ISSN : 1598-2920
PURPOSE This study explores South Korean consumers’ perceptions of water sports, which are less popular in South Korea, using big data analysis. In addition, the study seeks to propose strategies for revitalizing elite water sports, drawing on the Delphi method. METHODS In Study 1, data covering approximately 2 years and 4 months, including major sports events, such as the Asian Games and the Olympics, were collected. Text mining, sentiment analysis, and semantic network analysis were conducted. Study 2 then involved a two-round Delphi survey using a panel of 15 experts who were working in elite water sports to identify strategies of activation. RESULTS First, keyword analysis of water sports represented terms such as marine leisure sports, experience, tourism, and resort. Sentiment analysis presented a high positivity rate of 84.31%. Furthermore, CONCOR analysis identified three major clusters, namely, sports tourism, leisure activities, and sports events. Second, Delphi analysis identified six critical factors for the revitalization of elite water sports: administration and finance, facilities and infrastructure, promotion, human resources, training and education programs, and organization. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have theoretical significance, capturing practical consumer responses to less popular water sports, which is an area that was previously underexplored in academia. The findings provide foundational data to support stakeholders as they develop effective strategies to promote less popular sports disciplines.
PURPOSE This study compared the health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-VAS) and total physical activity levels (MET) with reference to participation in economic activities among community-dwelling older adults to identify key subdomains of the EQ-5D that influence physical activity levels. METHODS A total of 410 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older who were residing in S District, Seoul, participated in the study. Structured questionnaires, including the EQ-5D-5L, EQ-5D-VAS, and IPAQ-SF, were administered. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS WIN 28.0 adopting independent t-tests, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS First, the economically active group showed significantly higher scores across all EQ-5D-5L dimensions, EQ-5D-VAS, and total physical activity (MET) relative to the non-active group (p<.001). Second, Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between EQ-5D-5L dimensions and MET in the economically active group (p<.01), whereas a significant positive correlation was observed in both groups between EQ-5D-VAS and MET (p<.01). Third, logistic regression analysis identified mobility (OR=2.975, 95% CI=1.520–5.882, p<.001) and pain & discomfort (OR=0.513, 95% CI=0.278–0.947, p<.05) as significant predictors for high physical activity levels in the economically active group. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that participation in economic activities by community-dwelling older adults can serve as a key factor in strengthening the positive interaction between health-related quality of life and physical activity, contributing to the maintenance of healthy behaviors and enhancements to functional independence.
PURPOSE This study provides a critical re-examination of the rationalistic and formalistic limitations of conventional sportsmanship, adopting Max Scheler’s perspective on ethics, and proposes a practice of sportsmanship that is rooted in phenomenological sympathy (Mitgefühl) and respect. METHODS This study analyzes the ethical structure of sportsmanship, drawing on a meta-ethical perspective, focusing on Max Scheler’s ethics of feeling and hierarchy of values. RESULTS To this end, we first critically analyze how formalized sportsmanship on the field fails to evoke phenomenological sympathy and emotional responsiveness toward others. Second, drawing on Scheler’s theory of emotion as a theoretical foundation, we show that true sportsmanship can serve as a mechanism for emotionally intuiting and spontaneously practicing values of dignity and mutual respect. Third, the essential energy of sportsmanship appears in the tension between the impulse to win and the spirit of mutual respect. Through this tension, sports can function as a space for character development and community ethics that goes beyond the merely competitive. In application of Scheler’s theory of genuine sympathy and hierarchy of values and analysis guided by it to specific cases in the sports field, this paper argues for the practical feasibility of sportsmanship that is based upon the love response. CONCLUSIONS In this way, this study affirms that sportsmanship is not merely an idealized norm but a living practice that fosters both respect for others and ethical sensitivity.
