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Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for...
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Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Kinesiology and Biomechanics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 June 2026 | Viewed by 4924

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Diego Minciacchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy
Interests: motor control; motor timing; cognitive-motor mechanisms; adaptive control; kinematics; excellent performance; neurorehabilitation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, I am announcing a fourth edition on the implementation of innovative applied research to improve motor skills for reaching superior sporting performances.

Investigations from recent decades have provided enough evidence for the use of certain means as training foundations for sharpening athletic performance, both from a biomotor and technical standpoint.

However, as the field of sports science continues to grow, new methodologies, technologies, and applications for evaluating, improving, or even predicting motor performance draw the attention of the academic realm, infield operators, and general audiences. Nevertheless, sometimes these new means gain wide popularity without apt scientific support, and sometimes the opposite is true—that is, cutting-edge approaches well-validated in the lab sometimes fail to transfer to sporting environments.

Due to the unceasingly evolving nature of sports science as well as the continuous demand for ever-better competitive performance, novel scientific approaches to improve athletes’ motor skills and performances are desired, and their promulgation is of utmost importance for trainers and scientists. Thus, further research is required to grant us deeper understanding of the advantages and limitations in using particular means when aiming to evaluate, predict, and model sporting performance in both amateur and professional/elite athletes.

In this Special Issue, we are looking for original investigations and reviews that introduce novel approaches to defining how leveraging either extrinsic (socio-economic, geographic, early sporting specialization, etc.) or intrinsic factors (training periodization, training methodology, equipment, cross-training, recovery management, etc.) may help upgrade athletes’ motor skills to obtain their best athletic performance.

This Special Issue is supervised by Dr. Diego Minciacchi with assistance from Dr. Vincenzo Sorgente (University of Florence).

Dr. Diego Minciacchi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • kinesiology
  • sport science
  • sport performance
  • biomechanics
  • training periodization
  • training prescription
  • exercise physiology
  • athletic performance
  • motor performance
  • motor skills

