Improving Sprint Performance in Soccer: Effectiveness of Jump Squat and Olympic Push Press Exercises.

Irineu Loturco,Ronaldo Kobal,Cesar Cavinato Cal Abad,Katia Kitamura,Thiago Maldonado,Altamiro Bottino,Fabio Yuzo Nakamura,Miguel De Arruda,Alessandro Fromer Piazzi,Lucas Adriano Pereira,Stephen E Alway

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153958

Abstract

Training at the optimum power load (OPL) is an effective way to improve neuromuscular abilities of highly trained athletes. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of training using the jump squat (JS) or Olympic push-press (OPP) exercises at the OPL during a short-term preseason on speed-power related abilities in high-level under-20 soccer players. The players were divided into two training groups: JS group (JSG) and OPP group (OPPG). Both groups undertook 12 power-oriented sessions, using solely JS or OPP exercises. Pre- and post-6 weeks of training, athletes performed squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), sprinting speed (5, 10, 20 and 30 m), change of direction (COD) and speed tests. To calculate the transfer effect coefficient (TEC) between JS and MPP OPP and the speed in 5, 10, 20, and 30 m, the ratio between the result gain (effect size [ES]) in the untrained exercise and result gain in the trained exercise was calculated. Magnitude based inference and ES were used to test the meaningful effects. The TEC between JS and VEL 5, 10, 20, and 30 m ranged from 0.77 to 1.29, while the only TEC which could be calculated between OPP and VEL 5 was rather low (0.2). In addition, the training effects of JS on jumping and speed related abilities were superior (ES ranging from small to large) to those caused by OPP (trivial ES). To conclude, the JS exercise is superior to the OPP for improving speed-power abilities in elite young soccer players.

Highlights

The evolution of top-level soccer technical and physical performance demands the progressive development of neuromuscular abilities related to engagement in match-related powerful activities [1], such as sprinting and jumping
The vertical jump heights (SJ and countermovement jump (CMJ)) and the mean propulsive power (MPP) in the jump squat (JS) exercise presented likely to almost certain improvements in the JS group (JSG) (ES = 0.53, 0.38 and 1.30, respectively), while the OPP group (OPPG) presented an almost certain improvement only in the Olympic push-press (OPP) exercise (ES = 1.23)
The use of JS could be a safe strategy for increasing speed ability in soccer players, without the inherent risks involved in maximal sprint training [51]

Summary

Introduction

The evolution of top-level soccer technical and physical performance demands the progressive development of neuromuscular abilities related to engagement in match-related powerful activities [1], such as sprinting and jumping. Throughout the in-season period (during which training volume is reduced compared with the preseason), the classic strength-power periodization (as proposed by Plisk and Stone [6]) proved to be less effective at improving speed-power related abilities in elite soccer players than training “solely” at the optimum power zone using the JS exercise (unpublished results) This training mode (i.e., JS at the OPL) seems to be an effective and practical alternative for enhancing the neuromechanical performance of soccer players during the in-season period, it remains to be established whether the JS “per se” is the most appropriate exercise to be used in the training programs of elite athletes. As both exercises are “vertically oriented” and this training axis showed to be superior to “horizontally oriented” exercises to enhance 20-m speed performance in elite soccer players (who performed unloaded jumps) [7], it would be valuable to test their effectiveness under loaded conditions (i.e., JS and OPP at the OPL)

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