Effect of Short Burst Activities on Sprint and Agility Performance in 11- to 12-Year-Old Boys

Abstract

There are limited data on how coordinative sprint drills and maximal short burst activities affects children's sprint and agility performance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of short burst activities on sprint and agility performance in 11- to 12-year-old boys. A training group (TG) of 14 boys followed a 6-week, 1-hour·week(-1), training program consisting of different short burst competitive sprinting activities. Eleven boys of similar age served as controls (control group [CG]). Pre- and posttests assessed 10-m sprint, 20-m sprint, and agility performance. Results revealed significant performance improvement in all tests within TG (p < 0.05), but not between TG and CG in the 10-m sprint test. Furthermore, the relationships between the performances in straight-line sprint and agility showed a significant transfer effect (r = 0.68-0.75, p < 0.001). Findings from the present study indicate that competitive short burst activities executed with maximal effort may produce improvement in sprint and agility performance in 11- to 12-year-old boys.

Predicting Agility Performance with other Performance Variables in Pubescent Boys: A Multiple-Regression Approach

“…In the current study, the correlation coeffi cients between speed and agility, ranging from .40 to .68, were similar to those reported previously in athletic boys and physically active adults ( Gabbett, et al , 2008 ;Pettersen & Mathisen, 2012 ;Sekulic, et al ., 2013 ). Correlations between power qualities (i.e., horizontal and vertical jumps) and agility tests were also within expected values ( Sekulic, et al ., 2013 ).…”

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“…The intervention took place in the preseason period, and the training group (TG) replaced one of three ordinary soccer-training sessions consisting of technical drills and small-sided games, with a program of speed training. Pre-and post-tests assessed the 20 m linear-sprint with a 10-m split time, while agility performance was tested using an agility course (Pettersen & Mathisen, 2012).…”

“…All tests were completed from a standing start, with the front foot placed 20 cm behind the photocells' start line. The agility test was a 20 m standardized course used in previous experiment (Pettersen & Mathisen, 2012). The test started with a 5 m straight-sprint, followed by a 90° turn, a 2.5 m sprint followed by a 180° turn, a 5 m slightly curved sprint followed by a 180° turn, a 2.5 m straight sprint followed by a 90° turn, and finished with a 5 m straight-sprint.…”

“…The exercises and the tests were executed in a gym with a parquet floor, and with a temperature of 20° C. Prior to the testing, the participants followed the same supervised warm-up procedure with 10 minutes jogging and sprint drills. The tests have shown good reliability by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (Pettersen & Mathisen, 2012).…”

“…Furthermore, it is unsolved whether traditional soccer training, consisting of small-sided games, can provide enough stimuli to sufficiently increase sprint performance in young players (Jullien et al, 2008). Previous research has proposed high intensity up to maximal effort during exercises as a key factor in these abilities (Pettersen & Mathisen, 2012). Given the limited body of knowledge, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of short burst speed exercises on straight-line sprint and agility in 15-year-old female soccer players.…”