“You can take a break” : the effect of a planned 2-week break on specific skill-training within 12-week periodized handstand skill training intervention

Hänninen, Henri Eemeli (author), Kalaja, Sami (author), Kalaja, Teppo (author), Vuoriainen, Antti (author), Rinnevuori, Mikko (author), Haapasalo, Leo (author)

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a 12-week periodized skill training plan, which included a 2-week break from specific training, on handstand skill acquisition. While motor skills can be relatively permanent under certain conditions, physical strength tends to decline more rapidly over time. Therefore, successful periodization of physically demanding motor skill training requires properly planned maintenance of physical prerequisites, particularly those with faster decay rates. The average handstand balancing time across three groups (n = 41) increased from 1.94 ± 4.40 seconds to 6.46 ± 7.88 seconds. Additionally, qualitative handstand form (scored on a scale of 1–3) improved from 0.80 ± 0.95 to 1.56 ± 0.59 (p < 0.001). Progress in handstand balancing time was statistically significant for all groups. Qualitative improvements in handstand form were statistically significant in both groups that included a training break (p = 0.011 and p = 0.001), but not in the handstand-only group (p = 0.059). Initial upper body pushing strength correlated significantly with improvements in handstand balancing time (r = 0.537, p = 0.021), but not with improvements in handstand form (r = -0.002, p = 0.503). The main findings of the present study suggest that a logically designed periodization plan for motor skill acquisition can accommodate breaks from specific skill training without disrupting learning, provided that the physical prerequisites with higher decay rates are maintained or trained during the break. These results are promising and warrant further research on the topic.

• Language: English
• Keywords: sport, physical education, hand-balancing, handstand, bloc periodization, skill acquisition, gymnastics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FŠ - Faculty of Sport
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 259-271, 346
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-183712
• UDC: 796.41
• ISSN on article: 1855-7171
• DOI: 10.52165/sgj.17.2.259-271
• COBISS.SI-ID: 260484611

Copyright

Podatek o licenci CC BY-SA 4.0 je naveden na pristajalni strani članka (glej zgoraj izvorni URL). (Datum opombe: 19. 6. 2026)

• Publication date in RUL: 19.06.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Science of gymnastics journal
• Publisher: University of Ljubljana Press, Slovenia (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
• ISSN: 1855-7171
• COBISS.SI-ID: 246418176

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: “Lahko si vzameš odmor” : učinek načrtovanega 2-tedenskega odmora za vadbo določene prvine v sklopu 12-tedenske vadbe stoje na rokah

Abstract

Namen raziskave je bil preučiti učinke 12-tedenskega obdobnega načrta vadbenih veščin, ki je vključeval 2-tedenski odmor od posebne vadbe, na pridobivanje znanja stoje na rokah. Medtem ko je gibalno znanje lahko pod določenimi pogoji delno trajno, se telesna moč sčasoma hitreje zmanjšuje. Zato telesno zahtevna uspešna vadba gibalnih veščin po obdobjih zahteva načrtovano vzdrževanje telesnih predpogojev, zlasti tistih s hitrejšim upadanjem. Povprečni čas držanja položaja stoje na rokah v treh skupinah (n = 41) se je povečal z 1,94 ± 4,40 sekunde na 6,46 ± 7,88 sekunde. Poleg tega se je kakovostna oblika stoje na rokah (ocenjena na lestvici od 1 do 3) izboljšala z 0,80 ± 0,95 na 1,56 ± 0,59 (p < 0,001). Napredek v času zadrževanja položaja stoje na rokah je bil značilen za vse skupine. Kakovostne izboljšave v stoji na rokah so bile značilne v obeh skupinah, ki sta vključevali odmor pri vadbi (p = 0,011 in p = 0,001), vendar ne v skupini, ki je delala samo stojo na rokah (p = 0,059). Začetna moč potiska zgornjega dela telesa je bila pomembno povezana z izboljšavami v času uravnavanja ravnotežja v stoji na rokah (r = 0,537, p = 0,021), vendar ne z izboljšavami v stoji na rokah (r = -0,002, p = 0,503). Glavne ugotovitve te raziskave kažejo, da lahko smiselno zasnovan načrt vadbe po obdobjih za pridobivanje gibalnih veščin upošteva odmore od vadbe posebnih veščin, ne da bi pri tem motil učenje, pod pogojem, da se med odmorom ohranijo ali vadijo telesni predpogoji z višjo stopnjo upadanja. Ti rezultati so obetavni in zahtevajo nadaljnje raziskave na to temo.

• Keywords: šport, gimnastika, telovadba, ravnotežje, stoja na rokah, vadba po obdobjih, pridobivanje spretnosti