Athletic Performance, Muscle Fatigue, Plyometric Exercise
Conditions
Brief summary
This randomized controlled trial aims to assess the effectiveness of a 12-week plyometric training regimen on improving power, speed, and agility among boys aged 10 to 18 years who are actively engaged in sports and exhibit differing levels of biological maturity. The study seeks to determine how maturation affects the responsiveness to the training program, potentially influencing future sports training approaches for young athletes.
Detailed description
The main objective of this project is to assess the impact of a plyometric program on power, speed, agility, reactive strength index and stiffness in male athletes of different levels of maturation. The study takes the form of a short-term experiment (12 weeks), involving 30 young athletes with a minimum of two years of experience in systematic sports training. Participants are divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group undergoes a 12-week plyometric training program, implemented twice a week within training sessions immediately following warm-ups. The control group engages in technical-tactical exercises. The program is developed by the authors of the research project based on current knowledge and requirements for creating an effective and safe plyometric program. Randomization is performed using a computer random generator. Participants undergo two testing sessions: one prior to the training intervention and the other one week after its completion. Age, height, weight, and body composition are measured using a personal scale with an integrated stadiometer. Tests include a 30-m sprint, countermovement jump, broad jump, unilateral triple jump, drop jump (reactive strength index), 20 submaximal vertical jumps (lower limb stiffness), BlazePod reaction test, and 505 agility test. The maturity status of the participants is evaluated using the Mirwald method and is used as a covariate in the subsequent statistical analysis. Findings of this research may provide crucial insights for targeted integration of plyometric methods during the developmental and maturation phases of young athletes.
Interventions
OTHERPlyometric training
Participants undergo a plyometric training program. The plyometric training consists of exercises in the horizontal, lateral, and vertical directions of movement. Exercises are progressively focused on maximal performance with short ground contact (\<250 ms). The training sessions are twice per week.
OTHERControl training
Participants continues their regular sports activities without additional plyometric training. The training sessions are twice per week.
Sponsors
Palacky University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
10 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Minimum of 2 years of organized sports participation. * Good health as confirmed by a pre-study medical screening. * Signed informed consent from the legal representative and verbal assent from the participant.
Exclusion criteria
* Any serious lower limb injury in the past 6 months. * Any current or historical mental health disorders. * Any condition deemed by the medical screener as a contraindication to vigorous physical activity.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical jump height | 12 weeks | The vertical jump is performed on AMTI OR6-7-1000 force platform (Advanced Mechanical Technology, Watertown, USA). Participants stand on the force platform in an upright position and on command, perform a maximum height jump with a countermovement and use of arms. Participants perform three attempts, with a 1-min rest between each. The best attempt is evaluated. |
| Broad jump distance | 12 weeks | The distance in the broad jump is measured with a tape. Participants stand on a pre-marked line with legs approximately shoulder-width apart. From standing, they jump as far forward as possible using a countermovement and land on both feet. The landing spot closest to the starting line is considered for scoring. Participants perform two attempts, with the better attempt being recorded. There is a 1-min rest between attempts. |
| Unilateral triple jump length | 12 weeks | The length of the unilateral triple jump test is measured with a tape. Participants start on one leg on a pre-marked line. Then using a countermovement from knee flexion, they perform a triple jump with the dominant and subsequently the non-dominant lower limb. After the final jump, they must land on both limbs and maintain their position at the landing spot for at least 2 seconds. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lower limb stiffness | 12 weeks | Lower limb stiffness is measured using the repeated submaximal jumps test (Optojump Next, Microgate, Italy). Participants perform 20 repeated jumps at a frequency of 2.5 Hz (mechanical metronome Wittner, Isny, Germany). Participants stand approximately shoulder-width apart with their hands on their sides throughout the test. Participants undergo three attempts with 2-min rest in between. |
| Linear speed | 12 weeks | A 20-m sprint test is used to assess linear speed. The final time is recorded using photoelectric cells (Brower Timing System, Draper, USA) with accuracy of 0.01 s. Photocells are placed at the start and 20-m mark. Participants start on command, with timing starting as soon as the player begins to move. |
| Reactive strength index | 12 weeks | Reactive strength index is measured using the drop jump on AMTI OR6-7-1000 force platform (Advanced Mechanical Technology, Watertown, USA). Participants stand with feet shoulder-width apart on a platform 30 cm above the floor and have their hands on their sides. Then they step off the platform with one foot and upon landing, rebound as quickly as possible and with maximum effort. Reactive strength index is calculated from the ratio of jump height to the duration of contact with the platform. |
| Agility test | 12 weeks | For the 505 agility test, photoelectric cells (PR1aW, ALGE-TIMING, Lustenau, Austria) are used, placed at the 10-m mark. Cones are placed at the 0, 10, and 15-m marks. Participants sprint 10 meters and are instructed to reach maximum speed by the 10-m mark. At the 15-m mark, they perform a 180-degree turn and sprint back to the 10-m mark at maximum speed. Each participant have one attempt on the dominant and one attempt on the non-dominant leg for the 180-degree turn. |
| Reaction test | 12 weeks | In the BlazePod reaction test (Play Coyotta, Tel Aviv, Israel), 5 sensors are placed parallel, 1 m apart from each other. The participant stand 3 m in front of the middle sensor. When any sensor lights up, the participant must press it as quickly as possible and return to the starting position, waiting for the next sensor to light up. Sensors light up in a random order. The test lasts after 10 attempts. |
Countries
Czechia
Outcome results
None listed