CIPER

🏆 CIPER researchers distinguished at the 2026 ULisboa/CGD Scientific Awards

CIPER is proud to announce that Rita Cordovil, from the Faculty of Human Kinetics (FMH) and coordinator of CIPER’s Skill Learning research group, received a Scientific Award at the 2026 ULisboa/Caixa Geral de Depósitos Scientific Awards, in the field of Human Kinetics.

CIPER also congratulates Gonçalo Mendonça, from FMH and CIPER’s Exercise Precision group, and Sandro Freitas, from FMH and CIPER's Skill Learning group, who received Honorable Mentions in the same scientific field.

These distinctions recognize outstanding research activity, high-quality international scientific publications, and the impact of research conducted in all the scientific domains researched at the University of Lisbon, including Human Kinetics.

Congratulations to the awardees!

On June 9, the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of Lisbon welcomed Peggy Whitson, astronaut, biochemist, and Vice President of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space, for the “Horizons of Space” conference and a Q&A session with researchers and PhD students.

Peggy Whitson is one of the most renowned figures in contemporary space exploration, having served as NASA’s Chief Astronaut and logging more than 600 days in space across several missions to the International Space Station.

CIPER actively participated in the conference, discussing the role of representative training design and key areas for training development.

This visit follows FMH’s recent integration into the Axiom Space University Alliance, which focuses on research, innovation, and scientific development in microgravity and space exploration.

Photos from the event were taken by Alexandre Pona.

On May 20, the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of Lisbon hosted the jubilation lecture for Professor Luís Bettencourt Sardinha, in recognition of his outstanding academic, scientific, and institutional career.

During the event, CIPER awarded Professor Luís Sardinha the status of Emeritus Member, acknowledging his longstanding and exceptional contribution to the center, including his roles as Founder and Coordinator of the centre.

This distinction also recognizes a world-level scientific career, marked by high-level publications, extensive supervision of master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral work, and participation in major national and international research networks.

Photos from the event were taken by Alexandre Pona.

A FMH vai receber o Prof. Robert Newton, em parceria com a FITMED, para um workshop exclusivo sobre Exercício de Precisão em Oncologia. Considerado um dos investigadores mais citados do mundo, o Prof. Newton conta com décadas de experiência na transformação do tratamento do cancro através do exercício.

Esta é uma oportunidade rara de aprender diretamente com um dos grandes pioneiros da prescrição de exercício de precisão na pessoa com doença oncológica.

📍 Onde: Faculdade de Motricidade Humana (FMH) – Lisboa 🗓️ Data: 26 e 27 de junho de 2026 🎓 Formato: 20h Online + Workshop Prático de 16h

As vagas para o workshop presencial são muito limitadas. Garanta o teu lugar ao lado de quem molda as diretrizes globais de saúde.

50% de Desconto no Módulo 1! Usar código: STUDENT2026

🔗 https://www.fitmed.com/fma-exercise-oncology

A FMH-ULISBOA irá acolher nos dias 2 e 3 de Julho 2026 a Powerpenia Conference 2026 Conference – Assessment of Human Motor Power for Health.

Num mundo que cresce e envelhece rapidamente, este evento visa explorar a potência motora enquanto biomarcador de Saúde. Proposto na literatura em 2024, o conceito powerpenia tem ganho enorme popularidade e reconhecimento a nível mundial. Esta será uma oportunidade única para refletir sobre esta temática, para a qual irá contribuir grandemente o painel de speakers convidados.

Este evento reunirá investigadores, profissionais de saúde e especialistas em exercício e desempenho humano, abordando temas como a avaliação da potência muscular, a prevenção da perda funcional associada ao envelhecimento, o desempenho físico e estratégias de intervenção baseadas no exercício e na nutrição.

A conferência constitui uma oportunidade de contacto com uma audiência internacional de investigadores e profissionais que trabalham na interface entre a ciência do desporto, a saúde e a inovação no desempenho humano.

Mais informações sobre a conferência podem ser consultadas aqui:
https://www.powerpenia.com/

Ou através das nossas redes sociais:

Instagram:
| https://www.instagram.com/powerpenia?igsh=MWtqNDdzYnloOHMyMQ==

Linkedin:
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/powerpenia/

X:
| https://x.com/powerpenia

Chamamos a atenção, também, para a possibilidade de submissão de abstracts para apresentação e-poster presencial ou virtual, bem como para a possibilidade de inscrição para participação presencial ou virtual.

