Abstract
The present prospective cohort study investigated changes in body composition (BC) in young male football players (n = 18, 16.1 ± 0.8 years; 181.0 ± 0.1 cm; 71.3 ± 4.9 kg) after combined football and strength training (ST) during a whole in-season period (26 weeks). BC was measured at whole-body absolute and regional levels by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in eighteen players at the beginning and at the end of the competitive period. The ST was organized into three different session types: ST in the gym, specific ST on the field, and individual ST (weak points). The results of the present study indicated that fat-free mass (FFM) was substantially higher following the competitive period (5.1% ± 1.2%), while percentage of fat showed no changes during the competitive period. At the regional level, arms’ and legs’ FFM increased at the end of the season, and bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) increased in arms, legs, pelvis, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. In conclusion, within the limitation of the potential positive impact of growth and/or maturation, present results seem to indicate that an ST program that supplements football-related training sessions could be an effective option to increase FFM, BMC, and BMD at both whole-body and regional level across the competitive season in young male professional football players.
Highlights
The central goal of strength training (ST) in football is to improve the players’ specific activities inherent to the sport [1], as well as to reduce post-training and post-match markers of muscle damage [2]and minimize the risk of injury [3]
fat-free mass (FFM) increased after the competitive season; (b) at regional levels, lean muscle mass for arms and legs increased at the end of the season, as well as bone mineral content (BMC) and BMD in arms, legs, pelvis, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine
Our results showed that when FFM was analyzed at regional levels, increases in FFM were identified in the arm and leg regions
Summary
The central goal of strength training (ST) in football is to improve the players’ specific activities inherent to the sport [1], as well as to reduce post-training and post-match markers of muscle damage [2]and minimize the risk of injury [3]. The central goal of strength training (ST) in football is to improve the players’ specific activities inherent to the sport [1], as well as to reduce post-training and post-match markers of muscle damage [2]. A training method that has increased in popularity in the past two decades is flywheel training, especially among professional football players [7,8,9,10]. With these devices, the load is generated by the inertia of a rotating mass
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
