Short-term effects of on-field combined core 
strength and small-sided games training on physical performance in young 
soccer players

Ersan Arslan; Yusuf Soylu; Filipe Clemente; Tahir Hazir; Ayse Kin Isler; Bulent Kilit

doi:10.5114/biolsport.2021.102865

eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X

Biology of Sport

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4/2021
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abstract:

Original paper

Short-term effects of on-field combined core strength and small-sided games training on physical performance in young soccer players

Ersan Arslan

¹

,

Yusuf Soylu

²

,

Filipe Manuel Clemente

³

,

Tahir Hazir

⁴

,

Ayse Kin Isler

³

,

Bulent Kilit

⁵

Siirt University, School of Physical Education and Sports, Siirt, Turkey
Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Tokat, Turkey
Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Álvares, 4900-347, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
Tekirdag Namik Kemal University, School of Physical Education and Sports, Tekirdag, Turkey

Biol Sport. 2021;38(4):609–616.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2021.102865

Online publish date: 2021/02/17

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This study aimed to compare the effects of 6-weeks combined core strength and small-sided games training (SSGcore) vs. small-sided games (SSG) training on the physical performance of young soccer players. Thirty-eight amateur soccer players (age: 16.50 ± 0.51 years) were randomly assigned to either a SSGcore (n = 20) or a SSG group (n = 18). The SSGcore group performed upper and lower body core strength exercises combined with SSG including 2-, 3- and 4-a-sided soccer games third a week. The SSG group performed only the SSG periodization. Baseline and after the 6-week training period the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIRTL-1), 5–20-m sprint test, countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), triple-hop distance (THD), zigzag agility with ball (ZAWB) and without ball (ZAWOB), three corner run test (TCRT) and Y-balance test. The SSGcore group demonstrated meaningful improvements in 20 m sprint time (SSGcore: -9.1%, d = 1.42; SSG: -4.4%, d = 0.76), CMJ (SSGcore: 11.4%, d = 2.67; SSG: -7.7%, d = 1.43), SJ (SSGcore: 12.0%, d = 2.14; SSG: 5.7%, d = 1.28), THD (SSGcore: 5.0%, d = 1.39; SSG: 2.7%, d = 0.52) and TCRT (SSGcore: -3.7%, d = 0.69; SSG: -1.9%, d = 0.38). Furthermore, the SSGcore group demonstrated meaningfully higher improvement responses in both leg balance score (d = ranging from 2.11 to 2.75) compared with SSG group. These results suggest that the inclusion of core strength training to a SSG periodization is greatly effective to improve speed and strength-based conditioning in young soccer players.

keywords:

Short-term effects of on-field combined core strength and small-sided games training on physical performance in young soccer players

Ersan Arslan 1 , Yusuf Soylu 2 , Filipe Manuel Clemente 3 , Tahir Hazir 4 , Ayse Kin Isler 3 , Bulent Kilit 5

Game-based training, Strength-based conditioning, Jumping, Agility, Balance, Football

Ersan Arslan

¹

,

Yusuf Soylu

²

,

Filipe Manuel Clemente

³

,

Tahir Hazir

⁴

,

Ayse Kin Isler

³

,

Bulent Kilit

⁵