Vol. 1 (2013)

s. Background and Study Aim: In this study, focusing on the individual difference in the characteristics of the knee joint, which plays an important role in weight bearing during walking, we examined the relationship between difference in knee alignment and pain in the legs during walking and effect of the pain on the psychological state of exercise performers. Material/Methods: A total of 40 subjects, including 25 healthy men and 15 women were recruited to this study. Knee alignment was classified according to the intercondylar and intermalleolar distances by increments of 2.0 cm. After walking (85km) on day 3 of the 5-day event, subjects were required to answer a questionnaire asking where in the leg they had pain. The psychological state of each subject was assessed by performing the Profile of Mood States (POMS) after they had rested after walking on each of days 1, 2 and 3 of the 5-day event. Results: The following sites exhibited significant differences in the number and incidence of injury between groups: the anterior side of lower leg (p <0.05), posterior side of lower leg (p <0.01), ankle joint (p <0.05) and sole of foot (p <0.01). In the genu valgum group, the score for factor V(:Vigor) decreased by 4.0 points between days 1 to 3: 18.1 ± 4.6 points on day 1 and 14.1 ± 7.6 points on day 3, with a significant difference between days 1 and 3. Conclusions: When performing an exercise that places load on the legs, such as walking, one should consider the risk of injury by measuring the individual’s knee alignment before commencing the exercise.

Combat is a complicated and complex phenomenon. In this process we take actions of different degree of effectiveness. Assessment of these behaviours and understanding the underlying mechanisms are the basis for a sport program created to increase the fighter’s competitive level. Competent trainers know that there are five elements that influence a result of a sport fight: being familiar with the rules of the sport fight, strategy, stance, dodging and blocking and applying techniques while you are in motion. Many inquisitive trainers wonder: why a competitor with a great technique, could not apply it during a tournament? Why a competitor who usually does excellent during exercises cannot repeat the same things during the competition? Why the competitor’s results change (during one tournament victories are achieved and medals are granted while on other occasions he or she loses even to a weaker opponent) ? Supreme trainer is usually a good teacher and observer. Coach pays attention to learners’ mistakes, and tries to correct them. The concept of free sparing enables to break down the process of scoring points. When analyzing a fight it helps to notice, which of the preparation components are insufficient and what else needs to be improved. This is a great tool for a competent trainer, which helps to understand the real, often hidden cause of failure. Appropriate preparation for the fight has many interrelated aspects. But understanding the core of the problem is a first step to find a recipe for victory. We need to remember that record achievements and spectacular victories result from hard and wise work of the trainer and the competitor.

For hundreds of years The Jasna Góra Monastery has been the most important pilgrimage centre in Poland. Its origins date back to 1382, when Prince Vladislaus of Opole brought and placed Pauline monks from Hungary at the former parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary [8]. The presentation of pilgrimage movement to the shrine of The Jasna Góra Monastery in the years 1975 - 1998 is the main aim of the paper. Both the participation of domestic and foreign pilgrimages in pilgrim's traffic that visited the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Jasna Góra Monastery in the period has been discussed.

The aim of the study was to determine the importance of basic professional activities of a trainer in Olympic martial sports, defining the differences between trainers’ opinions and discovering the main groups of activities characteristic for a given martial sport. Methods and Resources. Opinions of 37 trainers with many years of experience in boxing (n=11), Olympic taekwondo (n=13) and wrestling (n=13) were collected via a questionnaire composed of 20 activities, to which respondents allocated a rank from 1 to 4. Results. The most important activities of an Olympic martial sports were managing the technical, tactical and physical preparation of a trainee. Boxing and taekwondo trainers’ opinions were very alike (rsp=0.78; p<0.001). On the other hand, the greatest discrepancies between views were found in taekwondo and wrestling trainers (rsp=0.01; p>0.05). The most important professional activities created various clusters depending on the specifics of a martial sport. Conclusions. Hierarchization of the basic professional activities of a trainer showed consistency in the most important ones, and discrepancies between those defined as less important. Opinions of the trainers in sports similar in terms of the combat techniques were similar. Three martial sports trainers differed in the way they perceived the importance of directing their trainees during sports competitions. The groups of professional activities of a trainer differ between boxing, taekwondo and wrestling.

