ABSTRACT Examples of sustained whole-school approaches (WSA) to physical activity (PA) from real-world school practice can broaden our understanding of how much in-school PA can be expected in such approaches. This study aimed to describe PA opportunities provided within a WSA, and the correspondent PA behavior in pupils. Pupils from 2nd, 7th, and 9th grade (n = 57, 47.7% girls) from two case schools with an embedded WSA were recruited. Schools were located in the southeastern part of Norway. Pupils wore waist-worn accelerometers for 10 consecutive school days. Weekly schedules and descriptive field notes was used to describe PA opportunities, and conversations with teachers ensured valid data. Various PA opportunities were conducted daily. Organized PA was conducted in recess every day, physical education was led by qualified teachers in 1–2 lessons pr. week, and physically active learning was used as a teaching method 3–6 times pr. week. On average, 23.4 ± 9.7 min of school days was spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA), with differences among classes (26.2 ± 6.7, 31.5 ± 10.7, and 17.5 ± 6.6 min in 2nd, 7th, and 9th grade, respectively). On average, 22.8% of pupils reached 30 minutes of daily in-school MVPA. Case schools had seven years of experience in conducting a WSA with several PA opportunities. Despite this extensive work, only ⁓23% of pupils reached recommended amounts of in-school MVPA. This descriptive case study provides a reality check on WSA in school and its impact on children’s MVPA behavior, and revealing what they look like in practice, not only in theory.

ABSTRACT The cardiometabolic health benefits of meeting physical activity guidelines for the general population are clear, but it is uncertain if adolescents with obesity experience the same advantages. Thus, we examined the link between adherence to aerobic physical activity, muscle-strengthening activities guidelines, and cardiometabolic indicators in adolescents with different weight status from São José, Southern Brazil. This cross-sectional study comprises 353 adolescents (44.5% male; age, 16.6 ± 1.0 years) with different weight status from São José, Southern Brazil. Information regarding aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activities was obtained through a self-reported questionnaire. Overweight and obesity were defined using the age- and sex-specific criteria of the World Health Organization. Cardiometabolic indicators investigated as outcomes were systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipid profile, and glucose metabolism markers. Multiple linear regression models adjusted for confounding factors were used to investigate the associations of interest. Regardless of weight status, meeting aerobic physical activity guidelines was inversely associated with SBP [-3.2 mmHg, standard error (SE) = 0.23], and total cholesterol (-2.4 mg/dL, SE = 0.28). Among overweight/obesity adolescents, meeting aerobic physical activity / muscle-strengthening activities guidelines was inversely associated with WC (-5.11 cm, SE = 0.77), triglycerides (0.40 times lower, SE = 0.01), and hs-CRP (0.32 times lower, SE = 0.16). Even among overweight/obese adolescents, meeting aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity guidelines can be a relevant strategy for reducing cardiometabolic risk, given the reduction in WC, triglycerides, and hs-CRP.

ABSTRACT The transition from secondary school to university is a critical period often marked by a decline in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). This study explores how MVPA opportunities evolve during this transition. A longitudinal design was used with 84 participants (58 girls, 26 boys) who wore accelerometers and completed daily diaries for seven consecutive days at two time points (T0: final year of secondary school; T1: first year of university). MVPA ratios were calculated overall and across 13 distinct opportunities. Results showed that overall MVPA remained stable between T0 and T1 (6.6% vs. 6.3%). Girls showed lower MVPA ratios than boys (p < .05). At T0, PE lessons, transport, recess and supervised leisure contributed most to MVPA. At T1, MVPA during PE and recess declined, while transport and autonomous leisure gained importance. These results suggest that opportunity structures for MVPA shifted, highlighting the importance of self-directed and transport-related activities in university life.

