Recent Trends in Sports

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effects of calisthenics training and weight training on beginners. Research suggests that both training methods are used to improve physical fitness, strength, endurance, and overall functional performance, but their impact on beginners varies depending on training structure, progression, and movement demands. The observations were conducted and the ratings in terms of the performance were developed in the form of 5-point scale. Therefore, both of them proved to be rather efficient in case of beginners.

Superstitious rituals repetitive, formalised behaviours that athletes believe influence the outcome of competition independent of their technical or physical preparation are a widely reported feature of competitive sport. This study examined whether the use of such rituals differs between two groups of university-level male sportspersons whose competitive demands differ in structure: footballers, who compete as part of an interacting team, and athletes (track and field), who compete largely as individuals. Sixty male sportspersons (30 footballers, 30 athletes) aged 18–25 years, drawn from Calicut University-affiliated colleges that had won medals at intercollegiate tournaments, completed the Superstitious Ritual Questionnaire (Bleak & Frederick, 1998), a 42-item, five-point Likert-type instrument spanning six subscales: Clothing and Appearance, Fetish, Pre-Game Activity, During-Game Activity, Team Rituals, and Coach. Independent-samples t-tests compared group means on each subscale and on the total score.

Traditional wrestling among the Poumai Nagas of Manipur represents an important component of indigenous sporting culture and serves as a significant expression of socio-cultural identity, spirituality, and community values. Beyond its function as a physical contest, wrestling is deeply embedded in the social and ritual life of the community and is closely associated with agricultural festivals, customary practices, and inter-village interactions. The present study aims to explore the socio-cultural and spiritual significance of traditional wrestling among the Poumai Nagas and to document its role in preserving indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage. The study employed an exploratory and ethnographic approach based on field observations, oral narratives, interviews with community elders, wrestlers, and local residents, supplemented by relevant secondary sources.

This study investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a co‑evaluator in physical education assessment, focusing on its reliability, validity, and potential to strengthen social support systems in higher education sport science. Drawing on recent scholarship that highlights both the promise and limitations of AI in educational contexts the research addresses a critical gap, while technology has been widely applied to individual performance monitoring, less attention has been given to its integration into socially embedded assessment frameworks.

This study was basically on the management of team work in a digital age for sports programme effectiveness in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised all 286 principals and 572 sports officials across the public senior secondary schools in the state. A sample size of 429 respondents was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data collection was executed using a structured, validated instrument titled Management of Teamwork in Digital Age Questionnaire (MTDAQ), which demonstrated a high reliability index of alpha = 0.84.

Judo is a dynamic martial art that involves throwing, grappling, and ground-fighting techniques, making safe falling skills an essential component of training. Among these skills, Ukemi, commonly known as falling techniques or breakfalls, plays a vital role in minimizing the risk of injuries during practice and competition. Beginner judo players are particularly vulnerable to injuries because they often lack proper body control, balance, coordination, and confidence while falling. As a result, improper falling can lead to injuries involving the head, neck, shoulders, wrists, elbows, hips, knees, and spine. Therefore, learning Ukemi at the initial stage of judo training is considered one of the most important aspects of athlete development.