Modern Sport

Physical fitness is an essential component of health and plays an important role in the performance of female students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women. Muscular strength is one of the key components necessary to meet the physical requirements of practical classes. In the absence of sufficient physical fitness, students may not be able to perform or master the basic skills of various sports activities. Physical fitness is closely connected with the proper functioning of the nervous and muscular systems. Hence, this study aimed to examine the effect of wall-based Pilates exercises on core muscle strength among first-year female students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women, University of Baghdad. An experimental design was used in this study. The sample consisted of 40 students who were divided into two equal groups. The experimental group performed wall-based Pilates exercises for a period of 10 weeks, while the control group used traditional Pilates exercises. Post-test comparisons of the mean scores showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in core muscle strength tests (push-up, squat, and sit-up). The experimental group, which performed wall-based Pilates exercises, achieved mean scores of 25.9, 29, and 29.2, respectively. In contrast, the control group recorded lower mean scores of 19.1, 24, and 24.25. The calculated t-values were 12.52, 3.66, and 6.19, respectively. All differences were statistically significant at p <.05 in favor of the experimental group, indicating that wall-based Pilates exercises were more effective than traditional Pilates exercises. The study recommends adopting these exercises due to their effectiveness and safety without requiring expensive equipment while supporting Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

The present study used a survey research design to collect data from 240 Iraqi women regarding their attitudes toward social media that have been presented physical exercise and fitness content, the duration and intensity of training woman did per week, and to predict body mass index based on the level of psychological attitudes they have. Descriptive statistics revealed that the majority of the sample have moderate attitudes toward physical exercise and fitness platforms. The intensity and duration of physical exercise have not met the standard recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which emphasizes 150–300 minutes per week at moderate to vigorous intensity. Further, Iraqi women have five levels of attitudes toward physical exercise and fitness content on social platforms (very low, low, moderate, high, and very high). A very high level of women's attitudes toward social media predicts BMI (β = –.35, p < .05). Besides, a high percentage of women are overweight and obese (37%, 22.10) consecutively, Based on indicators of body mass index. In light of these findings, the study recommended establish local platforms, deliver information about exercise and fitness in the Arabic language, aiming to provide women with essential knowledge and experience about equation of calories expenditure, and guide them to select the duration and intensity that appropriate her goals. in addition study the women attitudes to doing physical exercise in gym in or at home according to digit platform is priority to boost women's' calories expenditure, and their maintain health and fitness

As basketball has evolved and the intensity of competition has increased, it has become essential to explore the determinants of shooting accuracy by using scientifically rigorous methodology that is consistent with the demands of the athletic event and its central role in determining the result of matches. The aim of the research was to identify the muscular capacities of the arms and legs and selected biokinematic variables in the preparatory phase of actual performance among the research sample, as well as the accuracy of set shooting and layup shooting in basketball. The descriptive method was employed on a purposively selected sample consisting of (10) third-year female students from the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women. The results showed that the arithmetic mean of the muscular capacity of the arms was 6.340, with a standard deviation of 0.550. The mean score for set shooting accuracy was 4.60, with a standard deviation of 1.647. The correlation coefficient was 0.550, indicating a moderate positive association between arm muscular capacity and shooting accuracy. This finding underscores the importance of physical capacity in improving basketball performance. The researchers proposed several recommendations, including: The necessity of focusing on developing the muscular strength of the arms and legs within practical basketball lessons through exercises appropriate to the level of third-year female students. Emphasizing the incorporation of simplified biomechanical analysis in teaching and training by guiding students toward correct joint positions during the performance of shooting skills.

The physical requirements of football referees are quite obstructive because of sport characteristics, as they are associated with switches of sprints, jogging, and sharp turns. This in turn requires high levels of aerobic and anaerobic endurance, speed and agility. The research problem is since there is no specific physical conditioning program corresponding to the Asian test protocol, which is rather new and has not been adopted by the Iraqi Football Association, yet. Most referees nowadays are trained during the season according to the demands of older assessment. The current research aims at designing a specific training program and assessing its ability to improve physical performance on a case-by-case basis using specific exercises, by using the Asian test standards to track down the progress of second division (field) referees working in the Premier League. The single-group experimental design was chosen, and it was suitable in the context of the research. A population of 15 first-class referees in the Baghdad Governorate was used as the sample, which is 50 percent of the population. The tests were conducted at the stadiums of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Baghdad. The analysis showed that there was a dramatic increase in scores after the test when compared to the scores before the test, which was based on the implemented methodology. In this regard, the authors suggest that to select referees to the Asian Academy, focus should be placed on the unique physical requirements of referees during a competitive match to prevent physical stress by eliminating classical training and traditional tests.

