Background: It is known that reaction time, which is of great importance in terms of athlete performance, is one of the most difficult sports performance parameters to develop. Reaction time performance in Athletes may vary according to the sport branch in terms of development. Especially in combat sports such as boxing and wrestling, reaction time is of such great importance that it can directly or indirectly affect the outcome of the competition. Aim: In this study, it was aimed to compare the visual simple reaction time performances of boxing and wrestling athletes. By comparing the simple visual reaction times of boxers and wrestlers, the effects of both branch trainings on the reaction time were tried to be determined. Methods: This research was carried out with the participation of 30 male athletes between the ages of 14-17. It was held with the participation of a total of 30 male athletes, including 15 boxers and 15 wrestlers, who have been licensed contestants for at least three years and are still actively participating in the competitions. The heights of the participants were measured with a wall-mounted stadiometer (Holtain Ltd. England), their body weights were measured with an electronic scale (Seca, Germany), and their visual simple reaction time performance was measured with a Reaction Time device (Hubbard Scientific 6027). Data were analyzed with the IBM Statistics (SPSS, ver. 22.0, Armonk, NY) program. Results: The mean age of the boxing group (N=15) was 15.46±1.06, the mean height was 175.53±4.18, the mean body weight was 61.00±8.03 and the mean reaction time was 23.66±2.99. The mean age of the wrestling group (N=15) was 15.40±1.12, the mean height was 170.46±4.29, the mean body weight was 62.80±8.65 and the mean reaction time was 25.93±2.68. Conclusion: In this study comparing the visual simple reaction time performances of boxers and wrestlers, it was concluded that boxing training is more effective in shortening reaction time performance compared to wrestling training. Keywords: Reaction Time, Sporting Performance, Martial Arts

Background: Falls are a leading cause of injury, disability, and loss of independence among community-dwelling older adults. Although exercise-based interventions are widely recommended for fall prevention, the comparative effectiveness of different exercise modalities remains insufficiently synthesized. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Randomized and controlled trials were identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL, including studies involving adults aged ≥60 years who participated in balance-based, strength-based, multimodal, Tai Ji Quan, Otago Exercise Program, or perturbation-based reactive balance training interventions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (ROB-2) tool. Due to substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity across interventions and outcome measures, a narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: Twenty-seven trials met the inclusion criteria. Exercise interventions consistently reduced fall incidence across studies. Tai Ji Quan interventions were associated with approximately 31–58% reductions in falls, the Otago Exercise Program with 23–40% reductions, and multimodal strength–balance training with 20–45% reductions. Perturbation-based reactive balance training demonstrated particularly strong effects on laboratory-induced falls, with reductions ranging from 50–75%. Functional outcomes also improved across intervention types, including faster Timed Up and Go performance, increased gait speed, improvements of approximately 1.2–2.5 points in Short Physical Performance Battery scores, 15–35% gains in lower-limb strength, and enhanced reactive balance responses. Longer-duration interventions (12–24 months) generally demonstrated sustained reductions in fall risk. Conclusions: Evidence from randomized and controlled trials indicates that structured exercise interventions, particularly Tai Ji Quan, the Otago Exercise Program, multimodal strength–balance training, and perturbation-based reactive balance training, are effective in reducing falls and improving balance, mobility, and strength in community-dwelling older adults. These findings support the use of targeted, evidence-based exercise programs as central components of fall-prevention strategies in older populations.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different stretching techniques used during warm-up exercises prior to post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) on the explosive lower extremity strength performance of soccer players. This cross-sectional study involved the participation of 13 male soccer players with an average age of 22.38 ± 1.75, body height of 174.38 ± 3.94, and body mass of 72.30 ± 4.13. To determine the participants’ maximal strength performance, one repeated maximal strength (1-RM) squat exercise was applied. The PAPE protocol was then implemented with a squat exercise consisting of three repetitions at 80% of 1-RM. The warm-up protocols consisted of 5 min of cycling, followed by dynamic stretching, static stretching, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching exercises. These protocols were applied on four different days with a 72 h interval. A vertical jump test was conducted to measure the participants’ explosive strength performance. The research data were analyzed using IBM Statistics (SPSS version 26.0, Armonk, NY, USA) software. The findings of this study revealed statistically significant differences in vertical jump performance values after PAPE among participants based on the different stretching techniques used during warm-up (p = 0.00). In this context, the research concluded that dynamic stretching is the optimal stretching technique during warm-up exercises before PAPE to maximize its effects. On the other hand, static stretching was found to negatively affect performance by absorbing the PAPE effect.