The study concerns Polish fencing (hussar sabre fighting) and Japanese kenjutsu (art of sword). It focuses on forms of their promotion as well as popularization and its scope. In the light of history, theoretical sociology and anthropology of martial arts selected relevant facts are discussed in an attempt to explain the reasons for the changes which have occured. An attempt is also made to compare the progress of the process of institutionalization in the case of both martial arts. Three complementary qualitative research methods were used: a long-term observation in the role of a participant (25 years), content analysis of the literature and the case study. In addition, the author presents the case study of an international seminar on kenjutsu of the Katori Shinto-ryu school organized in Kraków. The date of the seminar coincided with the 20th anniversary of the battle demonstration where a representative of the fencing school fought against W. Zabłocki, a master of the Polish hussar sabre, and the 25th anniversary of practising martial arts of aikibudō and kobudō in Poland (including kenjutsu of the said school). Japanese kenjutsu is much more advanced in comparison to the Polish historical art of fencing in terms of institutionalization and popularization. However, the two-day seminar on old Japanese fencing in Krakow was an example of a cultural meeting, dialogue and educational experience confirming validity of the theory of dialogue between cultures. Polish martial arts as part of the national heritage need to be supported by the state government.

s. The aim of this paper is presentation of the up-to-date state of research on physical education and sports in the North-Eastern Borderlands of the 2nd Republic based on analysis of Polish literature on the subject. In the sense of territorial scope, the paper covers the areas of the Polesie, Novogrodek and Vilnius voivodeships. As for the scope of studies on the history of physical education and sports in the North-Eastern Borderlands of the 2nd Republic, the most cognitively significant is the work by Laskiewicz on „Kultura fizyczna na Wileńszczyźnie w latach 1900–1939. Zarys monograficzny dziejów” (Physical Culture in the Region of Vilnius in the Years 1900–1939. An Outline of Monographic History). The history of physical culture in rural areas were fairly well drawn up. In terms of historiography, there are publications presenting physical education and sports in urban areas. The publications mainly refer to physical activity in larger towns and cities, e.g. in Baranowicze, Brest-on-Bug, Lida, Novogrodek and in Vilnius. In terms of voivodeships, papers on physical education and sports in the Region of Vilnius significantly predominate. The presented analysis of the state of research – in reference to Polish writings – shows the necessity to supplement the preliminary archival research of the sources – in order to prepare a monograph on „Dziejów wychowania fizycznego i sportu na Kresach Północno-Wschodnich II Rzeczypospolitej” (the History of Physical Education and Sports in the North – Eastern Borderlands of the 2nd Republic). A preliminary archival research should also be conducted in the archives kept by Byelorussia and Lithuania.

If aging were simply a matter of wearing out, we would expect all centenarians to be in poor health, trapped in bodies with many deteriorated working parts. Actually, standards of health are high among numerous centenarians. Those who study centenarians been taken aback by their strong attachment to freedom and independence. Even though biological aging in humans fall into two categories (Programmed or adaptive and Non- programmed or non-adaptive theories) in our Meta – analysis we predominantly focused our attention on Non-programmed theories of aging. We selected some factors that play significant role in secondary aging, namely self-discipline, to have meaning and purpose in life, maintaining a steady weight through life, eating more quality than quantity of food, be physically active, have social ties be practical rather than idealistic also assertive but at the same time flexible to new challenges in life. Also have more wisdom than intelligence. Above mentioned indicators are greatly influenced by way we think. We believe that by apply positive psychology’s principles to our existence we can enhance biological, psychological and social homeostasis consequently enhances overall health and longevity.