Acute Effects of Neuroathletic Training-Integrated Resistance Training in Collegiate Athletes

NCT07782606 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: EKBYS 23.11.2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 58
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigated the acute and short-term effects of neuroathletic training (NAT)-integrated resistance training compared with conventional resistance training on physical and neuromuscular performance in collegiate athletes. Fifty-eight collegiate athletes completed two experimental resistance training sessions separated by one week. The conventional resistance training condition was performed first, followed one week later by a NAT-integrated resistance training condition. Both sessions included the same lower-extremity resistance exercises, training volume, intensity, exercise order, and rest intervals. During the NAT-integrated condition, visual, vestibular, gaze-stabilization, and proprioceptive drills were incorporated before selected resistance sets and during rest intervals. Sprint acceleration, bilateral and unilateral jump performance, eccentric hamstring strength, bilateral hamstring maximum difference, and sit-and-reach flexibility were assessed before training, immediately after training, 15 minutes after training, and 30 minutes after training.

Conditions

Athletic Performance Enhancement; Neuromuscular Performance in Athletes; Physical Performance

Keywords

Neuroathletic training; Neural priming; Collegiate athletes; Eccentric hamstring strength; Jump performance; Visual training; Vestibular stimulation; H-Bord

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Bilateral Hamstring Maximum Difference (MD)

  Maximum between-limb difference in eccentric hamstring strength. MD was calculated as: MD (%) = \|Right limb value - Left limb value\| / higher limb value × 100 Lower values indicate greater bilateral symmetry.

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

• Eccentric Hamstring Strength

  Eccentric hamstring strength was assessed using the IVMES H-Bord during the Nordic hamstring exercise. Peak eccentric force was recorded separately for the left and right limbs (Max Left and Max Right), together with device-derived left- and right-side strength outputs (T Left and T Right).

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each of the two experimental sessions separated by one week.

• Sit-and-Reach Flexibility

  Hamstring-related posterior chain flexibility assessed using the standard sit-and-reach test. Distance was recorded in centimeters, with higher values representing greater flexibility.

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• 5-Meter Sprint Acceleration

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

• Bilateral Jump Performance

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

• Right-Leg Unilateral Jump

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

• Left-Leg Unilateral Jump

  Baseline, immediately post-training, 15 minutes post-training, and 30 minutes post-training during each experimental session.

Study Arms (1)

Fixed-Order Conventional and NAT-Integrated Resistance Training

EXPERIMENTAL

All enrolled athletes completed two experimental sessions separated by one week. During the first session, participants completed conventional lower-extremity resistance training. During the second session, participants completed the same resistance training program with additional neuroathletic visual, vestibular, gaze-stabilization, and proprioceptive drills performed before selected sets and during rest intervals.

Other: Conventional Lower-Extremity Resistance Training; Other: Neuroathletic Training-Integrated Resistance Training

Interventions

Conventional Lower-Extremity Resistance Training OTHER

Participants completed a standardized lower-extremity resistance training session consisting of six exercises: leg press, Romanian deadlift, leg extension, seated leg curl, dumbbell step-up, and Copenhagen exercise. Leg press: 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions at approximately RPE 7-8, with 90 seconds rest. Romanian deadlift: 4 sets of 6-8 repetitions with a controlled 4-second eccentric phase and 90 seconds rest. Leg extension: 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions with an explosive concentric phase and 75-90 seconds rest. Seated leg curl: 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions with a 4-5-second eccentric phase and 90 seconds rest. Dumbbell step-up: 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions per leg with 90 seconds rest. Copenhagen exercise: 3 sets of 20-30 seconds per side with 60-90 seconds rest. Rest intervals consisted of passive rest only. No visual, vestibular, proprioceptive, gaze-stabilization, unilateral eye-occlusion, saccular, or utricular drills were performed.

Fixed-Order Conventional and NAT-Integrated Resistance Training

Neuroathletic Training-Integrated Resistance Training OTHER

Participants completed the same lower-extremity resistance training protocol used in the conventional condition. The NAT-integrated condition additionally included a 6-8-minute pre-session neuroathletic activation block and brief neuroathletic primers before selected resistance sets and during rest intervals. The neuroathletic components included binocular convergence-divergence exercises, monocular convergence-divergence with unilateral eye occlusion, vertical vestibular/saccular stimulation, horizontal or linear vestibular stimulation, gaze stabilization, head-position variation, and proprioceptive awareness tasks. The purpose of these drills was to provide acute neural priming through visual, vestibular, oculomotor, proprioceptive, and sensorimotor stimulation while maintaining the same resistance training volume and intensity as the conventional condition.

Fixed-Order Conventional and NAT-Integrated Resistance Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Were collegiate athletes participating in organized sport training.
• Had participated in regular sport-specific training for at least one year.
• Had previous experience with lower-extremity resistance training.
• Had previous experience with the exercises used in the study, including leg press, Romanian deadlift, leg extension, seated leg curl, dumbbell step-up, and Copenhagen exercise.
• Were familiar with maximal or near-maximal sprinting, jumping, and lower-limb strength testing.
• Were able to complete 5-meter sprint testing, bilateral and unilateral jump testing, Nordic hamstring testing, sit-and-reach flexibility testing, and the resistance training protocols.
• Were able to perform maximal or near-maximal lower-limb tasks without pain or movement restriction.
• Agreed to attend both experimental sessions and all measurement time points.

You may not qualify if:

• Had an acute lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury during the previous three months.
• Had a hamstring strain, quadriceps strain, groin injury, ankle sprain, knee injury, hip injury, or low back pain limiting sport participation during the previous three months.
• Had undergone lower-extremity surgery during the previous 12 months.
• Experienced current pain during sprinting, jumping, Nordic hamstring testing, flexibility testing, or resistance exercise.
• Had a neurological disorder.
• Had diagnosed vestibular dysfunction.
• Had recurrent vertigo or unexplained dizziness.
• Had severe motion sensitivity.
• Had a balance disturbance.
• Had uncorrected visual impairment.
• Had diplopia or severe visual tracking difficulties.
• Had any condition preventing safe completion of eye-occlusion or gaze-stabilization exercises.
• Had experienced concussion within the previous six months.
• Had persistent post-concussion symptoms.
• Had cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, or systemic disease limiting high-intensity exercise.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ankara Yildirim Beyazıt University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Kütahya Dumlupınar University

Kütahya, 43100, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Non-Randomized

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 20, 2026
• First Posted: August 24, 2026
• Study Start: March 10, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 10, 2026
• Study Completion: June 10, 2026
• Last Updated: August 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

TU (1)