Effect of unilateral, bilateral, and combined plyometric training on explosive and endurance performance of young soccer players

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Rodrigo Ramírez-Campillo
  • Carlos H Burgos
  • Henriquez Olguín, Carlos
  • David C Andrade
  • Cristian Martínez
  • Cristian Álvarez
  • Mauricio Castro-Sepúlveda
  • Mário C Marques
  • Mikel Izquierdo

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of bilateral, unilateral, or combined bilateral and unilateral plyometric training (PT) on muscle power output, endurance, and balance performance adaptations in young soccer players. Four groups of young soccer players (age 11.4 ± 2.2 years) were divided into control group (CG; n 14), bilateral group (BG; n 12), unilateral group (UG; n 16), and bilateral + unilateral group (B + UG; n 12). Players were measured in unilateral and bilateral countermovement jump with arms, 5 multiple bounds test, 20-cm drop jump reactive strength index, maximal kicking velocity, sprint and agility test time, endurance, and balance performance. The PT was applied during 6 weeks, 2 sessions per week, for a total of 2,160 jumps. After intervention, all PT groups showed a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) change in all performance measures, with no statistically significant differences between treatments. Among the 21 performance measures, the B + UG showed a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher performance change in 13 of them vs. the CG, whereas the UG and BG showed only 6 and 3, respectively. The current study showed that bilateral, unilateral, and combined bilateral and unilateral PT ensured significant improvement in several muscular power and endurance performance measures in young soccer players. However, the combination of unilateral and bilateral drills seems more advantageous to induce superior performance improvements.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Volume29
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)1317-1328
Number of pages12
ISSN1064-8011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 National Strength and Conditioning Association.

    Research areas

  • Children, Explosive strength, Football, Strength training, Stretch-shortening cycle

ID: 306306082