In an era characterized by rapid economic growth and evolving lifestyles, college students encounter numerous challenges, encompassing academic pressures and professional competition. The respiratory muscle endurance capability is important for college students during prolonged aerobic exercise. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore an effective intervention to enhance the endurance level of college students. This study explores the transformative potential of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) to improve the physical functions of college students. This research comprised a group of 20 participants who underwent IMT integrated into their daily physical education classes or regular training sessions over an 8-week period, with 18 participants forming the control group. The IMT group adhered to the manufacturer’s instructions for utilizing the PowerBreathe device. The findings indicated a significant positive effect on inspiratory muscle strength (p < 0.001), showing improvements in pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, cardiac function, and overall athletic performance. These results revealed the substantial benefits of IMT in enhancing physical fitness and promoting health maintenance among college students.

Recent studies have identified the hip joint as a central component of the human kinetic chain, playing a pivotal role in optimizing force transmission during movement. Enhancing its functional capacity represents an effective strategy for enhancing overall physical well-being and preventing injuries. This study investigates the effects of an eight-week hip joint functional training program on the health-related physical fitness, hip joint function, and factors associated with injury risk in university students from a track and field elective class. A total of 56 participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 28) or a control group (n = 28). The experimental group incorporated hip joint functional training, which comprising dynamic stretching and activation exercises, into their standard physical education (PE) class activities, while the control group continued with the regular physical education curriculum. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included hip joint range of motion (ROM), functional movement screening (FMS), a 50 m sprint, standing long jump, sit-and-reach test, and spinal health evaluations. Results indicated that the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in multi-directional hip range of motion (ROM), with examples including flexion increasing by 10° and external rotation by 9°. These improvements were accompanied by significant gains in functional movement screen (FMS) scores, with significant improvements in the Hurdle Step, whose median score increased to 3.0, Active Straight Leg Raise, and Rotary Stability components (all p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Furthermore, the training significantly reduced spinal asymmetry (axial trunk rotation reduced from 3.86° to 3.43°) and enhanced performance in the 50 m sprint (−0.26 s) and standing long jump (+0.08 m) (all p < 0.05). These objective improvements in functional movement patterns, postural alignment, and physical performance are associated with key biomechanical factors known to influence injury risk, such as the demonstrated gains in joint mobility and movement efficiency. Therefore, incorporating hip joint functional training into college physical education programs may effectively enhance students’ fundamental movement quality, improve joint stability, and promote postural health, thereby mitigating key biomechanical risk factors. This approach offers a practical strategy for educators to improve student physical health in general PE settings.