The pandemic due to the Covid-19 virus has had an impact on the world of education where lecture activities that were previously carried out face-to-face are now being shifted to an online system. From the results of the interviews, it is known that students state that online learning is still possible and can be done for theoretical courses apart from giving material and delivering lectures which are not as effective as if learning is done face to face. The main problem with online learning is in courses related to practicum which of course will not be effective if implemented with an online learning system. This research is a quantitative descriptive study that examines the perceptions of sports science faculty students in Indonesia and Malaysia towards online lectures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The instrument used to know student perception is a questionnaire. The questionnaire adopts learning that uses a heutagogy approach. The following are the stages in this research: Checking the questionnaire by experts before it is used, Conducting validity and reliability tests so that a valid and reliable questionnaire is obtained, and Compiling a questionnaire to be uploaded in google form is sent to students simultaneously via WhatsApp. The data taken is primary data or direct data from participants. The results of the study found that most Indonesian and Malaysian students disagreed when online lectures were said to be easier than face-to-face which was indicated by a percentage of 42.4

Aerobic dance is one of the most popular forms of exercise in Malaysia, engaging all major muscle groups in the body, unlike activities such as running and cycling, which primarily involve the lower body. Due to the complexity of aerobic dance, instructors require not only fundamental skills in music and movement but also advanced competencies such as leadership, communication, and positive personality traits to ensure classes are safe, enjoyable, and motivating. Therefore, aerobic dance instructors must be versatile in delivering effective and engaging sessions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between leadership and personality traits on teaching efficacy among aerobic dance instructors. A total of 138 aerobic dance instructors under the supervision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia (KBS) participated by responding to an online questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. The findings revealed that two of the Big Five personality traits, extroversion and conscientiousness, significantly predicted teacher efficacy beliefs. Specifically, extroversion emerged as the strongest predictor of classroom management, while conscientiousness was the most significant predictor of instructional strategies and student engagement. The study concludes that personality traits play an important role in enhancing teaching efficacy among aerobic dance instructors. These findings provide valuable pedagogical implications and serve as a useful reference for improving the quality and competency of aerobic dance instructors under the supervision of KBS, ultimately contributing to better well-being and a more active lifestyle within the Malaysian community. Aerobic dance instructors are encouraged to actively integrate interpersonal skills into their teaching and learning processes to enhance their professional effectiveness.

Tai Chi, a traditional mind–body exercise, has been associated with improved emotional well-being among older adults; however, the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently explored. To address this gap, this study examined the effects of Tai Chi exercise (TCE) on mood states (MS) in older adults, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of psychological security (PS). A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed involving 416 regular Tai Chi practitioners aged 60 years and above from Weifang City, China. Participants were assessed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Security Questionnaire, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Structural equation modelling with 5,000 bootstrap iterations revealed that TCE was significantly negatively associated with MS (β = -0.635, p < 0.001) and positively associated with PS (β = 0.383, p < 0.001). PS demonstrated a strong negative association with MS (β = -0.641, p < 0.001) and partially mediated the relationship between TCE and MS, accounting for 38.8% of the total effect (indirect effect: β = -0.246, 95% CI: -0.348 to -0.162). These findings suggest that TCE improves mood states in older adults both directly and indirectly through enhanced psychological security, revealing a novel psychological pathway and providing both theoretical insight and practical guidance for community health programs and mental health interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging.

Background: With advancing age, cognitive control and postural-gait regulation decline, while dual-task interference intensifies, leading to restricted mobility and increased fall risk. Variable-priority cognitive-motor dual-task training (VPDT) enhances attentional flexibility and task integration by systematically shifting attentional allocation during training. However, its effects on cognitive and physical function remain unclear. Objective: To review the effects of VPDT on cognitive and physical function in older adults. Method: A comprehensive database search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and CINAHL databases from inception to April 2025, relevant articles were selected, data were extracted using a PICO framework and synthesized narratively. Result: Eight controlled trials (n = 284) were included. Across studies, VPDT was generally associated with improvements in functional balance and mobility outcomes, while between-group differences versus fixed-priority dual-task training (FPDT) were inconsistent. Cognitive outcomes were sparsely reported (only one trial), and psychosocial outcomes were assessed in only a small subset of studies, precluding firm inferences regarding cognitive or psychosocial benefits. Overall risk of bias was predominantly "some concerns," with two studies rated "high risk," and overall certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate due to risk of bias, small samples, and heterogeneity in protocols and outcomes. Conclusions: VPDT may improve physical function in older adults, particularly balance and mobility, but current evidence does not demonstrate a consistent incremental advantage over FPDT. Confidence in comparative effects remains limited due to small sample sizes, risk-of-bias concerns, and heterogeneity in intervention design and outcome measurement.

