This study aims to investigate asymmetries in muscle activation and co-contraction of main lower limb muscles during flamenco Zap-3 footwork with consideration of the footwork speed and dancer proficiency. Twelve flamenco dancers participated, including six professionals and six amateurs. Each participant performed the Zap-3 sequence under three speed conditions: 160 beats per minute (bpm), 180 bpm and the fastest speed level (F). The normalized surface electromyography was recorded in the gastrocnemius medialis (GM), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA) and rectus femoris (RF) in the dominant (DL) and non-dominant leg (NDL). The co-contraction index was also calculated for selected muscle pairs. The results showed that significant asymmetries occurred only in professional dancers and exclusively at the F speed level. Specifically, the value of the GM in the NDL was higher than that of the DL (p < 0.05, d = 1.97); the value of the BF in the DL was higher than that of the NDL (p < 0.05, d = 1.86) and the co-contraction index of BF/RF in the DL was higher than that of the NDL (p < 0.05, d = 1.87). Understanding these asymmetries may help to inform individualized training strategies aimed at optimizing performance and reducing potential risks.

There is controversy regarding whether dance training improves balance performance. This study aims to compare the dynamic balance performance of non-dancers and amateur dancers, as well as to examine whether differences in dynamic balance exist across various dance genres. Eighty-one participants, including 24 Flamenco dancers (FLA), 15 Latin dancers (LAT), 20 Chinese folk dancers (CHF), and 22 non-dancers as the control group (CG), completed the Y-Balance test. Anterior (YBant), posteromedial (YBpm), posterolateral (YBpl), and composite (YBcom) scores were calculated. All significant differences between groups were observed in YBcom, YBpl, and YBpm (p < 0.05), with no differences in YBant (p > 0.05). The CHF and FLA achieved higher scores compared to CG in both dominant leg (DL) and non-dominant leg (NDL), and to those of LAT in NDL for YBpm. The LAT scored slightly higher than CG (p < 0.05, d < 0.2), but it was not statistically significant. Dancers have better dynamic balance except for the YBant direction. FLA and CHF may be more effective in improving dynamic balance compared to LAT. This study was designed by considering previously contentious research findings that may be due to the distinct movement patterns and training methods of professional dancers, as well as the variations across different dance styles. The comparison of balance performance between amateur dancers, rather than professional dancers, and non-participants has significant practical implications for determining whether dance can improve an individual’s balance.

Background: Coach burnout is a persistent concern in high-performance sport, yet limited research has examined how upstream cognitive resources contribute to coaches’ wellbeing through psychological and relational processes. Drawing on coaching effectiveness and relational models, this study examined how coach knowledge relates to coach burnout via psychological safety and coach–athlete relationship quality. Methods: A sample of elite football coaches completed validated measures of coach knowledge (CKQ), sport psychological safety (SPSI), coach–athlete relationship quality (CART-Q), and coach burnout (CBQ). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test a sequential mediation model. Results: Coach knowledge was positively associated with psychological safety and, both directly and indirectly, with coach–athlete relationship quality. Psychological safety did not independently mediate the association between coach knowledge and burnout. However, a significant sequential indirect effect emerged, indicating that coach knowledge was associated with lower burnout through psychological safety and, subsequently, higher-quality coach–athlete relationships. Coach–athlete relationship quality was directly and negatively associated with burnout. Conclusion: The findings indicate that coach knowledge becomes consequential for wellbeing primarily through relational pathways, with psychological safety shaping the conditions under which knowledge is enacted within coach–athlete relationships. These results underscore the importance of fostering psychologically safe environments and sustaining high-quality relationships, alongside knowledge development, in efforts to reduce coach burnout in high-performance sport.