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Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of agility ladder training combined with plyometric or multidirection speed drills, on performance in young female volleyball players. Methods: Seventy-six young female volleyball players were randomly distributed into 3 maturity-matched groups: (1) the agility ladder + plyometric drills group, (2) the agility ladder + multidirection speed drills group, and (3) the control group. Both experimental groups followed a 6-week training program, twice weekly, in addition to the regular volleyball training sessions, while the control group participated only in the regular volleyball training sessions. Assessments pretraining and posttraining included countermovement jump, 20-m sprint, and agility T test. Results: Both experimental groups improved T-test performance (P <.005) but only agility ladder + multidirection speed drills group outperformed the control group (P <.05). Conclusions: Agility ladder training programs combined with either plyometric or speed drills can improve change of direction performance in young female volleyball players but only the combination of agility ladder with multidirection speed drills is more effective than volleyball training per se. The small effectiveness of these protocols may be attributed to the short training period, or to the fact that training elements were combined in a single session. This hypothesis remains to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Greek traditional dance programme on sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) and reaction time on primary school children (6.41 ± 0.41 yr.). We randomly assigned 61 children to either the dance group (31 children, 15 boys, 16 girls, 6.42 ± 0.40 yr.), who took part in a dance programme of 12 lessons (3 times/week), or the control group (30 children, 16 boys, 14 girls, 6.40 ± 0.42 yr.). Before and after the intervention, we assessed both groups for SMS (walking in synchrony to 80 and 120 beats/min) and reaction time. Two-way ANOVA repeated measures show that the dance group performed significantly better on SMS compared to the control group at 80 beats/min (BPM), but not at 120 BPM. We discuss the results in relation to spontaneous motor tempo and the information-processing theory. In relation to reaction time, no significant difference was observed between the two groups at the end of the intervention. However, the dance group showed a significant improvement between pre- and post-tests. It may be concluded that a dance programme of 12 lessons constitutes an effective and enjoyable activity for the improvement of young children's sensorimotor synchronization at 80 BPM and perhaps reaction time.

In modern handball, one of the important performance indicators is the effectiveness of the attack, especially the running-in of wingers as line players which has not been explored adequately. The purpose of the study was to analyze the movements of wingers in the organized attack when they run in. Fifty-eight matches were analyzed from the 2022 EHF European Men’s Handball Championship. A total of 491 attacks were recorded and 45 variables were analyzed in which wingers ran in as second pivots and the outcome was a throw. For the statistical analysis, descriptive and inductive statistics were used. The results showed that the average time of the running-in was 12.11 ± 9.28 s, the left wing ran in more often (60.1%) and wingers tended to move outside the defense formation (72.5%). Wingers ran in without the ball in possession (81.1%), moved toward defenders 2 and 5 and stood next to defenders, and occasionally blocked, slid or left their position. The defense’s central zone was preferred by players to make a throw. Correspondence analysis showed that wingers finally returned to their initial position regardless of the evolution of the attack. Their role was to block a specific defender or disorganize the defense, for one defender to be isolated so that one attacking player could execute a shot from the central area. Conclusively, wingers play an important role, especially in run-in actions, at the completion of an attack, and in the final throw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of that study was to identify which of the independent variables that measured fast play tactics (Fast Throw-Offs and Fast Breaks) could predict a team's ranking in a high-level tournament. Researchers collected statistical data on the teams that took part in the final tournament of the Men's EHF EURO 2022. The main analyses of the study were Hierarchical Regression Analyses utilising the Stepwise methodology. As a result, the final ranking of the teams is significantly affected by more than 38% by the process of playing fast and fast breaks in particular. On the contrary, the FTO, either in all its efforts or in its final outcome (successful FTOs), is not an indicator that predicts or influences the final ranking of the high-level teams taking part in a major event. In conclusion, both the overall efforts of fast breaks and the successful fast breaks efforts of the teams during the games of a major event, are important elements and factors that predict the performance of the teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the match and technical indicators between winning and losing teams in the Olympics and World Championships (2016–2021) depending on the final score of the matches. A total of 273 volleyball match reports were analyzed from the Men's Olympics (2016 and 2021) and World Championships (2014–2018). Discriminant function analysis determined which skill(s) contributed significantly to winning in matches with various score types. This study showed that for 3- and 4-set matches attack was the best predictor for team's success, while block and serve had also meaningful contribution. In 5-set matches serve and block points were the main predictors of a team's success. The results on the importance of scoring skills highlight the necessity of sustained trainability of all match actions, not favoring one, such as attack, too much. The essential for this balance is confirmed by the fact that teams do not increase their probability of winning a match by success only in attack, but also in the other terminal actions such as serve and block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of explicit, implicit, and analogy learning methods on developing selective attention skills in young novice participants was examined under normal and stressful conditions. The 60 novice participants, aged 11-12 years old, followed a video simulation intervention program of 12 sessions (3 times * 4 weeks). They were tested four times (pre-test, post-test, retention, and stress test) to evaluate their reaction time and accuracy in selective attention skills. The differences among the groups and the measurements were analysed using a two-way mixed factorial ANOVA (4 groups * 4 measurements), and post-hoc Bonferroni evaluated significant differences among the groups. The results showed that all three experimental groups improved their performance in response reaction time and accuracy from the pre-test to the post-test and maintained their scores on the retention test. However, the analogy group had the best scores, followed by the implicit group, and they were both better than the explicit group. According to the stress test, the analogy and the implicit group remained unaffected while the explicit group showed a decrease in both reaction time and accuracy. Training by analogy was more effective in improving selective attention