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This study examined the effects of an 8-week horizontal speed deceleration training (HSDT) programme in combination with regular handball-specific training as compared with handball-specific training only in measures of physical fitness in male youth handball players. Thirty-nine players were randomly assigned to either an HSDT group ( n  = 18; 15.55 ± 0.24 years) or an active-control group (CG; n  = 21; 14.59 ± 0.23 years). The results showed significant and large between-group differences at post-test in countermovement jump, change-of-direction speed, and repeated sprint ability (RSA) (all p  < 0.01; d = 2.04 and 1.37, 1.39, 1.53, and 1.53 for the CMJ, 505 CoD, RSA best , RSA average , and RSA total performances, respectively). The post-hoc-analysis demonstrated significant and large improvements in all measures of physical fitness in the HSDT group (∆2.49% to 16,25%; d = 1.01 to 1,70; all p  < 0,01). The CG, however, failed to reach any significant difference in all measures of physical fitness ((∆0.31% to 1.98%; d = 0.15 to 0.22; p  = 0.379; p  > 0.05). To summarise, an 8-week in-season HSDT programme alongside regular handball-specific training yielded positive effects on various performance measures including jumping ability, CoD speed, and RSA, when compared to handball-specific training alone. These results highlight the potential benefits of integrating HSDT into the training regimen of youth handball athletes during the competitive season.

Negra, Y, Chaabene, H, Fernandez-Fernandez, J, Sammoud, S, Bouguezzi, R, Prieske, O, and Granacher, U. Short-term plyometric jump training improves repeated-sprint ability in prepuberal male soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3241-3249, 2020-This study examined the effects of a short-term (i.e., 8 weeks) combined horizontal and vertical plyometric jump training (PJT) program in combination with regular soccer-specific training as compared with soccer-specific training only on jump and change of direction (CoD) performances, speed, and repeated-sprint ability (RSA) in prepuberal male soccer players. Twenty-four players were recruited and randomly assigned to either a PJT group (PJTG; n = 13; 12.7 ± 0.2 years) or an active control group (CONG; n = 11; 12.7 ± 0.2 years). The outcome measures included tests for the assessment of jump performance (drop jump from 20- to 40-cm height [DJ20 and DJ40] and 3-hop test [THT]), speed (20-m sprint), CoD (T-test), and RSA (20-m repeated shuttle sprint). Data were analyzed using magnitude-based inferences. Within-group analyses revealed large performance improvements in the T-test (d = -1.2), DJ20 (d = 3.7), DJ40 (d = 3.6), THT (d = 0.6), and the RSAtotal (d = -1.6) in the PJTG. Between-group analyses showed greater performance improvements in the T-test (d = -2.9), 20-m sprint time (d = -2.0), DJ20 (d = 2.4), DJ40 (d = 2.0), THT (d = 1.9), RSAbest (d = -1.9), and the RSAtotal (d = -1.9) in the PJTG compared with CONG. Eight weeks of an in-season PJT in addition to regular soccer-specific training induced larger increases in measures of physical fitness in prepuberal male soccer players compared with regular soccer-specific training only. More specifically, PJT was effective in improving RSA performance.

This study aimed at examining the effects of plyometric training on stable (SPT) vs. unstable (UPT) surfaces on physical fitness in prepuberal soccer players. Male athletes were randomly assigned to SPT (n=18; age=12.7±0.2 years) or UPT (n=16; age=12.2±0.5 years). Both groups conducted 3 regular soccer training sessions per week combined with either 2 SPT or UPT sessions. Assessment of jumping ability (countermovement jump [CMJ], and standing long jump [SLJ]), speed (10-m, 20-m, 30-m sprint), agility (Illinois agility test [IAT]), and balance (stable [SSBT], unstable [USBT] stork balance test; stable [SYBT], unstable [UYBT] Y balance test) was conducted pre-and post-training. An ANCOVA model was used to test for between-group differences (SPT vs. UPT) at post-test using baseline values as covariates. No significant differences were found for CMJ height (p>0.05, d=0.54), SLJ (p>0.05; d=0.81), 10-m, 20-m, and 30-m sprint performances (p>0.05, d=0.00-0.24), IAT (p>0.05, d=0.48), and dynamic balance (SYBT and UYBT, both p>0.05, d=0.39, 0.08, respectively). Statistically significant between-group differences were detected for the USBT (p<0.01, d=1.86) and the SSBT (p<0.01, d=1.75) in favor of UPT. Following 8 weeks of SPT or UPT in prepuberal athletes, similar performance levels were observed in both groups for measures of jumping ability, speed, dynamic balance, and agility. However, if the goal is to additionally enhance static balance, UPT has an advantage over SPT., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)