The Impact of Unilateral and Bilateral Plyometric Training Combined With Linear Sprints on Physical Performance in Youth Male Elite Futsal Players

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the effect of linear sprint training combined with plyometric training involving unilateral compared with bilateral exercises on youth male elite futsal players' physical performance.

Methods: During 4 weeks of their regular futsal training routine, players were randomly distributed into groups. Plyometric training involved bipedal (BG, n = 13) or unipedal (UG, n = 11) horizontal maximum-intensity jumps, and linear sprint training involved maximal-intensity 10-m sprints. The 2 training groups completed an equal number of total jumps (n = 837) and sprints (n = 280), and the control group (CG, n = 10) worked with a futsal ball to equate temporally the training time. Players were measured in squat and countermovement jump, standing long jump, 5-multiple-bounds test, sprint (10 and 20 m), and T-test change-of-direction speed (CODS). Two-way analysis of variance (group × time) with Tukey post hoc and effect size were calculated. Significance levels were set at P < .05 for all tests.

Results: No time-group interactions were noted. Time effects were noted for vertical and horizontal jumps (squat jump, countermovement jump [cm, W·kg-1], standing long jump dominant, nondominant [cm]), with moderate and mainly large (magnitude) improvements to UG and BG, and only small or ignored to CG. The sprints presented large improvements to BG (10 and 20 m) and UG (20 m) and small or moderate to CG, which was similar to the CODS (except for the ignored magnitude to CG).

Conclusions: Linear sprint training combined with plyometric training involving unilateral or bilateral exercises seems to induce similar improvements in youth male futsal players' physical performance, including vertical and horizontal jump performance and linear and CODS sprint performance.

Keywords: athletic performance; high-intensity interval training; human physical conditioning; musculoskeletal and neural physiological phenomena; stretch-shortening cycle; youth sports.