Long-Term Strength Training Effects on Change-of-Direction Sprint Performance

Abstract

The requirement profiles for sports such as soccer, football, tennis, and rugby demonstrate the importance of strength and speed-strength abilities, in addition to other conditional characteristics. During a game, the athletes complete a large number of strength and speed-strength actions. In addition to the linear sprints, athletes perform sprints while changing the direction (change-of-direction sprint [COD]). Therefore, this study aims to clarify the extent to which there is a strength training intervention effect on COD. Further, this investigation analyzes the possible correlations between the 1-Repetition Maximum/body mass (SREL) in the front and back squats and COD. The subjects (n = 112) were at pretest between 13 and 18 years of age and were divided into 2 groups with 4 subgroups (A = under 19 years of age, B = under 17 years of age, and C = under 15 years of age). For approximately 2 years, 1 group (control group [CG]) only participated in routine soccer training, and the other group (strength training group [STG]) participated in an additional strength training program with the routine soccer training. Additionally, the performances in the COD of 34 professional soccer players of the first and second divisions in Germany were measured as a standard of high-level COD. For the analysis of the performance development within a group and pairwise comparisons between 2 groups, an analysis of variance with repeated measures was calculated with the factors group and time. Relationships between the COD and SREL were calculated for the normal distributed data using a plurality of bivariate correlations by Pearson. Our data show that additional strength training over a period of 2 years significantly affects the performance in the COD. The STG in all subcohorts reached significantly (p < 0.05) faster times in the COD than did the CG. The STG amounted up to 5% to nearly 10% better improvements in the 10-m sprint times compared with that of the CG. Furthermore, our data show significant (p < 0.05) moderate to high correlations (r = -0.388 to -0.697) between the SREL and COD. Our data show that a long-term strength training improves the performance of the COD. Therefore, a long-term resistance training is recommended as early as in childhood and adolescence.

Neuromuscular Screening to predict young fencers’ performance

“…On the other hand, negra et al (18) found significant correlation between lJ and two different agility tests in a large group of participants. The results of the present study showed that CODv of the young fencers correlated with almost all leg power parameters (explosive strength, horizontal jumps, speed and reaction jump test) while sJ was the best CODv performance predictor confirming the findings by others (11,18,22).…”

“…More specifically, CODv tests seem to be associated with muscle strength of the participants, movement mechanics, exit velocity and increased elastic energy utilization during the eccentric phase of braking (11,22). On the other hand, negra et al (18) found significant correlation between lJ and two different agility tests in a large group of participants.…”

Unilateral vs. Bilateral Squat Training for Strength, Sprints, and Agility in Academy Rugby Players

“…For example, a previous study reported significant improvements in sprint times and change of direction in the T test following 8 weeks of squat jump training with 30 and 80% of 1RM (20). It has also been reported that strength training with either the front squat or BS over a period of 2 years significantly improves CODS performance of CODS in junior footballer players (17).…”

“…Similarly, Comfort et al (8) reported concomitant improvements in BS strength and sprint performance over 5 and 10 m, following 8 weeks of resistance training in professional rugby league players. One study has also suggested that long-term strength training with the BS or front squat may improve change of direction performance in junior footballers (17).…”

Strength training in soccer with a specific focus on highly trained players

“…Although not universally confirmed, there is evidence of associations between the measures of maximal (1RM) [44] and relative strength (1RM/BM) [45], as well as between certain muscle mechanical properties, such as peak torque [46,47] and PP [39], and the ability of soccer players to perform complex multi-joint dynamic movements, e.g., jumping and sprinting actions. Independently of a player’s level, strength-related interventions represent a powerful training stimulus by promoting adaptations in a wide range of athletic skills (e.g., jumping, Table 1, Figures 1, 2 and 3 and Additional file 1: Figure S1-5) [2,3,6,8,10,12,14,15,19,21-23,48] and soccer-specific skills (soccer kick) [21,28] (Tables 1 and 2).…”