Font-Lladó, R, López-Ros, V, Montalvo, AM, Sinclair, G, Prats Puig, A, and Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe, A. A pedagogical approach to integrative neuromuscular training to improve motor competence in children: a RCT. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3078–3085, 2020—To assess the effectiveness of a pedagogical approach to an integrative neuromuscular training (INT) program as a warm-up in physical education (PE) lessons in healthy children: (a) to improve the level of motor competence (MC) and (b) to master fundamental motor skills (FMS) patterns, considering the baseline MC level and the time spent when performing different motor tasks. One hundred ninety students (7.43 ± 0.32 years; 52% girls) were included in this randomized controlled trail and grouped up according to MC basal levels (L1-L4). Motor competence and FMS patterns (CAMSA protocol) were assessed before and after the intervention in a group-based INT warm-up (n = 97) and a group-based conventional warm-up (n = 93). The INT program improved MC (p < 0.001; d = 0.71) and FMS (p < 0.001, d = 0.52). The independent predictors of MC change were: baseline MC level (β = −196; p < 0.012), time spent to perform the task (β = −0.235 p < 0.003), and participation in the INT program (β = 0.201; p < 0.005), explaining 71% of its variability. The INT warm-up shows correlations between improvements in MC in relation to time reduction (L1 p = 0.016, d, L2 p = 0.001, and L4 = 0.001) and FMS patterns (L1 p < 0.001, L2 p < 0.003, L3 p < 0.005, and L4 < 0.001) Moreover, only L3, it showed correlation between changes in time and FMS mastery (p = 0.001). Our results showed that a pedagogical approach to an INT program developed as a warm-up in primary school PE lessons can improve MC and FMS patterns in all subjects, independent of the initial MC level. More interestingly, only in L3, the improvement in MC can be explained by the balance in time required to perform the task and the level of improvement in FMS patterns.

In sports science, accurate tracking of athletes’ movement patterns is essential for performance analysis and injury prevention. Changes of direction (COD), frequently executed during basketball games at cutting angles of around 135° (internal angle of 45°), are essential for agility and high-level performance. Moreover, mastering effective COD mechanics is associated with a lower risk of injuries and enhanced long-term athletic success. However, manual segmentation of data from wearable sensors is labor-intensive and time-consuming, often creating bottlenecks for sports practitioners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of an automated algorithm for detecting COD movements in basketball and to compare its performance with manual detection methods. Data were collected from 62 basketball players, each completing two tests (V-cut test and a modified V-cut test), totaling 248 trials. The system utilizes kinematic data from an Xsens full-body kit to analyze key variables that characterize direction changes. The proposed method detects COD events with a median error of one frame and an interquartile range of two frames. The system demonstrated nearly 80% accuracy in COD detection, as validated against manual video analysis. These findings indicate that automated COD detection can significantly reduce segmentation time for practitioners while providing actionable, data-driven insights to enhance kinematic assessment during sport-specific activities.

Purpose: Change of direction while dribbling appears to be of interest for on-court performance in basketball. The study aim was to assess the validity and reliability of the V-cut dribbling test (VcutBk) in young basketball players. Methods: Ninety-two young basketball players from 8 to 21 years old (74% male) were classified in relation to peak height velocity (PHV) offset. To examine validity and test–retest reliability, VcutBk was performed in 2 identical sessions separated by 1 week. Participants also performed the V-cut test and linear sprint test with and without dribbling to analyze correlations between tests in different somatic maturity stages. Results: The relationships of the VcutBk with the other tests and skill-time-related deficits were interpreted from large (r > .51) to very large (r > .71). The comparisons between pre-PHV and post-PHV groups of basketball players showed significant and large effect in the VcutBk (d = 2.04; mean difference = 2.59; 95% CI, 1.86 to 3.32). Also, significant main effects when comparing PHV groups were reported in all skill-time-related deficits (P < .001, , moderate to large effect size). Test–retest reliability and signal-to-noise ratio analysis did not show substantial between-trials differences in VcutBk. Reliability scores showed high intraclass correlation coefficient (.95) and low coefficient of variation (0.23%). Conclusions: The VcutBk seems to be a valid and reliable test to assess change of direction while dribbling. VcutBk performance and skill-time-related deficits seem to be sensitive to somatic maturity. Basketball coaches should consider the VcutBk to assess young basketball players.

Background: To study the impact of crawling before walking (CBW) on network interactions among body composition, the cardiovascular system, lung function, motor competence and physical fitness, at age 7, and to assess the longitudinal association between CBW and body composition, the cardiovascular system, lung function, motor competence, physical fitness and physical activity parameters, at age 7. Method: CBW, body composition, cardiovascular system, lung function, motor competence, physical fitness and physical activity were assessed in seventy-seven healthy Caucasian children. Results: Network analyses revealed that the crawling group had a greater number of links among all the studied variables compared with the non-crawling group. In the longitudinal study, using multiple regression analyses, crawling was independently associated with fat mass (%), fat-to-muscle ratio and systolic blood pressure, with models explaining up to 56.3%, 56.7% and 29.9% of their variance, respectively. Conclusions: CBW during child’s development is a possible modulator in the network interactions between body systems and it could influence future metabolic and cardiovascular health.