1,721,038 research outputs found
Enhancing cognitive function through physical education: the impact of physical education activity on attention and focus
Full text linkAim: This study investigates the impact of an enhanced physical education (PE) program on attentional functions in middle school students. The aim is to evaluate whether increasing physical education hours, emphasizing cognitive tasks and team-based activities, could positively influence students’ executive functions. Methods: The study involved four middle school classes in Italy. Two classes participated in the standard PE curriculum lessons for two hours per week, while the other two classes engaged in an intensified program for four hours weekly, focusing more on team-play and activities that develop cognitive skills. Results: Findings indicate that students in the intensified program demonstrated faster and more accurate attention responses than those in the control group. This suggests that a more holistic physical education approach incorporating cognitive challenges and strategic team exercises may enhance students’ executive functioning. Conclusion: These findings are relevant for designing educational programs that leverage physical activity to boost academic performance. They also underscore the value of integrating physical activity into the broader educational curriculum, positioning it as a core component that contributes to students’ cognitive growth and overall learning experience rather than merely a means for physical education
Dropout: tra motivazione e allenatori
No full textYouth sports participation offers physical, psychological, and social benefits, but dropout remains a significant concern, particularly in soccer. This study examines the factors influencing dropout in youth soccer, focusing on the role of coaches, motivation, and psychological well-being. Coaches serve not only as technical instructors but also as mentors who shape athletes’ self-esteem, resilience, and ability to cope with competition-related stress. A balanced approach, integrating support and challenge, fosters motivation and reduces the risk of burnout and early withdrawal from sports. The interplay between coaching strategies, family support, and team cohesion is critical in maintaining engagement and enjoyment in young athletes. External pressures, overtraining, and a lack of intrinsic motivation are identified as key contributors to dropout. Strategies for prevention include creating an inclusive and enjoyable training environment, emphasizing personal growth over performance outcomes, and involving sports psychologists to support athletes’ mental well-being. By promoting a positive and motivational climate, youth soccer can serve as a valuable tool for holistic development, ensuring sustained participation and long-term benefits for young athletes
Ottimizzare le valutazioni per la preparazione fisica nel rugby: focus su forza e performance
No full textIl rugby è uno sport ad alta intensità che richiede una combinazione di forza, potenza, resistenza
e abilità tecniche per competere a livelli ottimali (Duthie et al., 2003). La natura fisicamente
impegnativa di questa disciplina comporta frequenti contatti, accelerazioni e decelerazioni rapide,
che sottopongono gli atleti a un rischio significativo di infortuni durante gli allenamenti e le partite.
Comprendere le relazioni tra forza, composizione corporea e performance è essenziale per ottimizzare
sia la preparazione fisica degli atleti sia la loro sicurezza sul campo, cercando la prevenzione
dall’infortunio. Studi precedenti hanno dimostrato che la forza dinamica è un elemento cruciale per
migliorare la performance esplosiva, come evidenziato dalla forte correlazione tra questa capacità
e l’altezza del salto (Jiménez-Reyes et al., 2017; McMaster et al., 2013). Tuttavia, la forza isometrica e
altri fattori come l’indice di massa corporea (Body Mass Index – BMI), sebbene correlati in modo meno
significativo, possono anch’essi contribuire alle prestazioni atletiche, soprattutto quando riflettono
una maggiore massa muscolare funzionale (Gabbett et al., 2008). Infatti, il BMI, pur essendo un indice
pratico per valutare la relazione tra peso e altezza, presenta dei limiti significativi quando viene
applicato agli atleti. Questo indice non distingue tra massa muscolare e massa grassa, per cui un atleta
con una buona quantità di massa muscolare può avere un BMI elevato, senza necessariamente avere
una percentuale di grasso corporeo alta (Nevill et al., 2006). Pertanto, pur potendo essere considerato
un indicatore generale, il BMI non fornisce una rappresentazione accurata della composizione.
