Sport Skills Research Articles

Mental preparation in runners: gender differences, competition levels, and psychological training effects on performance

IntroductionThe present study aimed to investigate the mental and sports psychological preparation, as well as tactical preparation, of distance runners for competition. We examined whether there are differences based on gender, competition level and various race disciplines, as well as how mental preparation influences sports skills applicable in different competitive situations.MethodsThe sample consisted of 201 distance runners who completed the Sports Mental Training Questionnaire (SMTQ) alongside assessments of their sports psychology and race tactics.ResultsThe results indicated that neither gender, competition level, nor race discipline had a significant impact on mental preparedness. However, women demonstrated notably higher scores in the use of self-talk as a mental technique. Additionally, participants who received training in sports psychology scored significantly higher across several mental skills, as well as on the overall mental preparedness score.DiscussionThis article validates the SMTQ and its association with mental readiness, as confirmatory factor analysis demonstrates adequate validity. Additionally, mental preparation was found to enhance performance and well-being among distance runners. Further research is needed to explore the impact of group interventions to broaden the reach of mental training programs.

The Centering of Youth Voice in the Development of a Virtual, Instructor-Led Physical Activity Program.

Providing youth the opportunity to express their attitudes toward and recommendations for improvement of a home-based physical activity (PA) program may help to improve engagement in virtual PA program activities. Youth voice is an often-overlooked component that may be necessary for understanding what contributes to low participation and may have important implications for long-term adherence. Informed by Self-Determination Theory, this study aimed to formatively evaluate home-based exercise videos, incorporating youth feedback for improvement in the development of the videos. Youth participated in four (8-minute) PA videos varying in type (strength; cardio; mindfulness; sports skill). Youth accessed the videos and answered open-ended questions via an online survey. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to identify emerging themes in responses. Sixty-eight K-12 youth in the United States (52% girls; 38% non-White; 55% in K-5 grade; 17% in 6-8 grade; 28% in 9-12 grade) participated in this study. Overall, 61.9% of affective responses were positive, with mindfulness rating the highest and strength the lowest. Children were satisfied with the video structure, enjoyed having an opportunity to move at home and reported liking the engaging instructors. Suggestions were also given related to modifying video length, adding modifications for varying fitness levels, adding more kid-like features, and providing incentives. Youth recommendations may be used to create tailored adaptations and implementation supports for PA programs in the home. Findings from this study demonstrate that incorporating youth voice may be an important step toward increasing engagement in home-based PA programming.

SWOT analysis and teaching strategy of aerobics in college physical education classroom

This study delves into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of aerobics through SWOT analysis. Aerobics offers a comprehensive workout, enhancing students’ physical fitness and promoting overall well-being. Nevertheless, challenges include a lack of awareness among students and potential issues such as insufficient sports skills. Opportunities arise in college physical education courses, serving as an excellent platform for fostering students’ holistic development. However, aerobics faces threats in teaching, such as time constraints and varying student interests. Addressing the actual teaching scenario, corresponding strategies are proposed. Firstly, there is a need to strengthen the promotion and education of aerobics. Secondly, employing a hierarchical, step-by-step teaching approach can elevate students’ motor skills. Additionally, designing engaging and challenging aerobics courses aligned with the characteristics of college physical education helps ignite students’ enthusiasm. Lastly, teachers should flexibly adjust content and methods to ensure effective calisthenics teaching. Through SWOT analysis and the discussion of teaching strategies, this paper aims to offer valuable insights for the aerobics teaching in college physical education classrooms. The goal is to promote students’ all-round development and enhance the overall quality of physical education.

