Author(s): KYSELOVICOVÁ, O., KOTYROVÁ ŠTEFÁNIKOVÁ, G., ZEMKOVÁ, E., Institution: COMENIUS UNIVERSITY IN BRATISLAVA, FACULTY OF PHYSICAL &EDUCATION AND SPORT, Country: SLOVAKIA, Abstract-ID: 2437

INTRODUCTION:
Our preliminary case study revealed that an elite aerobic gymnast improved in the ability to maintain balance in dynamic conditions and repeated rebounds over two years of training. We were interested in whether and to what extent these changes in the key abilities of an aerobic competition routine would be reflected in a group of athletes. This study compares two-year changes in dynamic balance, explosive power and muscular endurance of lower limbs, isokinetic leg muscle strength, and anaerobic performance in elite aerobic gymnasts during their transitions from junior to senior category.
METHODS:
A group of 8 aerobic gymnasts (age 16.2±2.5 y; height 164.1±2.7 cm; body mass 56.0±2.7 kg) performed a postural coordination test, Y-Balance test, countermovement jumps, 60 s test of repeated jumps, an isokinetic leg muscle strength test, and the Wingate test. Performance changes over two years of training were evaluated using a t-test with the significance level set at p≤0.05. The magnitude of the effect size was evaluated using Cohen’s d.
RESULTS:
Postural coordination improved by 31.3% (d=1.8) after two years of aerobic gymnastics training. Overall postural strategy index also increased from an average value of 7.2 to an excellent value of 8.1 (d=1.2). Distance reached in the Y-Balance test by the dominant leg increased in anterior (6.3%, d=0.5) and posteromedial (5.5%, d=0.7) directions, and by the non-dominant leg in anterior (by 6.6%, d=0.9) and posteromedial (3.5%, d=0.7) directions. The composite score of both the dominant and non-dominant leg also increased (6.0%, d=0.9, and 4.0%, d=0.7 respectively). Furthermore, the fatigue index in the 60 s test of repeated jumps decreased (from 37.0% to 28.9%, d=0.2). In addition, total work increased during dominant and non-dominant leg extension (12.2%, d=1.2, and 12.5%, d=1.3 respectively) as well as leg flexion at 300°/s (9.4%, d=0.6, and 4.2%, d=0.5 respectively). Similarly, mean power increased during dominant and non-dominant leg extension (15.5%, d=1.2, and 14.5%, d=1.2 respectively) as well as leg flexion at 300°/s (11.7%, d=0.5, and 12.0%, d=0.6 respectively). Peak torque/body weight ratio increased during dominant leg extension at 60°/s (15.3%, d=0.5) and dominant leg flexion at 300°/s (6.0%, d=0.7). However, two years of training failed to show any significant improvements in the explosive power of lower limbs and anaerobic performance.

CONCLUSION:
These findings indicate that general aerobic gymnastic training without any specific inputs leads to performance improvements, namely in abilities closely related to competition routines such as dynamic balance, flexibility, and strength endurance of lower limbs.
Acknowledgment: This work was supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (No. 1/0725/23 and No. 1/712/24).