Athletic Training Research Articles

The effectiveness of neuromuscular training warm-up program for injury prevention in adolescent male basketball players

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of a neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up program on injury incidence, neuromuscular function, and program adherence, maintenance and acceptance in adolescent basketball players. A total of 275 players from 20 Slovenian teams (15 ± 1.7 years of age), were randomized into an intervention group (IG, n=129) and a control group (CG, n=146). Over three months, the IG incorporated NMT into their warm-ups, while the CG followed their usual practice. Measurements of body anthropometry, muscle contractile properties, and balance were taken before and after the intervention. Also, the injury incidence, training adherence and maintenance were reported. Both groups showed improved balance, with no significant difference between them. However, IG demonstrated reduced delay times in specific muscles, indicating improved neuromuscular function. Injury prevalence proportion (%) during the whole study period was higher in the control group compared to intervention (IG: 10.9% vs. CG: 23.3%), and incidence rate. Moreover, the incidence rate ratio for sustaining an injury was 2.6 on average (ranging from 0.88 to 7.07 for tendon and muscle injuries, respectively), indicating significantly lower injury risk in IG than CG. These findings highlight the effectiveness of NMT warm-ups in reducing injury risk and enhancing neuromuscular function, emphasizing the value of structured injury prevention strategies in youth sports..

High Serum Irisin Concentration Is Associated with More Disturbed Behavioural Eating Pattern in Adolescent Rhythmic Gymnasts

Background/Objectives: There are strict demands on body weight and shape in highly trained adolescent female athletes, and they are in the highest risk group for the development of eating disorders. This study aims to compare the behavioural eating patterns between highly trained female adolescent athletes and untrained controls (UCs), and to describe the associations between behavioural eating patterns and different energy homeostasis hormones. Methods: A total of 33 rhythmic gymnasts (RGs), 20 swimmers (SWs), and 20 UCs (n = 20) that were 14 to 18 years old participated in this investigation. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, training volume, 3-consecutive-day energy intake, and different energy homeostasis hormones were measured. For the evaluation of the individual behavioural eating pattern, an eating disorders assessment scale (EDAS) questionnaire with different subscales was used. Results: The mean EDAS subscale of restrained eating score was significantly higher in the RG group compared to the UC group (17.2 ± 7.4 vs. 11.5 ± 5.8; p < 0.05). The EDAS total score (r = 0.380) and the subscale score of preoccupation with body image and body weight (r = 0.371) were both positively correlated (p < 0.05) with serum irisin concentrations in the RG group. Conclusions: In conclusion, female rhythmic gymnasts reported a more often restrained eating pattern than untrained controls, and their more disturbed behavioural eating pattern was associated with a higher serum irisin concentration.

Optimization design of biomechanical parameters based on advanced mathematical modelling

In recent years the use of biomechanics in athletic training and performance has received a lot of attention, especially in university sports programs. Biomechanics is the study of the mechanical principles that control how biological things move or are constructed. It is critical for understanding the intricate relationships between physical performance, body mechanics, and injury prevention. The objective of this study is to establish how biomechanical variables can be designed and optimized in universities using mathematical modeling. In this study, a novel Emperor Penguin Search-driven Dynamic Feedforward Neural Network (EPSO-DFNN) is proposed to optimize the biomechanical parameters of athletes. Various biomechanical data are utilized from athletes participating in different sports. Biomechanical parameters include muscle activation patterns, joint angles, forces, and movement. The data was preprocessed using Z-score normalization from the obtained data. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) using features is extracted from preprocessed data. The proposed method is to identify the optimal configurations for athlete’s movements tailored to their sports and individual biomechanical profiles. The proposed method is the performance of various evaluation metrics such as F1-score (92.76%), precision (91.42%), accuracy (90.02%), and recall (89.69%). The result demonstrated that the proposed method effectively improved the performance in athletic capabilities compared to other traditional algorithms. This study demonstrates how mathematical modeling may be used to optimize biomechanical characteristics, providing insightful information that can be used to improve athletic performance and encourage safer behaviors in athletic settings.

