A Study To Determine the Effect of Resistance Training and Specificity Training on Sprint Times Compared to the Effect of Natural Growth Development of Middle School Age Students.

The purpose of this study was to determine how physical education teachers and coaches could best help students/athletes increase sprint speed, investigating whether running speed over short distances could be improved significantly through resistance training or specificity training for middle school age students. A total of 70 7th- and 8th-grade students participated (40 males and 30 females). Students were randomly placed in one of three groups. Group one was the control group and participated in regular physical education activities. Group two was the specificity group, which performed sprints at the beginning of class 3 days a week for 9 weeks. Group 3 was the resistance group, which trained for 5 days a week for a minimum of 15 minutes per session using weights and plyometric exercises along with resistance training. Each student completed a pretest which consisted of three 40-yard sprints, recording the best time. After the 9-week training period, students completed a posttest which also consisted of three 40-yard sprints, recording the best time. Results showed that speeds did not increase significantly because of specificity training, but they did increase with resistance training. Some gender effects were apparent. (Contains 42 references.) (SM)