AUTHOR=Hammami Mehrez , Gaamouri Nawel , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Shephard Roy J. , Chelly Mohamed Souhaiel 

TITLE=Effects of Upper and Lower Limb Plyometric Training Program on Components of Physical Performance in Young Female Handball Players

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.01028

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2020.01028

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Purpose</title><p>This study examined the effects of a 10-week combined upper and lower limb plyometric training (ULLPT) programs on components of physical performance in young female handball players.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Participants aged 15.8 ± 0.2 years were randomly assigned between the experimental (EG; <italic>n</italic> = 17) and control (CG; <italic>n</italic> = 17) groups. Two-way analyses of performance (group × time) assessed changes in handgrip force, back extensor strength; medicine ball throwing, 30-m sprint times, change of direction (CoD) [Modified Illinois test (Illinois-MT)], four jumping tests [squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), CMJ with arms (CMJA) and 5 jump test (5JT), static and dynamic balance, and repeated sprint T-test scores (RSTT)].</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>After 10 weeks of plyometric training (two sessions per week), group × time interactions showed significant changes in EG relative to CG in right and left handgrip force, back extensor strength and medicine ball throwing [<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 1.51 (large); <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001, <italic>d</italic> = 0.85 (large); <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 0.90 (large); <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001, <italic>d</italic> = 0.52 (medium), respectively]. Group × time interactions also showed improvements of EG relative to CG in sprint times [5 m (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02, <italic>d</italic> = 0.80 (large)); 10 m (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001, <italic>d</italic> = 1.00 (large)); 20 m (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02, <italic>d</italic> = 1.41 (large)); and 30 m (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02, <italic>d</italic> = 2.60 (large))], CoD [Illinois-MT (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 1.58 (large))] and jumping [(SJ, CMJ, CMJA, and 5JT, <italic>p</italic> = 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 0.87 (large); <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 1.17 (large); <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001, <italic>d</italic> = 1.15 (large); and <italic>p</italic> = 0.006, <italic>d</italic> = 0.71 (medium)) respectively]. Further, all RSTT scores (best time, mean time, total time, and fatigue index) improved significantly in the experimental group, with group × time interactions varying between <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001 and <italic>p</italic> = 0.049 (<italic>d</italic> value large to medium). However, balance did not differ significantly between EG and CG.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>We conclude that 10 weeks of ULLPT improved many measures of physical performance in young female handball players.</p></sec>