ABSTRACT This study examined how contextual factors influence match-running performance in elite women’s soccer, with a focus on differences between starters (i.e. players who began the match) and nonstarters (i.e. players who entered the match as substitutes and played for at least 5 minutes). A total of 95 women’s players from four teams competing in the Brazilian Women’s First Division were monitored across 60 matches using 10-Hz GPS devices. Running performance was analyzed in both absolute and relative terms (m·min−1) across five speed zones, PlayerLoad, accelerations, and decelerations metrics. The contextual variables examined included opponent level, match location, number of days between matches, and the momentary point-difference. Starters covered greater absolute distances, while nonstarters exhibited higher relative demands in moderate- to high intensity zones and accelerations. Starters displayed higher relative distances in low intensity running. As part of the positional comparison, midfielders covered the greatest total distance, while external defenders and forwards performed more high-intensity actions. Central defenders had the lowest physical demands across all metrics. Nonstarters showed greater sprinting distances in matches against stronger opponents when playing at home. The momentary point-difference also influenced physical performance, with more balanced matches associated with reduced running outputs across positions and roles. Additionally, greater running outputs were observed in matches with ≤4 days of recovery, especially in low-to-moderate intensity zones. Performance staff should adopt role-specific and context-approach training strategies, considering starter status and match contextual demands to prescribe compensatory training loads in elite women’s soccer.

ABSTRACT The Challenge Point Framework suggests that an optimal difficulty exists for promoting motor learning. However, the “sweet spot” has yet to be found, potentially due to methodological differences. Limitations of previous literature include (a) the lack of a standard metric to gauge task difficulty, (b) the lack of a standard dependent variable (as a raw score varies between different task difficulty levels), and (c) the lack of a definition of “optimal difficulty.” To this end, the present study employed “success rate” as a measure of difficulty. For the dependent variable, the normalized performance and the coefficient of variation were used for group comparisons. To assess optimal difficulty, we considered two potential definitions: the improvement rate (the pattern of improvement) and the magnitude of learning. A total of 150 participants (M age ± SD = 21.75 ± 2.21) were randomly and equally assigned to one of three groups: high (60–70%), medium (20–30%), and low success rate ( < 10%). Participants practiced golf putting for 50 trials, followed by a 24-hour retention test. Our results showed that the pattern and magnitude of learning did not differ, suggesting that no optimal difficulty existed in golf putting with the present design. Future studies should employ consistent metrics and definitions of optimal difficulty to facilitate meaningful comparisons between experiments. We discussed the need for further discussion to address and overcome existing methodological and conceptual limitations and inconsistencies.

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of a social cognitive theory (SCT)-guided, multi-component mobile health (mHealth) intervention on physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), and SCT constructs (exercise self-efficacy, social support, outcome expectations, self-regulation) among young adults with overweight or obesity. Sixty participants were recruited via convenience sampling and randomly allocated to one of four groups: (1) social media-only, (2) fitness application (app)-only, (3) combined social media and fitness app, or (4) control; 56 participants (25 males, 31 females; mean age = 21.52 ± 2.61 years) completed the 6-week intervention. PA, BMI, and SCT constructs were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA (or a nonparametric alternative) was performed to examine the main and interaction effects of time and group, and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to explore associations between changes in SCT variables and changes in PA. The multi-component group combining social media and fitness app interventions demonstrated significantly greater improvements in total PA level and moderate-to-vigorous PA time, as well as a marginally significant increase in exercise self-efficacy compared with the control group. Furthermore, changes in exercise self-efficacy were positively associated with changes in PA variables within the intervention groups. This 6-week intervention provides preliminary evidence supporting the potential effectiveness of a theory-driven, multi-component mHealth approach for enhancing PA among young adults with overweight or obesity. Future studies with longer intervention periods and structured follow-up assessments are warranted to confirm its efficacy and sustainability.