Bu çalışmada farklı ısınma protokollerinin 1-maksimal tekrar skuat performansına (1-MT) etkisinin belirlenmesi amaçlandı. Araştırmanın örneklem grubunu en az 3 yıl düzenli fitness sporu yapan 9 erkek (yaş: 25 ± 4,1 yıl, boy: 173,22 ± 8,46 cm, vücut ağırlığı: 75 ± 8,37 kg) oluşturdu. Katılımcılar birbirini izlemeyen günlerde 4 farklı ısınma protokolü uyguladılar. Isınma protokolleri olarak “5 dakika hafif tempo koşu (IUE)”, “5 dakika hafif tempo koşu ve statik ısınma (SI)”, “5 dakika hafif tempo koşu ve dinamik ısınma (DI)”, “5 dakika hafif tempo koşu ve proprioseptif nöromusküler fasilitasyon ısınma (PNF)” uygulandı. Araştırma verilerinde farklı ısınma protokollerinin 1-MT üzerine etkisinin belirlenmesinde “Repeated Measures Anova” testi, performansın hangi ısınma protokolü lehine olduğunun tespitinde çoklu karşılaştırma testlerinden “Bonferroni” analizi uygulandı. Sonuç olarak katılımcıların 1-MT skuat performansı sırasıyla IUE (120.56 kg), PNF (112,78 kg), SI (106,67 kg), DI (122,22 kg) arasında istatistiksel olarak farklılık olduğu tespit edildi (p<0,05). Ayrıca, gönüllülerin skuat 1-MT performansı değerlerinin en fazla dinamik ısınma sonrası görüldüğü belirlendi. Antrenör ve sporculara skuat hareketi öncesinde performanstan daha çok verim alabilmeleri amacıyla dinamik ısınma uygulamaları önerilmektedir.

Today, there are various training methods used to increase athletic performance. One of these methods is artificial electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) used as strength maintenance and development training. The objective of the study is to examine the effects of plyometric training applications combined with EMS on sportive performance in basketball players. A total of 20 basketball players between the ages of 15-20 participated in the research. Participants were randomly divided into two equal groups: plyometric (PA) and plyometric training combined with EMS (PEMS). At the beginning and end of the study, the participants' height, body weight, vertical jump, 20m sprint, agility, balance and repeated sprint performance measurements were taken. In the findings of the study, there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the PEMS and PA groups, among all sportive performance parameters. However, it was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in vertical jump, balance, agility, 20m sprint and repeated sprint performances. As a result, it can be said that both plyometric training and EMS training combined with plyometric training are two effective methods that can be used to improve sportive performance.

(1) Background: Research examining the combined influence of anthropometric characteristics, chronological age, and training age on motor performance in handball is limited. Given the sport’s demands and the participation of both adolescent and adult athletes, understanding these relationships is essential for talent identification, personalized training, and long-term athlete development. This study aimed to explore how these variables affect motor performance indicators such as speed, agility, and explosive power. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 29 male handball players. Anthropometric data (height and body weight), chronological age, and training age were collected. Motor performance was assessed using a 30 m sprint, a vertical jump test, and an agility test. (3) Results: Chronological age showed a strong positive correlation with training age (r = 0.819), and moderate correlations with height, body weight, vertical jump, agility, and sprint time. Training age was moderately correlated with vertical jump (r = 0.465) and agility (r = 0.439). Height and body weight were positively associated with sprint time. BMI exhibited low but consistent correlations with all motor tests. Regression analysis revealed that height significantly predicted sprint performance (β = 0.401, p = 0.033), while BMI was not a significant predictor. No significant regression models were found for agility or vertical jump performance. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that both chronological and training age influence certain aspects of motor performance in handball players. Height may serve as a useful predictor of sprint ability, but anthropometric indicators such as BMI appear insufficient for explaining performance in agility or explosive power tasks. These findings support the use of multidimensional and individualized approaches in athletic assessment and training design.