Effect of Core Strength Training on the Physical Fitness and Skills of Youth Field Hockey Players in China

NCT06297889 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Ma Hucheng
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 48
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Hockey, tracing its origins back to 2000 BC, has undergone substantial evolutionary transformations throughout the centuries. Initially known by various names, the game transitioned to its modern form approximately 50 years ago, when matches were conducted on grass fields with wooden sticks. In contemporary international hockey, there has been a notable shift towards artificial grass, cultivating a dynamic and fast-paced game that places heightened demands on individual skills, tactical acumen, and physical fitness. This evolution reflects a continuous adaptation, seamlessly blending tradition with cutting-edge equipment and hybrid playing grounds. Against this backdrop, modern-day hockey programs have metamorphosed into rigorous and demanding training regimes. Athletes engaged in these programs are required not only to demonstrate outstanding physical fitness but also exhibit a high level of proficiency in the nuanced skills essential for competitive play. As hockey continues its progressive trajectory, athletes partaking in these programs must meet elevated standards, underscoring the imperative integration of both exceptional fitness levels and precise skill execution. Despite the growing emphasis on the physical and skill dimensions of hockey, a literature review uncovered a dearth of research specifically focusing on core strength training for hockey players. While core strength training has demonstrated efficacy in improving physical fitness and skill performance among athletes in other team sports, its applicability to hockey players remains underexplored. Moreover, no studies have systematically examined the impact of core strength training on the two critical variables of physical fitness and skill performance in hockey players. To address this research gap, the present study sought to investigate the effects of core strength training on the physical fitness and skill performance of youth hockey players in Gansu Province, China. By doing so, this study not only contributes valuable insights to the existing body of literature but also furnishes theoretical support for the development of hockey sport programs. The findings are anticipated to inform targeted interventions aimed at enhancing athletes' physical fitness and skill performance, ultimately fostering the progression of hockey programs within the sporting landscape of China.

Conditions

Player

Keywords

Core Strength Training; Physical Fitness; skills performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Power test

  1.Power: Athletes perform the standing medicine ball throw test by turning their body to one side, bending their knees slightly, and forcefully throwing a 2 (kg) medicine ball forward. The test measures the vertical distance between the point of impact of the ball and the marking line. The athlete performs three trials on each side and the performance is measured in (m), e.g., (10.78 m on the left side) the best performance is recorded to assess functional power.

  pretest, week 6, week 12

• Speed test

  2.Speed: The athlete performs 25 (m) and 50 (m) sprints from the bottom line of the hockey rink using Speed Smart infrared speed measuring equipment placed at a specified distance. The athlete stands 0.1 (m) from the device and sprints forward as hard as he/she can, with the infrared timing system automatically recording the time it takes the athlete to complete the 25 (m) and 50 (m) distances. Each athlete performs three trials and the performance is based on (m/s). The shorter the time, the better the acceleration and speed.

  pretest, week 6, week 12

Study Arms (2)

Core strength training interventions for 1-6 weeks

EXPERIMENTAL

Core strength training: Experiment: Experimental Group: Core Strength Training for 1-6 Weeks.Participants undergo a one-hour training session three times a week for 1- 6 weeks, incorporating a 15-minute warm-up followed by 45 minutes of targeted core strength training.

Behavioral: core strength training 1-6weeks; Behavioral: core strength training 7-12weeks

Core strength training interventions for 7-12 weeks

EXPERIMENTAL

Core strength training: Experiment: Experimental Group: Core Strength Training for 7-12 Weeks.Participants undergo a one-hour training session three times a week for 7-12 weeks, incorporating a 10-minute warm-up followed by 50 minutes of targeted core strength training.

Behavioral: core strength training 1-6weeks; Behavioral: core strength training 7-12weeks

Interventions

core strength training 1-6weeks BEHAVIORAL

Behaviour: core strength training intervention for 1-6 weeks. Experimental: The experimental group performed core strength training during weeks 1-3. Subjects were first provided with basic information, familiarised with the content of the first phase of core strength training and watched a core strength video to understand its importance. The initial intervention was designed to ensure that subjects were proficient in core strength training, including warm-up and stretching patterns. During weeks 4-6, subjects will be supervised and assisted and a test will be organised at the end of week 6. Variables related to physical fitness and skills were recorded to assess whether core strength training improved physical fitness and skills.

Core strength training interventions for 1-6 weeks; Core strength training interventions for 7-12 weeks

core strength training 7-12weeks BEHAVIORAL

Behaviour: core strength training intervention #7-12 weeks#. Experimental: Weeks 7-9 were the experimental group: Continued to warm up before each training session. The training content will increase in difficulty during this phase, and the supervisor should explain the training content and watch videos of the movements prior to training and prepare the training equipment in advance to protect the athlete from injury. Weeks 10-12: This is an advanced stage, requiring equipment and difficult movements to complete, please supervisors to arrange personnel to do a good job of protection to ensure that the subjects can complete the training tasks. A test will be conducted the day after Week 12 to measure the athlete's physical fitness and skills.

Core strength training interventions for 1-6 weeks; Core strength training interventions for 7-12 weeks

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 15 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Male
• Aged 15 to 17 years
• Reside in Gansu Province, China
• Healthy
• Two years of training experience

You may not qualify if:

• on medication which may affect body composition and muscles activity like Diabetes Mellitus
• Currently participating in regular resistance training

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universiti Putra Malaysia: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ma Hucheng

Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Axel TA, Crussemeyer JA, Dean K, Young DE. Field Test Performance of Junior Competitive Surf Athletes following a Core Strength Training Program. Int J Exerc Sci. 2018 Jun 1;11(6):696-707. doi: 10.70252/XHXE2254. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 29997737 RESULT

• Faigenbaum AD, McFarland JE, Herman RE, Naclerio F, Ratamess NA, Kang J, Myer GD. Reliability of the one-repetition-maximum power clean test in adolescent athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Feb;26(2):432-7. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318220db2c.

  PMID: 22233786 RESULT

• Willardson, J. M. (2013). Developing the core. Human Kinetics.

  RESULT

Related Links

• Sources of training programmes

Study Officials

• Hucheng Ma, PHD

  University Putra Malaysia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Hucheng Ma, PHD

CONTACT

+8613909492013; 875803848@qq.com

Soh kim Geok, Professor

CONTACT

03-97698153; kims@upm.edu.my

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: In this experiment, the experimental group engaged in the core strength training segment of the intervention specifically devised for this study, whereas the control group underwent conventional strength training activities.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 19, 2024
• First Posted: March 7, 2024
• Study Start: February 15, 2024
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2024
• Study Completion: June 15, 2024
• Last Updated: March 8, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)