PURPOSE This study analyzed the structural relationships between competition preparation, sources of sport confidence, perceived performance in student athletes, and whether these structural relationships differed based on the students athletes’ experiences of winning at national competitions. METHODS The participants included 298 high school athletes (213 males, 85 females, mean age = 17.89 years) on school sports teams. Among them, 170 athletes (57.0%) had no experience of winning at national competitions (low-performance group) during the current year. The remaining 128 athletes (43.0%) were the high-performance group. Data were collected through a survey administered to the participants and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multi-group analysis. RESULTS Competition preparation, sources of sport confidence, and perceived performance were significantly and structurally related, both directly and indirectly. These structural relationships partially differed between the high- and low-performance groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the relationships between preparation, confidence sources, and perceived performance may vary by performance level (i.e., whether they had won at national competitions). They also underscore the need for differentiated coaching strategies that are tailored to the characteristics of the target athletes.
PURPOSE This study investigated the effects of an 8-week high-intensity circuit training (HICT) program in kettlebell and stepbox on physical fitness and soccer skills in male high school soccer athletes. METHODS In all, 31 athletes who were registered with the Korea Football Association were randomly assigned to either a training group (n=16: TR) or a control group (n=15: CON). The TR participants had HICT sessions using kettlebell and stepbox for 50 min/session, three sessions/wk for 8 weeks. The CON participants maintained their usual life pattern without any intervention. During the intervention period, both groups were controlled for soccer training volume, and all participants stayed in a training camp, where they consumed the same meals. Dependent variables regarding physical fitness and soccer skills were measured pre- and post-intervention, and the data were analyzed utilizing two-way repeated measures ANOVA. Variables for which pre-test homogeneity was not established were analyzed using ANCOVA. RESULTS 1) For the TR participants, skeletal muscle mass was significantly increased, and body fat mass and percent body fat decreased significantly. 2) In the TR participants, significant improvements were found in sit-and-reach, back strength, repeated jump squats, side steps, 35 m sprint, vertical jump, and yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 2. 3) Likewise, significant improvements were found in soccer skills, including juggling, dribbling, left/right crossing accuracy, left/right static and dynamic shooting accuracy, and shooting speed in the TR. CONCLUSIONS The 8-week kettlebell-stepbox HICT program is an effective training intervention for improving body composition, physical fitness, and soccer skills in male high school soccer athletes. In particular, the balanced enhancement observed across multiple domains highlights the practical value of this approach and its applicability in real-world training environments.
PURPOSE This study explored public perceptions and user experiences of Wave Park, Korea’s representative artificial surfing facility to propose activation strategies. METHODS A mixed-methods approach was employed. First, big data analysis was performed on 7,050 text messages collected from Naver and Daum. Subsequently, focus group interviews with six users who had visited Wave Park based on the analysis results. RESULTS The big data analysis revealed that the discourse structure was organized into six axes: travel·accommodation, family·experiences, surfing·pricing, water park, tourism, and ocean surfing. Participants perceived visits as extended stay travel experiences, and there was high demand for family-accompanied experiences, with metropolitan accessibility emerging as an attractive factor. Consistent artificial waves and one-person-per-wave operation were widely evaluated as advantageous for repetitive learning and skill correction. However, concerns were raised about ancillary costs, including surf zone fees, equipment rentals, and locker rentals. While satisfaction with water park facility cleanliness and composition was high, there were complaints about the value-for-price ratio of sunbeds, cabanas, and food/beverage services. External resource connectivity (Turtle Island walking trails, cafes, festivals) expanded stays, but immature commercial districts and vacancy rates were limitations, though weather independence and the diversity of events enhanced satisfaction. Finally, artificial surfing was perceived as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, natural ocean surfing. CONCLUSIONS To address the limitations raised by the analyses and emphasize the benefits, this paper proposes price structure rationalization, strengthened family-friendly programs, the integrated commercialization of accommodation and experiences, commercial-district linkage, complementary strategies with ocean surfing, and the establishment of a “climate-safe tourist destination” brand image.
