Good physical fitness is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. For students, the school becomes the main place to improve their physical fitness. The traditional physical education class places little emphasis on improving physical fitness and students’ physical fitness have continued to decline. To address these challenges, this study aimed to design and develop a functional training program that can be incorporated into existing physical education lessons to improve students’ physical fitness levels.This study adopted the instructional design framework of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation (ADDIE) model to guide the design and development of the functional training program. After development, the program was implemented and evaluated.The results showed the program aroused students’ interest and significantly improved students’ physical fitness.This study showed the usefulness of functional training in improving the physical fitness of primary school students. In addition, it provided a reference for how to use functional training in conjunction with the physical education syllabus.

Using the ADDIE model to design and develop physical education lessons incorporated with a functional training component

PURPOSE
There is evidence suggesting that aerobic exercise immediately after vocabulary training can improve word recall in school-age children. This work examined whether the previously identified word-learning benefits associated with exercise can be extended to preschoolers. Additionally, we evaluated whether the effects of physical activity on vocabulary learning may be influenced by existing language skills that the child possesses.


METHOD
Children ages 3-6 years completed the study (N = 42). Data were collected via a virtual testing session in which participants completed a word-learning task that included two experimental conditions (exercise and resting). In the resting measure, children were taught names of novel objects and then sat down and colored for 3 min before being tested on their ability to identify the trained words. The exercise condition was identical, except that participants engaged in 3 min of guided aerobic exercise before testing. Additionally, at the end of the visit, participants completed the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS), which measured general language skills.


RESULTS
Accuracy of word recognition was significantly higher after the exercise condition compared to the resting condition. Furthermore, this pattern of results was not related to children's existing language skills, as measured by the QUILS.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is one of the first to closely examine the relation between physical activity and word-learning abilities in children as young as 3-6 years of age. Results align with previous findings stating that aerobic exercise can boost vocabulary learning and suggest that this is the case regardless of existing language skills.

Examining the Relation Between Exercise and Word Learning in Preschool-Age Children.

There is evidence suggesting that aerobic exercise immediately after vocabulary training can improve word recall in school-age children. This work examined whether the previously identified word-learning benefits associated with exercise can be extended to preschoolers. Additionally, we evaluated whether the effects of physical activity on vocabulary learning may be influenced by existing language skills that the child possesses.Children ages 3-6 years completed the study (N = 42). Data were collected via a virtual testing session in which participants completed a word-learning task that included two experimental conditions (exercise and resting). In the resting measure, children were taught names of novel objects and then sat down and colored for 3 min before being tested on their ability to identify the trained words. The exercise condition was identical, except that participants engaged in 3 min of guided aerobic exercise before testing. Additionally, at the end of the visit, participants completed the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS), which measured general language skills.Accuracy of word recognition was significantly higher after the exercise condition compared to the resting condition. Furthermore, this pattern of results was not related to children's existing language skills, as measured by the QUILS.This study is one of the first to closely examine the relation between physical activity and word-learning abilities in children as young as 3-6 years of age. Results align with previous findings stating that aerobic exercise can boost vocabulary learning and suggest that this is the case regardless of existing language skills. 

Examining the Relation Between Exercise and Word Learning in Preschool-Age Children