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study compared the functional and stiffness properties of the hamstring muscles between adolescent female soccer players and age-matched controls. Cluster analysis split the soccer group into 28 participants aged ≥170 months (~14.2 years) and 15 participants < 170 months. The control group was similarly divided (older: 14 participants; younger: 13 participants). Unilateral isometric peak torque and isotonic peak power of the knee flexors and eccentric knee flexor strength measured during the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE strength) for each leg were determined. The semitendinosus shear modulus was also measured in both legs using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Across all age groups, the soccer group (39–117 Nm) demonstrated significantly greater NHE strength bilaterally (control: 20–80 Nm) (p < .001). Conversely, hamstring stiffness was comparable between the groups, with a notable increase observed in the younger age cohort (older: 2.3–6.3 kPa; younger: 3.1–6.7 kPa) (p = .013). Moreover, soccer players’ NHE strength did not align with conventional knee flexor strength measures. These results demonstrate that adolescent female soccer players possess a distinct hamstring muscle profile, notably exhibiting significantly greater NHE strength compared to controls, with semitendinosus shear modulus being largely comparable between the groups. This unique profile is commonly associated with a reduced risk of hamstring strain injury, a finding potentially relevant for injury prevention strategies in this population. Such findings offer practical guidance for injury screening, but their interpretation is limited by the cross-sectional design and the control group’s activity heterogeneity.

ABSTRACT This study analyzed the longitudinal relationship between short sprints and counter movement jump (CMJ) in youth male soccer players. Players (n = 304, age 13.0 ± 1.9 years) from a Scottish soccer academy completed sprints (10 m, 20 m splits [s]) and a CMJ (cm), on 3 to 14 occasions across 10 seasons. Within-player (repeated measures) and between-player (mean of repeated measures) correlation coefficients were calculated, and a linear mixed model (LMM) was applied to determine whether CMJ can predict sprint changes over a meaningful threshold (0.04 s, equivalent to the suggested minimum difference [~40 cm] for a player to be ahead of the opponent to win a ball in a one-on-one duel). Very large, negative between-player correlations were found for CMJ vs. sprint time (10 m: r = -0.746, 95% CI [−0.792, −0.691]; 20 m: r = -0.822, 95% CI [−0.856, −0.782], respectively). Within-player correlations were moderate-to-large (10 m: r = -0.485, 95% CI [−0.525, −0.443]; 20 m: r = -0.576, 95% CI [−0.611, −0.539]). The LMM analysis revealed that chronological age influenced the within-player correlations, while CMJ did not predict sprint changes over the meaningful threshold. While CMJ might be useful for distinguishing between players with differing sprint ability, it is not a suitable proxy for tracking individual sprint development over time, especially when accounting for chronological age-related changes. Coaches and practitioners should therefore consider incorporating direct sprint assessments into longitudinal monitoring.

ABSTRACT Relatedness, a fundamental psychological need, is defined as the desire for interpersonal closeness and acceptance. In the present experiment, we tested relatedness effects on the learning of a dynamic balance task in older adults. Forty-five participants were divided into three groups. The relatedness support group (RS) received instructions that emphasized acknowledgment, care, and interest in the participants’ experiences. In the relatedness frustration group (RF), participants received instructions emphasizing alienation and disinterest in the participant as a person. Participants in the Control group did not receive relatedness instructions. The task required participants to ride a Pedalo along a distance of 7 m. They completed retention and transfer tests one day later. Participants’ perceived self-efficacy and affective levels were also evaluated via questionnaires. The results showed higher performance during practice, retention, and transfer phases for participants of the RS group relative to the RF and Control groups. Higher scores of self-efficacy and positive affect were also found for the RS group. These findings demonstrate that practice conditions supporting learners’ need for social connection by expressing proximity and interest enhance motor performance and learning, as well as self-efficacy and positive affect, in older adults.

ABSTRACT Continuing reports involving the sexual abuse of athletes in USA Gymnastics sounded a call to action for competitive sports organizations around the world. We propose a Quality Improvement (QI) approach to evaluate the dynamics of this problem. We do so by [1] defining the problem and its scope within competitive sports, [2] making the case for QI methodologies as an untapped resource to address this problem, and [3] suggesting novel approaches using these specific methodologies. We demonstrate how a systems approach and methodologies like Root Cause Analysis can identify cultural, systemic, and individual barriers to reporting. They can also expose inherent conflicts of interest and biases that compound this problem. A QI approach can identify previously unrecognized causes of underreporting sexual abuse of athletes and may guide targeted interventions.