The aim of this study was to develop international standards for evaluating strength endurance with the use of the 3‐Minute Burpee Test. The results of 3862 women (Poland – 2502, Great Britain – 500, Hungary – 412, Serbia – 448) and 5971 men (Poland – 4517, Great Britain – 500, Hungary – 451, Serbia – 503) aged 18‐25 (mean age of 20.36 ± 0.94 and 20.05 ± 1.25 y, respectively) were collated between 2004 and 2018. The students’ strength endurance was evaluated in the 3‐Minute Burpee Test. The results were expressed on a uniform scale with the 3‐sigma rule which was used to develop the T‐score scale for the 3‐Minute Burpee Test. Men completed 56.69 cycles/3 min and women – 48.84/3 min on average. The best male participant completed 82 burpees, and the best female participant – 73 burpees. The majority of male and female participants (66.71% and 68.18%, respectively) were characterized by average strength endurance in the 3‐Minute Burpee Test (range of scores: 47‐66 and 37‐60 cycles/3 min, respectively). Very good strength endurance (76‐85 and 72‐83 cycles/3 min, respectively) was noted in the smallest percentage of male and female participants (0.52% and 0.26%, respectively). Similar studies should be carried out in other countries and in different age groups to develop objective international classification standards for variously‐aged individuals.

Introduction: Many studies indicate a considerable impact of optimal pacing on long-distance running performance. Given that the amount of carbohydrates in metabolic processes increases supralinearly with the running intensity, we may observe differences between the pacing strategies of two long-distance races and different performance levels of runners. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the differences in pacing strategies between marathon and half-marathon races regarding the performance levels of runners.Methods: The official results and split times from a total of 208,760 (marathon, N = 75,492; half-marathon, N = 133,268) finishers in the “Vienna City Marathon” between 2006 and 2018 were analyzed. The percentage of the average change of speed for each of the five segments (CS 1–5), as well as the absolute change of speed (ACS) were calculated. The CS 1–5 for the marathon are as follows: up to the 10th km, 10th – 20th km, 20th – 30th km, 30th – 40th km, and from the 40th km to the 42.195 km. For the half-marathon, the CS 1–5 are half of the marathon values. Four performance groups were created as quartiles of placement separately for sexes and races: high-level (HL), moderate to high-level (MHL), moderate to low-level (MLL), and low-level (LL).Results: Positive pacing strategies (i.e., decrease of speed) were observed in all performance groups of both sex and race. Across CS 1–5, significant main effects (p < 0.001) were observed for the segment, performance level, and their interaction in both sex and race groups. All LL groups demonstrated higher ACS (men 7.9 and 6.05%, as well as women 5.83 and 5.49%, in marathon and half-marathon, respectively), while the HL performance group showed significantly lower ACS (men 4.14 and 2.97%, as well as women 3.16 and 2.77%, in marathon and half-marathon, respectively). Significant main effects (p < 0.001) for the race were observed but with a low effect size in women (ŋ² = 0.001).Discussion: Better runners showed more even pacing than slower runners. The half-marathoners showed more even pacing than the marathoners across all performance groups but with a trivial practical significance in women.