Effects of subject-specific professional knowledge and skills of physical education teachers on students’ learning progress

AbstractAlthough the subject-specific professional knowledge of teachers is considered to be of central importance with regard to the learning performance of their students, there is only sparse empirical evidence on this issue. Moreover, current studies are primarily limited to the subject of mathematics. The aim of this article is to investigate the significance of subject-specific professional knowledge and skills of physical education (PE) teachers on the practical learning gains of their students based on a panel study. In order to measure both non-contextual knowledge and contextual skills on the teachers’ side, paper–pencil tests as well as video and text vignettes were used as test instruments. On the students’ side, practical sport skills were assessed in a pretest–posttest design to evaluate competence growth with regard to complex sports performance. An effect chain with mediation processes was postulated. Multilevel modeling analyzing 1669 students who were taught by 74 teachers could prove significant performance improvements for the students, but none of the four differentiated knowledge dimensions (content knowledge, non-contextual; pedagogical content knowledge, non-contextual; content knowledge, contextual; pedagogical content knowledge, contextual) of the teachers could explain these learning gains. Thus, the results are in line with various studies in mathematics and suggest that direct effects of teachers’ professional knowledge on students’ learning gains seem to be lost. The results therefore suggest that while basic and broad professional knowledge is required for instructional success, specific expertise in certain competence areas does not lead to additional learning success among students. Further research within the EPiC-PE study is needed to provide a more comprehensive picture of the relationships between professional knowledge and skills, classroom behavior, instructional processes, and learning outcomes.

Performance of Artificial Neural Network Compared to Multi-Linear Regression in Prediction of Countermovement Jump Height

Previous research has used primarily linear regression models to predict jump height and establish contributors of performance. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of artificial neural network (ANN) and multi-linear regression (MLR) in prediction of countermovement jump (CMJ) height and investigating the contribution of kinematic variables to CMJ performance. Thirty-four healthy young male athletes performed a total of 204 CMJ while eight kinematic variables (the hip, knee, and ankle angles at the begging of the concentric phase of CMJ, the hip and knee take-off angles, and the shoulder, hip, and knee maximum angular velocities) were used as inputs to ANN and MLR to predict CMJ height. The correlation coefficients between the jump height and the predicted value by the developed models indicated that ANN predict CMJ height better than MLR (R2 = 0.68 compared to R2 = 0.44). Moreover, the root mean squared error of prediction showed better performance of the ANN rather than the MLR (4.8 cm compared to 5.3 cm). The shoulder and hip maximum angular velocities were the most important contributors, and then the hip and knee take-off angles contributed to CMJ height. In conclusion, implementing ANN to identify key variables of performance may also be relevant for other sport skills.

The level of sportsmanship of pupils of the sports profile lyceum

The article examines the level of sportsmanship of 10th-grade pupils of sport’s professional college lyceum. The aim of the study is to determine the level of sportsmanship of 10th grade students of the lyceum and to investigate its dynamics over three years. The research was conducted during 2020-2022 on the basis of the general education lyceum of the Kharkiv Professional College of Sports. The number of participants was 210 people, the average age of the representatives was 15.46 years. To analyze the level of sports skills of lyceum entrants, we analyzed the percentage ratio of their sports qualifications. The results of the study showed that the percentage of the level of sportsmanship of the entrants to the general education lyceum of the Kharkiv Professional College of Sports in 2020-2022 years has a negative dynamic of the studied indicators: a decrease in the percentage of pupils with the title Candidates for Master of Sports of Ukraine from 10.7% in 2020 to 4 .7% in 2022; decrease in the percentage of pupils with the 1st sports category from 12.3% in 2020 to 9.4% in 2022; decrease in the percentage of pupils with II sports category from 43% in 2020 to 31.2% in 2022. There is a regular positive trend in the increase in the percentage of athletes with the III sports category from 24.6% in 2020 to 45.3% in 2022. The percentage of pupils with the 1st youth sports category who entered the lyceum of a specialized sports education institution in 2020, 2021 and 2022 did not actually change. Conclusion. The analysis of the study results of the level of sports skills of 10th-grade pupils of the specialized sports profile educational lyceum the during 2020-2022 showed a gradual deterioration of the level of their sports qualifications.