PURPOSE This study examined the effects of visual input and stance width on static postural control in transfemoral amputees using linear and nonlinear COP measures. METHODS Seven male unilateral transfemoral amputees performed 30-second quiet standing under four conditions (ECN, ECW, EON, and EOW). COP variables included path length, velocity, sway area, approximate entropy (ApEn), and sample entropy (SampEn), which were analyzed with two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS AP path length was significantly affected by vision (F=12.532, p=.012), with the highest value in ECN (76.4±12.0 cm). ML path length demonstrated significant effects on vision (F=9.773, p=.020), stance (F=9.991, p=.020), and their interaction (F=8.372, p=.028), which also peaked in ECN (66.1±15.7 cm). Sway area was influenced by stance and interaction (F=19.679, p=.004) and was the largest in ECN (4.8±2.3 cm2). Nonlinear indices increased in AP ApEn and SampEn under visual deprivation, while ML measures showed a significant vision × stance interaction (F=7.082, p=.037). CONCLUSIONS Linear measures indicated greater instability during an eyes-closed narrow stance, whereas nonlinear measures revealed increased complexity during visual deprivation, with a non-significant vision and stance interaction trend in the ML direction. These findings suggest that both instability and complexity characterize postural regulation in amputees, underscoring the need for the integrated use of linear and nonlinear metrics in balance assessment and rehabilitation.
PURPOSE This study investigated effective training strategies to improve performance in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces physical fitness test events. METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted, searching studies involving military personnel and cadets, and 12 peer-reviewed articles were selected for analysis. The included studies were published between 2004 and 2025, with sample sizes ranginge from 13 to 599 participants, and some of these studies included mixed-gender groups. The analyzed training programs were divided by content into combined, circuit/special-equipment, and traditional military training, and they were further sub-classified by programming strategy, based on the application of linear or non-linear periodization. RESULTS Most studies reported significant improvements in terms of pushups, situps, and running performance. The greatest improvements were observed in programs applying mid- to long-term combined training that lasted at least 15 weeks with three or more sessions per week, incorporating periodized intensity adjustments, and including exercises similar to the actual test events. Conversely, low-frequency (≤2 sessions per week), short-term, or single-component training programs presented limited improvement. Periodized training effectively enhanced running performance and reduced interindividual variation, while the combination of strength and aerobic exercise led to balanced improvements across all test events. CONCLUSIONS To optimize performance in Korean military fitness test, it is necessary to implement combined training at least three times per week over a mid- to long-term period, apply periodized intensity control, ensure task-specific movement relevance, and integrate the program with actual tactical activities. Depending on operational conditions, short-term, high-efficiency programs could be more appropriate for recruits or intensive training phases, while long-term, progressive models are better suited for use in regular units. This study provides empirical evidence that can contribute to the establishment of a scientific foundation for physical fitness policy in the military of the Republic of Korea.
PURPOSE This study examined how individual differences in susceptibility to the Ebbinghaus illusion influenced shooting accuracy in a 10-meter air pistol task. METHODS Twelve competitive shooters were divided into two groups based on illusion susceptibility (large against small effect). They performed the 10-meter shooting task under illusion and real target size conditions, and shooting accuracy was analyzed. RESULTS The large illusion effect group showed significantly lower accuracy under the perceived small-target illusion condition, but the small effect group showed no performance differences. No significant effects were found under real target conditions. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that individual susceptibility to the Ebbinghaus illusion played a critical role in precision shooting performance. Reduced accuracy occurred only when targets were perceived as smaller by individuals highly sensitive to the illusion. This suggests that perceived target size, not actual size, influences motor performance in high-precision tasks. These findings highlight the importance of individual visual perceptual characteristics and suggest that illusion-based perceptual training may be useful for enhancing performance in air pistol shooting.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to enhance attentional concentration in archery athletes by identifying perceived facilitators and distractors of attention during actual competitive situations, and by developing and implementing a concentration training program grounded in these findings. METHODS Open-ended questionnaires were administered to 49 collegiate and professional archers with international medal-winning experience, and the responses were inductively analyzed to identify concentration-related factors occurring before and during competition. Based on the extracted factors and previous literature, an eight-session attention training program (40–50 minutes per session) was developed and subsequently applied to five archers with similar ages and competitive backgrounds. RESULTS Before competition, imagery, music, pre-performance routines, equipment checks, and breathing techniques were identified as major facilitators of attention. In contrast, noise, competitive anxiety, weather conditions, reduced confidence, and insufficient sleep emerged as primary distractors. During competition, imagery, controlled breathing, positive feedback, confidence, and routines were found to facilitate attention, whereas noise, opponents’ behaviors, adverse weather conditions, and previous mistakes hindered concentration. Evaluation of program effectiveness indicated improvements in concentration across all participants, with statistically significant differences confirmed through nonparametric statistical testing (p <.05). CONCLUSIONS The attention training program developed in this study was effective in enhancing attentional concentration among archers. These findings highlight the importance of designing psychological skills training programs tailored to the specific characteristics of both the sport and the athlete population.