The Significance of U23 Competitions in Wrestling Career

Background. Designing the training of athletes should be based on specific goals and objectives at each stage of the long-term development. Each age stage in the development of an elite athlete has its own significance. The U23 competitions are organized to facilitate a smoother and more effective transition of wrestlers from junior to senior levels. The aim of the study is to determine the significance of performances in the U23 competitions for the subsequent development process of wrestlers. Materials and Methods. The following research methods have been used in the paper: the analysis of the scientific and methodological literature, the analysis of the official results, and methods of mathematical statistics. We have studied the sports careers of participants in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 World Championships in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling. A total of 1277 wrestlers’ sporting biographies have been analyzed. Results. The majority of participants (73.7 %) in the U23 age category competitions previously competed at the junior level. Moreover, more than half of the athletes (58.4 %) had prior experience of participating in cadet competitions. It is worth noting that 63.7 % of all wrestlers participated in senior-level competitions, and 31.5 % of them achieved podium finishes. Among women, a higher percentage of athletes continue their careers (46.3 %) and achieve success (20.1 %) on the international stage after the U23 competitions. For male freestyle wrestlers, the figures are lower, with only 38.2 % continuing their careers. Conclusion. The analysis demonstrated that the U23 competitions, which serve as a continuation of the cadet and junior age groups, are part of the overall sequence of competitions in the development of wrestlers at the international level. However, the importance of the U23 competitions varies depending on the level of athletes, and they serve both as preparatory and main competitions within the athletes' training system.

Studying the characteristics of physical development of young athletes

Medical and biological support for the training of young athletes is a separate specific part of medical science and practice. This area of medicine includes determining the health and physical development of athletes, as well as diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases and injuries associated with physical education and sports. The main goal of medical and biological support for children’s and youth sports is the harmonious development of the child within the chosen sport, taking into account his age characteristics, functionality, physical development, including puberty.Objective. The purpose of the study is to investigate the characteristics of the physical development of young athletes of various specializations.Materials and methods: 102 young teenage athletes took part in the study. The control group consisted of 28 schoolchildren who were not involved in sports professionally. The first group of the study included 35 young athletes from the «Children and Youth Sports School of Swimming». The second group of the study consisted of 47 teenagers, students of a specialized children’s and youth sports school of the Olympic reserve in field hockey. The third group of the study included 20 young athletes, students of a specialized children’s and youth sports school of Olympic reserve fencing.Results: In terms of physical development parameters, young athletes have indicators above the average values of children in the control group. The percentage of body fat in boys and girls in the control group was significantly higher than in young athletes. At the same time, the level of muscle mass of boys who do not engage in sports is lower than that of the group of athletes.Conclusions: Based on the results of the work, it was established that the physical development of young athletes has significant differences from their peers who do not play sports professionally.

Abstract 4145828: The Interplay Between Exercise Load, Myocardial fibrosis, Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Ventricular Arrhythmias

Background: An increased prevalence of myocardial ventricular fibrosis, ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias has been reported amongst highly trained endurance athletes, but trials investigating these adverse phenotypes in adequately sized and accurately phenotyped cohorts are largely lacking. We aimed to define the prevalence of ventricular fibrosis, ventricular systolic dysfunction, arrhythmia and their interplay in healthy endurance athletes. Methods: We analysed a male cohort of 244 young elite endurance athletes (20yr), 134 middle-aged recreational athletes (56yr) and 65 middle-aged non-athletic controls (55yr). CMR assessed for non-hinge point and hinge point late gadolinium enhancement (NH-LGE and H-LGE) and LVEF and RVEF. 24-hour Holter was performed to assess ventricular arrhythmia. Complex arrhythmia was defined as couplets, triplets and NSVT. Exercise load was based on questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression assessed the relationship between exercise load, LGE, ventricular systolic dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmia. Results: Middle-aged athletes had more NH-LGE (19.4% vs 9.2% vs 4.5%, p<0.001) and H-LGE (29.9% vs 13.8% vs 15.6%, p=0.002) than middle-aged controls and young athletes respectively. Lifetime hours of endurance exercise and age increased the odds of NH-LGE (OR 1.034, 95% CI 1.001-1.069, p=0.044 and OR 1.032, 95% CI 1.006-1.058, p=0.014). A LVEF<50% and/or RVEF<45% was more prevalent in middle-aged and young athletes compared to controls (23.1% % vs 20.5% vs 7.7%, p=0.029). A higher lifetime training load increased the odds of RVEF<45% (OR 1.059, 95% CI 1.014-1.105, p=0.009). LGE did not predict LVEF>50% or RVEF<45%. Both complex arrhythmia and a burden of >0.1% VPB were more prevalent in middle-aged athletes compared to young athletes but not compared to controls (26.1% vs 9.8% vs 12.3%, p<0.001 and 13.6% vs 4.9% vs 7.7%, p=0.012 respectively). NH-LGE and RVEF<45% increased the odds of VPB burden >0.1%. (OR 3.845, 95% CI 1.465-10.089, p=0.006 and OR 5.230, 95% CI 1.698-16.106, p=0.004 respectively). Conclusion: NH-LGE is associated with exercise load and more prevalent in middle-aged athletes compared to younger athletes and age-matched controls. When present, LGE is not associated with a reduced ventricular function. On the other hand, NH-LGE and reduced RVEF are risk factors for increased ventricular ectopic burden and middle-aged athletes show significantly more complex arrhythmia compared to younger athletes.

