Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) developed during the early elementary years provide the foundation for active participation, physical health, and long-term psychomotor development. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a traditional Zurkhaneh exercise program on the fundamental motor skills of male elementary school students.

Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with independent groups. Forty male students were selected from two comparable elementary schools in Tehran and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20; Zurkhaneh intervention) and a control group (n = 20; regular school physical activities). The intervention consisted of an 8-week structured Zurkhaneh training program delivered three times per week (45 minutes per session), including meel handling, kabbadeh exercises, rhythmic movements, and strength-based drills. Motor skills were assessed using TGMD-3. Independent t-tests were used for data analysis (α = 0.05).

Results: The Zurkhaneh group demonstrated significantly higher overall gross motor competence compared to the control group. This difference was primarily attributable to improvements in the locomotor subscale. Although overall ball skill scores did not differ significantly between groups , significant improvements were observed in specific subtests such as two-hand strike and stationary dribble.

Conclusion: The structured Zurkhaneh program—characterized by its combination of resistance-based, rhythmic, and bilateral coordination activities—appears to substantially enhance locomotor abilities and selected object-control skills. These findings suggest that the multidimensional and rhythmic movement patterns inherent in Zurkhaneh exercise can play a meaningful role in promoting fundamental movement skill development in elementary-aged children