PURPOSE This study aims to examine the effects of resistance height and intensity on joint coordination patterns during morote-seoi-nage execution in elite judo athletes. METHODS Thirteen Korean national judo athletes (7 males and 6 females; mean age = 26.4 ± 2.8 years, height = 171.3 ± 9.8 cm, body mass = 77.7 ± 22.8 kg, and competitive career = 14.2 ± 2.9 years) participated in this study. Participants performed morote-seoi-nage under four conditions combining two resistance heights (80- and 60-cm) and two resistance intensities (normal and high). Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected using four synchronized video cameras operating at a sampling frequency of 60 Hz. Joint coordination patterns were quantified using continuous relative phase analysis derived from the Hilbert transform. The mean absolute relative phase (MARP) and deviation phase (DP) were calculated for upper-limb (shoulder–elbow), lower-limb (hip–knee), and trunk-lower-limb (trunk–hip) joint couplings across three movement phases: Kuzushi, Tsukuri–Kake, and the total movement phase, respectively. A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 29.0) to examine the main effects of resistance height and intensity. RESULTS During the Kuzushi phase, DP values for the right shoulder-elbow coupling were significantly lower in the 80-cm condition than in the 60-cm condition (p < .05). In the Tsukuri–Kake phase, the MARP for the right shoulder–elbow joint coupling was also significantly lower under the 80-cm condition than under the 60-cm condition (p < .05). Across the total movement phase, the left hip–knee MARP (p < .01) and left shoulder-elbow DP (p < .05) were significantly lower under the high-intensity condition than under the normal-intensity condition. Trunk–hip coordination exhibited stable patterns across all experimental conditions, and no significant interaction effects between resistance height and intensity were observed. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that elite judo athletes adopt functionally dissociated coordination strategies in response to varying task constraints during morote-seoi-nage. These results suggest that training at a resistance height of 80-cm may facilitate the acquisition of more stable and efficient coordination patterns, whereas training at 60-cm and under high-intensity conditions may promote greater adaptive flexibility relevant to competitive performance.
PURPOSE This study explores the multidimensional changes experienced by injured veterans through participation in adaptive rowing programs. It qualitatively examines the ways in which rowing is more than a physical activity, being also a means of healing, supporting psychological, social, and identity-based recovery in veterans having been discharged due to injury. METHODS A qualitative case study methodology was adopted. Eight veterans who had experienced physical or psychological injury and participated in a structured rowing program were purposively sampled. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and reflective memos. Thematic analysis was adopted to extract key patterns and meaning units. RESULTS The results were understood in terms of two overarching themes. First, before rehabilitation, participants reported significant loss of physical function, restrictions in their autonomy, psychological trauma, confusion of identity, social isolation, and relational disconnection. Second, following their participation in rowing activities, they experienced noticeable improvements in terms of physical health, emotional stability, self-esteem, interpersonal bonding, and a renewed sense of belonging. The environment of the rowing team provided rhythm and structure, cooperation, and emotional resonance, facilitating the extension of holistic recovery beyond physical rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS Rowing was more than a sport for participants, also serving as an integrative medium that brought holistic recovery to injured veterans. These findings indicate that team sports such as rowing can play a transformative role in supporting psychological resilience, social reintegration, and the reconstruction of personal identity. Future rehabilitation programs should actively ´incorporate community-based interventions of this type.