The Content and Game Action Weight of Senior Football Players as Goalkeeper

Football was and remains the number one sport, being very popular among the youth, both at the amateur and professional level. In recent years, specialists in several sports events, including sports games, have called for the differentiated training of athletes depending on their playing position. The players in the football teams are strictly specialized in playing positions, which are four in number: goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. The given article represents an extensive analysis of all the footballers’ actions in the position of Goalkeeper, here being analyzed in detail the content of the actions of the footballers in the position of Goalkeeper, as well as their weight in an official match. The recorded results will allow the design of a differentiated training program for footballers for the Goalkeeper position, which will allow its implementation in the sports training of senior goalkeepers.

Effect of psychological skills training on reaction time and strategic thinking in competitive badminton- a systematic review

Background: Badminton is a competitive sport requiring physical, tactical, and mental skills. In addition to physical abilities, such as speed, agility, and endurance, psychological skills are essential in determining an athlete's performance. Quick reaction time and practical strategic thinking are two critical elements needed in badminton matches, where athletes must react quickly to opponents and make strategic decisions under pressure. Psychological skills training, which includes attention regulation, stress management, visualization, and emotion regulation, has been identified as an essential factor supporting improving athletes' performance in various sports. However, not many studies have empirically reviewed the effect of psychological skills training on reaction time and strategic thinking, especially in competitive badminton. Study Objectives: This study aims to systematically review the existing literature on the effect of psychological skills training on reaction time and strategic thinking in competitive badminton. As such, the study seeks to identify and evaluate the existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of psychological skills training in improving these two critical components and their implications for enhancing athletes' performance on the field. Materials and Methods: This study is a systematic review that follows the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Research articles published during a given year and relevant to this topic are collected from various academic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were those that explored psychological skills training in the context of badminton or similar sports and that assessed the impact on reaction time and strategic thinking. Exclusion criteria were applied to irrelevant studies that did not have sufficient empirical data or used non-athlete populations. The study selection process involves screening the title and abstract, followed by a full-text analysis of the eligible articles. Data from each study that met the criteria were analyzed and synthesized to evaluate the consistency of the findings and provide a comprehensive picture of the effects of psychological skills training. Results: Most of the studies reviewed showed that psychological skills training positively impacted the reaction time of badminton athletes. Training in relaxation, concentration, and visualization techniques has proven effective in helping athletes shorten the response time to game stimuli. In addition, strategic decision-making abilities on the field have also improved significantly through the application of psychological skills, especially when athletes are faced with high-pressure situations. These studies also show that psychological skills training improves physical performance and helps athletes manage anxiety and increase self-confidence, which affects the quality of tactical decisions made during games. Conclusion: Based on the results of this systematic review, psychological skills training significantly improves reaction time and strategic thinking in competitive badminton. Techniques such as visualization, stress management, and attention focus impact quick response and decision-making in the field. Thus, integrating psychological skills training into badminton athlete training programs can effectively improve competitive performance. Further research is needed to explore the long-term implementation of this training and its effectiveness at different levels of competition.

Proprioception Testing in Junior Athletes Training using the “Gyko” Sensor

Proprioceptive training is crucial for enhancing coordination, balance, and injury prevention in athletes, especially in their developmental stages. This study investigates the application of the Gyko sensor for testing proprioceptive abilities in junior athletes. The Gyko sensor, a portable motion analysis device, provides real-time data on movement and postural control. The study assesses the effectiveness of proprioceptive training by analyzing parameters such as balance, stability, and joint positioning accuracy in young athletes. Results highlight the sensor's potential in monitoring improvements and tailoring individualized training programs to optimize athletic performance and reduce injury risk.