Background and Study Aim. Motor skill competence is important for children’s physical and social development. Regular physical education classes may not fully support the improvement of specific motor abilities. Although different training approaches are used in schools, their effectiveness in enhancing fundamental motor skills remains of practical interest. This study investigated the effects of a comprehensive integrative neuromuscular training (INT) program, implemented outside the standard physical education curriculum, on the gross motor skill abilities of children aged 8–10 years. Materials and Methods. The study employed a true experimental design with a pre-test – post-test control group model. A total of 30 children (17 girls and 13 boys) aged 8–10 years voluntarily participated in the study. All participants were enrolled at Samanlı Primary School, located in the central district of Yalova, Türkiye, and had not previously engaged in structured physical activity programs. Based on a priori power analysis (effect size = 0.5, α = 0.05, power = 0.80), a minimum sample size of 27 was determined. The final sample size met this requirement. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 16) or the control group (n = 14). The experimental group received an INT program three times per week for eight weeks, while the control group did not participate in any additional training. Prior to and following the intervention, all participants were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, Short Form (BOT-2 SF) to evaluate gross motor proficiency. Demographic characteristics such as age, height, and weight were presented. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25. Results. At baseline, no significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in BOT-2 scores (p &gt; 0.05), indicating homogeneity. Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in balance, speed–agility, strength, and BOT-2 total scores (all p &lt; 0.05). Between-group comparisons at post-test revealed significantly higher scores in the experimental group for speed–agility (p = 0.038, p = 0.005), strength (p = 0.002), and BOT-2 total (p = 0.003). Effect size analyses indicated large to very large differences favoring the experimental group, with Cohen’s d ranging from 0.79 (large) for SA-1 to 1.22 (very large) for S-2 and 1.18 (very large) for BOT-2 total. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes in most subtests, except for a modest increase in BOT-2 total scores (p = 0.024). Conclusions. The findings demonstrate that an eight-week INT program effectively enhanced balance, speed–agility, strength, and overall motor proficiency in rural children aged 8–10 years. These improvements were confirmed through standardized assessments using the BOT-2 test, underscoring the program’s potential as a practical approach to support motor development in young populations with limited access to structured physical activity opportunities. 

pdf/contextual-application-of-integrative-neuromuscular-training-n04jdr12imky.pdf

Contextual application of integrative neuromuscular training: motor skill competence in rural primary school children aged 8–10 years

Background and Study Purpose.: The body composition study (Inbody 720/Biospace (Korea)) presents the advantage of a detailed exploration of some complex parameters, which can pro-vide useful information related to the nutritional status and health of those evaluated. The pur-pose of the research is the comparative analysis of these indicators for pubertal girls, divided in-to two categories: handball practitioners and non-athletes. 
Material and Methods. The study participants come from 2 groups: 59 handball players/HB (Age=11.72±.82, Height =157.64±8.62, Weight =53.16±10.36) and 115 non-athletes/NA (Age=11.67±.75, Height = 155.33±7.16, Weight =48.84±10.40). The groups were investigated be-tween March and April 2023. Results. The BMI values obtained were interpreted by calculating the international percentages, for the age range 2-19 years. The group of handball players pre-sents superior values regarding weight, height, BMI percentiles, bone mineral content, body cell mass, basal metabolic rate, arm muscle circumference and fitness score. According to the BMI classification, there are no handball players in the underweight class, and 40% of the HB group and 31% of the NA belong to the Overweight and Obese classes. Better values for lean mass of the HB group are reported for all body areas and body segments, with significant differences compared to the NA group. Fat control recommendations indicate the need to remove more fat for the NA group and add more muscle (over 80% of the components of this group). Both groups have problems with abdominal obesity; approximately a quarter of the students having WHR values within Abd. Obesity. The Strength levels indicator shows better values for the HB group (majority in the Normal and Developed categories), and over a quarter of the NA group has problems at the lower body level (fall within the Weak level). 
Conclusions. According to the values provided by Obesity Degree by Body Fat, one third of the female students of both groups have obesity problems, which represents an alarm signal for the health of the young generation, aspects also confirmed by the analyzed studies. The muscle/fat ratio indicates for the NA group lower percentage values for muscle/SMM and higher for fat/BFM, compared to the HB group, so the physical activity specific to handball players has a de-termining role in explaining these values. The results of our study provide important data relat-ed to body composition values in the puberty stage for handball girls. These data are useful as values to which these parameters can be compared in other stages of preparation (the competi-tive phase or the recovery phase after competitions).

Differences in body composition parameters between female handball players and non-athlete girls during puberty

This study aimed to determine the effects of two training methods on the strength and mobility of trunk muscles in primary school girls. The sample of participants included 596 girls aged 11 to 15. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: 1) an experimental group (n = 314) that performed a functional training (FT) program; 2) a control group (n = 282) that performed regular Physical Education (PE) classes. The experimental program was implemented during regular PE classes over a period of 16 weeks, where 3 training sessions were conducted per week, lasting 45 minutes each. The FitnessGram battery of tests was used to estimate the strength and mobility of trunk muscles at the initial and the final measurement. The following tests were used: Curl up, Incline push-ups, and dynamic and static Trunk lift tests. The results of the two-factor ANOVA showed significant (p < 0.001) improvements in each test for both groups. The magnitude of the effect size ranged from medium to large and differed between the methods in all tests except for abdominal muscle strength. These findings indicate that both training programs are beneficial for developing trunk muscle strength and mobility in primary school girls. Future research should consider investigating differences between the methods in primary school students. 

