Effect of six-week traditional resistance and functional training on functional performance in female netball players

Abstract

Background Improving the quality of functional movements in athletes generally requires additional training targeting specific functional deficiencies. However, well-rounded, traditional strength and conditioning program should also improve player’s movement quality. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to compare the effect of two different six-week interventions on the functional score of female netball players. Methods In a randomized controlled study, players were divided into control and intervention group. Both groups completed identical six-week strength and conditioning program, with the intervention group also completing additional corrective exercises three sessions per week during the same period. Results The FMS® score was significantly higher in the intervention group after 6-week program (f = 9.85, p = 0.004). However, the differences in total score may be attributed mainly to differences between groups in active straight leg raise (p = 0.004) and trunk stability push-up test (p = 0.02), as other individual tests demonstrated similar time and group effect. Conclusion These results indicate that although FMS® based intervention may improve overall functional movement score, the athletes in both groups have demonstrated similar improvements in most of the individual tests. Hence, a well-rounded strength and conditioning program incorporating athlete-specific exercises based on limitations identified in the functional movement screen, may result in a balanced training strategy and reduce the need for supplementary functional training sessions.

Effects of functional training on sprinting, jumping, and functional movement in athletes: A systematic review

“…Table 2 displays the essential participant characteristics and the FT intervention’s programming parameters from the included studies. Five studies were conducted on male athletes ( Tomljanović et al, 2011 ; Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Keiner et al, 2020 ; Elvin Chacko Philip et al, 2022 ), and three studies on female athletes ( Elbadry, 2014 ; Alonso-Fernández et al, 2017 ; Kovac et al, 2022 ). Only one study featured a mix of males and females ( Teixeira et al, 2020 ) while six did not disclose any gender information ( Sander et al, 2013 ; Abdel-Aziz Habib, 2018 ; Baron et al, 2020 ; Turna and Alp, 2020 ; Usgu et al, 2020 ; Bhardwaj and Kathayat, 2021 ).…”

“…Three elements were used to report the intervention characteristics from the 15 eligible studies, namely intervention length, training duration, and training frequency. Intervention length: the shortest intervention length reported is 8 days (reported in one study) ( Sander et al, 2013 ); one study reported a 5-week intervention length ( Tomljanović et al, 2011 ); three studies reported 6-week intervention lengths ( Teixeira et al, 2020 ; Bhardwaj and Kathayat, 2021 ; Kovac et al, 2022 ); six studies reported 8-week intervention lengths ( Elbadry, 2014 ; Alonso-Fernández et al, 2017 ; Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Turna and Alp, 2020 ; Elvin Chacko Philip et al, 2022 ); one study reported a 12-week intervention length ( Baron et al, 2020 ); one study reported a 20-week intervention length ( Usgu et al, 2020 ), and one study reported 10 months intervention length (the longest) ( Keiner et al, 2020 ). Training duration: four studies did not report the duration of intervention ( Tomljanović et al, 2011 ; Sander et al, 2013 ; Bhardwaj and Kathayat, 2021 ; Li, 2022 ) while the rest did—the duration of training sessions ranged from a minimum of 10 min ( Alonso-Fernández et al, 2017 ) to a maximum of 120 min ( Abdel-Aziz Habib, 2018 ).…”

“…In the past decade, there has been a greater focus on the value of functional movement for both health and athletic performance ( Barnett et al, 2021 ). Recent research indicates the importance of FT interventions for improving sprinting ( Sander et al, 2013 ; Alonso-Fernández et al, 2017 ; Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Baron et al, 2020 ; Keiner et al, 2020 ; Usgu et al, 2020 ; Bhardwaj and Kathayat, 2021 ; Elvin Chacko Philip et al, 2022 ) and jumping performance ( Baron et al, 2020 ; Kovac et al, 2022 ; Li, 2022 ). With such a broad description, research studies have different exercise programs with different designs (e.g., mini band exercises, Chop with squat position with plantar flex, plank exercises and core exercises) focuses have been included in the study on FT ( Sander et al, 2013 ; Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Keiner et al, 2020 ).…”

“…With such a broad description, research studies have different exercise programs with different designs (e.g., mini band exercises, Chop with squat position with plantar flex, plank exercises and core exercises) focuses have been included in the study on FT ( Sander et al, 2013 ; Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Keiner et al, 2020 ). Additionally, numerous studies have found that functional training improves physical fitness in tennis players ( Yildiz et al, 2019 ), handball players ( Alonso-Fernández et al, 2017 ), soccer players ( Abdel-Aziz Habib, 2018 ; Baron et al, 2020 ; Turna and Alp, 2020 ; Elvin Chacko Philip et al, 2022 ), netball players ( Kovac et al, 2022 ), basketball players ( Usgu et al, 2020 ; Bhardwaj and Kathayat, 2021 ), martial artists. Despite the fact that functional training is important for enhancing athletes’ performance, no publication has comprehensively discussed the effects of functional training protocols on sprinting, jumping and functional movement athletes.…”

“…A relatively recent technique developed for improving an individual running, leaping, and mobility abilities is functional training (FT) ( Yildiz et al, 2019 ; Usgu et al, 2020 ; Kovac et al, 2022 ). FT is currently most clearly described as “purposeful learning,” but other definitions have stressed that its objective is to improve sports skills ( Stenger, 2018 ).…”