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Purpose: Performing back squats with elastic bands has been widely used in resistance training. Although research demonstrated greater training effects obtained from adding elastic bands to the back squat, little is known regarding the optimal elastic resistance and how it affects neuromuscular performance. This study aimed to compare the force, velocity, power, and muscle activity during back squats with different contributions of elastic resistance. Methods: Thirteen basketball players performed 3 repetitions of the back squat at 85% of 1-repetition maximum across 4 conditions: (1) total load from free weight and (2) 20%, (3) 30%, and (4) 40% of the total load from elastic band and the remaining load from free weight. The eccentric and concentric phases of the back squat were divided into upper, middle, and bottom phases. Results: In the eccentric phase, mean velocity progressively increased with increasing elastic resistance, and muscle activity of the vastus medialis and rectus femoris significantly increased with the largest elastic resistance in the upper phase (P ≤.036). In the concentric phase, mean power (P ≤.021) and rate of force development (P ≤.002) significantly increased with increasing elastic resistance. Furthermore, muscle activity of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis significantly improved with the largest elastic resistance in the upper phases (P ≤.021). Conclusion: Velocity, power, rate of force development, and selective muscle activity increased as the elastic resistance increased in different phases during the back-squat exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of classroom-based physically active brain-breaks on the in-school activity levels of Grade 1 (six- to eight-years-old) learners (N = 48) by comparing baseline results to the intervention PA patterns of the participants. Children wore Actigraphs accelerometers for five consecutive school days, and thereafter they participated in a six-week active brain-breaks (10-minute bouts of PA) intervention. On a typical school day, children spend an average of 106.2 ± 30.9 minutes in sedentary behaviour, 43.7 ± 13.7 minutes in moderate PA and 26.5 ± 13.6 minutes in vigorous PA. No differences were found between boys and girls. During the intervention, the children's sedentary behaviour decreased (100.1 minutes) and their vigorous PA increased (34 minutes). The results emphasise the importance of participation in daily FMS and PA in order to increase Grade 1s' in-school PA patterns and decrease sedentary behaviour.

Background: The meaningful assessment of motor competence is well positioned for school-based curricular emphasis, through the integration of motor skills and movement patterns in both primary, and second level school physical education. Aligned with the growing interest in holistic motor competence assessment in physical education, the aim of this study was to assess the convergent validity between fundamental movement skills and functional movement assessments in a large cohort of adolescent youth. Method: A sample of 583 adolescents, aged between 12 and 16 years old participated in the study. Ten fundamental movement skills were assessed in line with the behavioural components from the Test of Gross Motor Development, and the Get Skilled Get Active resource. Seven specific functional movements were also assessed, using the existing protocol from the widely established Functional Movement Screen. All data were analysed using Bayesian procedures, in which the Bayes factors provided information about the probability of a hypothesis being true. Findings: The results indicate that it is very probable (BF10 > 10,000:1) that boys show higher actual motor competence levels in the object control subset of fundamental movement skills, when compared to girls. Moreover, a positive association between the total scores of the Functional Movement Screen and the locomotion subset of fundamental movement skills was found to be very probable (BF10 = 7.737). BF10 10 BF10 10 Discussion: This study provides evidence of convergent validity between functional movement and fundamental movement skill assessments in adolescence. This study presents an evidence-informed rationale for physical education pedagogues to move beyond traditional perceptions of movement as being exclusively pertaining to physical skills, to a more holistic concept of motor competence comprising of both movement skills and movement patterns. Conclusion: The current study broadens the assessment perspectives of motor competence within physical education, by specifically heightening physical education teachers' awareness towards the possible complementarity of both locomotion and movement patterns in the psychomotor domain of adolescent learning in physical education.

This study assessed whether trunk flexor and extensor strength were predictors of time to stability (TTS) and center of pressure (CoP) during hop and hold tasks in children. Seventeen boys (age, 10.1 ± 1.6 years; height, 1.45 ± 0.11 m; mass, 26.7 ± 7.83 kg) undertook isokinetic strength assessments of concentric and eccentric trunk flexors/extensors at 60°/s, and anterior/medial hop tasks. Hierarchical multiple regressions determined whether concentric and eccentric trunk flexor/extensor peak torques predict TTS using a composite score (Comp[subscript X] Comp[subscript Y] Comp[subscript Z]) and CoP[subscript X] and CoP[subscript Y]. Concentric trunk flexors were the strongest predictor for TTS Comp[subscript XY], with concentric flexion and eccentric extension predicting TTS Comp[subscript Y]. All muscle actions were also strong predictors for CoP[subscript Y] during hop tasks. These findings have implications for the assessment of trunk musculature strength and measures of postural control within a young healthy population. The development of trunk musculature strength may aid improvements in dynamic balance tasks in children, with implications for fall and injury risk. To improve trunk musculature strength and the potential to maintain postural control, a combination of concentric and eccentric exercises with other training modalities appears relevant due to the increased relevance to the demands of balance maintenance.

