Plyometrics vs PAPE Training in Football: Effects on Agility, Explosive Power and Speed

NCT07072715 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025-87
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of 8 week plyometric training and post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training on explosive power, agility, acceleration and sprint speed, muscle strength and flexibility in healthy male semi-professional football players aged 18-35. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does PAPE training have effects on performance metrics of football players when planned and applied long-term (8 weeks)? Does long term PAPE training improve agility, acceleration and speed, flexibility, vertical jump height, and muscle strength more effectively than Plyometric training? Is there a significant difference in performance gains between PAPE and plyometric training compared to a control group receiving only routine football training? Researchers will compare a plyometric training group, a PAPE training group, and a control group to determine which method most effectively enhances football-specific performance outcomes. Participants will:

• Be randomly assigned to one of three groups (Plyometric, PAPE, or Control)
• Continue their routine football training as usual
• Receive additional training sessions applied immediately after warm-up and before continuing regular team training alongside the Control group (for PAPE and Plyometric group)
• Undergo an 8-week training program (3 times per week for Plyometric and PAPE groups) Assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8, including:
• Vertical Jump Test (explosive power)
• 30-Meter Sprint Test, including 10-meter acceleration recording
• Illinois Agility Test
• Isometric strength measurements of quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius using a handheld dynamometer
• Sit and Reach Test and Modified Thomas Test (flexibility) In addition, all participants will complete a sociodemographic and lifestyle assessment form capturing: Age, height, weight, BMI Football experience and playing position Education level, employment status Sleep duration, training frequency, and training intensity Smoking and alcohol use status.

Conditions

Athletic Performance; Football Players; Sports Performance; Sports Physical Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Illinois Agility Test

  Time to complete the Illinois Agility Test will be measured under standardized conditions with a stopwatch. Participants sprint and weave through cones in a pre-set course. The total time to complete the course is recorded; best of two attempts is used.

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8

• Vertical Jump Height (Countermovement Jump)

  Vertical jump height will be assessed using the "MyJump 2" app specifically the Counter Movement Jump with Free Arms (CMJ). A video of the participant will be taken and using frame selection of take-off and landing, their jump height will be automatically calculated by the app. Three attempts will be averaged.

  From Baseline to Week 4 through Week 8

• 30-Meter Sprint Time (including 10-meter split)

  Sprint time over 30 meters will be recorded using stopwatch with a 10-meter acceleration split included.

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8

• Vertical Jump Test (Sargent Jump)

  Vertical jump height will be measured using the Sargent Jump Test, a standardized field-based assessment of lower-body explosive power. Participants will stand adjacent to a wall, reach up to mark their standing reach height, then perform a maximal vertical jump and touch the wall at the peak of the jump. The difference between the standing reach and jump reach (in centimeters) will be recorded as the jump height. Each participant will perform three trials, and the average will be used for analysis.

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Isometric Muscle Strength (Quads, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius)

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8

• Sit and Reach Test

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.

• Modified Thomas Test

  Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.

Other Outcomes (1)

• Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Profile

  Baseline only (Week 0)

Study Arms (3)

PAPE Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group received post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training using high-resistance banded squats (\~85% 1RM) 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. 10% of load was added every week to their training load. 3 reps and 3 sets were done per session with 5 minutes of active rest interval between sets.

Behavioral: PAPE Training

Plyometric Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group performed additional plyometric training 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. Training included depth jumps using a plyometric box with gradual increase in height of the box from 30-60 cm. 12 reps and 7 sets were performed with 30 seconds- 1 minute of rest interval between sets

Behavioral: Plyometric Training

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this group continued with their regular football training routine without receiving any additional intervention.

Interventions

PAPE Training BEHAVIORAL

A neuromuscular activation protocol involving heavy banded squats (\~85% 1RM) to induce post-activation performance enhancement. Applied three times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with regular football training.

Also known as: Post Activation Performance Enhancement Training

PAPE Training Group

Plyometric Training BEHAVIORAL

A program of depth jumps designed to enhance explosive power, speed, and agility. Applied 3 times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with their regular football training.

Plyometric Training Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male athletes aged between 18 and 35 years
• Permission obtained from the team physician to participate in the study
• Active participation in a Semi-Professional football team for at least the past 6 months
• Participating in football training at least 3 times per week
• Willing and able to participate in 8-week training and testing protocol voluntarily

You may not qualify if:

• Current or recent surgery affecting the lower limbs
• Current or recent injury affecting the lower limbs
• History of neurological, cardiovascular, orthopedic or systemic disease
• Inconsistent football training (\<3x per week)
• Failure to attend testing or training sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istinye University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Fatih Karagümrük A.Ş.

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Plyometric Exercise

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Habibe S. Inal, Prof. Dr

  Galata University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Master's Student Researcher

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 8, 2025
• First Posted: July 18, 2025
• Study Start: June 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 15, 2025
• Study Completion: October 15, 2025
• Last Updated: July 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

TU (1)