The importance of this study lies in the impact of special exercises that aim at developing some physical features of 100 m frame running (T72) sprinters of disabilities. The observation of the researchers in the field and their follow up of the training units of this sample have revealed a weakness in the development of strength endurance and flexibility that have direct influence on the activity level of 100 m sprinters. The researchers designed special exercises by using a manufactured bicycle for 100 m frame running (T72) sprinters of disabilities which contributed to the enhancement of the reality of physical training for persons with disabilities, hence; the achievement of the best competitive levels. The researchers used the experimental methodology to design the pre-test and post-test group to match the nature of the study. They used a vertical selection process to select the group from the players of the national team in the Iraqi Federation of the Paralympic Athletics. Three 100 m frame running (T72) sprinters of disabilities were selected to represent a (100%) of the original community. The results showed that the calculated t-value for the flexibility test (4.892) was statistically significant at the 0.05 level with 2 degrees of freedom. Similarly, the calculated t-value for the arm muscular endurance test (5.751) was also statistically significant at the same level. The findings also indicated that the specialized training had a positive effect on developing muscular endurance in the 100 m Frame Running event. Moreover, there were significant differences in the study variables between the pre- and post-tests of the experimental group, and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

Wheelchair tennis requires high physical effort becasue the players depend on arms and shoulders to move the wheelchair and perform the strikes continuously. Such effort needs muscular endurance to keep Performance level in the match. The muscles of the shoulder and elbow play a pivotal role in producing the force necessary for skill performance, which indicates the need for a standardized scientific test. Literature reveals a lack of a test to measure muscular endurance of wheelchair tennis players in particular; which is why the current study aimed at building a special test for muscular endurance of arms and shoulders with standardized levels for this category of players. The researcehrs used a survey-based descriptive methodology. The research population consisted of (45) Wheelchair tennis players under the age of 19 for the sports season (2024–2025). The concept of muscular endurance was analyzed, the test objective was identified, and it was constructed in its initial form, then it was applied to the research sample, leading to the final version of the test. After the statistical analysis, the results revealed that the highest percentage was at the (average) level (52.5%), followed by the (acceptable) level (30%), while the higher levels (good, very good) recorded low percentages. In light of these results, the study concluded that the designed test effectively measured its intended purpose. There is a concentration of average and acceptable levels compared to weaker performance at higher levels, which means a decrease in the repetitions achieved by the players. Therefore, the researchers recommended adopting the designed test as an objective scientific tool for assessing the muscular endurance of the arms and shoulders of wheelchair tennis players, and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

This study aims to identify the level of self-satisfaction among female students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women at the University of Baghdad. It also seeks to examine their level of psychological motivation and their attitudes toward academic achievement. In addition, the research explores differences in self-satisfaction, psychological motivation, and attitudes toward academic achievement among the participants according to their academic stage (second and fourth year).

The research population consisted of female students from the College, specifically from the second and fourth stages. The sample included 100 students, with 50 students from the fourth stage and 50 students from the second stage. The researchers adopted a descriptive correlational approach and utilized three measurement scales: self-satisfaction, psychological motivation, and attitudes toward academic achievement.

The findings revealed that the correlation coefficient between psychological motivation and self-satisfaction was moderate (0.45). This indicates that as students feel more satisfied with themselves, their internal desire to achieve increases, since self-confidence often translates into motivation that drives persistence and effort. Meanwhile, the relationship between attitudes toward academic achievement and self-satisfaction was relatively weaker (0.38), yet still significant. The results also showed that psychological motivation plays a key role in shaping positive attitudes toward learning and success.

Since all correlation values exceeded the tabulated value (0.195), the relationships are statistically significant rather than coincidental. Overall, the study concluded that female students demonstrate a moderate level of self-satisfaction, with a positive correlation between self-satisfaction and psychological motivation.

