Flywheel squats versus free weight high load squats for improving high velocity movements in football. A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background High load (HL: > 85% of one repetition maximum (1RM)) squats with maximal intended velocity contractions (MIVC) combined with football sessions can be considered a relevant and time-efficient practice for maintaining and improving high velocity movements in football. Flywheel (FW) resistance exercise (RE) have recently emerged with promising results on physical parameters associated with football performance. Methods In this randomized controlled trial over 6 weeks, 38 recreationally active male football players randomly performed RE with MIVCs two times per week as either 1) FW squats (n = 13) or 2) barbell free weight (BFW) HL squats (n = 13), where a third group served as controls (n = 12). All three groups conducted 2–3 football sessions and one friendly match a week during the intervention period. Pre- to post changes in 10-m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ) and 1RM partial squat were assessed with univariate analyses of variance. Results The FW and BFW group equally improved their 10-m sprint time (2 and 2%, respectively, within group: both p < 0.001) and jump height (9 and 8%, respectively, within group: both p < 0.001), which was superior to the control group’s change (between groups: both p < 0.001). The BFW group experienced a larger increase (46%) in maximal squat strength than the FW group (17%, between groups: p < 0.001), which both were higher than the control group’s change (both p < 0.001). Conclusion Squats carried out with FWs or BFWs where both are performed with MIVCs and combined with football sessions, were equally effective in improving sprint time and jump height in football players. The BFW group experienced a more than two-fold larger increase in maximal partial squat strength than the FW group in maximal partial squat strength. This presents FW RE as an alternative to BFW HL RE for improving high velocity movements in football. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04113031 (retrospectively registered, date: 02.10.2019).

Greater Power but Not Strength Gains Using Flywheel Versus Equivolumed Traditional Strength Training in Junior Basketball Players

“…Although this type of practice is very popular in the last decades [13], scanty studies have compared the effects of flywheel and traditional weight training on performance in athletic population [17,19,37], and generally presented data similar to our study findings. In a six week study by Maroto-izguierdo et al [19], 15 flywheel training sessions (4 × 7 maximal intensity half squats done with 0.145 kg•m 2 moment inertia) produced superior improvements (p < 0.05-0.001) compared to traditional weight training (4 × 7 leg presses with load corresponding to 7 repetitions maximum (7 RM) for each set) for vertical jump (9.8% vs. 3.4%), change of direction ability (−7% vs. −4.4%) but also 20 m sprint time (−10% vs. −5.1%) in professional handball players.…”

“…Furthermore, lower body strength increased significantly and similarly in both groups. Finally, effects of flywheel and traditional strength training on 10-m sprint, cmJ and lower body strength (1 RM squat) were examined on 38 active male football players by Sagelv et al [37]. During six weeks of intervention (2 sessions per week), both flywheel and traditional strength training progressively increased squat exercise from 3 sets with 6 repetitions (week one) to 4 sets with 4 repetitions (week six).…”

Chronic effects of flywheel training on physical capacities in soccer players: a systematic review

“…Participants in 8 of the 11 studies included elite academy soccer players (Fiorilli et al, 2020;Gonzalo-Skok et al, 2019;De Hoyo et al, 2015Nuñez et al, 2019;Raya-González et al, 2021a;Suarez-Arrones et al, 2018;Tous-Fajardo et al, 2016). The remaining studies included players from 2 professional Swedish premier league teams (Askling et al 2003), 2 semi-professional (Serie D) soccer teams (Coratella et al, 2019) and 38 recreational players from the fifth and sixth tier of the Norwegian National League (Sagelv et al, 2020). In the 11 selected studies, volume ranged from 1 to 6 sets of 5-10 repetitions with frequency varying from 1 to 2 sessions a week.…”

“…m 2 (Coratella et al, 2019;Gonzalo-Skok et al, 2019;De Hoyo et al, 2015;Raya-González et al, 2021a;Sagelv et al, 2020;Suarez-Arrones et al, 2018;Tous-Fajardo et al, 2016), while the inertia used in the remaining studies was not reported (Askling et al 2003;Fiorilli et al, 2020;De Hoyo et al, 2015Nuñez et al, 2019). Eight of the eleven studies followed a progressive programme, gradually increasing training volume or intensity over the intervention period (Coratella et al, 2019;De Hoyo et al, 2015Nuñez et al, 2019;Raya-González et al, 2021a;Sagelv et al, 2020;Suarez-Arrones et al, 2018;Tous-Fajardo et al, 2016). Finally, five studies individualized intensity by selecting inertias reporting the highest power outputs (De Hoyo et al, 2015Nuñez et al, 2019;Sagelv et al, 2020;Suarez-Arrones et al, 2018).…”

Muscle Activation Sequence in Flywheel Squats

“…Flywheel inertial resistance exercise received attention in recent years due to its many positive effects on athletic performance variables (change of direction, jumping, and sprinting) [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ] and injury prevention in sport [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Robust (large and rapid) improvements in muscle strength and power could be attributed to neurological adaptations [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], morphological adaptations [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], or the sum of both, depending on the duration of the training protocol [ 20 ] and, presumably, the magnitude of the (flywheel) FW load selected.…”