in novices in both normal and stressful conditions. Analogy learners probably developed an advanced mechanism that allowed them to quickly and accurately select the most useful information from the sport setting even in stressful conditions. This research highlights the advantages of simulation techniques; future research may assess selective attention in real conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simultaneous improvement of both form and outcome of sport skills is a challenge for every instructor since these are competing goals, especially for novices, and in the early stages of learning the improvement of movement form is usually more important than outcome. However, when novices have both goals, outcome usually prevails over form. External over internal focus of attention has been proposed by many researchers as an effective method for the development and learning of movement form or outcome. In this study, 57 girls were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups (external and internal) and a control group. All groups performed a pre-test. The two experimental groups followed an intervention program for 12 training units (6 weeks X 2 times a week). A post-test and a transfer test followed two weeks later. Data were analysed by factorial ANOVA (3 groups X 3 measurements) with repeated measurements of the last factor, followed by a post-hoc Tukey test. Both experimental groups, but not the control group, improved their performance in both form and outcome from pre-test to post-test and transfer test. The external focus group scored better in both form and outcome than the internal focus group in the post and transfer tests. It seems that external focus drives a subconscious motor control that results in greater movement automaticity and improves both form and outcome of sport skills. It is concluded that the external focus method is appropriate to develop both form and outcome of perceptual-motor skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of a creative movement program on balance of preschool children. Fifty preschool children (21 boys and 29 girls) were randomly assigned to either the Intervention Group (n = 25) or the Control Group (n = 25). The Intervention Group took part in a creative movement program that lasted 5 weeks (10 sessions, twice a week), while the Control Group participated in the activities of the nursery curriculum. Prior to and after the intervention, the children were assessed for static balance (two-legged stance on a forceplate), dynamic balance (walking on balance beams), and functional dynamic balance (Timed Up and Go test, TUG). The results showed that the Intervention Group performed significantly better on dynamic balance and Timed-up and Go test compared to the Control Group. No significant differences were found for static balance (peak-to-peak amplitude of center of pressure in the medio/lateral and anterior/posterior direction). According to the findings of the study, the two-legged stance test may not be suitable to measure the static balance of preschool children. It may be concluded that a creative movement program constitutes an attractive and effective method for the development of preschool children's balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent research data show a significant decline in youth's muscle strength. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a suspension training intervention during physical education (PE) lessons on strength parameters in adolescents, compared with a control group. Methods: The sample of the study included 321 adolescents (158 boys and 163 girls, Mage = 16.54, SD = .91). The intervention group followed a suspension training program twice a week for a total of eight weeks during the PE lesson, while the control group attended the regular PE class throughout the intervention. A pre-intervention, a post-intervention and a detraining test were conducted. Field tests that measure muscle strength and endurance were used to assess lower body, core, upper body and handgrip strength (standing long jump, sit-up, push-up, handgrip). A two-way (2 groups X 3 measurements) analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the efficacy of the intervention. Results: The results showed that students in the intervention group improved performance significantly from pre- to post-intervention in all tests compared to control participants. Regarding retention, the performance of the students in the intervention group, although decreased, remained significantly higher than that of the participants in the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that suspension training is an effective and feasible resistance training method that can be integrated in PE lessons. Furthermore, due to the promptly observed improvements in strength, the suspension training program could lead to an increase in motivation to participate in the PE lesson and consequently, integrating strength training into the PE lesson throughout the school year could increase the academic learning time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, research concerning analogy, implicit and explicit instruction has focused on perceptual or motor skills with limited attention directed toward psychological skills such as self-efficacy or their interaction with motor skill performance. The present study investigated the effect of analogy, implicit and explicit methods on the acquisition and retention of a volleyball motor skill (reception), and self-efficacy for novices. Eighty female novices, aged from 10 to 11 years, were randomly selected and assigned to four equal groups (three experimental and one control). A pre-test, three different intervention programs of 12 training units (4 weeks X 3 times per week), according to the different learning methods, a post-test, and a retention test were conducted. Volleyball reception skill was measured via a field test (Wulf, McConnel, Gärtner & Schwarz, 2002), and self-efficacy was measured via a questionnaire (Theodorakis, 1996). A two-way (4 groups X 3 tests) mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a post hoc Tukey test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that all three methods improved both motor skill and self-efficacy of novices over time. Comparing groups showed that the analogy learning group achieved the highest score in the retention test for both motor performance and selfefficacy. Moreover, the implicit group was better than the explicit and the control group. Analogy learning seems to be a promising instructional method for the improvement of both motor skills and self-efficacy. The participants in the analogy and implicit learning groups probably had limited access to declarative knowledge and, according to the "reinvestment hypothesis", they did not overload their working memory and did not block the automated process of performance. Additionally, when analogy learners received instructions to imitate a familiar form of movement pattern, this created a sense of success and pleasure which probably positively influenced their self-efficacy. Conversely, according to the "optimal theory", the improved self-efficacy of the analogy learners probably positively influenced the goal-setting procedure, which led to higher motivation and better performance. These results suggest that the analogy learning method has a positive effect on self-efficacy, which has been overlooked by previous studies in the motor learning literature, and is also positively correlated with motor skill perform [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]