Evaluating the athletics Athletes' Physical Fitness for PON XXI/2024 Qualification

Maluku's achievements can grow when the human resources of the coaches are enhanced to promote professionalism in the development of the science and technology of sports. Thus, the training process is not solely based on experience but on the science of training, which is studied in depth to support the better development of training athletes in the future. This study aims to determine how well Maluku athletic athletes' physical fitness is prepared for the PON XXI/2024 qualification round held in Solo, Central Java. This study used saturation sampling to study all the population samples. The instruments utilized in this study are the VO2 Max test, local muscle endurance test, biomotor ability test, speed and power tests, and local muscular stamina tests. The results revealed that the athletes' physical fitness to face a national event, in this case, the PON XXI/2024 qualification, is still considered medium, and the physiological condition belongs to the category of good based on the running time achievement that is close to the time achieved on the PON XXI qualification. The results of the study indicate that Maluku's athletic athletes have improved. However, the improvement has not surpassed the PB PASI time record. Despite the improvement in performance during training, the athletes had not reached the target to pass into the PON XXI Qualification. Keywords: evaluation, physical fitness, athletes’ achievement.

Comparisons of tactical and technical performance factors between winners and non-winners in Para Taekwondo: A comprehensive analysis of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyse the differences in tactical and technical elements between winners and non-winners and identify key strategic and technical elements contributing to performance in Para Taekwondo. Notational analysis was used to achieve these objectives, and 78 Para Taekwondo matches (36 men’s matches and 42 women’s matches) from the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics were analysed. The recorded videos were analysed using Adobe Premiere Pro software (version 24.2) with a frame-by-frame analysis of 0.033 seconds. The main results are: a) winners had significantly higher kick-to-score ratios compared to non-winners (male: 38.3 ± 17.37% vs. 19.4 ± 11.95%, p < .001; female: 32.7 ± 18.17% vs. 11.0 ± 7.72%, p < .001); b) winners had fewer attack attempts but higher scoring efficiency; c) non-winners used the front leg more frequently (male: 43.2% vs. 39.7%, p < .05; female: 47.5% vs. 42.7%, p < .001); d) logistic regression analysis showed that kick-to-score ratio significantly impacted match outcomes for both male (OR = 1.10, p < .001) and female athletes (OR = 1.19, p < .001), while offensive frequency negatively impacted female athletes’ match outcomes (OR = 0.89, p = .002). This study emphasizes the importance of scoring efficiency and strategic defensive actions, consistent with patterns in Olympic Taekwondo. It provides insights for enhancing athlete training and match strategy in combat sports, enriching the understanding of Para Taekwondo.

Individual dynamics mathematical patterns of qualified basketball players competitive performance

Background and purpose Since the goal in sport is to overcome one's limitations and take one's functional state to a qualitatively new level, forecasting is an integral part of managing any process, including the athlete's training process. Purpose: to develop an algorithm and identify patterns of individual dynamics in competitive performance of eligible basketball players. Materials and methods The main team players of the men's basketball team of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. Twelve matches of the experimental team playing against national teams of other universities were analyzed. Observations were made on the players during the championships played by student teams from Kharkiv. For each player, the number of shots and hits from short, mid and long range, goal assists, shots and hits from the penalty line, and turnovers were recorded. To identify individual patterns of competitive performance dynamics, indicators such as 'total positive points in a match', which most accurately reflect a player's 'positive' contribution to the outcome of a match, were used. To identify individual regularities in competitive performance dynamics, indicators such as 'total positive points in the match', which most accurately reflect the 'positive' contribution of players to the outcome of the match, were used. Results It was determined that the process of change in competitive performance should be treated as a variable process. The most appropriate function to describe this model is the sine function. It was shown that the regression model of the individual dynamics of competitive activity of the players of the Ukrainian national basketball team has a sine dependence, which is defined by the regression equation S + = a + bsin ((2π / t) (Т-c)). Where the coefficient a is the average value of a player's match performance, b is the amplitude of the change in a player's match performance, t is the previous period of a player's match performance and c is the value period in the first analyzed match. Conclusion The application of the regression sinusoidal model proved to be effective in practical studies. This is because, using only data from technical reports, it is possible to very quickly predict periods of 'rise' and 'fall' in an individual's game performance, which is useful for adjusting training programs and identifying psychophysiological individual characteristics of players.

