Oral / Poster Presentation File
1Department of Exercise physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan.
2Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 20 players of Sepahan soccer club divided homogeneously into control (Mean age: 20.72±0.46yr; Height: 180±5.59Cm; Weight: 66.7±3.73Kg.) and experimental (Mean age: 20.50±0.70; Height: 182.40±4.30Cm; Weight: 74.64±5.15Kg.) groups. The players have at least 6 years experience in professional soccer premier league competitions. The statistical sample of the research was available and the players were evaluated in the variables of speed, agility, ratio of quadriceps to hamstring torque, average power in quadriceps and hamstrings. Data analysis was performed using inferential statistics of paired and independent t-test at a confidence level of 0.95.
Results: The findings showed that in the intra-group comparison and analysis of the means in the experimental group before and after post-activation potentiation protocol, there were significant differences between pre-post values in Agility (pre:9.52±0.51 vs. post:9.41±0.56; p=0.001), Speed (pre:2.28±0.04 vs. post: 2.27±0.04; p=0.001), Hamstring-to-quadriceps torque ratio (pre:51.15±5.10 vs. post:56.21±5.31; p=0.001), Hamstring average power (pre:27.80±5.22 vs. post:33.53±5.58; p=0.002), Quadriceps peak torque (pre:242.26±41.11 vs. Post:215.33±28.90; p=0.004), and Hamstring peak torque (pre:111.42±10.47 vs. Post:31.59±15.98; p=0.001) of subjects in experimental group.
Discussion & Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that this specific Post-activation potentiation method was effective for improving agility, 20 m speed performance, Hamstring-to-quadriceps torque ratio, the average power of quadriceps and hamstring muscles in the experimental group (P≤0.05). Therefore, it can be used as a specific warm-up strategy before the main performance of soccer players, both in training and in soccer matches.
