The "thinking system" in a new school concept: A rhythmic teaching approach in physical education to develop creativity.

System Thinking is an actual construct supported by several scientific evidence that offer a perspective on how phenomena relate. Rhythm methodology, teaching-learning, and enjoyment in physical education are the main system elements we hypothesize interacting closely to determine direct or mediated effects on motor creativity and rhythmic perceptive capacity. Seventy-six elementary and middle school students (8.9 ± 2.1 years) were randomly assigned to two groups: a) an intervention group that received a physical education lesson based on rhythmic methodology and b) a control group that received conventional lessons without specific rhythmic interventions. Participants were engaged in eight physical education lessons lasting one hour each for eight weeks. Tests and questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention to evaluate motor creativity, rhythmic perception capacity, self-perception and enjoyment. Two lessons were randomly analyzed to identify the teaching style and motor content (moderate and vigorous activity). The main results revealed direct effects on the intervention group's motor creativity (p = 0.001) and its rhythmic perception capacity (p = 0.02). Furthermore, enjoyment mediated the effects of the intervention on motor creativity (p = 0.01). Finally, the results have shown that self-perception does not mediate the effect of rhythmic intervention group on motor creativity and rhythmic perceptive capacity (p > 0.05). A rhythmic methodology proposed by specific multi-teaching styles can involve children and young people in an enjoyable activity with more moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Early Drop-Out from Sports and Strategic Learning Skills: A Cross-Country Study in Italian and Spanish Students.

The search for overarching factors involved in both sport and broader lifestyle and achievement domains may help to understand the early drop-out phenomenon. This study aimed to analyze the association between early sport drop-out and strategic learning skills, checking for the individual and joint role of nationality, school type, gender, age and sport habits. Six hundred and fourteen Italian and Spanish students aged 14-18 years completed two self-assessment questionnaires concerning physical activity, sports habits and learning strategies. Outcomes were analyzed with frequency analysis. Higher affective-motivational strategic learning skills were associated with lower drop-out rates in Italian but not Spanish students. In high schools with an enhanced sports curriculum, drop-out rates were negligible compared to other Italian and Spanish curricula. A lack of persistence in the same sport type was significantly associated with a higher drop-out rate in males but not in female students, who had overall higher drop-out rates. This study suggests that overarching personal skills, cultural characteristics and sports habits may independently and jointly contribute to sport drop-out. Specifically, affective-motivational learning skills may play a key role in sport persistence and in strategies tailored to drop-out prevention.

Effect of different loading conditions on running mechanics at different velocities.

Weighted vests are widely used to improve running economy and performance. However, it is not well-studied how running mechanics are adapted to counteract the higher peak vertical ground reaction forces (Fpeak) while running with such a device. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of different loading conditions on running mechanics at different velocities. Thirteen subjects participated in two separate sessions one week apart. In the first session, maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was determined through a maximal incremental running test while in the second session, they were instructed to run during one minute under different loading (0%, +10% and +20% of body mass [BM]) and velocity (60%, 80% and 100% of MAS) conditions in a random order. Spatiotemporal data were recorded and then running mechanics modelled using the spring-mass model. The main results indicated that vertical and leg stiffness (Kvert and Kleg, respectively) were increased (P < .001) as velocity increased but remained unaltered (P > .05) when load was changed. At the same time, alterations of the running kinematics were observed such as longer contact times, reduced flight times, stride frequencies and step lengths, as well as an increase of the centre of mass dynamics. Based on these results it is assumed that runners maintain a certain stiffness level for each velocity despite different loading conditions. As a consequence, Fpeak increases and this probably causes spatiotemporal adjustments in the movement kinematics.