This study aims to determine the impact of incorporating integrated exercises on improving passing and receiving skills among young soccer players, given their critical importance to technical and tactical performance during a match. The researcher adopted an experimental approach with a single-sample experimental design using two measures (pre-test and post-test), with the study sample consisting of 8 young soccer players. A proposed training program utilizing integrated exercises was implemented over an 8-week period, consisting of 3 training sessions per week. The training sessions integrated technical, physical, and tactical aspects in game-simulated situations. A number of tests were used to assess passing and receiving skills, such as the test of passing toward specific targets and the test of rapid repeated passing. The research findings revealed statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-tests in favor of the post-test in all passing and receiving tests, with the calculated t-value ranging from 5.137 to 8.775) and the foot reception test, where the calculated t-value ranged from (4.151 to 6.382) with significance levels of (0.000, 0.000, 0.001), respectively. This indicates the significance of these differences and the effectiveness of the exercises in developing soccer skills. Passing accuracy and speed increased, as did the quality of ball reception and control, particularly under challenging conditions. The researchers concluded that integrated exercises are considered an effective method for improving skill performance among youth soccer players and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

The study aimed to develop instructional units based on the Krubly model and to examine their impact on the development of complex thinking and the performance of serving and spiking skills in female volleyball players. The research hypothesizes that there are statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-test results of the experimental and control groups, in favor of the experimental group, in terms of complex thinking and performance in the skills of setting and spiking in volleyball among female students. The researchers employed an experimental approach on a sample of 25 female students. They administered tests of setting and spike skills in volleyball, distributed the complex thinking test, and then compiled and statistically analyzed the results. Based on the results, the researchers reached the following key conclusions: The instructional units designed according to the Krubly model and based on complex thinking proved effective in improving the students' performance in setting and spiking skills in volleyball. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the superiority of the experimental group (Krupeli model) over the control group in the post-tests, where the experimental group achieved an arithmetic mean of (130.84) for the ``complex thinking'' variable, compared to (125.33) for the control group, with a t-value of (1.746). The greatest superiority was also evident in the ``multiplication'' skill, with an arithmetic mean of 17.769 for the experimental group compared to 14.750 for the control group, with a highly significant t-value of 4.306 at a significance level of 0.00, confirming the effectiveness of the educational program in achieving the goal of quality education.

Football is a high-intensity competitive sport, and it often leads to the appearance of different manifestations of aggressive behavior in the green rectangle. In order to address this phenomenon, the present study aims to assess the level of aggressive behavior among the players of the Iraqi league clubs for the 2023–2024 season, and to analyze the correlation of these behaviors with the results achieved by those clubs. The study adopted a descriptive method to adapt it to the nature of the research. The sample included (400) players randomly selected from among (20) clubs, representing (57%) of the total perceived population. To collect data, the Aggressive Behavior Scale (SPSS) was used, where a statistical analysis of (378) valid models was performed through the SPSS program. Statistical processing showed that there were statistically significant differences between clubs in dimensions (attack, verbal aggression, and rejection), where the calculated values of (F) were (5.722, 6.417, and 5.742), respectively. These differences were found to be tilted in favor of the clubs that were at the bottom of the league standings (i.e., those that scored higher levels of aggression). On the other hand, the results showed no statistically significant differences in dimensions (suspicion, speed of excitement, and indirect aggression). The discussion concluded that the players of the top clubs had high levels of technique and maximum psychological strength, allowing them to control emotions and reduce aggressive behavior compared to defensive teams. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between aggressive behavior and the club's rating and results.

The aim of the research was to identify the effect of the blended learning method on some motor and skill variables in volleyball among female students. The researchers followed the experimental method with a design of two equivalent groups. The research sample consisted of second-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Babylon, totaling 28 students, equally divided into a control group and an experimental group. Considering the research results, the researchers concluded that the experimental group showed a clear superiority in post-measurements over the control group in some motor and skill variables in volleyball. The calculated (t) values of (8.58, 8.75, 9.14, 11.05) were greater than the tabulated value of (2.05) at a significance level of (0.05) and under degrees of freedom (26). Among the most important recommendations is the organization of joint educational units (male and female students) to learn volleyball skills and team sports and to improve motor variables among female students and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

Modern sports increasingly recognize psychological factors alongside physical performance. In gymnastics, emotional stability is critical, particularly for high-flying skills that involve significant heights, aerial spins, and precise landings. These demands make gymnasts vulnerable to fear, separation anxiety, and loss of control during flight, leading to hesitation, reduced confidence, and technical errors. The study aims to develop a training program integrating yoga and mindfulness to reduce ground-separation anxiety and improve high-altitude skill performance. The research hypothesizes statistically significant differences between pre- and post-tests in both anxiety levels and skill performance, favoring the post-test. An experimental methodology was adopted, with a purposive sample of 25 junior gymnasts from Hilla Gymnastics Club — 20 for the main experiment and 5 for exploratory purposes. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in separation anxiety scores, dropping from a baseline mean of 54.30 at pretest to 41.85 at posttest, with a t-value of 8.96, which corresponds to a 22.9% decrease. Concurrently, performance accuracy was markedly enhanced, falling from 5.24 cm to 2.95 cm. The study concluded that yoga and mindfulness exercises effectively reduced separation anxiety among junior gymnasts, improved flight accuracy and balance, and enhanced landing quality. The research recommends incorporating yoga and mindfulness into daily training, regularly monitoring players' psychological well-being, training coaches in relaxation and mental focus techniques, and creating a safe training environment that builds performance confidence, and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