This study was conducted considering that the issues of sedentary lifestyle and perceived quality of physical education are seen as a major factor influencing their active engagement. The main focus in this study is to answer research questions (1) are there significant differences in perceived physical activity (PPA), well-being, and health metrics based on gender and school location (urban and rural) and (2) how far the relationship between the PE learning environment and objective health outcomes such as BMI and body fat percentages?. The objective of this study was to determine the level and compare the differences in perceptions (PPA), enjoyment (EPE), learning environment (LEPE), well-being (W), physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BF), screen time (ST), and total sleep duration (TSD) in Central Zone of Malaysia which includes the states of Selangor, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, and Federal Territory of Putrajaya. This study used quantitative methodology and cross-sectional survey design, where data were collected entirely through a self-report questionnaire instrument involving secondary school students. The study findings showed that there was a significant perception gap between urban and rural students, where self-reports showed an association between high screen time and decreased sleep quality and well-being. The novelty of this study lies in the integrative assessment that combines psychosocial perceptions of PE with self-reported health metrics specifically according to the northern geographic zone which has a unique urban and rural demographic diversity. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of empowering PE curricula that are more adaptive to increase self-awareness of their health status, thus contributing to the formation of more effective health education policies at the regional level.

The problem of obesity among older adults is becoming increasingly serious, leading to declines in physical fitness and cognitive function. While aerobic exercise (AE) is widely recommended for improving cardiometabolic health, combining it with resistance training (CARE) may yield broader functional benefits. This study aimed to evaluate and contrast the impacts of AE and CARE interventions on physical fitness and cognitive performance among older adults with overweight or obesity. A 12-week randomised controlled trial was conducted involving 46 overweight and obese older adults. Participants were randomized to aerobic exercise (AE) or AE + resistance training (CARE). Outcomes included body composition, senior fitness, and neuropsychological assessments. Both improved, with distinct effects: AE yielded greater reductions in weight, BMI, fat mass, and waist-hip ratio; CARE increased skeletal muscle mass, had larger strength gains, and showed greater improvements in Mini-Mental State Examination and memory tasks. Both benefit physical and cognitive outcomes in obese older adults. AE is particularly effective for fat reduction, while CARE confers additional advantages in muscle preservation, strength, and cognition. CARE may therefore represent a more comprehensive intervention to enhance health aging and maintain daily independence in this population.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 172 athletes. Participants completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28), and the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ). Results indicated moderate-to-high levels across all study variables, with no significant gender differences observed. Trait mindfulness was positively associated with psychological regulation processes (r = 0.642), and both variables were positively associated with mental performance expression (r = 0.498). Psychological regulation processes were strongly associated with mental performance expression (r = 0.772). A significant indirect association was observed between trait mindfulness and mental performance expression via psychological regulation processes (b = 4.197), based on bootstrap mediation analysis. These findings suggest that psychological variables in paddleboarding are characterized by a pattern of interrelated statistical associations among trait mindfulness, regulatory processes, and performance-related outcomes. The results contribute to sport psychology literature by clarifying the relational structure among these constructs in a balance-demanding sport context.

Blended learning has become an increasingly relevant approach in higher education, offering flexible, interactive, and student-centered experiences. In Malaysian university Physical Education (PE) programs, its implementation remains limited despite rising enrolments and constrained instructional hours. This preliminary study investigates students’ perceptions of a blended learning environment using the adopted and adapted Distance Learning Environment Survey (DELES; Walker & Fraser, 2005) across its key domains: instructor support, student interaction and collaboration, personal relevance, authentic learning, active learning, and student autonomy. Seventy-six Physical Education undergraduates completed the survey and took part in a pilot combining face-to-face instruction with Luoyang blended learning using LMS-based online resources. Descriptive preliminary analyses revealed generally positive and strong responses across the DELES domains, with particularly perceptions of students’ interaction (SIC) and student autonomy (SA). These findings provide initial insights into students’ engagement with blended learning in the Malaysian PE context and highlight areas for refinement before a full-scale experimental evaluation. The study contributes preliminary evidence to guide curriculum developers, instructors, and policymakers in designing effective blended learning strategies that enhance the digital transformation of PE and sport education in Malaysian universities.