Ventricular arrhythmias in association with athletic cardiac remodelling.

Athletes are predisposed to atrial arrhythmias but the association between intense endurance exercise training, ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death is less well established. Thus, it is unclear whether the 'athlete's heart' promotes specific arrhythmias or whether it represents a more general pro-arrhythmogenic phenotype. Whilst direct causality has not been established, it appears possible that repeated exposure to high-intensity endurance exercise in some athletes contributes to formation of pro-arrhythmic cardiac phenotypes that underlie VAs. Theories regarding potential mechanisms for exercise-induced VAs include repeated bouts of myocardial inflammation and stretch-induced cellular remodelling. Small animal models provide some insights, but larger animal and human data are sparse. The current clinical approach to VAs in athletes is to differentiate those with and without structural or electrical heart disease. However, if the athlete's heart involves a degree of pro-arrhythmogenic remodelling, then this may not be such a simple dichotomy. Questions are posed by athletes with VAs in combination with extreme remodelling. Some markers, such as scar on magnetic resonance imaging, may point toward a less benign phenotype but are also quite common in ostensibly healthy athletes. Other clinical and invasive electrophysiology features may be helpful in identifying the at-risk athlete. This review seeks to discuss the association between athletic training and VAs. We will discuss the potential mechanisms, clinical significance and approach to the management of athletes with VAs.

Pre-exercise ingestion of a low glycaemic index rice-based mixed meal increases fat oxidation and endurance running performance in a hot-humid environment.

Relative to exercise in a thermoneutral environment, there is only limited evidence demonstrating that a low glycaemic index (LGI) pre-exercise meal can enhance endurance exercise performance in a hot-humid (HH) condition. Also, previous studies predominantly utilised Western-based and single food items, with minimal focus on Asian-based mixed meals. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pre-exercise LGI and high glycaemic index (HGI) rice-based mixed meals on endurance performance among acclimatised trained athletes in HH condition (32°C, 65% relative humidity). Twelve native-born endurance-trained male runners (age 22.0 ± 5.8 years; peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak) 64.2 ± 5.5 mL.kg-1.min-1) completed two trials consisting of 45-min steady-state (SS) run at 70% V̇O2peak followed by 10 km performance run (TT10km). Three hours before exercise, participants consumed an isocaloric rice-based mixed meals containing either LGI (GI=47) or HGI (GI=80), providing 1.3 g of carbohydrate (CHO) per kg of body mass. Participants ran faster during TT10km after consuming the LGI meal compared to the HGI meal (LGI: 55.18 ± 1.22 vs. HGI: 57.03 ± 2.25 min, p = 0.010). End rectal temperature did not significantly differ between trials (LGI: 39.16 ± 0.74 vs. HGI: 38.95 ± 0.46°C, p = 0.352). Fat oxidation was higher during the SS run in the LGI compared to the HGI trial (LGI: 0.19 ± 0.05 vs. HGI: 0.13 ± 0.19 g.min-1, p = 0.001). This study demonstrated that, relative to HGI, consuming a pre-exercise LGI rice-based mixed meal enhanced endurance performance in HH environment among acclimatised trained male athletes.

Research on motion control strategy of athlete muscle training based on blockchain and visual image analysis

Muscle training is an important part of athletes’ physical training. Its goal is to keep athletes in high intensity and improve sports performance in physical training. With the continuous improvement of the level of competitive sports, there are still many problems in the training of competitive athletes. The research on the control strategies of some technical movements in the process of athletes’ muscle development would help to improve the efficiency and effect of athletes’ training. By analyzing and quant description of muscle movement control process based on blockchain and visual image processing technology, the muscle movement control rule is discussed and then a complete movement database is constructed. At the same time, combined with the sports experiment method and cognitive behavioral theory, this paper analyzed the exercise load, exercise time allocation, muscle training time allocation methods and the corresponding muscle training strategy selection methods under different muscle states, providing theoretical basis for athletes to conduct muscle strength training scientifically and efficiently. This paper first analyzed the importance of athletes’ muscle training action control. After that, the research was mainly carried out from the following two aspects. The first is to analyze the motion control strategy of athlete muscle training based on blockchain and visual image, and summarize its characteristics. The second is to use electronic imaging technology to analyze the data related to posture control in athletes’ muscle training, and explore the characteristics and changes of muscle posture. At last, this paper put forward relevant algorithms about visual images and conducted experimental research on athletes’ physical indicators and performance under different muscle training according to the research in this paper. It was concluded that the score ratio of athletes’ performance after muscle training action control was 7.39% higher than that of general muscle training. Therefore, it is very important to strengthen the research of movement technology in muscle training and analyze the influence of some training control strategies on the development of athletes’ muscles in training.