Background: Integrated curriculum interventions have been suggested as an effective means to increase physical activity (PA) and health. The feasibility of such approaches in children living in deprivation is unknown. This study sought to pilot an integrated curriculum pedometer intervention in children living in deprivation on school-based PA, body fatness, resting blood pressure, motor skills, and well-being. Methods: Using a pilot cluster randomized intervention design, children (6–7 y old, n = 64) from 2 schools in central England undertook: (1) 10-week integrated curriculum intervention or (2) control (regular school-based activity). School-based PA, body fatness, resting blood pressure, motor skills, and well-being were assessed preintervention and postintervention. Results: For the intervention group, PA was higher on school days when children had physical education lessons or there were physically active integrated curriculum activities. Body fatness significantly decreased, and well-being and perceived physical competence increased, pre–post for the intervention group compared with the control group. Accelerometer-derived PA, motor skills, and resting blood pressure were not significantly different pre–post for intervention or control groups. Conclusions: A 10-week integrated curriculum PA intervention is feasible to conduct and can positively impact aspects of health in 6- to 7-year-old children in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of physical literacy (PL) has witnessed enormous popularity in recent years and has undergone substantial theoretical evolvement during the last 2 decades. However, the research field pertaining to PL has not yet initiated discussions around the challenges of climate change and the alignment with conceptualizations of planetary health. Therefore, we argue that the consideration of an "ecological domain" for individual physical activity, in the form of ecological awareness, would further evolve the concept. We illustrate how to potentially integrate adjustments within the most frequent PL definitions of the field (eg, those in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, the United States, or by the International Physical Literacy Association) without questioning the entire integrity of these elaborate conceptualizations. An ecological domain of PL would not only interact with the postulated physical, cognitive, psychological/affective, and social domains of PL but also have important implications for the (re)design of interventions and practices in physical activity contexts. We call the scientific community, both on national and international scales, to intensify the discussions and initiate a research agenda involving an "ecological domain" of PL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred and twenty-one children (58 boys and 63 girls) aged 8-14 years (mean ± SD = 12 ± 1 years) who were regularly engaged in grassroots soccer participated in this study. Participants undertook assessments of fundamental movement skill (FMS) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3, perceived ability using the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children, physical fitness via 15-m sprint time, standing long jump distance, and technical skill using the university of Ghent dribbling test. The Procedural Tactical Knowledge Test was employed as a measure of tactical skill from which metrics for positioning and movement and recognizing spaces were derived. Maturation was determined from anthropometric measures. Analysis of covariance examined gender differences in tactical skills accounting for FMS, fitness, perceived ability, technical skill, maturation, and age. Results indicated no significant differences in tactical skills between boys and girls (p > 0.05). For recognizing spaces, 56% of the variance was explained with FMS (p = 0.001), physical fitness (p = 0.02), and technical skill (p = 0.02) contributing to the model. For positioning and movement, a significant model explained 55% of the variance in this element of tactical behavior with FMS (p = 0.002) and technical skill (p = 0.02) significantly contributing to the model.

We numerically compute the guiding center static structure factor $\bar S(k)$ of various fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states to $\mathcal{O}(k\ell)^6$ where $k$ is the wavenumber and $\ell$ is the magnetic length. Employing density matrix renormalization group on an infinite cylinder of circumference $L_y$, we study the two-dimensional limit using $L_y/\xi \gg 1$, where $\xi$ is the correlation length. The main findings of our work are: 1) the ground states that deviate away from the ideal conformal block wavefunctions, do not saturate the Haldane bound, and 2) the coefficient of $O(k\ell)^6$ term appears to be bounded above by a value predicted by field theories proposed in the literature. The first finding implies that the graviton mode is not maximally chiral for experimentally relevant FQH states.

The present study aimed to examine cross-cultural differences in fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency levels in children aged 9-10 years old in England and China, using a process-oriented FMS measurement. Four FMS (run, jump, throw, catch) were measured using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2). The sample consisted of 272 (58.3% boys, 41.7% girls) Chinese children and 273 (48.7% boys, 51.3% girls) English children. ANCOVA analysis for the raw FMS scores showed significant sex by country interaction (P = 0.022, partial [eta][subscript 2] = 0.01). Chinese children scored higher than English children on total FMS, locomotor, and object control skill subsets. Additional Chi-squared analyses revealed significant differences regarding mastery levels of skills, with a higher proportion of Chinese children being classified as having advanced skill proficiency across three of four selected FMS (i.e. run, throw, and catch). The substantial cross-cultural differences found may be related to aspects such as Physical Education (PE) provision and process, educational policy, and other physical activity opportunities (e.g. extracurricular organised sports). Our findings require further examination of the contextual influences, in order to understand the optimal strategies that promote children's FMS development through PE, youth sports, or physical activity promotion.

