PURPOSE: This study is aimed at identifying the length of breath holding in youth biathletes before shooting in both the prone and the standing position, and determining potential dependence between breath holding and the shooting performance at rest and after physical load during the training period. METHODS: Twenty-one national youth biathletes, women (n = 10; 16.7 ± 0.7 years) and men (n = 11; 16.5 ± 0.6 years), participated in the study. All participants completed two series of measuring of breath holding after 3 months period during shooting at rest and after roller skiing in a race load, in the prone as well as the standing position. They shot using their own biathlon rifles with a fixed accelerometer and respiration belts on the thorax. RESULTS: The average length of breath holding when successfully hitting the target in the prone position was 0.65 seconds in average both at rest and in the racing load, with some significant differences both men and women. When shooting in the standing position, the average values were approximately same as in the prone position 0.65 seconds both at rest and in racing load, again with some observable differences both men and women. There were several significant differences between the pre-test and post-test in the length of breath holding in both groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The study evaluate the length of breath holding and determine dependence of breath holding on the shooting performance at rest and after physical load during the training period in youth biathletes. The comparison of the acquired information with the shooting methodology taught by the coaches brought beneficial results. The study showed that is appropriate to hold breath for an average of 0.55 - 0.7 seconds in both shooting positions for both men and women in this age category.

Masaryk University Faculty of Sports Studies Brno Czech Republic

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