Effect of 12-Week Functional Training Intervention on the Speed of Young Footballers

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 160
• Main Authors: Baron, Jakub, Bieniec, Anna, Swinarew, Andrzej S, Gabryś, Tomasz, Stanula, Arkadiusz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 24.12.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Acceleration; Adolescent; Athletes; Body fat; Body mass index; Consent; Exercise - physiology; Football; Humans; Male; Motor skill; Motor Skills - physiology; Movement - physiology; Nervous system; Parameters; Participation; Photoelectric cells; Physical Functional Performance; Players; Poland; Research projects; Schedules; Soccer; Sports injuries; Training; Poland; movement patterns; functional training; football; functional movement system; speed
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010160

The aim of the research was to verify the functional state of young football players using selected tests of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) protocol, as well as the impact of the 12 weeks of functional training on the speed parameters. The research was conducted on 20 highly competitive young (U17) football players. Research project was conducted in two stages: in the first part of the study, the functional assessment was made by using the FMS test, then the measurement of the speed parameters was done with the Microgate photocells system. Results showed a significant improvement in the functional state of young football players: FMS 1 (45.2% of difference, = 0.004), FMS 2 (24.3% of difference, = 0.012), FMS 3 (48.5% of difference, = 0.001). After the functional training program, there was also an improvement in the parameters of the acceleration and velocity: acceleration between 5-10 m and speed between 10-30 m shows significant improvement (expressed during covering a given distance) of the footballers, amounting to 0.02 s (2.4%) and 0.04 s (1.5%). But there was no improvement in acceleration between 0-5 m. An appropriate training schedule, based on FMS results, should be adopted in the annual training program to improve basic motor skills of the football players and minimize their injuries.