Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
ISSN: 1303 - 2968   
Ios-APP Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
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©Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2024) 23, 628 - 637   DOI: https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2024.628

Research article
Enhancing Physical Fitness in Elite Field Hockey Players with A Twelve-Week Functional Training Program: A Cluster Randomized Control Trial
Marrium Bashir, Ma Hucheng , Soh Kim Geok , Saddam Akbar, Dong Zhang
Author Information
Faculty of Educational Studies, Department of Sports Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Ma Hucheng
✉ Faculty of Educational Studies, Department of Sports Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Email: mahucheng113@gmail.com

Soh Kim Geok
✉ Faculty of Educational Studies, Department of Sports Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Email: kims@upm.edu.my
Publish Date
Received: 06-06-2024
Accepted: 22-07-2024
Published (online): 01-09-2024
 
 
ABSTRACT

This study aimed to explore the impact of functional training on the physical fitness of young elite field hockey players. The study comprised 40 young elite male field hockey players with the following characteristics (mean ± SD age: 21.5 ± 0.8 years; height: 176.9 ± 2.6 cm; weight: 68.4 ± 5.1 kg; BMI: 21.8 ± 1.3; training experience: 51.2 ± 5.4 months). Twenty participants were allocated to two groups: the functional training group (FTG) and the control training group (CG). Each group received 60-minute training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. Generalized estimating equation analysis and a Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons were used to assess the intervention's efficacy. Before the start of the exercise program, no statistically significant differences were observed in physical fitness measures between the FTG and CG (p > 0.05). However, by the sixth week, a significant difference appeared in both the T-Agility test (p < 0.001) and endurance (p = 0.024) between the two groups, while no notable distinctions were detected in other fitness parameters (p > 0.05). After a 12-week training program, the FTG demonstrated improvements in all physical fitness measures [flexibility (p < 0.001); Illinois agility test (p < 0.001); T-agility test (p = 0.020); endurance (p < 0.001)] except speed, which exhibited no significant impact (p = 0.175). Notable enhancements in T-agility and endurance were evident after just six weeks of functional training, and a 12-week functional training regimen showed superiority over standard training approaches in young elite male field hockey players. These findings encourage the efficacy of functional training exercises over traditional methods in enhancing athletes' fitness parameters.

Key words: Functional training, fitness parameters, athletes


           Key Points
  • Based on Santana’s functional training exercises specific for field hockey, the results were comparable to those of traditional training methods, which involved higher volume condensed into fewer sessions, in terms of enhancing fitness parameters.
  • Coaches have the opportunity to enhance the physical fitness of young male field hockey players by implementing 12-week functional training. This approach incorporates field hockey-specific protocols within the functional training sessions, thereby reducing the risk of fatigue accumulation and maintaining the players' physical readiness.
 
 
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