Journal of Sports and Physical Activity (e-ISSN: 3109-5119) welcomes article submissions from researchers, academics, and practitioners around the world, focusing on innovative approaches to coaching athletes in different sports as well as advances in sports coaching methods, technology, and data analysis. Journal of Sports and Physical Activity published comprehensive research articles and reviews by leading experts in the field. Selected articles that demonstrate high scientific achievement, provide innovative knowledge, and offer significant benefits to the global sports coaching community, athletes, and society are prioritized for publication. Journal of Sports and Physical Activity was first published in 2025 and is published twice in year. Published articles are written in standard English, to ensure accessibility for international readers.
Effects of concurrent training on heart rate variability in sedentary and trained healthy young adults
Background: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been established as a reliable and useful indicator of autonomic regulation and the specific physiological responses of the body to physical exercise. Aims The objective of this pilot study was to describe the specific differences in HRV responses between trained and sedentary healthy young adults before and after a concurrent training session. Methods The researchers employed a quasi-experimental design with descriptive analysis involving four participants categorized by their training status. HRV data was recorded at rest through photoplethysmography, while the concurrent training protocol integrated both resistance and endurance exercises with intensity monitored via the rating of perceived exertion scale. Results The findings indicated that trained participants possessed higher baseline HRV values and experienced a smaller decrease in HRV following exercise compared to the sedentary group. Furthermore, the trained individuals demonstrated an apparently faster recovery rate after the training session was completed. Conclusion The study suggests that prior training status may significantly influence the acute autonomic response to concurrent training. However, due to the small sample size and descriptive nature of the study, these results are considered preliminary and should be interpreted with caution, highlighting the need for future research with larger samples to confirm these patterns.
Copyright (c) 2026 David Cobos-Valiente, Gemma María Sánchez-Bernal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Fitness trends in Puerto Vallarta and Bahia of Banderas, Mexico: A prospective study toward 2026
Background: Research on fitness sector trends represents a strategic resource for understanding changes in physical conditioning practices and emerging social demands related to health and well-being. This study extends the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends by integrating a regional longitudinal framework within a tourism-based metropolitan economy, an approach that remains underexplored in Latin American contexts. Aims: To identify and compare the main fitness trends projected for 2026 in the Puerto Vallarta–Bahía de Banderas region, examining their evolution over time and their alignment with national fitness trends in Mexico. Methods: A descriptive, comparative, and longitudinal design was employed using an adapted version of the ACSM Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. Data were collected through a digital questionnaire administered to fitness and health professionals via a non-probabilistic snowball sampling strategy between April and May 2025. The final sample consisted of 218 professionals working in the study region. Results: Exercise for body weight control, traditional strength training, and commercial or multi-purpose gyms emerged as the leading trends for 2026. Additionally, priorities related to mental health, youth sports development, and service digitalization gained prominence. Approximately 60% of the locally projected fitness trends coincide with national trends in Mexico, although differences in hierarchical positioning reflect the region's contextual specificities. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate a diversification of the regional fitness sector that combines consolidated practices with emerging social and technological demands. Academically, the study contributes a localized longitudinal perspective to the global fitness trends literature, while practically informing professional training, business strategies, and public health–oriented decision-making in tourism-driven urban regions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Paola Cortes Almanzar, Araceli Anayanzi Valencia Sandoval, Jorge López-Haro, Adrian Ricardo Pelayo Zavalza, Lino Francisco Jacobo Gómez Chávez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A cross-sectional analysis of women’s sports perceptions and athletic engagement
