The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of deep-sea water thalassotherapy (DSWTT) on recovery from fatigue and muscle damage. The same exercise program is conducted in general underwater and deep-sea water to confirm the characteristics of deep-sea water through fatigue recovery and muscle damage enzymes. A total of 30 male college students were studied, including 10 belonging to the control group (CG), 10 in the water exercise group (WEG), and 10 in the deep-sea water exercise group (DSWEG). The DSWTT treatment consists of three components—preheating, treatment, and cooling—and the DSWTT program stretches and massages the entire upper body, lower body, back, and the entire body for a total of 25 min in a deep-sea tank. After the DSWTT program, blood tests were conducted to confirm the level of fatigue-related parameters and muscle damage enzymes. Fatigue-related parameters including glucose, lactate, ammonia, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the levels of muscle damage enzymes such as creatinine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured. The results revealed that fatigue had a primary effect (p < 0.001) and exhibited strongly significant interaction (p < 0.001) with lactate, ammonia, and LDH levels, whereas the glucose level remained unchanged. The post hoc results showed a significant decrease in these parameters among DSWEG compared to CG and WEG (p < 0.01). Muscle damage enzymes showed a main effect (p < 0.001) and significant interaction (p < 0.001) with CK and AST (p < 0.001). The post hoc results showed a significant decrease in DSWEG compared with CG and WEG (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the DSWTT program applied to this study showed significant effects on muscle fatigue and muscle damage recovery. When the DSWTT program is applied in hot springs, it can have a positive effect on muscle fatigue and muscle damage recovery and can contribute to improving national health and quality of life. Further studies are needed to investigate DSWTT programs with various research subjects at different program temperatures, exercise times, and frequencies of treatment and exercise.

Background: The recent trend of increased indoor activities has significantly influenced daily life, enhancing the popularity of exercises like Pilates. This study explores how Pilates instructors’ leadership styles affect class satisfaction and psychological well-being, addressing the research gap concerning the specific impact of leadership within the context of Pilates classes. Methods: The study surveyed 388 participants from 39 Pilates studios across South Korea, utilizing a questionnaire to assess leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and servant leadership), class satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Using statistical analyses, leadership styles were assessed for their correlation with class satisfaction and psychological well-being. Results: Findings revealed that transformational and transactional leadership styles were positively correlated with class satisfaction and psychological well-being. Specifically, transformational leadership significantly enhanced educational satisfaction and personal growth, while transactional leadership most strongly influenced social satisfaction and the sense of purpose in life. Servant leadership was notably effective in improving physical class satisfaction. The study also highlighted the critical role of class satisfaction in promoting psychological well-being among participants. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of leadership styles in enhancing the Pilates class experience, suggesting that instructors’ leadership approaches can significantly impact participants’ satisfaction and psychological well-being. The study advocates developing training programs that equip Pilates instructors with the skills to adopt effective leadership styles, fostering a more positive and fulfilling class environment.

Background and Objectives: South Korea is experiencing rapid population aging, leading to elderly isolation, depression, and rising healthcare costs related to falls. Although exercise is recognized as a preventive measure, the short-term functional and psychological benefits of community-based programs, independent of structural change, remain poorly understood. Methods: This was a nonrandomized controlled pre–post study. Seventy adults aged 65 years or older attending lifelong education facilities entered the exercise or control group according to their willingness to participate in the exercise program (n = 35 per group). Two participants in each group withdrew after allocation, leaving 66 participants (n = 33 per group) in the supplied analysis dataset. The exercise group completed 60-min sessions of cardiorespiratory and resistance training three times weekly for eight weeks. Fall prevention fitness (flexibility, static balance, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and handgrip strength), body composition (weight, waist circumference, and basal metabolic rate), and psychological variables (subjective pain (visual analog scale (VAS)), fear of falling, and life satisfaction) were measured before and after the intervention and analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Significant group × time interaction effects were observed for flexibility and static balance (both p < 0.001), together with reductions in subjective pain and fear of falling and an increase in life satisfaction (all p < 0.001). The interaction for the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test was also significant (F = 26.746, p < 0.001) and indicated a decrease in completion time in the exercise group (7.24 ± 0.48 to 7.02 ± 0.54 s) and an increase in the control group (7.42 ± 0.59 to 7.51 ± 0.59 s); the absolute changes were small. After baseline adjustment and Holm correction across the ten outcomes, only the pain and TUG differences remained significant (fear of falling and life satisfaction: both Holm-adjusted p = 0.963). No significant changes were found in body composition or handgrip strength. Conclusions: An 8-week Pilates-based multicomponent exercise program showed unadjusted improvements in functional and psychological outcomes. Baseline-adjusted differences in fear of falling and life satisfaction were not significant (p = 0.487 and p = 0.328). These findings suggest that selected measured outcomes may change over eight weeks, and that community-based exercise programs for older adults should include specific gait, turning, and lower-limb power components in addition to balance and flexibility training. Actual falls were not measured. The independently functioning, single-region sample limits generalization to frail or high-fall-risk populations.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered daily life, increasing indoor physical activities, including Pilates. This study investigates the influence of Pilates instructors' leadership styles on class satisfaction and psychological well-being, addressing the gap in research regarding the specific impact of leadership within the context of Pilates classes. Methods: The study surveyed 388 participants from 39 Pilates studios across South Korea, utilizing a questionnaire to assess leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and servant leadership), class satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Using statistical analyses, leadership styles were assessed for their correlation with class satisfaction and psychological well-being. Results: Findings revealed that transformational and transactional leadership styles were positively correlated with class satisfaction and psychological well-being. Specifically, transformational leadership significantly enhanced educational satisfaction and personal growth, while transactional leadership most strongly influenced social satisfaction and the sense of purpose in life. Servant leadership was notably effective in improving physical class satisfaction. The study also highlighted the critical role of class satisfaction in promoting psychological well-being among participants. Conclusion: This research underscores the importance of leadership styles in enhancing the Pilates class experience, suggesting that instructors' leadership approaches can significantly impact participants' satisfaction and psychological well-being. The study advocates developing training programs that equip Pilates instructors with the skills to adopt effective leadership styles, fostering a more positive and fulfilling class environment.