Lo studio ha indagato le relazioni tra forza, composizione corporea e performance esplosiva in una squadra di rugby di Serie C. L’analisi è stata svolta attraverso misure antropometriche per valutare il BMI, l’Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) per testare la forza isometrica e test di salto e di stacco da terra utilizzando la trap bar per determinare la forza dinamica. Quest’ultima, insieme alla composizione corporea, si è dimostrata determinante
nell’ottimizzazione delle prestazioni atletiche
Comparison of Parental Support for Physical Activity in Children Aged 8–10 Years in Italy, Finland, and China
No full textStrength in Decline? Strength Performance’s Secular Trends of Italian Middle School Children
No full textIt is well known that there is a concerning decline in overall physical fitness (PF) levels among youth. Despite these, studies on trends in muscle strength (MS) yield conflicting results. Moreover, continuous temporal data focusing on children and adolescents are lacking, with limited consideration of factors such as body mass and maturity timing in MS trend analyses. This study addressed these gaps by examining the secular trends in MS performance among Italian school children while considering the influence of body mass index (BMI) z-score and peak height velocity (PHV). A repeated cross-sectional study spanning 21 years (1988–2009) was conducted, involving 3,761 Italian children aged 11–13 years. Physical fitness assessments were conducted annually and secular trends were analyzed using weighted least squares regression, adjusting for BMI z-score and PHV. Sit-up performance showed a steady trend (trend [95% confidence interval]: −0.72 [−0.73 to −0.71]; −4.76% [−4.79 to −4.73]; −0.16 effect size [ES] [−0.17 to −0.15]), while push-up performance showed a small-to-moderate decline (−1.01 [−1.03 to −0.99]; −5.77% [−5.81 to −5.73]; −0.26 ES [−0.27 to −0.25]). Girls exhibited consistent declines, however, trends differed among boys depending on the test used. This study contributes valuable insights into secular trends in MS among Italian school children, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive approaches to promoting physical activity and the importance of standardized assessments to accurately monitor fitness trends. Addressing these disparities is critical for the creation of interventions aimed at reducing the economic burden associated with low PF levels and improving overall public health
Stature is the key: a systematic review and Meta-analysis on the role of body mass and stature in physical fitness through Allometric modeling
No full textObjectives: To evaluate how stature and body mass influence youth physical fitness performance across different test modalities using allometric modeling, and to quantify domain-specific allometric exponents for stature and body mass. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science (July 2024;CRD420251030848). Sixteen cross-sectional studies involving youth populations (aged 7–19 years) met inclusion criteria. Extracted allometric exponents for stature and body mass were synthesized across four fitness domains: cardiorespiratory fitness, upper-limb strength, lower-limb explosive strength, and speed–agility. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using Restricted Maximum Likelihood estimation. Heterogeneity was assessed via I2 and Cochran's Q. Results: Stature showed a consistently positive association with performance across all domains, with allometric exponents ranging from 0.40 to 1.39 (p < 0.001). Body mass demonstrated divergent patterns: negative exponents for cardiorespiratory fitness (boys: − 0.24; girls: − 0.22), explosive strength, and speed–agility; but positive associations for upper limb strength (boys: 0.31; girls: 0.30). All models showed high heterogeneity; moderation and sensitivity analyses confirmed test-type-independent results. Conclusions: Stature shows a consistent positive association with physical fitness independently of test modalities, whereas body mass exponents are domain-specific, negative in weight-bearing tasks and positive in upper-limb strength. These pooled estimates suggest clear trends in size-performance scaling, though substantial heterogeneity and the absence of independent model validation limit their generalizability. Allometric modeling remains a useful approach to reduce size-related bias when applied alongside sport-specific and developmental considerations
Temporal trends of physical fitness in northern Italian children (2014–2019): a repeated cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Physical fitness (PF) is a crucial indicator of long-term health in children, influencing risks for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and overall mortality. Despite its significance, Italy lacks a national surveillance system able to track PF trends in children, hindering efforts to combat rising obesity rates. This study aims to evaluate temporal trends in PF through a possible surveillance system in elementary school children. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study was performed and consisted of assessing five PF domains: balance, upper and lower limb strength, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and, speed-agility, along with BMI z-scores. PF trends were analyzed by age and sex, with logistic regression assessing the link between PF and obesity risk. Effects sizes (ES, Cohen's d) were computed to describe the trend's magnitude. Results: CRF improved across all ages, especially in 10-11-year-olds (ES > 1.00). Younger children (6-9 years) showed gains in speed-agility, upper and lower limb strength, but these plateaued in older groups. We observed a decline in balance in 10-year-old boys. Conclusions: Overall, PF levels increased over time, with the most notable improvements observed in CRF. Implementing a nationwide PF surveillance system would facilitate continuous tracking of fitness trends, enabling policymakers to identify declines and develop targeted interventions
“Who’s Got Talent?” Change of Direction, Anthropometric Characteristics and Maturity Offset Differences Between Elite and Sub-Elite Young Soccer Player
No full textChoosing the sport between parents and children: reasons in comparison
No full textLe ragioni per cui si intraprende uno sport sono state oggetto di interesse negli ultimi anni. Sicuramente, la motivazione intrinseca assume un ruolo importante come funzione di stimolo comportamentale esterno: sia per i ge- nitori sia per i figli. L’obiettivo di questa ricerca è stato quello di valutare quali motivazioni personali spingono figli e rispettivi genitori alla pratica sportiva
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