Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of integrative neuromuscular training (NMT) on sprint and the ability to change direction for children who are between the ages of 7 and 8 and beginning to play tennis.Methods: Thirty-two participants were randomized into a training group (TG; n = 16) and a control group (CG; n = 16). All participants attended tennis classes twice a week for a continuous 8 weeks. In addition, the TG received NMT (e.g., 20-m sprints, running at four corners, rope ladder drills, etc.), which progressed in difficulty every 2 weeks. Pre-intervention and post-intervention measurements, including a 30-m sprint test, a 5–10–5 test, and a 3 × 10 m shuttle run test, were assessed by a Smartspeed laser timing gate system, while the spider agility test was evaluated with a stopwatch.Results: Two-way repeated measures ANOVA found significant differences in the interaction between time and group among variables measured. Results were as follows: time in the 30 m sprint (F = 13.467, 95% CI = 7.163–7.506, p = 0.001, η²_p = 0.310, Δ = 0.42 s); 5–10–5 test (F = 13.975, 95% CI = 8.696–9.017, p = 0.001, η²_p = 0.318, Δ = 0.78 s); 3 × 10 m shuttle run (F = 7.605, 95% CI = 11.213–11.642, p = 0.01, η²_p = 0.202, Δ = 0.77 s); and spider agility test (F = 34.555, 95% CI = 28.258–29.670, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.535, Δ = 3.96 s). The results demonstrated a greater decrease in sprint and change of direction (COD) time among the TG than the CG from pre-intervention to post-intervention.Conclusion: A regular tennis training combined with NMT program could produce greater improvement in a player’s sprint and ability to change direction when introduced to childhood tennis beginners in a sensitive period, compared to tennis class intervention only.

This study aimed to compare the effects of 12 weeks of functional strength training combined with aerobic training (TG) and traditional resistance training combined with aerobic training (CG) on the body composition, physical fitness, and movement quality of obese adolescents. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either the TG group (n = 20) or the CG group (n = 20). Each group underwent training five times per week, lasting 120 min each time, over a total period of 12 weeks. All participants followed a strict dietary program. Anthropometric parameters, body composition, physical fitness, and movement quality were evaluated at baseline and after intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA observed a significant interaction between time and group for body mass (p = 0.043), body fat percentage (p = 0.045), body mass index (p = 0.025), neck circumference (p = 0.01), chest circumference (p = 0.027), left-hand grip strength (p = 0.043), right-hand grip strength (p = 0.048), standing broad jump (p = 0.044), and total Functional Movement Screen score (p = 0.003), and the improvement was greater for TG in comparison to CG. TG was found to be more effective than CG in enhancing body composition, physical fitness, and movement quality in obese adolescents.

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week Taekwondo program on the attention of children aged 7–8 years, exploring its potential as a motor in

Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive changes in both motor and non-motor symptoms. Boxing exercise can improve PD symptoms. This review aimed to determine the effects of boxing exercise on lower extremity strength, balance, mobility, gait, depression, quality of life, disease severity, exercise safety, and adherence in patients with PD.Design: A systematic review.Setting and participants: Articles were selected if they included participants diagnosed with PD and used boxing exercise as the main intervention.Methods: Systematic review study based on PRISMA criteria. Searches were implemented in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until February 2024. We selected studies reporting on the pre-post assessment of a boxing intervention with lower extremity strength, balance, mobility, gait, depression, quality of life, disease severity, exercise safety, and adherence in patients with PD. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database and ROBINS-I 2.0 criteria evaluated the literature’s quality.Results: Out of 4,301 records, 13 studies were included, involving 402 PD patients aged 53–89, with 72.4% being male. Interventions lasted 6–96 weeks, primarily in community settings and gymnasiums. Moderate-quality evidence suggested boxing exercises is feasible and effective for enhancing lower extremity strength, balance, mobility, gait, depression, quality of life, disease severity, exercise safety and adherence in PD patients.Conclusions and implications: Boxing exercise can effectively improve both motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients, with safety and high adherence. This review systematically summarizes the emerging evidence on the application of boxing exercise in the rehabilitation of patients with PD. Future research should include more homogenous PD patient populations and conducting randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: This study examined the effects of a 12-week integrative neuromuscular training (INT) program on muscular fitness in male and female five- to six-year-old preschoolers. Methods: Thirty preschoolers were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; n = 15; age = 5.3 ± 0.5 years, body height = 115.3 ± 5.2 cm, body mass = 20.7 ± 2.6 kg) or a control group (CG; n = 15; age = 5.2 ± 0.4 years, body height = 118.5 ± 4.9 cm, body mass = 22.6 ± 2.7 kg) participating in a 12-week INT program and regular physical education classes three times per week, respectively. Upper extremity maximal strength (grip strength test) and power (tennis ball throwing test), core endurance strength (one-minute sit-up test), and lower extremity power (standing long jump test) were assessed at the baseline (T0), Week 6 (T6), and Week 12 (T12). Data were analyzed using an independent samples T-test and a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Significant interaction effects between the EG and CG were observed for grip strength, tennis ball throws, one-minute sit-ups, and standing long jumps (p < 0.001). Relative to the CG, the EG demonstrated significant improvements in all muscular fitness at T6 and T12 (p < 0.05). However, no significant interaction was found between the time and the sex (p > 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggested that a 12-week INT program can more effectively enhance the muscular fitness of 5–6-year-old preschoolers compared to regular physical education classes, serving as an effective and efficient supplement to physical education for this age group. Furthermore, there is no evidence of sex -specific differences in the development of muscular fitness among 5–6-year-old preschoolers under the INT program.

This study investigated whether lower extremity stiffness plays a role in the enhancement of change of direction speed (CODS) and the duration of this enhancement after dynamic loaded warm-up (DLWU). Fifteen badminton athletes underwent DLWU, and CODS, individual muscle and tendon stiffness, and vertical stiffness were measured before DLWU and 6, 12, and 18 min after DLWU. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and covariance analysis. Significant improvements in CODS were found at 6, 12, and 18 min post-DLWU compared to pre-DLWU (p < 0.05). The Achilles tendon stiffness of the dominant leg increased at 6 min (p = 0.039) and 18 min (p = 0.024) post-DLWU compared to pre-DLWU. Achilles tendon stiffness of the dominant leg had a significant effect on improving CODS (p > 0.05). CODS improvement lasted up to 18 min after DLWU in badminton athletes, potentially related to increased Achilles tendon stiffness of the dominant leg.