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to ipsilateral primary motor cortex intercortical interactions during inhibitory control enhance response inhibition in open-skill athletes

Numerous studies have reported that long-term sports training can affect inhibitory control and induce brain functional alterations. However, the influence of environmental dynamics in sports training on inter-cortical connectivity has not been well studied. In the current study, we used twin-coil transcranial magnetic stimulation to investigate the functional connectivity between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1) during proactive and reactive inhibition in participants with sports skills in dynamic environment (open-skill experts), stable environment (closed-skill experts), and no sports skills (controls). Using a modified stop signal task, proactive inhibition was measured by the response delay effect (RDE), and reactive inhibition was measured by the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). Intra-hemispheric DLPFC-M1 interactions and single pulse motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were measured during the task. A stronger inhibitory effect of the DLPFC over M1 was observed during early reactive control stages compared to baseline levels. In addition, this inhibitory effect was pronounced when comparing open-skill experts to non-athlete controls, a relationship that was significantly correlated with superior reactive control performance. Furthermore, DLPFC to M1 influencing direction shifted from late proactive control to reactive control. Behavioral results also demonstrated enhanced proactive control abilities in open-skill experts relative to controls. Such enhancement may be due to the combination of environmental complexity and physical fitness in long-term skill training.

Designing a Technique-Oriented Sport Training Game for Motivating a Change in Running Technique

Athletes often learn suboptimal techniques that place a ceiling on their performance or put them at risk of injury. Adopting a new technique can lead to a short-term dip in performance while learning it, which can be demotivating and cause an athlete to revert to their previous, suboptimal technique. To address the challenge of demotivation in adopting new techniques, we explore technique-oriented sport training games, which aim to improve sport skills by capturing behaviour and providing feedback that motivates adopting a new technique. As of yet, previous work has provided little information on how to design sports training games, and some early research suggests that immersive games may distract players, preventing them from being able to learn a new technique effectively. We designed a study comparing a baseline non-game training system with three versions of a running game, ranging from a simplistic text-based game to a 3D audiovisual game with motion feedback. We find that the games with more immersive elements were as effective as the baseline system for adopting a new technique but were preferred by players and improved their intrinsic motivation. We propose design considerations from these findings and provide new directions for researching effective sport training games.

Effects of Perceptual-Cognitive Training on Anticipation and Decision-Making Skills in Team Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Team sports require athletes' exceptional perceptual-cognitive skills, such as anticipation and decision-making. Perceptual-cognitive training in laboratories aims to enhance these abilities. However, its effectiveness in real-game performance remains controversial, necessitating a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine optimal training methods. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched databases (e.g., PubMed, WOS, Scopus, and EBSCO) for relevant studies published before November 2023, assessed study quality, extracted important characteristics, and conducted a meta-analysis using Stata 15.1. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023494324). A total of 22 quantitative studies involving 45 effect sizes were included. Perceptual-cognitive training positively influenced elite athletes' anticipation and decision-making. However, its transfer effect on real-game performance improvement (ES = 0.65) was inferior to laboratory performance improvement (ES = 1.51). Sub-group analyses indicated that the effects of training interventions varied based on stimulus presentation and intervention duration. Based on our findings, we concluded that while perceptual-cognitive training improved on-court performance, its transfer effects were limited. To maximize effectiveness, future interventions should use virtual reality to present training stimuli and incorporate participants' sport-specific responses to reflect real-game scenarios.

Coach Training Participation and Athlete Life Skill Development: Findings from The US National Coach Survey

ABSTRACT Coaches are critical to the promotion of positive sport experiences, yet little research explores the relationships among coaches’ backgrounds and positive youth development (PYD). This study explores the relationships among factors such as coach preparation and coach and athlete outcomes among the 7,354 coaches involved in the US National Coach Survey. Prior participation in training focused on sport skills and tactics and PYD predicted greater perceived impact on athlete life skill development (RMSEA = .019, CFI = .998, SRMR = .005). Prior training in developing sport skills and tactics, life skills development, and mental health predicted higher satisfaction and success as a coach. Years of coaching, having been evaluated, satisfaction as a coach, prior training in life skills, and the value of life skill development were significantly and positively associated with greater perceived impact on athletes’ life skill development. Certification/licensure did not predict perceived impact (R2 = 20.1%). Implications for coaches, administrators, and coach education programs are drawn.