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 231 KB  
Article
Progressively Increased Range of Motion Confers Similar Strength Improvements but Not Bar Kinematics as Full Range of Motion Bench Press
by Michael J. Landram, Patrick Manturi, Mark Zipagan and Emily E. Gerstle
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010072 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 621
Abstract
Background: Full versus partial range of motion (ROM) bench press (BP) training has only been investigated at submaximal loads with discrete joint angles during training. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 4-week supramaximal progressive partial ROM [...] Read more.
Background: Full versus partial range of motion (ROM) bench press (BP) training has only been investigated at submaximal loads with discrete joint angles during training. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 4-week supramaximal progressive partial ROM (pROM) BP program to a traditional submaximal full range of motion (fROM) program on 1-RM strength and bar kinematics. Methods: Sixteen resistance-trained males (22.2 ± 1.4 years, 180.1 ± 6.3 cm, 88.5 ± 8.6 kgs, 1RM ≥ 1.25× body mass, 6 years’ experience) were randomized into pROM (n = 7) or fROM (n = 9). The pROM group performed BP at 105% 1RM using Bench Blokz to decrease the distance from the bar to the sternum by 1″ increments each week (5″ to 2″). The fROM group followed a strength oriented linear periodization model (80–87.5% 1RM). Both 1RM strength and 3D kinematics were assessed pre- and post-intervention using a 2 × 2 (Group × Time) ANOVA with Bonferroni corrected pairwise comparisons. Results: Both groups significantly increased 1RM strength (F = 45.82, p < 0.001), with no significant differences between groups. Pairwise comparisons revealed that only the fROM group experienced significant increases in 1st peak velocity (p = 0.023), eccentric velocity (p = 0.009), mean concentric force (p = 0.04) and quartile 2 mean concentric force (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Supramaximal pROM training is an effective strategy for increasing 1RM strength in experienced lifters, yielding results comparable to traditional fROM training over the course of a 4-week strength block. However, there are notable changes in bar kinematics surrounding the eccentric-concentric phase change that were only observed after fROM training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition)
11 pages, 397 KB  
Article
Interrelationships and Shared Variance Among Three Field-Based Performance Tests in Competitive Youth Soccer Players
by Andrew D. Fields, Matthew A. Mohammadnabi, Oleg A. Sinelnikov and Michael R. Esco
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010058 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 441
Abstract
Objectives: Field-based testing is commonly used to evaluate key physical qualities related to soccer performance. However, limited research has examined the degree of shared variance among measures of aerobic capacity, change of direction (COD), and explosive power in youth athletes. This study investigated [...] Read more.
Objectives: Field-based testing is commonly used to evaluate key physical qualities related to soccer performance. However, limited research has examined the degree of shared variance among measures of aerobic capacity, change of direction (COD), and explosive power in youth athletes. This study investigated the relationships between the 20 m shuttle run (20MSR), T-test (TT), and vertical countermovement jump (CMJ) to determine their unique and overlapping contributions to each other’s performance in competitive youth soccer players. Methods: Twenty-five competitive male youth soccer players (13.7 ± 0.8 years) completed standardized assessments of TT, CMJ, and 20MSR during pre-season evaluations. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations and independent variance explained among the performance measures. Results: Large, significant correlations were observed between TT and CMJ (r = −0.65, p < 0.001), TT and 20MSR (r = −0.59, p < 0.001), and CMJ and 20MSR (r = 0.53, p = 0.007). CMJ explained 42.3% of TT variance, whereas adding 20MSR did not significantly improve model fit (ΔR2 = 0.087, p = 0.062). Across models, aerobic capacity did not contribute significant unique variance beyond neuromuscular performance. Conclusions: COD and lower-body power share a common physiological foundation in youth soccer athletes, while aerobic capacity represents a distinct performance domain. When field tests are administered under applied conditions typical of youth soccer environments, TT and CMJ demonstrate substantial shared variance, whereas 20MSR remains largely independent. Therefore, the findings support the continued use of multi-modal testing batteries in practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition)
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13 pages, 439 KB  
Article
The Influence of Training with an Evaluation Mask on Physiological Adaptations in a Recreational Athlete
by Marko Kunac, Petar Šušnjara and Danijela Kuna
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010054 - 27 Jan 2026
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Background: Innovative training strategies aimed at improving physiological efficiency are of growing interest in kinesiology and sports performance. Elevation training masks (ETMs) offer a practical means of inducing hypoxia-like stress. However, evidence of their effectiveness in recreationally active populations remains limited. This pilot [...] Read more.
Background: Innovative training strategies aimed at improving physiological efficiency are of growing interest in kinesiology and sports performance. Elevation training masks (ETMs) offer a practical means of inducing hypoxia-like stress. However, evidence of their effectiveness in recreationally active populations remains limited. This pilot study examined the efficiency of a five-week progressive ETM protocol combined with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in eliciting physiological, hematological, and body-composition adaptations relevant to endurance performance. Methods: Nine recreationally active men completed a five-week intervention consisting of three treadmill-based sessions per week: one weekly incremental Conconi test and two structured aerobic–anaerobic HIIT sessions performed with an ETM. Mask resistance was progressively increased to simulate altitudes of approximately 900–3600 m. Hematological variables (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte indices, leukocytes, and platelets), body composition, maximal heart rate (HRmax), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) were assessed pre- and post intervention. