Construction of an Independent Knowledge System in Chinese Exercise Science: Methodological Framework and Research Path of Context-Informed Generalizable Knowledge

Building on existing discussions of China's independent knowledge framework in sport science and international research norms in exercise science, this paper clarifies the basic requirements for developing such a framework in exercise science, a field primarily grounded in natural science methods. It proposes three criteria: falsifiable mechanism hypotheses, reproducible measurement and transparent reporting, and explicit specification of boundary conditions. It also identifies three methodological pitfalls: treating Chinese samples as Chinese scientific questions, substituting policy concepts for scientific concepts, and replacing mechanistic explanations with cultural narratives. On this basis, the paper develops the concept of Context-Informed Generalizable Knowledge (CIGK), which refers to transforming contextual variables, modifying mechanisms, and boundary conditions in Chinese sport and health practices into testable, comparable, and generalizable scientific questions. The framework is illustrated through three scenarios: youth physical and mental development, traditional mind-body exercises, and adaptation to high training loads in elite sport. Together with a six-dimensional framework of exercise stimuli and contextual variables, the paper outlines a research pathway linking mechanism, causal, dose-response, and real-world evidence.