The Training of Short Distance Sprint Performance in Football Code Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Short-sprint (≤ 20 m) performance is an important quality for success in the football codes. Therefore, developing an evidence base for understanding training methods to enhance short-sprint performance is key for practitioners. However, current systematic reviews are limited by (1) a lack of focus on football code athletes, (2) a lack of consideration of all training modalities and (3) a failure to account for the normal training practices undertaken by intervention groups within their analysis. Therefore, this review aimed to (1) conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature evaluating training interventions upon short-sprint performance within football code athletes, (2) undertake a meta-analysis to assess the magnitude of change of sport-sprint performance following training interventions and (3) identify how moderator variables affect the training response.

Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to establish standardised mean difference with 95% confidence intervals. This identified the magnitude and direction of the individual training effects of intervention subgroups (primary, secondary, combined-specific, tertiary and combined training methods) on short-sprint performance while considering moderator variables (i.e., football code, sex, age, playing standard, phase of season).

Results: 121 studies met the inclusion criteria, totalling 3419 athletes. Significant improvements (small-large) were found between pre- and post-training in short-sprint performance for the combined, secondary, tertiary and combined-specific training methods. No significant effect was found for primary or sport only training. No individual mode was found to be the most effective. Between-subgroup analysis identified that football code, age, playing standard and phase of season all moderated the overall magnitude of training effects.

Conclusions: This review provides the largest systematic review and meta-analysis of short-sprint performance development methods and the only one to assess football code athletes exclusively. Practitioners can apply combined, secondary and tertiary training methods to improve short-sprint performance within football code athletes. The application of sport only and primary methods does not appear to improve short-sprint performance. Regardless of the population characteristics, short-sprint performance can be enhanced by increasing either or both the magnitude and the orientation of force an athlete can generate in the sprinting action.

Trial registration: OSF registration https://osf.io/kshqn/ .

Fig. 1

Flow diagram of the process of study selection

Fig. 2

Forest plots showing the standardised mean differences (mean ± 95% CI) for the studies evaluating the between training group effects on 0–5 m sprint performance. Bold font = p < 0.05 and *less than 3 studies in this training group. ^aSignificantly different to sport only training p < 0.05, ^bSignificantly different to primary methods training methods p < 0.05. SMD standardised mean differences and CI confidence interval

Fig. 3

Forest plots showing the standardised mean differences (mean ± 95% CI) for the studies evaluating the between training group effects on 0–10 m sprint performance. Bold font = p < 0.05 and *less than 3 studies in this training group. ^aSignificantly different to sport only training p < 0.05, ^bSignificantly different to primary methods training methods p < 0.05. SMD standardised mean differences and CI confidence interval

Fig. 4

Forest plots showing the standardised mean differences (mean ± 95% CI) for the studies evaluating the between training group effects on 0–20 m sprint performance. ^aSignificantly different to sport only training p < 0.05, ^bSignificantly different to primary methods training methods p < 0.05. Bold font = p < 0.05; SMD standardised mean differences and CI confidence interval