PURPOSE This study explores how physical education teachers perceive professional development and, based on these perceptions, refines Clarke and Hollingsworth’s (2002) model of teacher professional growth within the context of physical education. METHODS Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight physical education teachers who had more than five years of teaching experience and were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. RESULTS Physical education teachers conceptualized professional development as a process of enhancing instructional quality, implementing the national physical education curriculum, and adapting to changing external environments. They evaluated their professional development through observable changes in teaching practices, students’ positive responses to lessons, and feedback from colleagues, administrators, and other educational stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS The professional development of physical education teachers should be understood not as a simple accumulation of experience, but as a dynamic, interpretative process shaped by teaching experiences and educators’ reflections on their outcomes. By examining the relationship between experience, this study provides foundational insights into teacher professional growth and offers meaningful implications for future research and professional development practices in physical education.
PURPOSE This study investigated the preferences of users of fitness centers for consumer-protection policies and identified priorities for institutional reform. METHODS A discrete choice experiment was performed with 353 adults who had used a fitness center in the previous two years. The respondents completed eight choice tasks that compared the current system with improved policy packages varying in notification and refund guidance for suspension or closure, refund guarantees for prepaid fees, pre-closure settlement plans, local government intervention, fitness instructor placement standards, and additional monthly cost. RESULTS Users generally preferred having improved policy packages to the status quo. Among the policy attributes, mandatory prepaid-fee refund guarantees were the most influential, and they were followed by preferences for clearer notification and refund procedures and explicit instructor placement standards. These three attributes likewise generated significant positive willingness to pay. In contrast, on average, pre-closure settlement plans and local government intervention were not significant, although preference heterogeneity was observed across all respondents. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that user-centered reform of fitness center regulation should prioritize financial safeguards for prepaid fees, clearer closure and refund procedures, and more explicit operational standards for the placement of instructors. By quantifying consumer preferences for the specific policy components, this study provides empirical evidence for the setting of priorities to strengthen protection for fitness center users.
PURPOSE This study compared unilateral force control capabilities between 13 elite soccer players and 16 healthy controls using the isometric ankle force control paradigm. METHODS Participants were instructed to perform unilateral ankle force control tasks across vision and no-vision conditions with their dominant and non-dominant ankles at 10% and 40% of their maximal voluntary contraction, respectively. Force control capabilities were analyzed using mean force, force accuracy, and force variability. Furthermore, force regularity and force smoothness were estimated using sample entropy (SampEn) and YANK analysis, respectively. RESULTS The groups did not differ significantly in mean force, force accuracy, and force variability across different visual conditions and targeted force levels. However, the soccer players showed significantly lower regularity (increased SampEn values) in the non-dominant lower limb and lower smoothness (increased YANK values) in both lower limbs during ankle isometric force control tasks. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that soccer players use more adaptive force control strategies in the lower extremities to successfully achieve task goals.