This work explores the multidimensional impacts of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) environment on Taekwondo training for middle school students. It establishes an intelligent training system and personalized training programs and compares the training outcomes of an experimental group (trained in an AI environment) with a control group (trained in a traditional environment). All participants are from the same middle school and undergo baseline assessments before the study to ensure data reliability and consistency. The results indicate that psychological state significantly and positively impacts students’ motivation levels (supporting Hypothesis 1), meaning that a good psychological state can markedly enhance middle school students’ training motivation. Additionally, motivation levels have a notable positive effect on the performance of technical movements (supporting Hypothesis 2). This illustrates that higher motivation levels can effectively improve the quality of technical movements, highlighting the importance of motivation in training outcomes. Furthermore, self-efficacy also has a significant positive influence on technical movement scores (supporting Hypothesis 3), indicating that the higher the students’ confidence in their abilities is, the better their technical performance is. The impact of training records on technical movement scores is likewise significant (supporting Hypothesis 4), where more training time and higher engagement can effectively enhance technical scores, emphasizing the importance of behavioral involvement. Finally, motivation levels also have a significant positive effect on self-efficacy (supporting Hypothesis 5), with high motivation levels contributing to an increase in students’ self-efficacy.

Instability core training (ICT) has been widely used in various sports as a training method to enhance athletes' balance ability and athletic performance. The study aimed to examine the impact of ICT performed on unstable surfaces (BOSU balls, Swiss balls, and Wobble boards) versus traditional core training (TCT) performed on stable surfaces (floor and bench) on balance ability and paddling performance among young male Chinese kayakers. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) recruited 63 eligible kayakers aged 16–19 years from the Nanchang Yao Lake kayaking training base in Jiangxi province, China. Participants were randomly assigned to the ICT group and the TCT group. Both groups completed a 12-week core training program consisting of 1-h sessions, 3 times/week. Static balance ability was assessed using the Flamingo Balance Test (FBT), while dynamic balance ability was measured using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Paddling parameters were evaluated using the average stroke power and stroke rate for the men’s K-1 200 m land dynamometer/ergometer sprint tests. Statistical analyses were conducted via multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), with the significance level set at P < 0.05. The analysis for within-group effects demonstrated statistically significant improvements in static balance ability, dynamic balance ability, average stroke power, and stroke rate variables between the pre-test and post-test in both the ICT and TCT groups (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the pre-test (p > 0.05) for between-group effects. In contrast, statistically significant differences were found between the ICT and TCT groups in the post-test for all balance ability and paddling parameter variables (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that while TCT significantly improves balance ability and paddling performance, ICT is more effective than TCT over a 12-week intervention among young male Chinese kayakers. Therefore, it can replace TCT, as it promotes better improvement in balance ability and paddling parameters for young male Chinese kayakers. Trial registration. The full name of the registry: Effect of instability resistance training on balance, core muscle strength, and athletic performance. The trial registration number is NCT06432595. The date of registration is 07/01/2024. The trial registration platform is ClinicalTrials.gov PRS ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ).

This study examined the moderating effects of gender and the association between health behaviour (HB), physical activity status (PAS), and psychological status (PS) among police personnel (PP) in Ondo State, Nigeria. The research employed a correlational design. The study employed four instruments: the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Health Behaviour Questionnaire, the Standardised DASS-21 scale and a self-developed questionnaire for demographic variables. The Cronbach's alpha range was .90 to .932. A proportionate stratified sampling technique was employed to obtain a sample size of 400 police personnel from 20 police divisions in Ondo State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics (SPSS 22) and Structural Equation Modelling (SmartPLS 4) were employed for data analysis. The final coefficient ranges from 0.95 to 0.96. Two straight pathways have a HB and PAS (β=0.468, p<0.001); and HB and PS (β=0.396, p<0.001). significant impact on the relationships outlined in the study. The moderating effect of gender was not significant in the association between HB and PAS (β=0.117, t=0.890, p>0.05), as well as HB and PS (β=0.14, t=0.887, p>0.05). The study offered new avenues for investigating physical activity status and psychological health, particularly within the police population. Health behaviour positively predicted PAS and PS. This study suggests that achieving total quality of life requires integrating health behaviour orientations into the training programmes of the Nigeria Police Force.

Approximately one third of community-dwelling older adults fall each year, and older women experience roughly twice the rate and number of falls as men. The timed up and go test (TUG) is a widely used to assess mobility and fall risk. However, its ability to detect subtle gait impairments may be constrained in high-functioning older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of gait parameters measured by wearable inertial sensors during single-task timed up and go test (ST-TUG) and dual-task timed up and go test (DT-TUG) in community-dwelling older women, to assess their usefulness for fall-risk screening. Twenty-five cognitively healthy women (mean age 70.09 ± 3.52 years) completed ST-TUG and DT-TUG within a two-day interval. Wearable inertial sensors yielded 21 parameters, including completion time, spatiotemporal measures, coefficients of variation, and turn-related metrics. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), the standard error of measurement (SEM and SEM

