Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of plyometric training using 30, 60, or 120 s of rest between sets on explosive adaptations in young soccer players. Four groups of athletes (age 10.4 +/- 2.3 y; soccer experience 3.3 +/- 1.5 y) were randomly formed: control (CG; n = 15), plyometric training with 30 s (G30; n = 13), 60 s (G60; n = 14), and 120 s (G120; n = 12) of rest between training sets. Before and after intervention players were measured in jump ability, 20-m sprint time, change of direction speed (CODS), and kicking performance. The training program was applied during 7 weeks, 2 sessions per week, for a total of 840 jumps. After intervention the G30, G60 and G120 groups showed a significant (p = 0.0001 -0.04) and small to moderate effect size (ES) improvement in the countermovement jump (ES = 0.49; 0.58; 0.55), 20 cm drop jump reactive strength index (ES = 0.81; 0.89; 0.86), CODS (ES = -1.03; -0.87; -1.04), and kicking performance (ES = 0.39; 0.49; 0.43), with no differences between treatments. The study shows that 30, 60, and 120 s of rest between sets ensure similar significant and small to moderate ES improvement in jump, CODS, and kicking performance during high-intensity short-term explosive training in young male soccer players.