. The obtained results showed that the program has made statistically significant changes on 8 of 9 tests. The highest level of transformation has made on variables for ball handling estimation (28, 20 and 10, 66 %), while the smallest changes are produced on variables for evaluation of movement speed with the ball (2, 87 and 10, 66 %). We think, that fine adjusted training load to all participants, respectively, an individualised approach, contributed to the obtained results. Our opinion is that this kind of fitness program should be a part of regular faculty program during all educational period, in order to enhance students' basic and specific motor capacities and make their way to improve tehnical elements of different sports, easier.

Frontiers in Physiology, Oct 27, 2021

Although high and simulated altitude training has become an increasingly popular training method,... more Although high and simulated altitude training has become an increasingly popular training method, no study has investigated the influence of acute hypoxic exposure on balance in team-sport athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether acute exposure to normobaric hypoxia is detrimental to balance performance in highly-trained basketball players. Nine elite and nine sub-elite male basketball players participated in a randomized, single-blinded, cross-over study. Subjects performed repeated trials of a single-leg balance test (SLBT) in an altitude chamber in normoxia (NOR; approximately sea level) with FiO 2 20.9% and PiO 2 ranging from 146.7 to 150.4 mmHg and in normobaric hypoxia (HYP; ∼3,800 m above sea level) with FiO 2 13.0% and PiO 2 ranging from 90.9 to 94.6 mmHg. The SLBT was performed three times: 15 min after entering the environmental chamber in NOR or HYP, then two times more interspersed by 3-min rest. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO 2) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at four time points: after the initial 15-min rest inside the chamber and immediately after each SLBT. Across the cohort, the balance performance was 7.1% better during NOR than HYP (P < 0.01, η 2 p = 0.58). However, the performance of the elite group was not impaired by HYP, whereas the sub-elite group performed worse in the HYP condition on both legs (DL: P = 0.02, d = 1.23; NDL: P = 0.01, d = 1.43). SpO 2 was lower in HYP than NOR (P < 0.001, η 2 p = 0.99) with a significant decline over time during HYP. HR was higher in HYP than NOR (P = 0.04, η 2 p = 0.25) with a significant increase over time. Acute exposure to normobaric hypoxia detrimentally affected the balance performance in sub-elite but not elite basketball players.

Acta kinesiologica, 2011

The aim of this study was to find out if there were any differences between the home and road bas... more The aim of this study was to find out if there were any differences between the home and road basketball teams that played in three different levels of competition, in nineteen standard and derived statistical indicators of situational efficiency. The home and road teams from NLB-Adriatic league, Euroleague-regular season and Euroleague-Top 16 were analysed. Three discriminant analyses have been conducted in order to track down possible differences between the home and road teams in game stats. Obtained results show the differences in game related statistics between the home and road teams from NLB and Euroleague (regular season) competition. Home teams are characterised by higher number of assists, steals, points and points scored by the starting five, while the road teams have more turnovers. This points to aggressive defensive and offensive tactics of the home teams. There were no statistically significant differences between the home and road teams played in Euroleague-Top 16. As the quality of competition becomes stronger, the advantage of home court becomes less dominant. In other words, when the quality of teams is pretty equal, home advantage is low and does not have a dominant and crucial role in winning games.

Journal of Sports Sciences, Nov 25, 2020

Vaquera et al., 2016a). To assist officiating success, referees' physical preparation and 11 read... more Vaquera et al., 2016a). To assist officiating success, referees' physical preparation and 11 readiness to officiate at the highest level of competition has been focussed upon by the FIBA 12 Referee Department and Regional Referee Managers (FIBA, 2020). This concentration has 13 involved the implementation of a standard strength and conditioning program for international 14 referees to cope with the competitions held annually (FIBA, 2020). This program enables all 15 referees, nominated for international matches (eg, men's and women's), to optimise their 16 physical fitness for successful completion of FIBA, pre-competition fitness tests and undertake 17 official FIBA competition matches (FIBA, 2020). However, only one aspect of fitness has been 18 historically prioritised for referees (eg, aerobic capacity) despite a limited knowledge of the 19 physiological and locomotory stresses placed on elite referees (García-Santos et al., 2020; Nabli 20 et al., 2019). A greater understanding of the stresses or demands is necessary to develop 21 appropriate, specific and quality training programs (Nabli et al., 2019). 22 Previous studies have examined aspects of these demands however, have only included a 23 small number of referees and matches within unique match and/or competition settings across 24 FIBA's regions (

