Effect of biological maturation on strength-related adaptations in young soccer players

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 7; p. e0219355
• Main Authors: Peña-González, Iván, Fernández-Fernández, Jaime, Cervelló, Eduardo, Moya-Ramón, Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 05-07-2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adaptation; Adaptation, Physiological; Analysis of Variance; Biological effects; Biology and Life Sciences; Body measurements; Boys; Child athletes; Children & youth; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Maturation; Maturity; Medicine and Health Sciences; Methods; Muscle Strength; Physical fitness; Physical training; Physiological aspects; Players; Puberty; Resistance Training; Soccer; Soccer players; Social Sciences; Sport science; Sports; Sports training; Standard deviation; Strength; Strength training; Studies; Training; Weight training; Spain
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219355

Strength training is crucial for soccer players' long-term development at early ages and the biological maturation may influence specific strength-training adaptations. The aim of this study was to propose a strength-training programme for the strength development of pre-pubertal players and to analyse the adaptations to this training programme in players with different maturity status. One hundred and thirty young male soccer players participated in an 8-week strength-training programme consisting of two sessions per week (20-minutes of a combination of plyometric and resistance exercises) which was conducted prior to their normal soccer training. Three maturity groups were defined according to the years from/to their peak height velocity (PHV) as Pre-, Mid- and Post-PHV. Initial differences between the maturity groups were found in anthropometrical (weight and height) and physical performance variables (One Repetition Maximum (RM), Peak Power output (PP), 30-m sprint and T-test). The strength-training programme was beneficial for the three maturity groups (p< 0.05) with general greater improvements for the Pre- and Mid-PHV groups, with large effects in RM, PP and T-test, than for the Post-PHV group (moderate effects). The strength-training programme proposed in the present study seems to be positive for the strength-related development in young soccer players especially for Pre- and Mid-PHV players. The differences in the training adaptations for players with different maturity status suggest the individualization of the training stimulus for the correct long-term development of the players.