Obesity is a significant public health issue associated with an elevated risk of chronic diseases. Discovering appropriate exercise interventions combined with beneficial herbal supplements has always been investigated. Hence, our study aimed to assess the impact of 12 weeks of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) and spirulina supplementation on the apolipoproteins, insulin resistance, and body composition of men with obesity.Forty‐four men with obesity (height: 168.42 ± 2.63 cm, body mass: 93.24 ± 2.23 kg; BMI: 32.89 ± 1.23 kg/m²; age: 25–40 years) were divided into four groups: control group (CG, n = 11), spirulina group (SG, n = 11), high‐intensity interval training group (HIITG, n = 11), and SG + HIIT group (n = 11). The intervention involved the daily administration of either spirulina or a placebo and HIIT three times a week for the training groups. Anthropometric indices, HOMA‐IR, insulin, and apolipoproteins (Apo‐A, Apo‐B, and Apo‐J) were measured before and after the 12‐week intervention.Post‐intervention analysis indicated differences between the CG and the three interventional groups for percent body fat (%BF), insulin, HOMA‐IR, and apolipoproteins levels (p < 0.05). Spirulina supplementation with HIIT increased Apo‐A while causing decreases in Apo‐B and Apo‐J levels and improved body composition (weight, %fat), BMI, and HOMA‐IR (p < 0.05).It can be concluded that the combined intervention of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) and spirulina supplementation has a significant impact on mitigating obesity, managing weight, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Motor competence (MC) plays a fundamental role in physical development and the acquisition of complex motor skills during early childhood. Moreover, the type of instructional method can significantly influence both the trajectory and the quality of this learning process. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the role of MC in learning the futsal shooting skill under three different instructional approaches, Linear Pedagogy (LP), Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP), and Differential Learning (DL), in preschool children. Ninety-six healthy children (mean age = 6.06 ± 0.20 years) were assessed for MC using the BOT-2SF and subsequently categorized into high and low competence groups. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of six instructional groups. The study design included a pre-test, ten training sessions, a post-test, a retention test, and a transfer test. Data were analyzed using mixed ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests. The results revealed that both instructional method and MC level had a significant impact on learning, retention, and transfer of the futsal shooting skill (p < 0.001). The NLP outperformed the other methods in all test phases. Additionally, children with higher MC consistently achieved better performance across all instructional methods. Ultimately, the combination of high MC and NLP produced the most effective learning outcomes, indicating an optimal alignment between individual capability and instructional strategy. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that MC not only facilitates the learning process but also influences how children respond to different teaching methods. These results can support the design of more targeted instructional and training programs in physical education, rehabilitation, and youth sports. Furthermore, future research is encouraged to explore the long-term effects and broader applicability of these methods across various ages, cultural contexts, and motor skills.

Athletic women have shown a higher risk of ACL injury during jump landing compared to men. Plyometric training can be an alternative way to minimize the risk of knee injuries via the changed muscle activity patterns. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of a 4-week plyometric training program on the muscle activity pattern in different phases of one-leg drop jump in active girls. Active girls were randomly allocated into 2 groups (Plyometric training = 10, Control group = 10) where the plyometric training group (PTG) performed 60 min exercises, 2 sessions/1 week for 4 weeks while the control group (CG) had their daily activity. In the pre to post test, the sEMG was recorded from the Rectus Femoris (RF), Biceps Femoris (BF), Medial Gastrocnemius (GaM), and Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscles of the dominant leg during the Preparatory phase (PP), Contact Phase (CP), Flight Phase (FP) of one-leg drop jump. Electromyography variables (Signal amplitude, Maximum activity, Time to peak (TTP), Onset and activity time and Order muscle activity) and Ergo jump variables (Time of preparatory phase (TPP), Time of contact phase (TCP), Time of flight (jump height) phase (TFP), and Explosive power were analyzed. The Univariate ANCOVA test showed a significant difference between the two groups in Activity Time, whilst adjusting for pre-test as a Covariate, only in TA muscle (F_(1,17) = 5.09, p = 0.038, η² = 0.230). In PTG. TA (− 15%), GaM (− 19%), and BF muscles (− 9%) started their activity earlier while there was no significant difference between the two groups at the Onset time. TTP of RF was significantly different between the 2 groups only in the PR phase (0.216 ± 0.07 vs 0.153 ± 0.09 s) (p = 0.049, 95% CI = 0.001, 0.127). Results of the present study suggest that a 4-week plyometric training can improve the stability of leg joints via earlier recruitment of muscles and change activity patterns in lower limb muscles. It also recommends that the preparatory phase before landing be considered an important stage in preventing sports injuries in a training program.

Numerous studies have reported the beneficial effects of exercise and the use of herbal supplements in improving type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. However, there are still many unanswered questions about the effects of cold and hot water, exercise, and herbal supplements on meteorine-like protein (METRNL), which is considered one of the key factors influencing insulin resistance improvement in this condition. Hence, the current study aimed to address these knowledge gaps and investigate the effects of 8 weeks of warm and cold-water swimming exercise with cinnamon consumption on serum levels of METRNL, histone deacetylase-5 (HDAC5), and insulin resistance in diabetic male rats. For this purpose, 70 diabetic male rats were randomly divided into seven groups (10 rats in each group) H ealthy control (HC) , Diabetic control , swimming training in cold water (temperature 5 °C) , swimming training at 5‌‌ °C + cinnamon consumption (200 mg/kg body weight) , swimming training in warm water (temperature 36-35 °C) , swimming training in warm water (temperature 36-35 °C) + consumption of cinnamon, and consumption of cinnamon only. The present study revealed a significant increase in serum METRNL concentration in the cold-water swimming + cinnamon consumption group (p < 0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in insulin levels and HOMA-IR across the different groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, noteworthy findings included a significant reduction in HDAC5 levels in both the cold-water swimming group and the cold-water swimming + cinnamon consumption group, as well as a significant decrease in fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels in all groups compared to the HC group (p < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that the combination of cold-water swimming exercises and cinnamon extract consumption led to notable increases in serum METRNL concentration. Additionally, significant reductions were observed in HDAC5 and FBS levels. These findings highlight the potential effectiveness and benefits of the combination of cold-water swimming exercises and cinnamon extract consumption as an approach to improve diabetes-related indices.

Instead of being waste product of metabolism, lactate, has become a key metabolic and signaling molecule in both exercise physiology and tumor biology. Carcinogenic cells produce huge amounts of lactate through the Warburg effect, which is a hallmark of aggressive tumors, increasing acidity in the environment that can stimulates angiogenesis, immune evasion, and metastasis. Conversely, while exercise acutely elevates blood lactate concentration but it consider helpful for cancer patients. This paradox raises the following question: is exercise-induced lactate a friend or foe in cancer? This study reviews current evidence on the mechanistic, metabolic, immunological, and clinical impacts of exercise-induced lactate in cancer patients, highlighting the context-dependent effects that render lactate either beneficial or detrimental. Tumor-derived lactate seems to be pro-tumorigenic, driving immune suppression and disease progression, whereas short bursts of lactate from exercise can enhance anti-tumor immunity and metabolic reprogramming under the right conditions. Therefore, lactate’s impact on cancer is “all about the context”.