(1) Background: Physical activity may cause an imbalance in the major functions of the human body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of endurance running training on the parameters of the antioxidant defense system (SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, GSH), LPO (malondialdehyde, MDA), and stress hormones (A, NA) in young healthy, previously untrained men. (2) Methods: The training program was as follows: 8 weeks of running, three times per week; the duration of a single session was 30–70 min, the intensity was twice a week in the so-called extensive endurance zone, and once a week in the anaerobic threshold zone. Blood samples were collected from the subjects, before and after the running program. (3) Results: The training program resulted in a significant increase in maximal oxygen consumption (p < 0.001). The activities of SOD, GPx, and GR also increased significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively), while CAT activity and GSH and MDA concentrations remained unchanged. The concentration of A decreased (p < 0.05), while the NA concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05). SOD, GPx, GR, and NA positively correlated with VO₂max (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively), while a negative correlation was detected between A and VO₂max (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: These results indicate that there is no persistent oxidative stress in response to the applied 8-week running program, probably due to exercise-induced protective alterations in the antioxidant defense system. Furthermore, adaptations occurred at the hormonal level, making the organism more ready for a new challenge.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of applying synchronized music and appropriate music selection on motivation for exercise and achieving better results in individuals of different fitness levels. Methods: The study included a total of 20 female participants, who for certain analyses were divided into two groups with slightly different levels of aerobic fitness: students from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (n = 10, age 23.0 ± 2.8), and middle-aged adult women exercising recreationally (n = 10, age 38.3 ± 11.6). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was conducted using a treadmill and gas analysis equipment, and motivational music qualities were assessed using the BMRI-2 questionnaire. The procedure included an initial maximal CPET test, echocardiography, and spirometric tests, followed by an interview to select preferred music tracks. A second CPET test was then performed with the chosen motivational music. The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale was used in both tests. Results: The internal consistency of the questionnaire was confirmed with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.982. The synchronized motivational music significantly improved cardiopulmonary parameters such as peak oxygen consumption (peak VO₂), oxygen consumption (VO₂) at the second ventilatory threshold (VT2), peak heart rate (peak HR), test duration, and reduced perceived exertion (RPE) at the beginning of the test and at the intensity level corresponding to the VT2. Negligible differences were noted between students and recreational athletes, so it can be assumed that music had an equal impact on these two groups of subjects. Conclusions: The study concluded that synchronous motivational music significantly enhances cardiopulmonary performance and reduces perceived fatigue during physical exertion by serving as a key motivational element and facilitating more economical movement.

(1) Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the application of adaptive sports programs, initially designed for children with disabilities, can have a positive effect on physical fitness and body composition in healthy primary school children; (2) Methods: The sample comprised 80 participants, equally divided by gender (50% male, 50% female), with a mean age of 11.5 (SD = 0.03). They were divided into two groups, an experimental and a control group, with an even gender distribution. The research lasted 12 weeks, with additional classes allocated for the initial and the final measurements. The Eurofit test battery assessed physical fitness; (3) Results: ANCOVA revealed significant group differences in body composition variables within the total sample and gender distribution (p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in handgrip strength (HGR), flamingo balance test (FBL), shuttle run 10 × 5 m (SHR) (p < 0.001), and also hand tapping (HTP) (p = 0.01). Participants in the experimental group outperformed the control group, highlighting the effectiveness of the intervention program. Specifically, boys in the experimental group showed significant improvements in HGR and SHR (p < 0.001), while girls improved significantly in HGR, FBL, and SHR (p < 0.001); (4) Conclusions: The experimental program, which incorporates sports elements for disabled individuals, led to significant improvements in the physical fitness parameters of children.

The aim of the research is to analyze the trend in the number of participants in the Belgrade Marathon in the period 2007-2019: total, by gender and age categories, with a special reference to participants from Serbia. Using linear regressions, it was found that the total number of participants, both from Serbia and abroad, significantly increased; total number of male and female participants, both from Serbia and abroad, significantly increased ; the number of women is growing more than men every year, especially inthe sample of participants from Serbia; the number of participants by age categories of 5 years, for women and men from Serbia increased to the age group of 30-35 years, and then slowly decreased; the percentage of men and women in the 30-39 age category is increasing; the proportion of female seniors and female veterans is increasing. Statistically significant decreases: percentage of men in the 50-59 age category; percentage of male veterans. The percentage of male seniors didnot change. It can be concluded that the number of participants in the Belgrade Marathon, especially participants from Serbia, is increasing significantly, with a trend that exceeds many marathons in the world. The number of women is lower than in most marathons in the world, but the number of women from Serbia is increasing significantly compared to the number of men, which is in line with world trends. The number of male veterans is decreasing, which is different from most marathons in the world.