The Effects of Strength and Conditioning in Physical Education on Athletic Motor Skill Competencies and Psychological Attributes of Secondary School Children: A Pilot Study.

Ben J Pullen,Camilla J Knight,Jon L Oliver,Rhodri S Lloyd

doi:10.3390/sports8100138

Abstract

Leading global physical activity guidelines advocate that young children need to engage in activities that strengthen musculoskeletal tissues and improve movement skill competency. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of delivering strength and conditioning as part of the physical education curriculum on athletic motor skill competencies (AMSC), physical performance, and psychosocial factors. Forty-six school children aged 11–14 were included in the study, and sub-divided firstly by sex and then into intervention and control groups. Intervention groups received nine lessons of strength and conditioning based activities over a six-week period, while the control groups continued with traditional physical education curricula. The resistance training skills battery (RTSB) and tuck jump assessment (TJA) assessed AMSC. Standing long jump distance assessed lower limb strength, and online surveys examined motivation, physical self-efficacy and self-esteem. Male and female intervention groups significantly improved RTSB (p > 0.05) whereas no changes were observed in the control groups. No changes were observed in the intervention groups TJA and only trivial and small non-significant changes in standing long jump performance. Significant increases in motivation of the male intervention group occurred. Strength and conditioning integrated in physical education can improve AMSC in short-term interventions.

Highlights

Physical activity is known to be effective at improving markers of physical health, fitness and mental health in youths [1,2]
Intervention groups replaced all physical education with strength and conditioning sessions that focused on promoting athletic motor skill competencies (AMSC), while the respective control groups participated in normal physical education class
Intra-class correlations demonstrated that the tuck jump assessment (TJA) had excellent reliability (ICC = 0.91), with individual criteria revealing poor to almost perfect strength of agreement (K = 0.286–1.000)

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity is known to be effective at improving markers of physical health, fitness and mental health in youths [1,2]. Recommendations by the World Health Organization suggest children should be exposed to activities that develop musculoskeletal tissue and improve movement control at least three times weekly [3]. In the UK, the National Health Service recommends children aged 5–18 years should aim to develop muscular strength and movement skills [4]. Failure to develop motor skills may lead to a decline in physical activity, as positive associations exist between motor skills and physical activity in children and adolescents [5]. In the quest to combat youth physical inactivity, physical literacy has emerged as a central tenet [8,9] Sports 2020, 8, 138 functions structurally and functionally become adult—between ages eight to 19 years in girls and 10 to 22 years in boys [6]—is marked with large declines in physical activity, after the age of 12 years [7].

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