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA, with effect sizes reported (Cohen’s d, ω2). Results: A significant main effect of time on SpO2 was observed (F(1, 8) = 130.61, p < 0.001, ω2 = 0.69), along with a significant effect of training week (F(4, 32) = 17.41, p < 0.001, ω2 = 0.43), and a significant Time × Week interaction (F(4, 32) = 15.20, p < 0.001, ω2 = 0.42), indicating progressively greater post-exercise oxygen desaturation with increasing simulated altitude. Significant post-intervention increases were found in erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit (p ≤ 0.009, d = 1.15–1.55), alongside increases in mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Platelet count increased significantly (p = 0.001, d = 1.68), while leukocyte values remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Body mass index (p = 0.049, d = 0.77) and body fat percentage (p = 0.012, d = 1.08) decreased following the intervention. HRmax tended to be lower at higher simulated altitudes. Conclusions: A five-week progressive ETM-HIIT protocol efficiently induced hematological and body-composition adaptations associated with improved oxygen transport and metabolic efficiency in recreationally active men. These findings support ETM-based training as an accessible strategy for enhancing physiological efficiency in endurance-oriented kinesiology practice, warranting confirmation in larger randomized controlled studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition)
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20 pages, 842 KB  
Article
One Sport or Many? Comparing the Effects of Athletics and Multiactivity Training on Motor Competence in 6–10-Year-Olds—A Case Study
by Nataniel Lopes, Miguel Jacinto, Diogo Monteiro, Rui Matos and Sérgio J. Ibáñez
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(4), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040479 - 13 Dec 2025
Viewed by 980
Abstract
Background: Motor competence (MC) is defined as the ability to perform a wide range of motor skills with proficiency and control. The present quasi-experimental study design examines the impact of two structured intervention programs on MC in children who practiced athletics at [...] Read more.
Background: Motor competence (MC) is defined as the ability to perform a wide range of motor skills with proficiency and control. The present quasi-experimental study design examines the impact of two structured intervention programs on MC in children who practiced athletics at the same club, aged 6 to 10 years, implemented over 12 weeks. Methods: The sample consisted of 64 children, assigned to two intervention groups: Intervention Group A (IG_A) composed of 15 male and 17 female children (9.57 ± 0.86 years) and Intervention Group B (IG_B), of 14 male and 18 female children (9.08 ± 1.33 years). IG_A received athletics-based training exclusively, three times per week, while IG_B undertook two weekly athletics sessions and one complementary activity session, such as handball, gymnastics, swimming, and motor games. MC was assessed using the modified Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK3+). The KTK3+ consists of three original KTK tasks, [Backward Balance (BB), Sideways Moving (MS), and Jumping Sideways (JS)] and an additional Eye–Hand Coordination (EHC) task. For statistical analysis, ANOVA repeated measures 2 × 2 was used. Results: In relation to JS, the performance on this test did not change with the intervention programs in either of the two groups. For BB and MS, both groups improved their performances in a similar way through the program implementation. Differently, for EHC, results showed that only IG_B improved its performance significantly (p < 0.001) with the program’s intervention, with a large Cohen’s d effect size (0.84). Finally, as a general analysis, the KTK3+ raw results (RS) and results translated to Global Motor Quotient (GQM), revealed significant differences between IG_A and IG_B post-intervention, with p < 0.001 for both variables’ comparison and with large Cohen’s d effect sizes for both (1.581 for RS and 1.595 for GQM), favoring IG_B. Conclusions: Both programs led to improvements in the various KTK3+ battery tasks. However, only the program that combined athletics training with multiactivity training led to significant improvements in the EHC test and in the overall KTK3+ results of the children involved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition)
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15 pages, 937 KB  
Article
Kinematic Comparison of Different Types of Start Technique in Bi-Finswimming
by Gregory Kalaitzoglidis, Konstantinos Papadimitriou, Ioannis Kostoulas, Anastasios Papadopoulos and George Tsalis
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(4), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040384 - 2 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to experimentally investigate the biomechanical and performance differences between the grab start (GS) and the kick start (KS) with each leg on the kickplate (KSR, KSL) in Bi-Finswimming (BFS). It focused on the effect of foot placement on the [...] Read more.
Objective: This study aimed to experimentally investigate the biomechanical and performance differences between the grab start (GS) and the kick start (KS) with each leg on the kickplate (KSR, KSL) in Bi-Finswimming (BFS). It focused on the effect of foot placement on the starting block, equipped with an adjustable, inclined rear kickplate (Omega, OSB11), to determine potential performance advantages and contribute evidence-based recommendations for optimizing start techniques in competitive BFS. Methods: Thirteen national-level finswimmers (seven males, six females; age: 17.7 ± 2.1 years) voluntarily participated. Each athlete performed two trials of three start techniques (GS, KSR, KSL) over three days in a randomized order. Four synchronized cameras recorded video data. Performance metrics (time to 5 m (T5), 15 m (T15), 25 m (T25), reaction time, block time (BT), flight time (FT), and entry characteristics) along with joint angles (hip, knee, ankle), were analyzed using Kinovea software (v. 2024.1). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (start type × gender) was conducted to analyze performance metrics, and a paired-sample t-test assessed differences in joint angles. Also, correlations between dependent (type of start) and independent variables (start-examined variables) were examined through bivariate Pearson’s r analysis. Results: No significant gender differences were found (p > 0.05). Significant differences emerged between the starting techniques, with KS showing faster T5, T15, and T25 (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.6; p < 0.001, η2p = 0.5; p < 0.05, η2p = 0.3, respectively). BT was significantly longer in GS compared to KS (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.8), while FT was shorter in GS (p = 0.002, η2p = 0.4). Faster T5, T15, and T25 were associated with increased flight distance and longer FT in KSL. Conclusions: The kick start generally outperforms the grab start, especially in block time, in Bi-Finswimming. These preliminary results suggest that it could be considered for future discussion regarding potential legalization by the World Underwater Federation, pending further research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency in Kinesiology: Innovative Approaches in Enhancing Motor Skills for Athletic Performance, 4th Edition)
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