Child DevelopmentkettleclassNCT06910085
Kettlebell-classroom Training
A study testing kettlebell-training in people with Child Development and Schools, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
Physical fitness is a crucial health marker, predicting both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Muscular strength, an essential component of physical fitness, underpins physical and psychological well-being, particularly from childhood. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 9 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Child Development, Schools, Primary Health Care
- What is being tested?
- kettlebell-training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 92 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 21 Oct 2024to 6 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 6 to 9 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- all of the selected second-graders who can participate in physical education lessons will be included in the study
Who cannot join
- Children with a medical certificate, that prohibits physical activity, will be excluded from performance testing and training intervention.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Switzerland1 site
Department of Sport, Exercise and Health
Basel, Basellandschaft, 4052
About this study
Official title: Kettlebell-classroom: Feasibility and Effect of a Daily Dose of Resistance Training in Primary School Children - a Control\ed Trial
Physical fitness is a crucial health marker, predicting both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Muscular strength, an essential component of physical fitness, underpins physical and psychological well-being, particularly from childhood. Increasing sedentary behavior has led to rising obesity and cardiovascular disease rates in children, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of pediatric dynapenia. Muscular fitness positively affects body composition, bone health, psychological health, and academic performance, and is necessary for fundamental motor skills.
In Basel, a ten-year trend shows declining physical fitness and rising obesity among primary school children, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds with less access to sports. This presents an opportunity to promote physical activity in schools. The "Kettlebell Classroom" project aims to introduce daily, playful resistance training with kettlebells over seven weeks in various schools, focusing on culturally and socially less integrated children.
Evidence supports the benefits of resistance training (RT) for children, including increased joint stability, improved motor skills, reduced injury risks, and increased spontaneous physical activity. Despite WHO recommendations for muscle and bone-strengthening activities three times a week, these guidelines are often unmet. This project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of short, intensive exercise sessions for children, with the goal of expanding the initiative across Basel to improve health outcomes for all children.
Read the detailed description
Study intervention The intervention emphasizes full-body exercises which are performed with the own body weight and kettlebells. On every weekday, the intervention classes will receive 15 min of supervised training over 7 weeks. This results in a total number of training sessions of 35 sessions. The movements and exercises in all phases are based on functional, multi-joint movements. The focus will be on age-appropriate whole-body strength and motor skill development. It will be designed with different, varying exercises, which can be individually tailored and adapted to the children's ability. Tailored to the group, the sessions will also include parts which engage social cooperation and teamwork, so that the children will experience a sense of competence, self-determination and enjoyment of exercise while enhancing motor skills and athletic ability.
- Conditions
- Child Development, Schools, Primary Health Care, Resistance Training, Muscle Strength, Feasibility Studies
- Being tested
- kettlebell-training
- Keywords
- Kettlebell Training, Daily school routine, Teacher involvement, Primary school, Physical education
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
kettlebell-trainingBehavioural
15 min of body weight or kettlebell loaded strength training
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| kettlebell training | Active comparator | The intervention involves daily, supervised resistance training sessions for primary school children, integrated directly into the classroom setting. Over a period of 7 weeks, participating second-grade school classes perform 15-minute kettlebell-based workouts every school day, totaling 35 sessions.
The sessions are designed to be:
Playful and age-appropriate
Focused on whole-body strength and motor skill development
Based on functional, multi-joint movements using bodyweight and kettlebells
Adaptable to individual ability levels
Including elements of teamwork and cooperation to enhance motivation and enjoyment
The goal is to improve muscular strength, coordination, fitness, and psychosocial well-being, particularly in children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Receives: Behavioral: kettlebell-training |
| regular schedule - control | No intervention | The control group consists of parallel second-grade school classes that do not receive any active intervention during the study period. These students continue with their regular school routine and standard physical education classes, without the additional kettlebell training sessions. Like the intervention group, they: Undergo the same pre- and post-intervention test battery assessing strength, coordination, fitness, and anthropometric measures Are assessed during school hours using identical equipment and protocols Serve as a baseline comparator to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the resistance training intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Maximal strength
The mid-thigh pull is measured on the force plate, as is the hand grip force (Leonardo Mechanograph® Novotec Medical GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany). The mid-thigh pull corresponds to a static deadlift, i.e. pulling up a bar in the centre of the thigh, and thus provides an image of the force transmission of the muscle loops up to the hand force to transfer the force to the measuring device. The test subject has a hip and knee angle of 135-140° and tries to pull as quickly and strongly as possible on the vertically fixed bar in the centre of the thigh. As the test subject is standing on the force plate, the transmitted force is measured precisely. In contrast to the dynamic 1-repetition maximum, this simple test offers a high level of safety as an isometric measurement and, in particular, has a high test-retest reliability. This measurement is therefore not only attractive to perform, but also makes it easy to analyse strength curves and maximum strength.