The United Kingdom and Ireland have a well-established research base in motor competence (MC) research, ranging from reporting and monitoring levels of MC, developing assessment tools for MC, providing innovative curriculum and intervention design to support learning and development, as well as providing advocacy for particular groups, such as those with motor impairments. This expert statement, on behalf of the International Motor Development Research Consortium, draws together what is currently known about levels of MC in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as current approaches to intervention in both countries. Subsequently presented are recommendations for researchers and practitioners to advance the field of MC for the benefit of children and youth in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and worldwide.

Study aim: This study aimed to determine and compare the ‘optimum power load’ in the hexagonal (HBDL) and straight (SBDL) bar deadlift exercises.

There is a dearth of research in aquatic motor competency, a key requirement for primary physical education in order to become physically literate. This study proposes a new assessment protocol for aquatic motor competence and sets out to examine the validity of the Aquatic Movement Protocol (AMP) in children between 7 and 9 years of age. Testing of Gross Motor Development--second edition was implemented to assess general motor competence, including a composite of 10-m running sprint time and standing long jump distance. Aquatic motor competence was assessed by the AMP. Univariate analyses of covariance were used to examine whether assessment of general motor competence differed as opposed to aquatic motor competence. Process and product measures of dryland motor competence were analyzed using male and female subjects measuring three aquatic motor competences (low, medium, and high). Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analyses were implemented to show both construct and concurrent validity of the AMP. Children classified as high for aquatic motor competence had significantly higher general motor competence (p = 0.001). Those who achieved a higher composite score for faster sprint speeds and longer jump distances had significantly higher aquatic motor competence (p = 0.001). Cronbach's alpha of 0.908, showed internal consistency of the AMP. Results extracted one factor from analysis with an eigenvalue = 6.2; %variance = 62.1, with loadings higher than 0.5. This data suggests that the items on the AMP measure a single construct that we would call "Aquatic Motor Competence." This study demonstrates that the AMP is a valid measure of aquatic motor competence in primary aged children.

The present study examined the test-retest reliability of the Ghent University dribbling test and short dribble test in a pediatric population. Fifty-four boys aged 9-14 years (mean ± SD = 11 ± 2 years) undertook the Ghent University and dribbling tests on two occasions separated by 2 weeks. Intraclass correlation coefficients, coefficient of variation, and 95% limits of agreement were conducted for each test. Intraclass correlation coefficients and coefficient of variation indicated good to excellent reliability, and relatively small variability for both dribbling tests. The 95% limits of agreement indicated relatively little bias Ghent University dribbling test for both running alone and running with the ball components, and the Bangsbo and Mohr short dribble test. The results of the present study suggest both dribbling tests examined in the present study demonstrate good reliability and low levels of systematic bias.

Purpose: Teachers are important stakeholders in supporting children's physical literacy (PL), yet teachers' perception of PL assessment is underexplored. Method: Utilizing a mixed-methods design, 122 primary school teachers (of children aged 5–12 years) in Australia completed an online survey, followed by nine interviews. Results: Teachers who favored assessment (58%) tended to report assessing PL in children (χ2[1, N = 110] = 7.025, p =.008). Those who reported assessing PL (also 58%) were more confident to do so (χ2[2, N = 109] = 10.540, p =.005). Teachers considered movement skills, engagement and enjoyment, relationships, and safety and risk as the most important elements for assessing PL. Qualitative data showed nonsupport for PL assessment stemmed from skepticism regarding relevance of assessment, appropriateness of assessment, and views that the curriculum and PL framework were implicitly linked. Conclusion: Professional development, resources, and suitable PL teacher assessments can upskill teachers' knowledge, confidence, and reduce barriers in implementing PL assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical literacy serves as the foundation for several skills or attributes needed for lifelong physical activity participation. Based on its connection to physical activity, physical literacy has been associated with a wide variety of positive health outcomes. While research suggests that teachers play a crucial role in fostering children's physical literacy, however, few psychometrically sound measures have been designed for teachers to assess physical literacy in children. A teacher proxy-report instrument that assesses the four physical literacy domains (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and cognitive), along with the comprehensive set of 30 elements proposed by the Australian Physical Literacy Framework, could provide a useful metric for teachers to assess children's physical literacy levels. Accordingly, this article provides a rationale for developing such a tool for physical literacy assessment, focusing on children aged 5-12 years, using Sport Australia's definition and framework for physical literacy.