title: Fundamental Movement Skills Development under the Influence of a Gymnastics Program and Everyday Physical Activity in Seven-Year-Old Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were: a) to examine the influence of an 18-week basic artistic gymnastics program on fundamental movement skills (FMS) development in seven-year-old children; b) to determine correlations between children's daily activities and successful performance of FMS and basic artistic gymnastics skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy five first grade primary school children took part in this study. A physical education teacher specialized in artistic gymnastics conducted a gymnastics program for 18 weeks, three times a week. The level of gymnastics skills and FMS were identified at the beginning and at the end of the program. The level of gymnastics skills was evaluated by performance of eight artistic gymnastics skills, while FMS were evaluated by the use of FMS-polygon. Physical activity and inactivity was evaluated by using a proxy-questionnaire "Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire˝ (NPAQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the dependent samples t test, significant differences were found in the FMS-polygon and all gymnastics skills before and after the 18-week gymnastics program. Increasing correlations were established over time between gymnastics skills and the FMS-polygon. Unorganized daily activity of children significantly correlated with their mastering of gymnastics skills and FMS. The presented findings confirm: (1) the thesis that basic artistic gymnastics skills and FMS could be developed simultaneously, (2) the theory of positive transfer of similar skills between FMS and artistic gymnastic skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mastering basic artistic gymnastics skills will provoke improvement of FMS and finally become a prerequisite for successful introduction of learning more complex gymnastics skills. The obtained results imply that an increase of children's unorganized daily activities can improve the mastering of basic gymnastics skills and simultaneously the development of FMS.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Education, University of Mostar , Bosnia & Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Culjak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split , Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Durdica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miletic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split , Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Suncica Delas
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kalinski
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split , Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kezic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split , Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Frane
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zuvela
keywords: Artistic Gymnastics; Motor Skills; Organized Activities; Polygon; Transfer of Learning; Unorganized Activities