Measured: seven week intervention
Secondary outcomes (8)
Handgrip strength
The handgrip force is measured using a size-adjustable application to take into account the span of the respective hand size. The measurement is performed with the arm extended vertically and provides a safe and reliable measurement for children.
Measured: seven week intervention
sprint performance
20 m Sprint: Electronic measurement of a timed (seconds) 20 m sprint, starting from a resting position. Start follows after an acoustic signal, with a precision of 1/100 second.
Measured: seven week intervention
jump performance
Countermovement jump: Power per body mass, determined from a vertical countermovement jump (CMJ), has been shown to be correlated to leg extension strength in children while representing a more natural movement. The CMJ will be performed on a force plate (Leonardo Mechanograph®, Novotec medical, Pforzheim, Germany) with arms akimbo. The instruction will be to jump as high as possible. After familiarization, each participant performs 2-5 trials, with the best of the two trials with <5% difference being used for the analysis. The most important outcome parameter of this test is the maximum power output (peak power) normalized to body weight. The CMJ had a high intra-trial reproducibility (ICC>0.95) in 6-8 year old children, whereas inter-session variation has been reported to be high in children aged 6-12 years as well (ICC=0.95, SEE=1.92 standard error of estimate).
Measured: seven week intervention
shuttle-run performance
20 m Shuttle-Run-test: This is a validated test which measures aerobic capacity by running forth and back for 20 m, with an initial running pace of 8.0 km/h and a progressive 0.5 km/every minute raise of the running speed given by a sound. The maximal performance will be reached when the child does not cross the 20 m line at the moment of the beep for two consecutive 20 m distances. Number of "paliers" (1 palier≅1 minute) performed will be counted with a precision of 0.5 paliers.
Measured: seven week intervention
balance performance
This test of coordination includes balancing backward on 3 m long bars with a width of 3, 4.5, and 6 cm, respectively. The number of steps until the child's foot touches the floor will be counted; 3 trials will be performed for each bar width. The sum of these 9 tests will be used for statistical analysis.
Measured: seven week intervention
object control
The Eye-Hand-Control test is valid and reliable and determines the level of controlling an object (tennis ball) while conducting repetitive movements (i.e., left-hand throw, right-hand catch, or right-hand throw, and left-hand catch, etc.) as frequently as possible in a time-constrained task of 30 sec. The children are free to use overhand and/or underhand techniques or a combination of both for throwing and catching. Children had to stand 1 m from a wall and throw the tennis ball at eye level on a wall. Participants conducted this test twice, with the number of successful ball catches across both trials resulting in the test score.
Measured: seven week intervention
blood pressure, body composition
Anthropometry and blood pressure will be analysed on a seperate day, in a separate room parallel to the usual school lessons. 3 students will be evaluated at the same time.
Measured: seven week intervention
side hop
Jumping sidewards: Measurement for speed and coordination. Jumping with both legs together on alternating sides of a bunton of wood, as many times as possible, within 15 seconds. Two trials will be performed. The number of jumps will be counted. The sum of the number of jumps of the two tests will be used for statistical analysis.
Measured: seven week intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Apr 2025
- Study start21 Oct 2024
- Primary completion6 Dec 2024
- Study completion6 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Child DevelopmentStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 92 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06910085
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024-01074
- Other IDs
- 2024-01074
- Acronym
- kettleclass
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 27 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 4 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: No, because data is very sensible due to age of the participants.
Publications
Braun N, Ledergerber R, Lichtenstein E, Nebiker L, Roth R. Classroom-Integrated Kettlebell Training: Effects on Motor Performance, Attention, and Health in Primary School Children. J Sch Health. 2026 Apr;96(4):e70136. doi: 10.1111/josh.70136.
PubMed 41854388
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Kettlebell-classroom: Feasibility and Effect of a Daily Dose of Resistance Training in Primary School Children - a Control\ed Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06910085
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- kettleclass / 2024-01074
- Conditions
- Child Development, Schools, Primary Health Care, Resistance Training, Muscle Strength, Feasibility Studies
- Keywords
- Kettlebell Training, Daily school routine, Teacher involvement, Primary school, Physical education
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 92 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 4 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Physical fitness is a crucial health marker, predicting both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Muscular strength, an essential component of physical fitness, underpins physical and psychological well-being, particularly from childhood. Increasing sedentary behavior has led to rising obesity and cardiovascular disease rates in children, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of pediatric dynapenia. Muscular fitness positively affects body composition, bone health, psychological health, and academic performance, and is necessary for fundamental motor skills.
