Background: Research on the application of technology in sports in Romania is completely lacking, and the existing studies at the international level have mainly been carried out in recent years. We considered it appropriate to highlight the best practice models of technology application in sports that can be multiplied, adapted, improved, and widely used. The paper aims to identify the use of technology and devices in sports, with an emphasis on their role in training and competitions with the aim of improving sports performance, to provide sports specialists, organizations, and authorities with a wide range of information regarding the connection between sport and technology. The results obtained regarding the application of technology in sports refer mainly to the following: techniques and technologies used in training and competition (portable localization technology and global positioning systems (GPS); Virtual Reality (VR) technology; video analysis; digital technologies integrated into sports training); aspects of sports training targeted through the use of technology (use of technology for athlete health, recovery, and injury management; use of technology for monitoring sports performance and various body indicators); training optimization and ecological dynamics and the sustainable development of sports. Conclusions: Unitary research, at a European or even global level, in a uniform theoretical and practical framework, could lead to much more efficient training with large increases in sports performance. The coaches and specialists working with the athlete determine the specificity of some elements of the training, depending on the characteristics of each athlete. Large clubs could become a factor in generating and disseminating knowledge related to training and competition monitoring, sports performance enhancement, and health, recovery, and injury management. Research directions for the use of technology in sport and the formation of connections with other fields can be extended. For example, combined technologies assisted by specialized software can be used. Creativity must be the starting point for the use and combination of existing technologies in sports and for the creation of new ones. Their creation and use involve the teamwork of athletes, coaches, and specialists from different fields, such as sports, physiology, psychology, biomechanics, informatics, etc.

Background: Sustainable gymnastics training requires a balance between performance development, injury prevention, workload management, athlete health, psychological well-being, and long-term participation. This focused narrative review aimed to synthesize selected evidence on training optimization, technological applications, athlete health and injury prevention in gymnastics. Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection. The literature search covered publications issued between 1 January 2005 and 30 September 2025, with the final search performed on 30 September 2025. English-language publications retrieved through three predefined Topic searches in the Web of Science Core Collection were considered. The searches covered the period from 1 January 2005 to 30 September 2025 and were restricted to the Sport Sciences category. No additional publications were identified through reference-list screening. Three complementary thematic searches addressing gymnastics training models, technological applications, and injury prevention identified 485 records. After applying the eligibility criteria, removing duplicates, assessing full texts, and excluding ineligible or retracted publications, 140 publications were included in the narrative synthesis. No formal risk-of-bias assessment was performed. Results: The reviewed evidence emphasized progressive and individualized training, workload monitoring, recovery, physical preparation, age-appropriate development, and early identification of pain, fatigue, and other health-related concerns. Injury occurrence was associated with biomechanical loading, rapid growth, training exposure, previous injuries, insufficient recovery, menstrual dysfunction, psychological factors, and discipline-specific technical demands. Wearable sensors, video analysis, biomechanical modelling, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and digital learning platforms supported movement assessment, technical feedback, training monitoring, and education. Evidence for several emerging technological applications, particularly artificial intelligence and automated assessment, remains preliminary and requires further validation in gymnastics-specific and real-world settings. However, substantial differences in study designs, populations, technologies, outcome measures, and methodological characteristics limited direct comparison across studies. Coaching communication, athlete motivation, psychological well-being, and access to validated technologies also influenced the sustainability of gymnastics training. Conclusions: Sustainable gymnastics training may benefit from an interdisciplinary and athlete-centered approach integrating individualized load management, injury prevention, health monitoring, recovery, educational coaching practices, and appropriately validated technologies. The evidence identified in this review highlights converging themes suggesting the potential value of combining these components to support safe performance development and long-term participation. However, more longitudinal, discipline-specific, and methodologically consistent research is needed.

Background: Combat sports require athletes to repeatedly perform explosive actions under conditions of fatigue, demanding high levels of neuromuscular coordination, reactive agility, and intermittent effort capacity. This study examined changes in biomechanical and neuromuscular performance over a 15-week period during which competitive Sambo athletes completed a CrossFit-based functional training program alongside their regular sport-specific training. Methods: Forty male Sambo athletes (22.4 ± 2.6 years) completed a longitudinal repeated-measures intervention consisting of three weekly CrossFit-based sessions integrated into regular sport-specific training. The program was periodized across four progressive mesocycles emphasizing functional strength, explosive power, reactive agility, and fatigue resistance. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included upper- and lower-limb reaction speed, vertical jump height, repeated jump endurance, reactive agility, grip endurance, body-weight squat performance, Romanian deadlift repetitions, and the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT). Statistical analyses included paired-samples t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate correction (α = 0.05). Results: Significant post-intervention improvements were observed in most performance variables. Upper- and lower-limb reaction performance improved by 22.9% and 9.7%, respectively (p < 0.001), while vertical jump height increased by 11.4% and repeated jump endurance by 16.6% (p < 0.001). Reactive agility time decreased by 6.6% (p < 0.001), indicating faster cognitive-motor responsiveness. Functional strength improved substantially, with increases of 43.7% in body-weight squat performance and 71.9% in Romanian deadlift repetitions (p ≤ 0.001). Grip endurance improved by 6.3% (p = 0.007), whereas maximal handgrip strength showed no significant changes. The SJFT index decreased by 5.0% (p < 0.001), reflecting enhanced intermittent effort efficiency and fatigue tolerance. Large effect sizes were identified for upper-limb reaction speed (d = 1.42), explosive endurance (d = 1.46), and reactive agility (d = 0.96). Conclusions: Over the 15-week study period, participation in a CrossFit-based functional training program integrated into regular Sambo practice was associated with improvements in several biomechanical and neuromuscular performance outcomes, including reaction performance, explosive power, agility, muscular endurance, and sport-specific work capacity. However, because the study did not include a control group, these changes cannot be attributed exclusively to the CrossFit-based intervention. Controlled studies are required to distinguish intervention-specific effects from seasonal training adaptations, continued sport-specific practice, and test familiarization.

Background: Mindset has been widely studied as a key factor influencing learning and performance across various domains, including education and sport. However, its role in physical performance and task efficiency remains less explored. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between growth mindset and performance in a physical task. The following hypotheses were proposed: H1: Participants with a growth mindset will demonstrate higher success rates compared to those with lower mindset scores. H2: Participants with a growth mindset will perform more efficiently, requiring fewer attempts to achieve success. H3: Participants with a growth mindset will report lower levels of anxiety during task performance. Methods: Thirty first-year Physical Education and Sport students (26 males, 4 females) participated in the study. Mindset was assessed using a questionnaire based on beliefs about effort and ability. Participants then performed a gymnastics task (supported headstand), during which the number of attempts, task success, duration, and anxiety levels were recorded. Results: Participants with higher mindset scores showed a significantly higher success rate (p = 0.00024). Although they appeared to require fewer attempts, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.12). No significant differences were found in anxiety levels (p = 0.78). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that mindset is associated with the likelihood of success in a physical task, as participants with higher mindset scores demonstrated significantly higher success rates. Although individuals with a higher mindset appeared to perform more efficiently, this difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant differences were found in anxiety levels between groups. These results highlight the potential importance of fostering a growth-oriented mindset in physical education and sport settings to support performance and learning outcomes.