PURPOSE This study examines the ways in which the media framing of the conflict between Hwang Daeheon and Lín Xiàojùn has constructed nationalistic discourse and investigates whether this narrative is a form of antagonistic nationalism that is characterized by anti-Chinese sentiment. METHODS This study adopts a literature review as its primary research method, incorporating earlier academic studies and media reports, including newspaper and broadcast news articles, placing a particular focus on media framing analysis and critical discourse analysis. News articles were collected from the BIG KINDS database of the Korea Press Foundation. In all, 289 articles from 12 nationwide daily newspapers and 5 major broadcasting stations were selected for the analysis. The data were examined through qualitative textual analysis that is based on a media framing approach. RESULTS The findings are as follows. First, the media constructs a dichotomous our-ing and other-ing framework, where Hwang Daeheon is positioned as “one of us” but Lín Xiàojùn is reframed as Lín Xiàojùn, reinforcing a nationalist discourse differentiating between the identities of “ourselves” and “others.” Second, the media expands interpersonal conflict between the two athletes into a broader national confrontation, framing it as a Korea–China issue, contributing to the formation of a nationalistic narrative of opposition. Third, through frames fostering negative perceptions of China and Lín Xiàojùn, media discourse develops an antagonistic nationalism that is characterized by anti-Chinese sentiment. From these framing processes and discursive patterns, the narrative of Hwang Daeheon versus Lín Xiàojùn can be understood as a manifestation of an emerging form of antagonistic nationalism toward China. However, taking various domestic and international cases into account, it remains uncertain whether this antagonistic nationalism can become firmly entrenched within the domain of sport. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes to offering theoretical and empirical insights into the construction of antagonistic nationalism, the intersection of sports migration and nationalism in global contexts, and the role of media framing in shaping discourse within sport.
PURPOSE Drawing on a comparative legal perspective, this study examined Korea’s review system for the special naturalization of athletes and proposed objective review criteria that are consistent with national team selection and international competition eligibility. Although Korea uses a special naturalization and limited dual nationality system to attract outstanding talent in fields such as science, economy, culture, and sports, sports-specific review criteria have not been sufficiently specified in any publicly available materials. METHODS This study reviewed the Nationality Act, its Enforcement Decree, the 2020 and 2026 Ministry of Justice notices, and other official materials that have relevance to this question. It compared these materials with the eligibility rules of the IOC, FIFA, World Athletics, World Rugby, and the IIHF, as well as the nationality laws and sport-related legal frameworks of Japan and China. RESULTS First, Korea’s publicly identifiable system features basic requirements for identifying outstanding persons in sports, the procedures followed for recommendation and deliberation, and documentation concerning contributions to the national interest. Second, links with international federation rules, detailed sport-specific review criteria, and the disclosure of reasons for decisions remain insufficiently clarified. Third, international sports regulations require not only nationality but also additional conditions such as substantial connection, registration or residence, prior representative history, and formal approval procedures. CONCLUSIONS Thus, Korea’s review system for the special naturalization of athletes should move beyond a medal-centered exceptional approval model and should be reorganized into a principle-based, multi-factor review framework that integrates legal compatibility, substantial connection with Korea, athletic performance and contribution to the national team, public interest, ethics and compliance, sustainability, and long-term contribution to the development of domestic sports.
PURPOSE This study examined the intersectional structure of sport and leisure participation inequality among Korean adults, analyzing how the simultaneous intersections of income, education, gender, age, and residential region produces compounded disadvantages in sport and leisure participation and tracking changes in these patterns from 2015 to 2024. METHODS Intersectional multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (I-MAIHDA) were applied to analyze the ten-year repeated cross-sectional data from the National Sport Participation Survey (n = 8,328–8,619 per year; n = 84,721). Post-stratification weights were applied annually, then normalized by the ratio of each year’s sample to the total pooled sample (n_t/N_total). These normalized weights were applied consistently throughout I-MAIHDA (lme4 weights argument) and DID analyses (weighted least squares). Sport and leisure participation probability was estimated across 192 intersectional strata (4 income quartiles × 3 education levels × 2 genders × 4 age groups × 2 regions). Variance partition coefficients (VPC) and area under the ROC curve (AUC) evaluated intersectional inequality. The 2019 Life-SOC public sports facility expansion was treated as a natural experiment for the DID analysis. Q1–2 adults (bottom 50% of income distribution) were the treatment group, and Q3–4 were the control group. Parallel trend validity was confirmed by regression-based pre-trend testing (2015–2018; Δβ = 0.21%p/yr, F(1,82) = 0.68, p = 0.412). RESULTS The full I-MAIHDA model explained 6.8% of participation variance at the stratum level (VPC = 6.8%), indicating meaningful intersectional patterning. AUC increased from 0.621 (M0) to 0.812 (M4). The gap between the highest-(Q4·highly educated urban men aged 19–39: 81.2%) and lowest-participating strata (Q1 poorly educated rural women aged·65+: 18.5%) reached 62.7%p, exceeding the additive sum (55.5%p) of individual inequality axes by 7.2%p. COVID-19 (2020–2021) temporarily compressed the income gap. DID analysis showed significantly larger policy effects for Q1 (ATT = 4.6%p, 95% CI [2.8, 6.4], p < .01) and Q2 (ATT = 3.2%p, p < 0.05), with Q4 showing no significant effect (ATT = 0%p, n.s.). CONCLUSIONS Sport and leisure participation inequality in South Korea was structurally compounded through intersectional positions. Older, low-income women in non-metropolitan areas faced severe multiple constraints. The public facility expansion policy demonstrated differential effectiveness favoring multiply disadvantaged strata, affirming the need for intersectionality-centered sport policy design.