In Basel, a ten-year trend shows declining physical fitness and rising obesity among primary school children, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds with less access to sports. This presents an opportunity to promote physical activity in schools. The "Kettlebell Classroom" project aims to introduce daily, playful resistance training with kettlebells over seven weeks in various schools, focusing on culturally and socially less integrated children.
Evidence supports the benefits of resistance training (RT) for children, including increased joint stability, improved motor skills, reduced injury risks, and increased spontaneous physical activity. Despite WHO recommendations for muscle and bone-strengthening activities three times a week, these guidelines are often unmet. This project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of short, intensive exercise sessions for children, with the goal of expanding the initiative across Basel to improve health outcomes for all children.
Detailed description
Study intervention The intervention emphasizes full-body exercises which are performed with the own body weight and kettlebells. On every weekday, the intervention classes will receive 15 min of supervised training over 7 weeks. This results in a total number of training sessions of 35 sessions. The movements and exercises in all phases are based on functional, multi-joint movements. The focus will be on age-appropriate whole-body strength and motor skill development. It will be designed with different, varying exercises, which can be individually tailored and adapted to the children's ability. Tailored to the group, the sessions will also include parts which engage social cooperation and teamwork, so that the children will experience a sense of competence, self-determination and enjoyment of exercise while enhancing motor skills and athletic ability.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| kettlebell training | Active comparator | Behavioral: kettlebell-trainingThe intervention involves daily, supervised resistance training sessions for primary school children, integrated directly into the classroom setting. Over a period of 7 weeks, participating second-grade school classes perform 15-minute kettlebell-based workouts every school day, totaling 35 sessions. The sessions are designed to be: Playful and age-appropriate Focused on whole-body strength and motor skill development Based on functional, multi-joint movements using bodyweight and kettlebells Adaptable to individual ability levels Including elements of teamwork and cooperation to enhance motivation and enjoyment The goal is to improve muscular strength, coordination, fitness, and psychosocial well-being, particularly in children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. |
| regular schedule - control | No intervention | –The control group consists of parallel second-grade school classes that do not receive any active intervention during the study period. These students continue with their regular school routine and standard physical education classes, without the additional kettlebell training sessions. Like the intervention group, they: Undergo the same pre- and post-intervention test battery assessing strength, coordination, fitness, and anthropometric measures Are assessed during school hours using identical equipment and protocols Serve as a baseline comparator to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the resistance training intervention |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 9 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- all of the selected second-graders who can participate in physical education lessons will be included in the study
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Children with a medical certificate, that prohibits physical activity, will be excluded from performance testing and training intervention.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| kettlebell-training15 min of body weight or kettlebell loaded strength training | Behavioural | kettlebell training |
Primary outcome
Maximal strength
Time frame: seven week intervention
The mid-thigh pull is measured on the force plate, as is the hand grip force (Leonardo Mechanograph® Novotec Medical GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany). The mid-thigh pull corresponds to a static deadlift, i.e. pulling up a bar in the centre of the thigh, and thus provides an image of the force transmission of the muscle loops up to the hand force to transfer the force to the measuring device. The test subject has a hip and knee angle of 135-140° and tries to pull as quickly and strongly as possible on the vertically fixed bar in the centre of the thigh. As the test subject is standing on the force plate, the transmitted force is measured precisely. In contrast to the dynamic 1-repetition maximum, this simple test offers a high level of safety as an isometric measurement and, in particular, has a high test-retest reliability. This measurement is therefore not only attractive to perform, but also makes it easy to analyse strength curves and maximum strength.
8 secondary outcomes
Handgrip strength
Time frame: seven week intervention
sprint performance
Time frame: seven week intervention
jump performance
Time frame: seven week intervention
shuttle-run performance
Time frame: seven week intervention
balance performance
Time frame: seven week intervention
object control
Time frame: seven week intervention
blood pressure, body composition
Time frame: seven week intervention
side hop
Time frame: seven week intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Apr 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41854388Braun N, Ledergerber R, Lichtenstein E, Nebiker L, Roth R. Classroom-Integrated Kettlebell Training: Effects on Motor Performance, Attention, and Health in Primary School Children. J Sch Health. 2026 Apr;96(4):e70136. doi: 10.1111/josh.70136.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. No, because data is very sensible due to age of the participants.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing kettlebell-training in people with Child Development and Schools, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Switzerland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Maximal strength (time frame: seven week intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06910085, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Apr 2025.