Effects of Neuroathletic Training on Judokas' Physical, Cognitive, and Performance Abilities

Official title

Examining the Effects of a Neuroathletic Training Program on the Physical, Cognitive, and Performance Abilities of Judokas

Overview

The primary objective of this project is to comprehensively investigate the effects of the Neuroathletic Training (NAT) approach, integrated into the routine training program, on the physical fitness, cognitive skills, and sports performance of judokas aged 10 to 18 years. This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial involving 40 judokas randomly assigned to either the NAT group or the control group. The NAT program, implemented over eight weeks, includes exercises targeting visual-motor coordination, reaction time, balance, and proprioception. Outcome measures such as reaction time, agility, balance, flexibility, proprioception, attention, grip strength, and judo-specific physical fitness will be assessed using a pre-test and post-test design. The results are expected to contribute to the development of a novel training model aimed at enhancing judo performance and to provide original insights into the effects of neuroathletic training in sports sciences. Additionally, the NAT protocol aims to improve not only physical fitness parameters but also cognitive domains such as mental flexibility, decision-making speed, and concentration by enhancing neuromotor control parameters including balance, coordination, reaction time, and attention.

Detailed description

This study is a randomized controlled experimental design to be conducted on athletes aged 10 to 18 who regularly train in judo at the Iğdır Provincial Directorate of Youth Services and Sports. A total of 40 judokas will be homogeneously assigned to intervention and control groups using stratified randomization, and demographic data such as age, gender, height, weight, judo experience, and dominant side will be recorded.

The intervention group will undergo a neuroathletic training (NAT) protocol three times a week for eight weeks, while the control group will continue only with routine judo training. The NAT program consists of exercises aimed at improving visual-motor coordination, reaction time, balance, and proprioception, integrated with judo techniques to enhance motor outputs. The duration and number of sets of exercises will gradually increase over the weeks, with each session covering 6 to 8 different cognitive and neuromotor skills.

Pre-test and post-test measurements will be conducted using a comprehensive set of tools, including Judogi Isometric and Dynamic Barfiks Tests to assess judo-specific endurance and upper extremity strength, the Central Nervous System Vital Signs (CNSVS) computerized neuropsychological test battery to evaluate cognitive functions, the Sit and Reach Test for flexibility, hand dynamometer for grip strength, Single-Leg Stance Test for static balance, Y Balance Test for dynamic balance, Illinois Agility Test for rapid direction change and agility, Light Trainer system to measure reaction time, hand-eye and foot-eye coordination and reactive agility, and shoulder joint position sense assessment for proprioception. All assessments will be performed in a double-blind manner by two physiotherapists with five years of experience. The collected data will be anonymized and analyzed by an independent statistician who is blinded to group allocation.

Statistical analyses will be performed using SPSS 25.0 software; data distribution will be evaluated with the Shapiro-Wilk test. Paired and independent samples t-tests will be applied for normally distributed variables, while Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests will be used for non-normally distributed data. The significance level will be set at p \< 0.05, and effect sizes will be calculated to assess the strength of the findings.

This study aims to comprehensively investigate whether neuroathletic training is effective in improving both the physical and cognitive performance of young judokas. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of training programs tailored to the developmental needs of children and youth athletes, as well as to enhance performance and reduce injury risk in complex sports such as judo.

Furthermore, this study is conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Necmiye Ün Yıldırım, the thesis supervisor, and assisted by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağlar Soylu, both affiliated with the University of Health Sciences. The principal investigator is Binnaz Bozkurt Akpulat, a PhD candidate at the University of Health Sciences and a lecturer at Iğdır University.

Interventions

• Behavioral Neuroathletic Training (NAT)
  The intervention group will undergo an 8-week Neuroathletic Training program, conducted three times a week. The program consists of exercises designed to enhance visual-motor coordination, reaction time, balance, and proprioception, integrated with classical judo training. Each session lasts approximately 20-25 minutes and includes 6 to 8 different exercises targeting cognitive and neuromotor skills.
• Behavioral Routine Judo Training
  The control group will continue with their usual judo training program, which follows the training plans and technical development programs set by the Turkish Judo Federation for athletes aged 10-18. This program focuses on maintaining and improving existing technical, tactical skills, physical conditioning, and sports culture without any additional neuroathletic training interventions.

Primary outcome measures

• Reaction Time [Time frame: 1 month]
• Reactive Agility [Time frame: 1 month]
• Single Leg Stance Test [Time frame: 3 weeks]
• Y Balance Test [Time frame: 3 weeks]
• Central Nervous System Vital Signs (CNSVS) - Cognitive Function Assessment [Time frame: 6 weeks]

Secondary outcome measures (7)

• Judogi Isometric Pull-Up Test (Upper Body Strength and Endurance) [Time frame: 2 weeks]
• Judogi Dynamic Pull-Up Test [Time frame: 2 weeks]
• Sit and Reach Test [Time frame: 2 weeks]
• Hand Grip Strength [Time frame: 2 weeks]
• Illinois Agility Test [Time frame: 2 weeks]
• Hand-Eye and Foot-Eye Coordination [Time frame: 1 month]
• Proprioception Assessment [Time frame: 3 weeks]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 10 and 18 years
• Practicing judo regularly for at least 1 year
• Attended a minimum of 3 training sessions per week for the last 6 months
• Holding an active competitive license
• Medically cleared for sports participation
• No musculoskeletal restrictions that limit physical activity
• No diagnosed neurological or vestibular disorders
• Cognitive ability to understand and follow test procedures
• Written informed consent provided by parent/legal guardian (for participants under 18)
• Commitment to regular participation throughout the study duration

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals diagnosed with attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, or difficulty maintaining attention during training
• Individuals using medications targeting balance, visual, or vestibular systems
• Participation in any other scientific study simultaneously
• Currently receiving psychiatric treatment or regular use of psychiatric medication
• Previous participation in neuroathletic or similar neuromotor training programs
• Individuals who actively resist or deliberately sabotage the NAA protocol
• Missing two or more measurement or training sessions during the study
• Refusal to comply with the protocol or failure to complete surveys/tests
• Participants whose parents/guardians express concerns or refuse approval during the consent process
• Behaviors that may jeopardize study sustainability or data integrity

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Double blind

Primary purpose

Treatment

Study locations

Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center

• Iğdır Provincial Directorate of Youth Services and Sports — Iğdır

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07095153 · IGDU-EC-19-3-2025

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