Okba Selmi

This pilot randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a 12-week Zumba training program on estimated aerobic capacity in overweight/obese postmenopausal women, while hematological and inflammatory outcomes were explored. Thirty overweight/obese postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to a Zumba group (ZG, n = 15) or a control group (CG, n = 15). Eight participants withdrew, and 22 completers (11/group) completed the study and were included in the per-protocol analysis. The ZG completed supervised 60 min sessions three times weekly for 12 weeks, whereas the CG maintained its usual lifestyle habits. Estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), maximal aerobic speed (MAS), hematological parameters, and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed before and after the intervention. Intervention effects were assessed using baseline-adjusted analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Estimated VO₂max was higher in the ZG than CG at follow-up (adjusted difference: 3.59 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹; partial eta squared (ηp²) = 0.683). Exploratory differences were observed for mean platelet volume (0.701 fL; ηp² = 0.400) and neutrophils (0.961 × 10³/μL; ηp² = 0.287), whereas no clear effects were identified for other hematological outcomes. Neither C-reactive protein nor erythrocyte sedimentation rate showed a clear effect. Zumba may improve estimated aerobic capacity, while the hematological findings remain exploratory and hypothesis-generating.

Soccer is one of the most popular and physically demanding sports worldwide, characterized by its high-intensity and intermittent nature (Riboli et al., 2025). The game, played by two teams of 11 p...

Traditional deadlift guidelines prioritize maintaining a neutral spine to prevent low back injuries. However, recent evidence questions whether moderate spinal flexion under load is inherently harmful, especially among trained individuals. This article proposes a modern, multifactorial framework for deadlift-related injury prevention that moves beyond rigid postural prescriptions. It integrates biomechanical evidence, load management strategies, movement variability principles, and dynamic trunk control. This narrative review synthesizes literature identified through structured searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, prioritizing peer-reviewed studies examining spinal biomechanics, load management, motor control, and injury epidemiology. Evidence suggests that trained lifters often exhibit natural lumbar flexion without clear prospective evidence of increased injury risk. Abrupt increases in training load appear to be consistently associated with elevated injury incidence, although relationships remain probabilistic and context-dependent. While technical factors, including spinal posture, may influence local tissue loading, current evidence suggests that rapid changes in training exposure and cumulative load management appear to be more consistent predictors of injury risk than isolated deviations from an externally defined “neutral” alignment. Movement variability appears protective, and dynamic trunk control is more functionally relevant than static core strength. A paradigm shift is needed in how deadlifts are coached and programmed. Injury prevention should emphasize progressive loading, adaptive movement strategies, and dynamic stability, rather than rigid technique enforcement. Rather than systematically appraising all available evidence, this review offers an interpretative synthesis to guide modern, evidence-informed coaching and rehabilitation practice.

Understanding the long-term effectiveness of warm-up strategies is essential for enhancing neuromuscular performance in youth soccer players. This study examined the long-term effects of integrating squat exercises into the final phase of the warm-up over nine weeks on sprint, jump, change-of-direction (COD), and aerobic performance in youth soccer players. Twenty-four male U17 players were randomly assigned to either a squat-based warm-up (experimental group [EG]) or a rondo-based warm-up (control group [CG]). The EG trained twice weekly using 3–4 sets of 4–12 repetitions at progressively increasing intensities (50–85% of 1-RM). Performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using 10 and 30 m sprint, squat jump (SJ), countermovement (CMJ), standing long jump (SLJ), 5-jump (5JT), T-half (COD), and VAMEVAL tests. The EG showed small to large significant gains in sprint (10 m: −2.21%, Cohen’s d [d] = 1; 30 m: −1.6%, d = 0.58), jumping (SJ: +9.29%, d = 1.23; CMJ: +12.08%, d = 1.83; SLJ: +7.14%, d = 0.8; 5JT: +2.33%, d = 0.32), and COD (−1.41%, d = 0.32), while aerobic endurance showed no significant change (p > 0.05). The CG showed no significant improvements (p > 0.05). Overall, integrating brief, progressive squat exercises at the end of warm-ups twice weekly led to chronic improvements in explosive neuromuscular performance, with minimal impact on aerobic endurance.