PURPOSE This study classified and analyzed adult fitness levels using National Fitness 100 data. Sequential cluster and discriminant analyses were used to typify physical fitness structures that were based on gender. METHODS Data from 12,042 adults (8,769 men and 3,273 women) were obtained from the Culture Big Data Platform (2025) for the analysis. First, hierarchical and non-hierarchical K-means cluster analyses were sequentially performed to explore the clustering structure of fitness items and participants. Second, one-way ANOVA was conducted to verify intercluster differences and to calculate effect sizes. Third, discriminant analysis was performed with the use of validated clusters as the dependent variable and, as independent variables, the following six fitness items, namely, (A) 20 m shuttle run, (B) relative grip strength, (C) cross situps, (D) seated forward bend, (E) 10-meter four shuttle run, and (F) standing long jump. The significance level was set to .05. RESULTS First, fitness items were categorized into three clusters for men (Cluster 1: E, F; Cluster 2: A, C; Cluster 3: B, D) and two clusters for women (Cluster 1: E, F; Cluster 2: A, B, C, D). Second, the participants were typified into distinct fitness levels having large effect sizes (ηp2 ≥ .14), dividing men into three groups (High: 4,637; Medium: 3,831; Low: 301) and women into two groups (High: 1,744; Low: 1,529). Third, all of the independent variables were found to significantly contribute to group differentiation. The relative order of importance for men was agility, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, power, flexibility, and muscular strength, and for women, it was muscular endurance, power, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and agility for women. CONCLUSIONS These findings form a foundational reference for future research drawing on National Fitness 100 data for tailored fitness classification. Furthermore, the refinement of this scientific system could serve as a valuable resource for the establishment of efficient, personalized fitness management and for exercise prescription indicators in terms of practical settings.
PURPOSE This study examined the 24-hour movement paradigm to position sleep as an integral component of 24-hour movement behaviors and explore directions for establishing sleep as an independent research topic in Korean sport science. METHODS A narrative review was conducted on peer-reviewed articles and international guidelines published between January 2011 and March 2026, which were identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and RISS. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 35 publications were organized into three categories: (1) the theoretical development of the 24-hour movement paradigm, (2) international sport science research on sleep, and (3) the current state of sleep research in Korean sport science. RESULTS The paradigm conceptualized sleep as the lowest-intensity component of the movement behavior continuum. International sport science has systematically examined non-clinical sleep interventions (e.g., sleep extension, napping, sleep hygiene education) and recently expanded into expert consensus recommendations and sleep regularity. Meanwhile, Korean sport science has primarily treated sleep as an instrumental variable for explaining exercise performance, with limited research independently addressing its quantity, quality, and regularity. CONCLUSIONS This gap reflects a fundamental difference in how sleep is conceptualized. Repositioning sleep from an instrumental variable to an independent research topic in Korea therefore requires conceptual reframing, field-applicable measurement systems, and the integration of exercise and sleep interventions.
