Effects of a 12-Week Technology-Assisted Neuromuscular Training Program on Judo-Specific Fitness, Shuttle Agility, and Plantar Pressure Distribution in Adolescent Judoka: A Pilot Study.
9 affiliations
- 1Doctoral School of Physical Education and Sport, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
- 2"Activ Judo" Sports Club, 405100 Câmpia Turzii, Romania.
- 3Department of Physical Education and Sport, University "1 Decembrie 1918", 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania.
- 4Department of Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
- 5Department of Education and Sport Sciences, Pegaso Telematic University, 80143 Naples, Italy.
- 6Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy.
- 7Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Sport, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania.
- 8Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of Bucharest, 010041 Bucharest, Romania.
- 9Department of Physical Education, Sport and Physiotherapy, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania.
Abstract
Background: Judo performance is multifactorial; judo-specific anaerobic fitness and shuttle agility speed have previously been investigated separately in adolescent judoka. What remains unexplored is whether a technology-assisted neuromuscular training program can concurrently influence these established performance measures alongside plantar-support biomechanics during throwing techniques such as ippon-seoi-nage. Pilot data integrating these domains are lacking in adolescent judoka. Methods: Twenty-four male judoka (aged 15-17 years; ≥3 years of experience) were allocated to an experimental group (EG; n = 12) or control group (CG; n = 12). The EG performed a 12-week technology-assisted neuromuscular training program (BlazePod light-sensor system) before each session; the CG continued standard uchi-komi. Three outcome domains were assessed at baseline and post-intervention: (i) judo-specific anaerobic fitness (SJFT); (ii) specific shuttle agility (BlazePod protocol); and (iii) static plantar pressure (BTS P-WALK baropodometer). Results: Retention was 100% with no adverse events. A 2 × 2 mixed-design ANOVA (group × time) showed a significant interaction for BlazePod shuttle agility performance (total hits: p = 0.026; average sprint time: p = 0.009), an effect that remained significant after a sensitivity analysis controlling for baseline anthropometric imbalance between groups. A significant interaction was also observed for the SJFT index (p = 0.028), but this effect did not survive the same sensitivity analysis (p = 0.10). No significant group × time interaction was detected for any of the six static plantar pressure regions assessed (all p > 0.09). Conclusions: In this pilot study, feasibility was supported by 100% retention and the absence of reported adverse events. The data provided preliminary evidence of a group × time interaction for judo-specific shuttle agility performance that remained significant after adjustment for baseline anthropometric imbalance, a less certain interaction for anaerobic fitness, and no detectable interaction for static plantar pressure distribution. These preliminary, hypothesis-generating findings support conducting a definitive, randomized, weight-stratified controlled trial.
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BibTeX
@article{nagy2026effects,
title = {{Effects of a 12-Week Technology-Assisted Neuromuscular Training Program on Judo-Specific Fitness, Shuttle Agility, and Plantar Pressure Distribution in Adolescent Judoka: A Pilot Study.}},
author = {Alpar Nagy and Mircea Nicolae Ordean and Vlad Teodor Grosu and Nicola Mancini and Siria Mancini and Sonia Gabriela Neagu and Emilia Florina Grosu and Daniela Aducovschi and Anca Maria Sabău and Costinel Mihaiu},
journal = {Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/jfmk11040399},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924678},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of a 12-Week Technology-Assisted Neuromuscular Training Program on Judo-Specific Fitness, Shuttle Agility, and Plantar Pressure Distribution in Adolescent Judoka: A Pilot Study.
AU - Alpar Nagy
AU - Mircea Nicolae Ordean
AU - Vlad Teodor Grosu
AU - Nicola Mancini
AU - Siria Mancini
AU - Sonia Gabriela Neagu
AU - Emilia Florina Grosu
AU - Daniela Aducovschi
AU - Anca Maria Sabău
AU - Costinel Mihaiu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology
DO - 10.3390/jfmk11040399
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924678
AB - Background: Judo performance is multifactorial; judo-specific anaerobic fitness and shuttle agility speed have previously been investigated separately in adolescent judoka. What remains unexplored is whether a technology-assisted neuromuscular training program can concurrently influence these established performance measures alongside plantar-support biomechanics during throwing techniques such as ippon-seoi-nage. Pilot data integrating these domains are lacking in adolescent judoka. Methods: Twenty-four male judoka (aged 15-17 years; ≥3 years of experience) were allocated to an experimental group (EG; n = 12) or control group (CG; n = 12). The EG performed a 12-week technology-assisted neuromuscular training program (BlazePod light-sensor system) before each session; the CG continued standard uchi-komi. Three outcome domains were assessed at baseline and post-intervention: (i) judo-specific anaerobic fitness (SJFT); (ii) specific shuttle agility (BlazePod protocol); and (iii) static plantar pressure (BTS P-WALK baropodometer). Results: Retention was 100% with no adverse events. A 2 × 2 mixed-design ANOVA (group × time) showed a significant interaction for BlazePod shuttle agility performance (total hits: p = 0.026; average sprint time: p = 0.009), an effect that remained significant after a sensitivity analysis controlling for baseline anthropometric imbalance between groups. A significant interaction was also observed for the SJFT index (p = 0.028), but this effect did not survive the same sensitivity analysis (p = 0.10). No significant group × time interaction was detected for any of the six static plantar pressure regions assessed (all p > 0.09). Conclusions: In this pilot study, feasibility was supported by 100% retention and the absence of reported adverse events. The data provided preliminary evidence of a group × time interaction for judo-specific shuttle agility performance that remained significant after adjustment for baseline anthropometric imbalance, a less certain interaction for anaerobic fitness, and no detectable interaction for static plantar pressure distribution. These preliminary, hypothesis-generating findings support conducting a definitive, randomized, weight-stratified controlled trial.
SN - 2411-5142
ER -