The Effect of Contextual Interference on the Acquisition and Learning of Motor Skill with an Emphasis on Cognitive Flexibility

Background: The effect of contextual interference (CI) on motor skill learning may be influenced by various factors, such as cognitive abilities. Objectives: The purpose of the current research was to investigate the effect of CI on the acquisition and learning of soccer skills, with an emphasis on the role of cognitive flexibility (CF). Methods: Eighty students, aged 9 - 12 years, were randomly selected and administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. From this group, 60 students who scored the highest and lowest points were selected as the final subjects. After completing the pre-test on Moore-Christine's pass, shoot, and dribble skills, the subjects were divided into four groups of 15 participants each (high CF with Random Practice (RP) and Blocked Practice (BP), low CF with RP and BP). The subjects then engaged in practice sessions according to their assigned protocols for three sessions, with each session consisting of three blocks of 12 trials across all three skills—passing, shooting, and dribbling. Following the practice, acquisition, immediate retention, delayed retention, and transfer tests were conducted. Results: The results showed that practice in all four groups had significant beneficial effects on the acquisition and learning of skills. Additionally, the high CF with RP group demonstrated better performance in all skills compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Therefore, it can be concluded that RP may be more beneficial for individuals with higher CF. Teachers and educators should consider this when teaching sports skills.

ACFT Performance Based On Sport Skill Affiliation Of U.S. Service Academy Subjects; Implications To Military Training

ACFT Performance Based On Sport Skill Affiliation Of U.S. Service Academy Subjects; Implications To Military Training

Evaluation of the influence of training in an immersive virtual reality environment on sports skills in table tennis

Evaluation of the influence of training in an immersive virtual reality environment on sports skills in table tennis

Knee joint position sense and kinematic control in relation to motor competency in 13 to 14-year-old adolescents

BackgroundMotor competence (MC) is a key component reflecting one’s ability to execute motor tasks and is an important predictor of physical fitness. For adolescents, understanding the factors affecting MC is pertinent to their development of more sophisticated sporting skills. Previous studies considered the influence of poor proprioceptive ability on MC, however, the relationship between lower limb joint position sense, kinematic control, and MC is not well understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relation between joint position sense and kinematic control with MC in adolescents during a lower limb movement reproduction task.MethodsThis study was a cross-sectional design. Young people (n = 427, 196 girls and 231 boys) aged 13 to 14 years were recruited. A movement reproduction task was used to assess joint position sense and kinematic control, while the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (mABC-2) was used to assess MC. In this study, participants were categorized into the Typically Developed (TD, n = 231) and Probable Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD, n = 80) groups for further analysis of joint position sense, kinematic control, and MC between groups.ResultsKinematic data, specifically normalized jerk, showed a significant correlation with MC. There was no correlation between knee joint position sense and MC, and no group differences between DCD and TD were found.ConclusionsJoint position sense should not be used as a measure to distinguish TD and DCD. Rather than joint position sense, control of kinematic movement has a greater influence on the coordination of the lower limbs in adolescents. Movement control training should be implemented in the clinical setting to target kinematic control, rather than focus on joint position sense practice, to improve motor competency.Trial Registration IdentifierNCT03150784. Registered 12 May 2017, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03150784.

