AUTHOR=Spyrou Konstantinos , Alcaraz Pedro E. , Martínez-Serrano Antonio , Marín-Cascales Elena , Ferioli Davide , Contreras Jean Paul Santis , Ribeiro João Nuno , Travassos Bruno , Freitas Tomás T. 

TITLE=Exploring countermovement jump variables across competitive levels and playing positions in futsal

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1371467

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2024.1371467

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>The aims of this study were to compare several countermovement jump (CMJ) kinetic variables between professional (PRO) and semi-professional (SEMI-PRO) futsal players and examine the differences amongst playing positions.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>CMJ performance from 56 male futsal players (25.2 ± 4.8 years; weight: 74.4 ± 6.4 kg) was analysed. Players were separated into PRO (<italic>n</italic> = 29; 27.0 ± 4.4 years; 75.4 ± 6.0 kg) and SEMI-PRO (<italic>n</italic> = 27; 22.7 ± 4.3 years; 73.1 ± 6.8 kg), and according to playing position: defenders (<italic>n</italic> = 16; 25.4 ± 3.7 years; 75.2 ± 6.0 kg), wingers (<italic>n</italic> = 26; 23.5 ± 4.5 years; 72.0 ± 6.9 kg), and pivots (<italic>n</italic> = 14; 28.0 ± 5.6 years; 77.8 ± 4.3 kg). Linear mixed models and effect sizes were used for the analyses based on the mean of two jumps for each variable.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>PRO players presented a deeper center of mass (COM) displacement (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002, ES = 0.83), greater eccentric (Ecc) absolute (<italic>p</italic> = 0.019, ES = 0.61) and relative peak power (<italic>p</italic> = 0.046, ES = 0.52), and achieved greater Ecc peak velocities (<italic>p</italic> = 0.004, ES = 0.76) when compared to SEMI-PRO. Non-significant and trivial-to-small differences were observed in all the other CMJ variables according to the competitive level and playing position.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>Ecc capabilities (i.e., deeper COM displacement, greater Ecc absolute and relative peak power, and peak velocity) during vertical jump seem to differentiate PRO and SEMI-PRO players. However, CMJ variables do not discriminate amongst playing positions in futsal players.</p></sec>