Research on the Development Dilemma and Path of the Commercial Operation Mode of High-Level Sports Events in China under the Background of New Quality Productivity

This paper deeply discusses the development dilemma and the potential breakthrough path encountered by the commercial operation mode of high-level sports events in China under the background of the emerging concept of new quality productivity. Through detailed analysis of the core essence of new productivity and its diversified application in the sports industry, such as information technology in live broadcast and data analysis, biotechnology in the scientific application of athletes training and recovery, and new material technology in sports equipment innovation, this paper comprehensively examines the present situation of high level sports commercial operation in China. On this basis, the paper further analyzes the current challenges in policy environment, management experience, product development and profit distribution, and at the same time also reveals the new opportunities brought by new quality productivity for the commercialization of sports events. Finally, in view of the above difficulties, this paper puts forward a series of forward-looking and operable optimization paths, aiming to promote the commercial operation mode of high-level sports events in China to a more mature and efficient direction.

Implementation of innovative technologies in the training process of martial artists

Purpose: to establish leading directions for the implementation of innovative technologies in the practical activities of coaches and athletes in martial arts. Material and methods. A systematic review of scientific publications for the period from 2020 to 2024 related to the application of innovations in the sports field was carried out. The search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: «innovative technologies», «digital technologies», «sports», «training», «martial arts». The search was conducted by article titles. Full-text articles of a practical or review nature were analyzed. Results: it was established that the use of innovative technologies in the training of martial artists is an important component of the modernization of the training process. It contributes to improving the organization and control of training, increasing their effectiveness, forming training programs using remote technologies. This helps to create flexible training programs and predict their effectiveness. As a result of the bibliographic analysis of relevant studies, it was established that the key directions of the introduction of innovative technologies in the process of training martial artists are: digitization of individual components of training activities of athletes; introduction of technologies based on artificial intelligence; use of virtual and augmented reality technologies; systematic use of mobile applications and personal trackers in the training of athletes; the use of distance learning technologies in the organization of training activities. Along with the established advantages of using innovations in martial arts training, the problems of their implementation in the process of training athletes were identified, which consists in: limited availability of modern technologies to athletes and martial arts coaches; the need to develop programs for the use of technologies by participants in the training process. Conclusions. The use of innovative technologies is an important factor in the modernization of the training process of martial arts athletes. They are aimed at optimizing the training of martial arts athletes, reducing the risk of injuries and increasing the level of individualization of training. Despite the identified potential, the number of studies devoted to the practical implementation of innovations in sports training of martial artists is insufficient. This is due to the complexity of the wide application of technologies and the rapid pace of their modernization, which makes it difficult to assess their long-term effectiveness in various types of martial arts. In general, the findings of this study confirm that innovative technologies are a key driver of qualitative changes in the process of training martial arts athletes. Further research will focus on the development of comprehensive programs using digital technologies at the initial stage of multi-year martial arts training.

Інноваційні методологічні підходи до оцінки психофізичних здібностей гандболістів на етапі попередньої базової підготовки

