The effectiveness of Pilates exercises in developing some futsal skills for the Najaf Education Directorate's intermediate school team

Abstract

The importance of Pilates exercises lies in their effective role in improving overall motor performance and developing specific skills needed by athletes. Their correct and structured application contributes to accelerating skill improvement by strengthening deep muscles and increasing body control during performance. Hence, the importance of this research lies in revealing the effectiveness of Pilates exercises in developing certain futsal skills among the Najaf Education Directorate's intermediate-level team, given that this age group represents a fundamental base for developing talented players in the future. Therefore, the research problem is defined by the following question:

Are Pilates exercises effective in developing certain futsal skills among the Najaf Education Directorate's intermediate-level team?

To identify the differences in the results of the pre- and post-tests of the experimental group to determine the extent of the development achieved by Pilates exercises, the researcher used the experimental method with the design of two experimental and control groups with pre- and post-tests, in order to suit the nature of the problem and the objectives of the research. The exercises showed their effectiveness in developing the futsal skills of intermediate-level players. The training program with Pilates exercises was adopted in developing the basic futsal skills of the players of the Najaf Education Team as a successful training program.