From Reductionism to Complex Systems Theory: Theoretical Transition, Methodological Reconstruction and Practical Pathways in Sports Performance Analysis

Traditional sports performance analysis paradigms, grounded in reductionism, deconstruct complex motor systems into isolated components, ignoring dynamic interactions and nonlinear properties among system components. This approach results in an explanatory gap between theoretical predictions and actual sports performance, limiting its effectiveness in guiding sports training. Based on complex systems theory, this study first clarifies the ontological attributes of sports performance as a complex adaptive system. It then integrates dynamical systems theory, ecological dynamics, and embodied cognition theory to construct an embodied–ecological–dynamical (E–C–D) integrated analytical framework spanning micro, meso, and macro levels. The study establishes a multi-scale analytical toolbox incorporating technical pathways such as complex network construction, spatial-affordance metrics, multimodal physiological–behavioral synchronization, and embodied simulation. Furthermore, it delineates an analytical logic that progresses from “complexity description” to “system diagnosis and adaptive regulation.” Differentiated application pathways are constructed for individual and team sports respectively, providing operable analytical frameworks for motor skill acquisition, tactical coordination optimization, and early injury risk warning. The complex systems paradigm can propel sports performance analysis from static reduction towards dynamic emergence. Future research necessitates further validation concerning ecological validity across multiple contexts and model generalizability across different sports, aiming to form a virtuous, upward-spiraling cycle between theory and practice.