Effects of plyometric and strength trainings on selected physical fitness variables in Ethiopia youth sport academy female soccer players

Abstract

Plyometric is an exercise in which muscles exert force in short intervals of time. Back then, it was only employed in track and field events and was known as “jump training.” The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plyometric and strength trainings on selected physical fitness variables in Ethiopia Youth Sport Academy female soccer players. The study used quasi-experimental design. Random sampling technique was used to group the participants into plyometric and strength training groups. Both groups performed selected exercises for consecutive twelve weeks, implemented two days per week and two hours in each session. Paired sample t-test and independent t-test were conducted to analyze the change scores from pre and posttest for all subjects and from separated groups. The paired sample t-test results revealed that players in the plyometric group significantly improved their agility (p<0.05) and explosive power performance (p<0.05) from baseline to the end of the intervention. Whereas, female soccer players in the strength group only improved their explosive power (p<0.05) following twelve-week of strength training intervention. As the independent sample t-test result identified no significant performance difference in agility (p>0.05) and explosive power (p>0.05) performances between the groups. In general, following twelve-week of continuous plyometric and strength trainings the study identified that both training interventions improved the agility and explosive power ability of female soccer players and no significant performance differences had been identified between the two groups.