Effect of high-intensity training on speed and agility performance in 10-year-old soccer players

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of short-burst high intensity training on speed and agility performance in 10-year-old male soccer players.

Pretest posttest experimental design. A training group (TG) (N.=20; age 10.5 SD ± 0.2), followed an 8 week intervention program, and with an corresponding control group (CG) (N.=12; age 10.4 SD ± 0.2).

10 m sprint, 20 m sprint and 20 m agility performance, and correlation between linear sprint and agility performance. Brower Timing System (USA) were used to record split and completion time. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), two tailed paired t-test and Pearson's correlation r were used in statistical analyses. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 19.0.

Findings from the present study showed significant improvement in agility performance (7.8%) and 20 m sprint (1.8%) (P<0.05). No significant performance increase was obtained in the CG. Furthermore the correlation between 10 m sprint and agility was r=0.40 and between 20 m sprint and agility performance r=0.58 (P<0.05).

These results demonstrate that short-burst high intensity training increase speed and agility performance in 10-year-old male soccer players. The results also indicate a common variance between straight line sprinting and agility performance.