IntroductionThis study explores the role of physical activity, exercise attitude, and sleep quality in college students’ happiness, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for improving college students’ mental health.MethodsThe study employed a whole group sampling method, utilizing a physical activity level scale, exercise attitude scale, sleep quality scale, and happiness scale. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1,308 college students from four universities in China.ResultsThe analysis yielded three key findings: (1) Physical activity significantly improves college students’ happiness, and this improvement can be achieved through direct and indirect effects. (2) Positive exercise attitude plays an important mediating role between physical activity and happiness, and a high level of exercise attitude can enhance happiness. In addition, the effect of physical activity on happiness is most significant through exercise attitude. (3) Although sleep quality did not significantly mediate the relationship between physical activity and happiness alone, it played a positive role in the chain mediation path of “physical activity → exercise attitude → sleep quality → happiness.”DiscussionThe discovery of the chain mediation path shows that physical activity not only affects happiness, but also indirectly affects college students’ happiness through the combined effects of psychological and physiological factors.

There is often a lack of agreement in the outcomes of meta-analyses exploring the performance-boosting effects of nitrate supplements. The present study conducts a detailed assessment of existing meta-analyses on the impact of dietary nitrate on exercise efficiency, applying a comprehensive review strategy. Research articles were sourced from electronic databases, including EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The methodological rigor of these meta-analyses was evaluated using established tools—AMSTAR 2—and was found to be moderate on average. The findings indicate that nitrate supplementation leads to a small but significant enhancement in exercise performance by 0.10% compared to a placebo. However, the benefit is specific to aerobic endurance, which saw an improvement of 0.11%, while no significant effects were observed for muscle endurance, strength, or anaerobic capacity. Notably, muscle endurance performance tends to improve with nitrate supplementation by 0.31% (P = 0.07). In summary, the current work indicates that nitrate supplementation can improve exercise performance, with the magnitude of the effect being greater in aerobic endurance compared to anaerobic performance.

BACKGROUND:Chinese primary school students spend the majority of their day at school, making the school physical activity policy environment (SPAPE) crucial to their development of physical literacy (PL). However, research exploring the relationship between SPAPE and PL remains limited. This study aims to investigate the association between SPAPE and students' PL levels. METHODS:A total of 408 primary school students (206 boys and 202 girls) were included in the data analysis. The School Physical Activity Environment Questionnaire (SPAEQ) and the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-Edition 2 (CAPL-2) were used to assess the policy environment and PL levels, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to explore the relationship between the policy environment and PL. Additionally, ANOVA and MANOVA analyses were conducted to examine the effects of age, gender, and their interaction on the relationship. RESULTS:A significant positive correlation was found between SPAPE and PL, with boys (r = 0.59, p < 0.01) and girls (r = 0.48, p < 0.01) both showing moderate to strong associations. MANOVA results revealed significant gender differences for Daily Behavior (DB) (F (1, 406) = 14.24, p < 0.01, partial η² = .04) and Motivation and Confidence (MC) (F (1, 406) = 4.72, p < 0.05, partial η² = .01). Significant age differences were observed for MC (F (4, 403) = 5.68, p < 0.01, partial η² = .05) and Knowledge and Understanding (KU) (F (4, 403) = 8.57, p < 0.01, partial η² = .08). No significant effects of age, gender, or interaction were found in relation to SPAPE. CONCLUSION:This study is the first to explore the relationship between PL and SPAPE in Chinese primary school students. The results highlight the significant association between SPAPE and PL, with notable gender and age differences. These findings emphasize the importance of tailoring PA policies to account for demographic factors to effectively promote PL.

This study explores the impact mechanism of college students' sports behavior on their well-being by constructing an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. The study employs an ANN architecture that combines a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). A prediction model is established based on the characteristics of sports behavior and psychological indices of well-being, such as psychological resilience, self-efficacy, and subjective well-being. The results show that the proposed LSTM + CNN model has achieved significant improvement on the test set. Its mean absolute error is only 0.072, the mean square error is 0.00596, and the root mean square error is 0.077, which is remarkably superior to traditional machine learning methods such as random forest and support vector regression. The innovative advantages of the proposed model in capturing the nonlinear relationships and deep characteristics of psychological and behavioral data is proved. The analysis of Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) values reveals three key factors significantly influencing well-being improvement. These impactful factors include the high-frequency exercise days per week (≥ 4), sustained morning exercise duration, and participation levels in group sports activities. The analysis of the dynamic threshold effect reveals that the critical points of distinct characteristic values exhibit substantial variations in their impact on well-being. Concurrently, the regulatory influence of sports behavior demonstrates differing intensities across diverse conditions. This study provides a new theoretical basis for designing personalized sports interventions and improves the accuracy of predicting psychological measurement data. Thus, it demonstrates the potential of sports behavior in promoting the mental health and well-being of college students.