This research aims to determine the effect of skill exercises using equipment on some functional abilities and skill performance, specifically the handstand skill in artistic gymnastics for students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Diyala. The study also aimed to determine the effect of skill-based exercises using equipment on certain functional variables within the research sample. The researcher hypothesized that skill-based exercises using equipment have a statistically significant impact on some anaerobic functional abilities in learning the handstand gymnastics skill for students. The research population and sample consisted of (12) students representing the college's team, with the research sample limited to (9) of them. The researcher used the experimental method, as it was suitable for the nature of the research. Functional tests of the students' body systems and handstand gymnastics skills were used. The training sessions were conducted over two months, with three training sessions per week. By obtaining the research data through statistical analysis, the study concluded that the calculated t-value (6.821) was higher than the tabulated values (2.87), indicating statistically significant differences. The study concluded that there is an effective impact of equipment-based exercises on the students' anaerobic functional abilities and heart rate after physical exertion, and directly on the development of functional and physical abilities related to the handstand skill. These tools increase speed-strength in the arm and shoulder muscles, enhance dynamic balance, and improve neuromuscular coordination. They also help prepare the body to cope with a high center of gravity. The study recommended that using assistive exercises leads to improved physical abilities, increased ability to maintain balance in handstands, and better control of equilibrium through functional strength of the working muscles, and this achieves one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations in Iraq which is (Quality Education).

The research problem was identified through the researchers' observation of weak performance in the volleyball spike skill among second-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, despite their regular participation in practical volleyball sessions. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the effect of the TASC (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) model on learning the volleyball spike skill. This study is also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), which emphasizes ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. An experimental method was adopted using a two-group equivalent design (experimental and control groups) with pre-test and post-test measurements. The research population consisted of 252 students distributed across five academic sections, while the sample included 32 students randomly selected, representing 14.884% of the population and equally divided into two groups of 16 students each. The experimental group was taught using the TASC model, whereas the control group followed the traditional teaching method used by the instructor. The results showed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group, where the mean performance of the spike skill increased from 3.56 in the pre-test to 4.56 in the post-test with a calculated t-value of 7.3, while the post-test comparison between the two groups revealed a significant difference (t = 4.68) in favor of the experimental group, confirming the effectiveness of the TASC model in improving the learning of the volleyball spike skill The study highlights the effectiveness of the TASC model in improving the learning of the volleyball spike skill compared to the traditional teaching method, with an emphasis on achieving quality learning.

The double backflip is a complex gymnastics skill that requires the gymnast's muscles to overcome body weight and gravity, the primary resistances during execution on the floor exercise. Despite repeated training, many gymnasts struggle with balance and landing accuracy in front and backflips. This study aimed to analyze electromyography (EMG) signals and their relationship with physical and biomechanical variables during the take-off phase to improve double backflip performance. The research focused on the rectus anterior femoris and biceps brachii muscles, measuring EMG variables such as peak activity and area under the curve, alongside explosive power tests like the vertical jump and medicine ball throw. The performances of four young athletes were filmed at 30 frames per second and analyzed using Canova software. Key results showed that the rectus femoris muscle had an average peak EMG activity of 537.47 μV (± 70.83) and area under the curve of 44.20 μV· s (± 7.20). Explosive power from the vertical jump averaged 141.66 cm (± 15.38). The biceps brachii had a peak EMG activity of 385.63 μV (± 32.82), an area under the curve of 28.76 μV· s (± 5.50), and explosive power measured by a medicine ball throw of 166.66 cm (± 15.27). Biomechanical analysis recorded average joint angles during take-off of 159.2° (hip), 190.39° (knee), and 128.71° (ankle). Statistical analysis revealed very strong positive correlations between EMG variables and explosive power: the peak EMG of the rectus femoris correlated at r=0.989, and for the biceps brachii at r = 0.995. Strong correlations were also found between explosive power and joint angles, especially at the hip (r = 0.892). The study recommends that coaches emphasize developing these EMG activity variables in training programs to improve performance. This research contributes to scientifically grounded training methods and achieves one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in Iraq Quality Education.