Youth soccer requires an integrated approach combining technical–tactical, physical, and psychological components to enhance performance and long-term engagement. Although Repeated Linear Sprint Training (LRST) and Repeated Change of Direction Speed (RCOD) training are widely used to improve fitness, direct comparisons of their effects on physical performance and perceptual responses in adolescent players remain limited. This study compared the effects of an 8-week LRST versus RCOD training program on physical performance, perceived exertion, and enjoyment in youth soccer players. Twenty-six male players were randomly assigned to an LRST group (n = 13) or an RCOD group (n = 13). Both groups completed two weekly sessions of their assigned training in addition to regular soccer practice. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included acceleration and sprint speed, change-of-direction (COD) performance (T-Half Test [THT], Illinois Agility Test [IAT]), lower-limb power (Five-Jump Test [5JT], Squat Jump [SJ], Countermovement Jump [CMJ]), and endurance-intensive fitness. Enjoyment and session-RPE were recorded after each training session. Both groups improved across all physical measures (main effect of time, p < 0.0001). Significant time × group interactions favored RCOD for THT (~1.6%), IAT (~1.1%), 5JT (~2.3%), CMJ (~5.2%), and SJ (~6.3%), with no overall main effect of group. Enjoyment was consistently higher in the RCOD group (p < 0.0001), while session-RPE did not differ between groups. In youth soccer, both LRST and RCOD effectively enhance physical performance. However, RCOD appears more effective for improving pre-planned COD and explosive performance while eliciting greater enjoyment without increasing perceived exertion. Incorporating structured RCOD training alongside linear sprint work may represent a practical strategy to optimize physical development and sustain player engagement.

This study investigated how adding squat exercises to the end of warm-ups affects sprinting, jumping, agility, and aerobic fitness in youth soccer players. Twenty-four male U17 players were split into two groups: one performed squats (experimental) and the other did rondo drills (control) for nine weeks. The squat group trained twice a week, doing 3–4 sets of 4–12 reps at increasing intensity (50–85% of 1-RM). After the intervention, the squat group showed significant gains in sprint speed (10 m: –3.8%; 30 m: –2.7%), jumping power (SJ: +6.8%; CMJ: +7.2%; SLJ: +3.8%; 5JT: +3.6%), and agility (–2.8%), while aerobic capacity changed little (+3.4%). The control group showed no improvement. Overall, integrating brief, progressive squat exercises at the end of warm-ups twice weekly led to clear improvements in explosive and agility performance, with minimal effect on endurance.

Introduction: Cross-validity and cultural testing are crucial in ensuring the validity of psychological assessments, as language and cultural context can significantly influence the interpretation of test items and their outcomes. An estimated 400 million people speak Arabic with very little research specific on that population. Emotions are a cultural universal. Aim: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Emotional Intelligence Scale (A-EIS) in Tunisian physical education and sport students, focusing on its latent structure, measurement invariance across gender and sport type, and reliability. Methods: Two samples of volunteer physical education and sport students (males, n= 369 and females, n= 282; Age range: 21.111.53 years and training experience: 7.184.18 years) completed the A-EIS. Translation involved forward-backward methods and a pilot study (n=35). Results: Exploratory factor analysis (n= 223, 34.25%) identified a five-factor model: appraisal of others’ emotions, appraisal of own emotions, regulation, social skills, and utilization of emotions. Confirmatory factor analysis (n= 428, 65.13%) confirmed the model’s fit (CFI= 0.98; TLI = 0.98; GFI = 0.97; RMSEA= 0.029). The structure showed measurement invariance across gender and sport type. Cronbach’s alpha exceeded 0.70, indicating good reliability. Invariance analysis results indicate that gender has no main effect on any of the variables. Conclusions: The A-EIS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing emotional intelligence in Arabic-speaking physical education and sport students.

This investigation aimed to examine the effect of verbal encouragement teacher to student (VETS) versus verbal encouragement student to student (VESS) on physical performance and affective responses during different modalities of sprint tests in active male students. In a randomized crossover design, twenty-two male sport science students (age: 21 ± 1.2 years, body height: 1.77 ± 0.3 m, body mass: 76.6 ± 2.1 kg, BMI: 22.9 ± 1.3 kg·m⁻²) performed linear and change-of-direction sprint tests under one of three conditions: (1) VETS; (2) VETS; (3) no verbal encouragement. In each condition, participants performed the 20 m sprint test, the 10 × 2 sprint test, and the L sprint test. The assessed parameters comprised physical performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and a feeling scale. Post hoc test analysis indicates a significant increase in physical performance during VETS and VESS conditions compared to the control condition due to a decrease in sprint in line 20 m (VETS: p < 0.001, d = 0.55; VESS: p = 0.016, d = 0.41), sprint 10*2 (VETS: p < 0.001, d = 0.64; VESS: p = 0.05, d = 0.36), and sprint L (VETS: p = 0.001, d = 1.19) times compared to the control condition. Moreover, the feeling score was greater after VETS compared to other conditions (p = [<0.001–0.001], d = [0.77–1.18]). In addition, the RPE had no effect on sprint performance between the different conditions. It is indicated that VETS, rather than VESS, is a more significant and effective way to increase effort intensity and positive feelings during sprinting modalities.