Optimizing learning and motor performance in highly trained youth football players: the role of time interval between synchronous and asynchronous sessions in a blended training model

Background/objectives Effective motor performance in sport depends on the dynamic interaction between cognitive and physiological systems. However, it remains unclear how the temporal spacing between training sessions influences this interaction. This study examined the effects of the Time Interval Between Synchronous and Asynchronous Sessions (TIBSAS) on motor control and working memory in highly trained youth football players. Methods Fifty-seven adolescent athletes (12.1 ± 0.9 years) participated in a randomized crossover design involving three interval conditions between training sessions: (1) no delay, (2) 6–12 h delay, and (3) 12–24 h delay. Motor performance was evaluated using a 15 m ball-dribbling test, and cognitive performance was assessed using the Sternberg working memory task. Data were analyzed with one-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Results TIBSAS had significant impacts on both motor and cognitive performance. The 12–24 h interval (COND 3) produced considerably quicker dribbling times (3.60 ± 0.16 s) in comparison to COND 1 (3.96 ± 0.21 s, p < 0.001) and COND 2 (4.07 ± 0.23 s, p < 0.001), exhibiting a substantial effect size ( η 2 = 0.50). Cognitive performance exhibited analogous enhancements, with COND 3 indicating significantly quicker reaction times for both one-item (733.74 ± 13.08 ms vs. 777.15 ± 41.91 ms, p < 0.001) and three-item memory loads (982.00 ± 40.19 ms vs. 1,022.30 ± 33.10 ms, p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in the five-item memory load. Conclusion An optimal spacing of 12–24 h between training sessions enhances both motor execution and cognitive processing, suggesting improved integration of perceptual and executive systems in young athletes. These findings highlight the importance of time-dependent consolidation mechanisms in sport performance and offer practical guidance for designing cognitively informed training schedules.