Distance Motor Learning during the COVID-19 Induced Confinement: Video Feedback with a Pedagogical Activity Improves the Snatch Technique in Young Athletes

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 6; p. 3069
• Main Authors: Souissi, Mohamed Abdelkader, Ammar, Achraf, Trabelsi, Omar, Glenn, Jordan M., Boukhris, Omar, Trabelsi, Khaled, Bouaziz, Bassem, Zmijewski, Piotr, Souissi, Hichem, Chikha, Anis Ben, Driss, Tarak, Chtourou, Hamdi, Hoekelmann, Anita, Souissi, Nizar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.03.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Athletes; Caffeine; Child; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Distance learning; Education, Distance; Educational films; Feedback; Humans; Kinematics; Motor ability; Pandemics; Pedagogy; SARS-CoV-2; Skills; Smartphones; Software; Training; feedback; weightlifting; home confinement; motor learning; execution time; biomechanics; error detection; pandemics; kinematic
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063069

The purpose of the present study was to investigate which of two strategies, Video Feedback with Pedagogical Activity (VF-PA) or Video Feedback (VF), would be more beneficial for the remote error correction of the snatch weightlifting technique during the confinement period. Thirty-five school aged children with at least three months of weightlifting experience were randomized to one of three training conditions: VF-PA, VF or the Control group (CONT). Subjects underwent test sessions one week before (T0) and one day after (T1) a six-session training period and a retention test session a week later (T2). During each test session, the Kinovea version 0.8.15 software measured the kinematic parameters of the snatch performance. Following distance learning sessions (T1), the VF-PA improved various kinematic parameters (i.e., barbell horizontal displacements, maximum height, looping and symmetry) compared with T0 (p < 0.5; Cohen’s d = 0.58–1.1). Most of these improvements were maintained during the retention test (T2) (p<0.01, Cohen’s d = 1.2–1.3) when compared withT0. However, the VF group improved only twoparameters (i.e., barbell symmetry and horizontal displacement) at T1 (p < 0.05; Cohen’s d = 0.9), which were not maintained at T2. Better horizontal displacement and looping values were registered during the retention test in the VF-PA group compared with theCONT group (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 1.49–1.52). The present findings suggest combining video feedback with pedagogical activity during the pandemic induced online coaching or physical education to improve movement learning in school aged children.