Esperamos poder contar com a S/ presença!

Sandro R. Freitas
Comissão Organizadora

O Seminário Internacional “Da Evidência à Excelência: Performance, Pedagogia e Formação de Treinadores” terá lugar no próximo dia 21 de abril de 2026, na Faculdade de Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física da Universidade de Coimbra.

Este evento reunirá especialistas nacionais e internacionais em áreas fundamentais do treino desportivo, promovendo a articulação entre ciência e prática, com enfoque na performance, na pedagogia e na formação de treinadores.

📍 Local: FCDEF-UC / Estádio Universitário de Coimbra
📅 Data: 21 de abril de 2026 (08h30–12h00)
🎯 Destinatários: treinadores, técnicos, docentes, estudantes e profissionais das Ciências do Desporto
📝 Inscrição gratuita e obrigatória até 14 de abril (17h00): https://ls.uc.pt/index.php/879318?lang=pt

A organização do evento conta com a participação de Hugo Sarmento (Coordenador do polo CIPER–UC), António Figueiredo e Vasco Vaz (CIPER-UC).

Entre os oradores convidados, destaca-se a participação de Duarte Araújo, Coordenador do CIPER, que apresentará a palestra “Performance Desportiva: Treinar a Inteligência do Corpo em Movimento.

Tiago Luzes, Miguel Moreira, Daniel Carrilho, and Adriano Carvalho have published a new article in the Journal of Sports Sciences examining the competition constraints structure of the CrossFit® Games through an ecological dynamics lens.

The study provides a systematic characterization of 218 tasks (2007–2025), revealing how performance emerges from the interaction of performer, environmental, and task constraints. It highlights the predominance of weightlifting and throwing movements, the growing role of gymnastics, and a clear shift toward multi-disciplinary tasks requiring integrated strength, endurance, and skill.

By applying the MAST framework, the authors offer a robust foundation for understanding competition constraints and designing more representative training environments aligned with real performance contexts.

Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2653304

Hugo Sarmento and Duarte Araújo co-authored an article on the road to expertise in U-20 football world champions, published in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. Read here: https://lnkd.in/e-KCpnin

In this study, the development of Portugal’s U-20 World Champion “Golden Generation” was analyzed using interviews, historical documents, and performance data within an ecological dynamics approach. The results showed that success was much beyond player's characteristics. Instead, it emerged from the interaction among leadership, notably a holistic coaching vision from Carlos Queiroz, structured long-term training, sociocultural context, and organizational reforms that shaped the training environment.

This study suggests that talent development programs should move beyond isolated technical factors and co-design integrated environments, aligning coaching, competition structures, education, and culture, to create multiple pathways to expertise.

MSc Dissertation Defense on Perception–Action Variability in Jump Rope 🎓👩🏻‍🎓

On December 16, Margarida Vaz de Carvalho, a PhD student of SpertLab and CIPER, successfully defended her MSc dissertation in High-Performance Training in Sport at the Faculty of Human Kinetics.

Her dissertation, titled “Variability of Perception–Action and Its Role in Expertise in Jump Rope”, supervised by Professor Duarte Araújo, compared experts and novices in a single-rope speed sprint task. Findings show that expert performers exhibit greater local movement variability alongside greater global movement coordination, both closely linked to task goal achievement.

These findings challenge the traditional view of variability as mere noise and expertise as automaticity, showing instead that performance entails functional variability in perception–action coupling, informing how a constraints-led approach (CLA) can be used in training.

Margarida’s scientific rigor and novelty, framed by the dynamic research environment at SpertLab, are to be praised 👏

Duarte Araújo co-authored an article on teaching opportunities provided by different traditional games and the implications of Brazilian street football culture for youth training, published in Football Studies. Read here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.footst.2025.100010

This study examined the pedagogical potential of traditional Brazilian street football games (Bobinho and Timinho) in U-17 players under various task constraints. Results showed that these games improved ball possession and technical-tactical skills, with different learning opportunities emerging according to players’ skill levels, supporting their use as flexible teaching tools in youth football development.