How does fatigue affect handstand balance? a non-linear approach to study fatigue influence in handstand performance

BackgroundThe handstand is an essential skill in acrobatic sports. This skill requires the athlete to maintain an inverted upright stance with only the hands supported, which requires a great effort of muscular coordination and motor control. Several factors influence the ability to control the posture, including fatigue, which is a bit studied constraint of handstand performance.Research questionWith the aim to find out whether variability in movement control can be an indicator of fatigue, the present study was carried out.MethodFourteen male acrobatic gymnasts were required to perform handstands. The time series for analyzing variability were capturing using Force Platforms, which is a traditional laboratory instrument, and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), which is a more recent and less widely used, but more accessible tool. For this purpose, an analysis of the amount of variability was carried out, using the standard deviation. And analysis of the structure of variability (or complexity), using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) and Fuzzy Entropy (FuEn).ResultsOur results reveal that fatigue causes significant increases in the amount of variability in the medio-lateral axis on the force platform, and in the IMU located in the area of the L5 vertebra. These changes are accompanied by increased auto-correlation in the medio-lateral axis of the force platform, and more unpredictable behavior in the L5 IMU.

VRodel - A virtual sledding simulator

Introduction & Purpose Sledding is a low-cost and accessible recreational activity popular in alpine regions. However, the risk of injury is high, especially for beginners or tourists, according to the Österreichisches Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit (2021). Therefore, promoting sledding safety is important to minimize the number of accidents and fatalities in the sport. Sterr (2019) says, the major reason behind an accident is often the lack of skill in steering the sled. Hence, it would be ideal to acquire the skill to steer before going on a track. In many fields skill training is done in virtual reality. Realism in skill training is a major aspect in the virtual worlds according to Newman et al. (2022). Therefore, the goal of VRodel was to create a virtual environment for training that is as close as reasonably possible to reality. Methods In the first step, an environment had to be chosen that would be safe yet effective for training the skill of steering the sled. Next, the sledding track of Kühtai was transferred to a virtual model by means of drone based photogrammetry. The three-dimensional model was then cleaned, polished, and set into the virtual valley that surrounds the track. In a third step, a game was developed in the virtual world to create a virtual training experience. Input from professional sledders and comparisons to time splits of the real track were used to adapt the physics. The user steers the sled by moving their hands in space to reflect the pulling of the reins and leaning into curves. To increase immersion, the safety training uses gamification aspects. As a fourth step, the game was tested by four experts from Rodel Austria and 49 beta-testers, which gave feedback about the realism. Results The project resulted in a virtual reality safety training for the sport of sledding, that excels the current sledding simulation games in terms of appearance and realism. This was underlined by the feedback from the experts of the Austrian Luge Federation and the beta-testers that gave the simulation an average score of 4.98 out on a scale from 1 to 7. In Figure 1, a glimpse of the virtual world is visible. Discussion Le Noury et al. (2022) mention the potential of extended reality for training a skill in sports in their review. They also outlined that this field showed low efficacy on improving motor skills in the past and more research is needed. This project is addressing the needs of society for safer luging and at the same time uses an approach that needs more research according to Le Noury et al. (2022). Therefore, not only the project’s goals have been met, but also a contribution to the scientific progress in this field was made. Conclusion The immersive nature of the VRodel training program successfully engaged users, particularly children, through its gamified elements. Furthermore, this initiative not only enables sledding on a virtual track but also enables a study on the efficacy of virtual skill training in sledding.

Assessing the Quality and Effectiveness of School-Based Sports Coaching Programs in China

This research assessed the effectiveness of sports coaching programs implemented in schools in China. It examines explicitly crucial elements such as coaching credentials, program structure, sports infrastructure, safety protocols, monitoring and evaluation approaches, and technology integration. The study used a stratified sampling technique to choose a representative sample of athletes from various universities. Data was gathered by administering questionnaires and conducting interviews to evaluate the athletes' perspectives on the coaching programs. The findings suggest that athletes typically have a good perception of coaching programs, especially about their effective promotion of cooperation, safety, and use of technology. However, some aspects need improvement, including grasping sports skills, allocation of facility money, and availability of contemporary resources. Furthermore, the research revealed no statistically significant disparities in athletes' evaluations or program outcomes when they were categorized according to their gender, sport, or length of participation. Furthermore, the coaching programs show a modest favorable impact on athletes' physical fitness, sports performance, and general well-being, with specific attention on the development of endurance, resilience, and problem-solving skills. The study furthermore cites many significant obstacles coaches encounter, including resource constraints, cultural and academic demands, inadequate professional growth opportunities, and hurdles to effective communication.

