The effect of plyometric training on competition period muscle damage in amateur footballers

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of plyometric training on the damage muscle in amateur footballers.  Material and Methods. The research group consists of 19 footballers with an average age of 23.41 ± 3.2. In addition to football training, the research group received a plyometric training program from the third week of the preparation period (two days a week) to the sixth week of the competition period (one day a week). Blood samples were taken in the sixth week of the competition period, before and after the training and on the day of the competition. CK activity was determined in sera obtained from centrifuged blood. It was analyzed with the Roche Diagnostic kit on an Integra (800-Roche) biochemistry device. Tests used: Vertical Jump Test; 30 m. Sprint Test; Illinois Agility Test; Flexibility Test. Statistical analysis were performed by t-test, according to normality test in SPSS 10.0 package program. Results. The blood samples taken before and after the training were compared with creatine kinasevalues. It was seen that there was an increase and this increase returned to normal on the match day. In 30 meters sprint tests and Iliniois tests, significant reductions were found (p<0.05). While a significant difference was detected in the pre- and post-tests, pre-training and match day, no significant difference was found in CK values (p>0.05). Conclusions. Based on the results of this study, it can be recommended to reduce the intensity of the training to be done after the plyometric training due to the high CK value in the blood. It can be said that plyometric studies can play an important role in improving the performance of footballers.