Benjamin Naku1, Migena Plasa2
1Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University “L. Gurakuqi”, Shkoder, Albania
2Department of Sports Performance, Scientific Research Institute of Sports, University of Sports of Tirana, Albania
ORCID IDs: 20009-0007-1453-925X
Corresponding Author: Migena Plasa E-mail: mplasa@ust.edu.al
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https://doi.org/10.63711/ijdr.net20250408
ABSTRACT
Gymnastics training may be beneficial for improving selected aspects of physical function in children over a relatively short period of time. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a basic gymnastics training program, conducted for one hour per week over ten weeks, on several physical function variables in boys aged 6–8 years from the city of Shkoder, Albania. A total of twelve male children participating in gymnastics were assessed before and after the ten-week training program. The intervention focused on fundamental movement patterns, including landing, static control, and jumping. Physical function was evaluated using standardized tests of abdominal strength, flexibility, balance, sprint speed, coordination, and lower limb power. Post-intervention results demonstrated improvements in several physical function components. Notable increases were observed in abdominal strength (30-s sit-up test; +16%), flexibility of the waist and thigh muscles (sit-and-reach test; +5.4%), and lower limb power (vertical jump test; +3.6%). Smaller improvements were observed in sprint speed and coordination, while balance performance showed high variability. The findings suggest that a short-term gymnastics training program may represent a potentially effective approach for enhancing selected components of physical function in boys aged 6–8 years. The exploratory age-specific normative range tables derived from baseline testing may be useful to practitioners conducting similar physical function assessments in young children.
Keywords: Gymnastics, Physical fitness, Motor development, Children aged 6–8 years, Physical education.
Research Area: Sports Science, Child Motor Development, Physical Education
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This article is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
