Skill learning is considered an essential component of physical education, dance, and sport and consequently, there is an existing body of literature with concepts to be applied to teaching and coaching practices. However, research into skill learning in fitness is largely absent. In this article, I provide a poststructuralist informed approach to…

This study investigates the predictive validity of lower extremity strength, strength asymmetry, and soccer-specific fitness in talent identification among elite male youth soccer players. Employing a Retrospective Cohort design, we established a cohort consisting of K-League registered youth players, totaling 219 individuals (all males, aged 16…

This Critical Comparative Content Analysis employs theories of poststructuralist feminism to examine two versions of a nonfiction fitness text for young adult readers, one written for females and one for males. The analysis reveals the persistent naming of gendered assumptions about the appropriateness of particular sports to particular athletes,…

Purpose: To examine the associations between muscular fitness (MF) and body composition. Method: MF was assessed with three tests of FitnessGram test battery. Total body fat percentage (BF%), abdominal fat percentage (AF%) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The IOTF body mass index (BMI) cut-offs were…

The FitnessGram program has prioritized the use of evidence-based, criterion-referenced standards to advance health-related fitness assessments in physical education. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) highlighted the importance of strength and power for youth fitness assessment and surveillance. The report specifically recommended the use of…

The aim of this article is to explore the concept of resistance training skill literacy and discuss related strategies to enhance learning, improve adherence and help youth realize the holistic benefits of resistance exercise.

The relationship between youth-fitness test items related to cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition and health outcomes is well established. Until recent years, the link between musculoskeletal fitness measures and health markers has been less conclusive. The information provided in this article offers evidence of the health links…

This study (a) examined the associations among different performance metrics derived from different strategies (i.e., maximum and average scores) and trials from product-oriented measures of motor skills, and (b) explored how different performance metrics from product-oriented assessments of motor skills change in young children with typical…

In physical education (PE), learning about and with the body is central. During their physical education teacher education (PETE) program, students are presented with different understandings and practices regarding the body. However, PETE students understanding of the body are also influenced by sites beyond formal schooling. One such site is…

Using a sample of healthy youth (n = 466, 10 to 18 yr), we report the predictive utility of vertical jump power (VJ Power, W) for predicting bone strength. We measured VJ Power using mechanography and an indicator of bone strength, i.e., height-adjusted total bone mineral content less head (TBLH BMC, g), using DXA. Growth curve models were used to…

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to identify studies evaluating the impact of high-intensity interval training when delivered in school and sports training. Methods: A systematic search of 10 databases (September 2019) identified 24 eligible studies (including children and/or adolescents 5-18 years and reporting cardiometabolic health and/or…

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the bidirectional longitudinal associations of several markers of fatness and physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: This study comprised a total of 111 adolescents (41 females), aged from 11 to 20 years with complete data at the baseline. We had a drop-out of <10% from the…

Recent evidence suggests that cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skill performance are related to neurocognitive functioning by influencing brain structure and functioning. This study investigates the role of resting-state networks (RSNs) in the relation of cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning in…

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) plays a significant role in health and academic performance in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between CRF and academic performance from fifth to eighth grade among a large, diverse, and state-wide cohort of students, and to determine the extent to which the…

Since the evolution of the internet in 1969 and the inception of the personal computer in the early 1970s, a significant body of research has emerged that highlights the impacts of digital technology on education, health and human development. There is extensive research examining the physical, mental, and social health effects on young people and…