/pdf/functional-training-vs-physical-education-classes-the-d3edlmu2.pdf

Functional training vs. physical education classes: the effects on physical performance in primary school girls

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of body composition on motor abilities in handball players. The sample involved 16 male handball players aged 15-20. Body composition variables included body mass (BM), the body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (PBF) and percentage of muscle mass (PMM). For speed assessment, the 20m sprint test was used. The T-test, Slalom test and Zig-Zag test were used to estimate agility, while the squat jump (SJ), counter movement jump (CMJ) and counter movement jump with arm swing (CMJa) were used to assess the muscle strength of the lower limbs. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the influence of body composition variables on basic motor abilities. Negative, statistically significant correlations were observed between BMI, PBF, sprint speed and agility (r = 0,52 – 0,66, R2 = 0,27 - 0,44, p < 0,05). Muscle mass contributed to better performance on speed and agility tests (-0,55 < r < -0,67, R2 = 0,31 - 0,45, p < 0,05). There were no significant relationships between BM and motor abilities, as well as between the muscle strength and body composition variables. These findings indicate that obesity contributes to slower linear and multidirectional movement, while muscle mass makes handball players faster. More research is needed in order to determine the influence of body composition on muscle strength, and the influence of body mass on specific handball movements.

/pdf/influence-of-body-composition-on-basic-motor-abilities-in-1j02mr44.pdf

Influence of body composition on basic motor abilities in handball players

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between morphological characteristics and maximal oxygen consumption in physically active students. The sample included 90 male (20,91±2,11 years) and 20 female (20,51±1,57 years) students from the University of Belgrade. Body composition was measured using InBody720, with 9 variables used to define the morphological status and a Shuttle run test used to measure maximal oxygen uptake. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS 21.0, while multiple regression analysis (MRA) was used for defining multivariate models between the criterion variable (VO2max) and a set of predictive morphological variables. The males showed higher VO2max compared to females (48,33 vs. 38,54 mlO2/kg/min, p<0,05). Small significant correlation was found between body mass parameters and VO2max (r ~ 0,3, p < 0,01) in the male sample, while in the female sample body height showed medium correlation with VO2max. In both samples, body fat parameters showed significant correlation with VO2max in range from r = 0,261 to 0,545 (p < 0,05). Furthermore, the percentage of muscle mass also showed correlation with VO2max in both samples, while skeletal muscle mass showed no significant correlation. Predictive regression model was more accurate in females than in males. Our results suggest that the majority of morphological characteristics do not affect the cardiorespiratory system and do not have a large impact on the value of VO2max.

/pdf/the-relationship-between-morphological-characteristics-and-1an6ru8e.pdf

The Relationship Between Morphological Characteristics and Functional Abilities in Physically Active Students

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic exercise program on the bilateral coordination of preschool children. The boys and girls (n = 60), aged five to six, were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The children in the experimental group were involved in aerobic training program over a 12-week period. Three training sessions were performed per week, lasting 30 minutes each. For the evaluation of children’s coordination, the Bilateral Coordination subtest from the BOT-2 (Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency) battery of tests was used. The children completed seven different tasks, both at the initial and the final measurement, which were further used to calculate the total score. To determine the changes in bilateral coordination, the two-factor (group × time) univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used, while the effect size, presented by the partial Eta squared, was calculated for each task and the total score. A nonsignificant effect (p = .280) was observed for the task “Touching Nose with Index Fingers - Closed Eyes”, whereas a significant improvements in all the other tasks and the total score were found in the intervention group (p < .05). The magnitude of effect size ranged from medium to large. The findings indicate that the aerobic exercise program contributes to the development of bilateral coordination in preschool children.

The effects of aerobic exercsie program on the bilateral coordination of preschool children

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Functional training vs. physical education classes: the effects on physical performance in primary school girls

Influence of body composition on basic motor abilities in handball players

The Relationship Between Morphological Characteristics and Functional Abilities in Physically Active Students

The effects of aerobic exercsie program on the bilateral coordination of preschool children