The aim of the study was to determine reliability and factorial validity of six basketball shooti... more The aim of the study was to determine reliability and factorial validity of six basketball shooting accuracy tests. Fifty five healthy basketball players (age 19.1 ± 3.1 years; body mass 83.4 ± 12.5 kg; height 189.1 ± 8.2 cm; body fat percentage 13.1 ± 4.1) from four Bosnian basketball teams participated in this research. The applied tests have been constructed in order to measure basketball shooting accuracy from three different distances and under different intensity loads. The standard statistical parameters were calculated for each trial of all six basketball shooting tests (arithmetic mean, standard deviation and range). The average intertrial correlation coefficients (AVR), interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients (α) were used to determine the between-subject reliability of basketball shooting tests. The within-subject variation for the tree tests was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV). In order to determine the factorial validity of six basketball shooting tests, an intercorrelation matrix of the six tests was factorized using a principal component factor analysis. Structurally and physiologically more demanding tests performed from longer distances, produced higher variation in the applied tests. The most reliable tests are those that were performed from short distances in physiologically and structurally less demanding conditions. Results showed that all six tests have a similar measurement goal, that is to say basketball shooting accuracy, but they do not measure the same aspects of basketball shooting accuracy. As reliable and valid instruments, the tests can be used in future studies, but also can help coaches to evaluate players' accuracy in more realistic conditions, or to use the tests as training drills for improving basketball accuracy and players' fitness.

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Jul 1, 2018

Little is known about the influence of conditioning capacities on shooting performance in basketb... more Little is known about the influence of conditioning capacities on shooting performance in basketball. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between different conditioning capacities and shooting performance in professional basketball players. In this investigation, we examined 38 males (all perimeter players; height: 185.5±6.73 cm; mass: 78.66±10.35 kg). Conditioning capacities were evaluated by tests of muscular-strength, aerobic-endurance, jumping-and throwing-capacities, sprinting-speed, pre-planned-agility, anaerobic-endurance and fatigue-resistance. Shooting performance was evaluated using game statistics, as well as six tests of shooting-performance performed in controlled settings: (i) three tests of static (i.e., non-fatigued) shooting-performance (standardized execution of one-(S1), two-(S2) and three-point shots (S3) in stationary conditions), and (ii) three tests of dynamic (i.e., fatigued) shooting-performance (standardized execution of one-(D1), two-(D2), and three-point shots (D3) in dynamic conditions). All three dynamic shooting tests and the S1 test were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with corresponding game statistics. Multiple regression indicated that conditioning capacities were significantly related to D1 (R 2 =0.36; p=0.03), D2 (R 2 =0.44; p=0.03), S3 (R 2 =0.41; p=0.02) and D3 (R 2 =0.39; p=0.03) tests. Players with a higher fatigue-resistance achieved better results on D1 test (β=-0.37, p=0.03). Pre-planned-agility (β=-0.33, p=0.04), countermovement jump (β=0.42, p=0.03) and fatigue-resistance (β=-0.37, p=0.02) were significant predictors of D2 performance. The countermovement jump (β=0.39, p=0.04), medicine ball toss (β=0.34, p=0.04) and anaerobic-endurance (β=0.46, p=0.04) predicted the results of D3 performance. Jumping, throwing and anaerobic endurance capacities were good determinants of the skill of dynamic shooting over a long distance. These findings emphasize the importance of