The effect of a weekly flywheel resistance training session on elite U-16 soccer players’ physical performance during the competitive season. A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of a weekly flywheel resistance training session over a 10-week period on U16 soccer players’ physical performance with special attention to change of direction ability (e.g., deficit [COD_def]). Twenty elite young soccer players were assigned to an experimental (EG, n = 10) or control (CG, n = 10) group. Unilateral countermovement jumps with dominant (CMJ_d) and non-dominant (CMJ_nd) leg, 10, 20, and 30-m linear sprint test and change of direction sprint test in 5 + 5 (COD10) and 10 + 10 m (COD20) were performed before and after flywheel training period. Significant within-group differences were found in CG in COD10 (p = 0.01; effect size [ES] = large) and COD_def10 (p = 0.03; ES = small) with dominant leg, while differences in EG were observed in CMJ (p = 0.001–0.01; ES = moderate-large) and in all COD and COD_def variables (p = 0.001–0.04; ES = large). Between-groups analysis revealed differences in favour of the EG in CMJ (p = 0.03–0.05) and COD and COD_def variables (p = 0.001–0.05). These findings suggest a weekly flywheel training session is suitable for improving jumping and COD abilities in U16 elite soccer players in season.

KEYWORDS:

• Football
• eccentric
• fitness
• team sport
• non-linear sprint

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of a Spanish government subproject Mixed method approach on performance analysis (in training and competition) in elite and academy sport [PGC2018-098742-B-C33] (2019–2021) [del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), la Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)], that is part of the coordinated project New approach of research in physical activity and sport from mixed methods perspective (NARPAS_MM) [SPGC201800X098742CV0].

Disclosure statement

There are no funding sources and no conflicts of interest surrounding this scientific investigation.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.