Seasonal Comparison of Pre-Adolescent Soccer Players' Physical Performance Using an Objective Physical Test Battery.

Soccer is a multifactorial sport, requiring physical, psychological, technical, and tactical skills to succeed. Monitoring and comparing physical characteristics over time is essential to assess players' development, customize training, and prevent injury. The use of wearable sensors is essential to provide accurate and objective physical data. In this longitudinal study, 128 male adolescent soccer players (from Under 12 to Under 19) were evaluated at two time points (pre- and post-season). Participants completed the Euleria Lab test battery, including stability, countermovement and consecutive jumps, agility, and quick feet tests. A single Inertial Measurement Unit sensor provided quantitative data on fifteen performance metrics. Percentage changes were compared to the Smallest Worthwhile Changes to assess significant changes over time. The results showed significant improvements in most variables, including a 19.7% increase in quick feet, 10.9% in stability, and 9.6% in countermovement jumps. In principal component analysis, we identified four principal components-strength-power, balance, speed-agility, and stiffness-that explained over 80% of the variance. These findings align with previous studies assessing seasonal changes in adolescent soccer players, showing that the proposed test battery seems to be adequate to highlight physical performance changes and provide coaches with meaningful data to customize training and reduce injury rates.

Effects of direction specific exercise training on athletic performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The similarity between movement patterns and force-vector specificity of training exercises and the target movement will likely result in the greatest transfer of the practiced skills and physical abilities to the intended sports skill performance. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate whether specific adaptations in athletic performance would be observed following direction specific exercise training. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE. Studies comparing acute (post-activation potentiation enhancement) and short-term (>2 weeks) effects of horizontally vs. vertically oriented resistance and plyometric training on athletic performance of recreationally active participants of either sex were included. The effect sizes were determined using a robust variance estimation random-effects model and were reported as Hedge's g. Twenty-two studies were included. For acute studies (n = 4), a small non-significant effect favoring horizontal training (HT) for sprint performance improvements (g = -0.19, p = 0.17) was evident. For short-term studies (n = 18), the results showed non-significant, small to large differences between HT and vertical training (VT) in pooled vertical and horizontal jump improvements (g = 0.06, p = 0.67), vertical (g = 0.21, p = 0.17) and horizontal jump (g = -0.15, p = 0.40), pooled vertical and horizontal maximal strength (g = 0.27, p = 0.42), horizontal (g = -0.83, p = 0.16) and vertical maximal strength (g = 0.78, p = 0.28), pooled short and medium distance sprint (g = -0.23, p = 0.16), short (g = -0.33 [-0.85, 0.19], p = 0.19) and medium (g = -0.12 [-0.37, 0.13], p = 0.28) distance sprint, and COD speed and maneuverability (g = -0.45, p = 0.26). HT and VT were both equally effective in improving vertically and horizontally athletic performance, potentially refuting the theory of directional specificity of training on athletic performance outcomes.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Mental Health Complaints in Japanese Collegiate Athletes.

Investigations into mental health epidemiology in various cultural contexts were one of the main recommendations by the recent consensus statement on mental health in athletes, but the evidence in different sporting populations is rising slowly. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of mental health complaints in Japanese collegiate athletes. The online survey was sent to the Japanese collegiate athletes associated with UNIVAS asking about the mental health complaints experienced during their sporting careers. Out of 10,999 athletes, 269 (2.4%) reported at least one complaint. Mental health complaints were more prevalent in female (3.6%) than male (1.5%) athletes. Skill sports had the highest prevalence (4.1%) of mental health complaints, and power sports had the lowest prevalence (1.5%) of mental health complaints. This study found a very low prevalence of self-reported mental health complaints in Japanese collegiate athletes. Preventive efforts should focus on monitoring early symptoms (rather than diagnoses), especially in skill sports and female athletes. Anxiety (38%) and depression (35%) were the most reported complaints and should be targeted first.