The Effect of Plyometric Training and Strength Training among Male College Volleyball Players - A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction: The performance of sports persons can be enhanced through scientific inputs from physiotherapists, as demonstrated in this study.Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of plyometric training versus strength training in improving the power, standing broad jump, and vertical jump performance of college-level volleyball players.Methodology: Fifty subjects were randomly assigned to either of one group equally after assessment. Subjects in Group 1 were trained with plyometric training while subjects in Group 2 (n = 25) were trained with strength training. The pre-test and post-test data of standing broad jump, power, vertical jump performance were taken before and after the intervention respectively using standing long jump test, power by Sayer’s formula, and vertical jump test.Results: In Group 1, average power before the intervention was 3409.39 ± 290.19 watts and after the intervention, it was 3912.30 ± 100.00 watts. In Group 2, average power before the intervention was 3318.30 ± 236.17 watts, and after the intervention, it was 3709.2 ± 298.86 watts. Thus, in both the groups, intervention led to a significant improvement in power. In Group 1, average vertical jump height before the intervention was 42.16 ± 4.52 cm and after the intervention, it was 49.68 ± 4.95 cm. In Group 2, average vertical jump height before the intervention was 40.96 ± 3.93 cm and after intervention, it was 47.08 ± 4.76 cm. Conclusion: Both the groups showed improvement after the training, but the group trained with plyometric training showed better results than the strength training group.