EFFECT OF PLYOMETRIC AND RESISTANCE TRAINING ON SELECTED FITNESS PARAMETERS IN UNIVERSITY MALE SOCCER PLAYERS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of plyometric and resistance training on
selected fitness variables among university-level male soccer players. A total of sixty participants,
aged eighteen to twenty four years, were randomly selected and separated into two groups: the
plyometric training group (Group A, N=30) and the resistance training group (Group B, N=30).
Both groups underwent a structured training program for 12 weeks, consisting of two sessions per
week, each lasting 40 minutes. The selected fitness variables included leg strength (leg press),
muscular strength endurance (sit-ups test), muscular power (standing long jump), speed (30-meter
sprint), and agility (Illinois agility test). Pre- and post-test data were analyzed using percentages,
mean, standard deviation, and t-test in SPSS 16. The results indicated significant improvements in
both groups across all fitness variables. The plyometric training group demonstrated notable
enhancements in muscular power and speed, with statistically significant results (P=0.00) in leg
press, sit-ups test, standing long jump, and sprint performance, while agility showed a significance
level of P=0.01. The resistance training group exhibited significant improvements in leg strength,
muscular strength endurance, and agility, with all variables showing P=0.00, except for standing
long jump (P=0.02). These findings highlight the effectiveness of both training protocols, with
plyometric training being more beneficial for muscular power and speed, whereas resistance
training contributed more to leg strength, muscular endurance, and agility.