Background: Perceptions of women’s participation in sport may shape how strongly students engage in athletic activities, yet evidence from Philippine higher education settings remains limited. Aims: To examine the association between female students’ perceptions of women’s sports participation (PWSPI) and overall athletic engagement (AE) and its dimensions in confidence (AEC), dedication (AED), enthusiasm (AEE), and vigor (AEV). Methods: A quantitative, cross‑sectional correlational survey was administered to N = 293 female students enrolled in PATHFIT service Physical Education courses across multiple Higher Education Institutions in Mindanao, Philippines. Perceptions were assessed using the Perception of Women’s Sports Participation Inventory (PWSPI) and engagement with the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ). Given Likert‑type responses and non‑normal distributions, Spearman rank‑order correlations (two‑tailed α = .05) with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals were used to quantify associations. Result: PWSPI was positively and significantly associated with overall athletic engagement (ρ = .169, p = .004, 95% CI [.055, .278]). At the subscale level, dedication (AED), enthusiasm (AEE), and vigor (AEV) each showed small, significant positive associations with PWSPI, whereas confidence (AEC) did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Perceptions of women’s sports participation are associated with modestly higher athletic engagement, particularly in motivational and energetic facets (dedication, enthusiasm, vigor). Cultivating gender‑affirming climates while embedding targeted efficacy‑building strategies (e.g., mastery experiences and feedback) may help translate supportive perceptions into stronger confidence and sustained participation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jay Carlo Bagayas, Leonard John Carrillo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Achievement motivation and e-learning engagement among physical education students: A correlational study in Algeria
Background: Achievement motivation plays a crucial role in shaping students’ engagement and effectiveness in e-learning environments, particularly in higher education settings focused on physical and sports sciences. Aims: This study investigated the relationship between achievement motivation and e-learning among students at the Institute of Physical and Sports Activities Sciences and Technologies at Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla, Algeria. Methods: A correlational, descriptive approach was adopted using a random sample of 35 students from the soccer and volleyball specializations. A questionnaire including an achievement motivation scale (23 items) and an e-learning scale (27 items) was used. Result: Results revealed high levels of achievement motivation (M = 3.41, SD = 0.70) and e-learning (M = 3.45, SD = 0.76) among participants. The study found a very strong, statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.90, p < 0.05) between the two variables, with a coefficient of determination of 0.81, indicating that 81% of the variance in e-learning can be explained by achievement motivation. Conclusion: The study recommends enhancing motivational strategies in e-learning environments, improving technological infrastructure, and supporting students' self-regulated learning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kenioua Mouloud, Ben Daken Ahmed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Living heritage under threat: Structural determinants of traditional game decline and preservation in the Tribal Districts of Maharashtra, India
Background: Traditional games among Maharashtra's tribal communities represent an important form of intangible cultural heritage, preserving embodied knowledge, social values, and collective memory. However, youth participation has declined dramatically from approximately 67% in the early 1990s to 18.3% today, posing a serious threat to the continuity and preservation of this cultural heritage. Aim: To investigate the factors influencing youth participation in traditional tribal games in Maharashtra and to explore the challenges and opportunities related to the transmission and preservation of this intangible cultural heritage. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through surveys involving 480 respondents from six tribal-majority districts in Maharashtra (Nashik, Nandurbar, Amravati, Gadchiroli, Thane, and Palghar). Qualitative data were gathered through 36 in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify predictors of youth participation, while thematic analysis was conducted to explore underlying themes. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that school curriculum integration (β = .381), community festival frequency (β = .298), and digital technology use (β = −.241) were significant predictors of youth participation (R² = .465, p < .001). Qualitative analysis identified five key themes: structural displacement, institutional marginalization, a gendered knowledge crisis, community resilience factors, and conditional youth receptivity. The findings also showed that older women possess the highest levels of traditional game knowledge but face challenges in transmitting it due to disrupted female-specific transmission pathways resulting from urban migration. Conclusion: The study suggests that traditional game preservation should move beyond UNESCO's documentation-focused framework toward an approach that emphasizes community agency and living heritage ecosystems. To support sustainable preservation, the study recommends integrating traditional games into school curricula, revising eligibility criteria for heritage programs, and implementing gender-inclusive preservation strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ashish Govindrao Barde, Assia Aboubakar Mahamat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0