The article deals with the psychophysical abilities of young handball players at the stage of preliminary basic training. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the level of formation of such abilities as reaction speed, coordination of movements, concentration of attention and the ability to make decisions in stressful situations. The scientific relevance of the study is due to the need to improve training methods aimed at increasing the effectiveness of athletes' preparation for competitions. The purpose of the study is to analyze and evaluate the psychophysical abilities of young handball players, which will help to determine the effectiveness of the applied training methods and contribute to the development of new approaches to the training of athletes. Material and methods of research. Handball players at the stage of preliminary basic training (103 people) at the age of 15-16 years old, involved in the championship of Ukraine among boys, took part in the pedagogical experiment. To implement the goals and objectives of the study used a set of methods: theoretical analysis, synthesis and generalization; pedagogical observation; pedagogical testing; mathematical and statistical data processing. Research Results. It was found that the psychophysical abilities of young handball players who are at the stage of preliminary basic training correspond to a satisfactory level. However, in order to achieve high results in the future it is necessary to improve training programs taking into account the individual characteristics of each athlete. Analysis of the test results showed that the majority of handball players, both from the experimental and control groups, demonstrate similar results on the complex index of psychophysical abilities, which allowed us to conclude that there were no significant differences in the levels of development of psychophysical abilities between the groups at the beginning of the study. It was revealed that the average characteristics of different psychophysical tests in the majority of athletes correspond to a satisfactory level. For example, the speed of reaction to visual stimuli, reaction speed in game conditions, as well as the results of specialized handball tests showed that the level of formation of these abilities is sufficient for participation in competitions, but requires improvement to achieve high results. It is important to note that the highest average values of complex indicators of psychophysical abilities were observed in point guard players, which corresponds to the average level of formation. Line players also showed the results corresponding to the average level, while half-middle and edge players showed slightly lower values corresponding to the satisfactory level. Conclusions. The conducted study showed that at the stage of preliminary basic training most young handball players have a satisfactory level of development of psychophysical abilities, which indicates that there is a potential to improve their sports training by improving training methods. Given that different players demonstrate different levels of development of psychophysical abilities, especially among midfield and edge players, it is necessary to develop and implement individual training programs, which will optimize the training of each player in accordance with his individual characteristics and increase the overall effectiveness of the team.

The Relationship between Beighton Score and Biomechanical Risk Factors among Adolescent, Female Volleyball Players

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between Beighton score and biomechanical risk factors, such as knee valgus, in female, adolescent volleyball players. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingBiomechanics laboratory. Participants25 adolescent, club-level female volleyball athletes (14.5 ± 1.8 years) were tested between 9/2021 – 11/2021. Main outcome measuresParticipants were asked to perform a double-leg vertical jump (DLVJ), a single-leg squat (SLS), and a single-leg drop landing (SLDL). Peak coronal plane angles during the DLVJ, SLS, and SLDL were computed. Spearman correlations were performed to identify significant relationships between Beighton score and biomechanical variables. ResultsPeak knee valgus was found to be moderately correlated to Beighton score during the DLVJ-Land (r = 0.487, p = 0.014), SLDL (r = 0.478, p = 0.016), and SLS (r = 0.439, p = 0.028) tasks. ConclusionsOverall, adolescent volleyball players with higher Beighton scores tended to exhibit a greater peak knee valgus, suggesting that such athletes could benefit from a targeted neuromuscular training or injury prevention program.

Advanced Neuromuscular Training Differentially Changes Performance on Visuomotor Reaction Tests and Single-leg Hop Tests in Patients with ACL Reconstruction.

Advanced neuromuscular training prepares patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) for sport participation. Return-to-sport testing often includes single-leg hop tests, yet combining motor and cognitive tasks (i.e., dual-task) might reveal neurocognitive reliance. This study examined changes in performance on visuomotor reactions tests and single-leg hop tests following advanced neuromuscular training in patients with ACLR. The hypothesis was that performance would improve less on reaction tests than on single-leg hop tests. Quasi experimental, Pretest-Posttest. Twenty-five patients with ACLR (11 males) completed 10 sessions of advanced neuromuscular training and pre-and post-training testing. Reaction tests outcomes were from a platform and visual display. The double-leg reaction test involved touching target dots with either leg for 20 seconds; correct touches and errors were recorded. The single-leg reaction test involved hopping on the test leg to 10 target dots; hop time and errors were recorded. Single-leg hop tests included forward, triple, crossover triple, and timed hop; limb symmetry index was recorded. Effect sizes were calculated for corrected touches on the double-leg reaction test, surgical side hop time on the single-leg reaction test, and surgical side hop distance or time on single-leg hop tests. Correct touches on the double-leg reaction test significantly increased from pre- to post-training (20.4 +/- 4.3 vs.23.9 +/- 2.8, p<0.001). Hop time on the single-leg reaction test significantly decreased from pre- to post-training (Surgical leg 13.2 vs.12.3 seconds, non-surgical leg 13.0 vs.12.1 seconds, p=0.003). Mean errors did not significantly change on either reaction test (p> 0.05). Cohens d effect sizes in descending order was single-leg hop tests (d=0.9 to 1.3), double-leg reaction test (d=0.9), and single-leg reaction test (d=0.5). Motor performance improved after advanced neuromuscular training, but the effect size was less on visuomotor reaction tests than single-leg hop tests. The results suggest persistence of neurocognitive reliance after ACLR and a need for more dual-task challenges in training. 3.