The aim of this study was to determine possible changes in physical performance and morphological characteristics in young basketball players before and after quarantine caused by COVID-19. The research was conducted on a total sample of 46 young basketball players. Participants were measured before the quarantine and pandemic in January 2020 and then after the quarantine period, one year later in March 2021. The results indicate the existence of significant differences in total muscle mass (p < 0.01) in favor of higher values measured before quarantine. Moreover, total fat percentage was higher (p < 0.03) after quarantine. As for physical performance, significant differences were also observed in the counter movement jump test (p < 0.05) and the 20 m shuttle run test (p < 0.05), with significantly poorer results for the group of participants measured after quarantine. The authors conclude that the consequences of the quarantine and pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were definitely negative, as higher values of body fat and lower values of the percentage of total muscle mass were observed. In addition, a lower level of the explosive power of lower limbs was observed, accompanied by lower aerobic endurance in young basketball players.

The need to determine the factors that positively or negatively affect the acquisition of swimming knowledge arose with the development of various swimming programs. The aim of this research was to determine the connection between the level of anxiety and success in the process of motor learning in swimming training program for non-swimmers. A sample of 77 children, aged (11.00±0.71), participated in a swimming training program for non-swimmers for 20 hours according to the standard method used in the Republic of Croatia. In the first and last lesson, the swimming knowledge was determined by means of a scale of eleven grades that describe the level of acquisition of swimming knowledge. Level of anxiety was assessed by modified CSAI-2CSWIM anxiety level questionnaire. Correlation analysis determined that the level of anxiety has a significant negative correlation with performance in all three observed domains, cognitive anxiety-0.273 and-2.46, somatic anxiety-0.384 and-0.337 and self-confidence-0.420 and-0.308 with results on the final test and with progress in swimming learning. The results of the conducted research showed that the level of anxiety has a significant influence on the children's swimming learning process.

Background: This study examined the effects of high-intensity interval training with change of direction (HIITcod) and small-sided games (SSGs) on components of physical fitness in school-aged children. The aim was to provide practical insights for optimizing exercise interventions in constrained indoor environments. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted during regular physical education (PE) classes in a school’s indoor sports hall. Fifty healthy boys (mean ± SD = 12.6 ± 0.6 years) were randomly assigned to a HIITcod group (n = 25) or an SSG group (n = 25). The intervention lasted eight weeks and consisted of structured training sessions designed to progressively increase intensity and training load in a child-friendly and safe environment. Individual maximal heart rate (HRmax) was determined using the 20 m shuttle run test prior to the intervention. Heart rate monitors were worn throughout all sessions to ensure exercise intensity consistently exceeded 75% of HRmax, with real-time monitoring used to adjust effort when necessary. Physical fitness outcomes, including the shuttle run test (SRT), handgrip strength (HG), 20 m sprint, standing broad jump (SBJ), Illinois agility test, and T-test, were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvements over time in the SRT, SBJ, Illinois agility test, and T-test (p < 0.05). No significant group × time interactions were detected (all p > 0.05). Handgrip strength increased significantly in the HIITcod group (35.03 ± 7.19 kg to 36.80 ± 6.68 kg, p = 0.001, d = 0.25) and showed a non-significant trend in the SSG group (38.28 ± 9.09 kg to 39.23 ± 9.12 kg, p = 0.056). No significant changes were observed in 20 m sprint performance. Conclusions: Based on the study results, both HIITcod and SSGs were associated with improvements in multiple components of physical fitness in school-aged boys. These findings suggest that both training modalities may be viable options for implementation during physical education classes, particularly in limited indoor settings. The observed positive changes in fitness could indicate their potential to positively impact children’s fitness in a structured and engaging manner.

This repeated cross-sectional study examined trends in swimming competence and the accuracy of self-assessed swimming ability among ten-year-old children in Osijek-Baranja County (2020–2024). A total of 4340 third-grade students completed both self-assessments and standardized swimming tests each year. Across five years, the prevalence of non-swimmers remained high (64–76%), with significant year-to-year variation (χ²(4) = 29.39, p < 0.05). Persistent discrepancies emerged between self-perceived and actual swimming ability (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.001). Despite existing initiatives, swimming competence remains low and children tend to overestimate their abilities. These findings highlight the need for stronger school-based swimming education, accurate assessment strategies, and broader community engagement to foster aquatic literacy and improve child safety.

Plivanje ima pozitivne učinke na plućnu funkciju, nozbog uvjeta u kojima se odvija, ti učinci ponekad mogubiti smanjeni ili neprimjetni. Međutim, neke studije tvrdesuprotno. Osobama s alergijskim i respiratornim bolestimačesto se preporučuje plivanje kao terapija, jer se vjerujeda zdravstvene dobrobiti plivanja u zatvorenom prostoruznatno nadmašuju rizike povezane s takvim uvjetima. Ciljrada je pregled i sustavna analiza dosadašnjih spoznajao učinkovitosti plivanja na dišne puteve, s obzirom naspecifične okolnosti u kojima se ovaj sport odvija. Pretraženaje baza podataka PubMed prema smjernicama za PreferredReporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA – P 2015). Uključeni kriteriji zadovoljiloje ukupno trinaest članaka koji su uvršteni u završnuanalizu. Devet članaka bilo je iz skupine randomiziranihkontroliranih studija, a četiri iz studija s jednom grupomispitanika. U ovom radu također je provedeno istraživanjeanketnim upitnikom na 192 hrvatska plivača. Upitnik je biopodijeljen u tri dijela: prvi dio odnosio se na opće informacijeo zdravstvenom stanju ispitanika, drugi dio bio je osnovniupitnik za astmu s pitanjima vezanim uz astmu, dok je trećidio bio orijentiran na rinitis. Od 192 ispitanika, osmero ih jeizjavilo da imaju astmu. Zaključno, plivanje ima značajanpotencijal za poboljšanje respiratornog zdravlja, osobitokod mladih, uz oprez zbog mogućih negativnih utjecajaokolišnih uvjeta.