SYSTEMATIC REVIEW · RELATED SPORT RESEARCH

Open-Skill Youth Exercise Meta-Analysis

Population

1,298 children and adolescents ages 5–16 across 17 studies, including 11 randomized trials.

Intervention

Open-skill exercise in changing environments.

Reported outcome

Significant pooled effects for inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility; heterogeneity was high.

Supports

Changing-environment decision demands as a broader training-category mechanism.

Does not support

An SSBJJ-specific effect, superiority to soccer, or an individual guarantee.

Verified

2026-08-18 · review again 2027-08-18

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