As the global population ages, exercise interventions have become increasingly important for promoting health in older adults. Aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and their combination each offer unique benefits. However, the respective research trends of these exercise modalities have rarely been systematically compared. This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of these three exercise modalities using Web of Science data and CiteSpace visualization. This study retrieved and analyzed literature from the Web of Science Core Collection (2015–2024) using CiteSpace software. The search targeted articles on aerobic exercise (AE), resistance exercise (RE), and combined aerobic and resistance exercise (CARE) for the elderly. After manual screening, 1,465 articles were included (AE: 616; RE: 746; CARE: 103). CiteSpace was employed to construct country collaboration, institutional, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence maps, as well as to identify emerging research fronts. The Results show that RE received the highest research attention, peaking in 2019, while AE maintained a stable output. CARE had lower publication volume but showed notable growth. The United States, Brazil, and China were the leading contributors, though international collaboration in combined exercise studies remains weak. Keyword analysis revealed that AE studies emphasized cardiovascular and cognitive benefits, RE focused on muscle function and nutritional support, and CARE highlighted fall prevention, quality of life, and chronic disease management. The field is shifting from single-modality interventions toward integrated, multidimensional strategies. CARE is emerging as a promising approach due to its comprehensive health benefits. However, gaps remain in research collaboration and knowledge structure in this area. This study provides a macroscopic overview of global trends and may inform interdisciplinary research and policy development aimed at healthy aging.

Study purpose. Physical inactivity among school students was an existing health issue over the past decade. This became more alarming when the world was hit by the COVID–19 pandemic. Movement restriction that results temporary school closure significantly affect students’ physical activity participation. Therefore, strategies and practices to improve active play engagement as well as to counteract its negative health-related effects on students were widely implemented by teachers and administrators in school upon its re-opening. Numerous articles have been published on the effectiveness of school-based interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is still a lack of a review paper that deals with the identification of patterns and trends about school practices in this area. Hence, this paper intends to generate impressions and identify concepts within the published articles during 2021 to 2023. Materials and methods. Selected articles for this study were collected from the following databases: SCOPUS, Sage, ProQuest, Academic Search complete, Science Direct. Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis (ATLAS ti. 23) guided the comprehensiveness of this review. Study findings were generated and presented through quantitative and qualitative lenses. Results. Four central themes were identified: 1) Alternative Physical Education – modifying traditional physical education subject; 2) Physical literacy focus – approach anchored to multi-dimensional foundation in physical activity engagement 3) Web-based intervention – virtual and cyberspace approach and 4) Needs–based intervention – focusing on integration of participants’ attributes and specifically designed program. Conclusions. The structure of strategies conducted by schools were greatly affected by the current community health status. Findings of this study will serve as a reference for designing future intervention approach to address the sedentary lifestyles of young populations associated to specific community health and other related issues.

Abstract: Endurance and high-intensity intermittent exercise are paramount in the pursuit of optimal athletic performance. Nitrate (NO₃⁻) supplementation has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing these aspects. Prior studies underscore the beneficial role of nitrate supplementation in augmenting endurance and high-intensity intermittent exercise. The current study probes the immediate effects of nitrate supplementation, specifically beetroot crystals (BRC), on high-intensity intermittent running performance in recreational collegiate athletes. In a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, double-blind investigation, fourteen male athletes consumed either an acute dose of BRC (25 g·day⁻¹, containing ~8.1 mmol of NO₃⁻) or a placebo (PLA; 25 g·day⁻¹ of maltodextrin) 1.5 hours prior to undergoing a high-intensity intermittent exercise test in a controlled laboratory setting. Results elucidated that BRC supplementation improved high-intensity intermittent exercise performance (BRC: 270.5 ± 138.5 s vs. PLA: 231.7 ± 141.5 s; p < 0.05) and elevated plasma NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻ concentrations compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). Nonetheless, blood pressure, muscle oxygenation, plasma lactate, and glucose levels did not reveal any significant differences (p > 0.05). Crucially, this study stands as the first to identify BRC as a significant enhancer of intermittent cycling performance in a controlled laboratory setting. These findings underscore the potential of acute BRC supplementation in boosting high-intensity intermittent exercise performance in recreational collegiate athletes, thereby prompting further investigation into its potential usage in sports and exercise scenarios. Keywords: endurance exercise, ergogenic aids, nitric oxide, recreational sports