Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Physical Education and Sport, cilt.24, sa.6, ss.1551-1560, 2024 (Scopus)
Aim: The aim of the study is to determine whether or not a six-week athletic performance training applied to elite level football players during the preseason period has an effect on strength, endurance, flexibility, vertical jump, and balance parameters. Method: The study was conducted using the one-group pretest-posttest weak experimental design, which is one of the quantitative research approaches. The sample group consisted of a total of 27 volunteer professional male football players competing at the Spor Toto Super League level of the Turkish Football Federation. Pretests were applied to the football players in the study before the preparation period and posttests were taken after the 6-week training program was applied. Before the test, football players were randomly divided into groups via minimization according to their pre-existing maximal aerobic speed (MAS). The other tests (strength, balance, flexibility, and vertical jump) were taken 48 hours after this test was administered. SPSS 24 software was used to analyze the data obtained from the study. With the normal distribution of the data, paired samples t-test analysis was performed to determine the test results of the same sample group in the pretest and posttest. Results: It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest values of the balance anterior right and balance anterior left parameters of the football players in the study (p<0.05), while no statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest values of the other parameters (p>0.05). While there was a statistically significant difference between the football players’ pretest and posttest values of the endurance parameters MAS 400 m HR, MAS 600 m HR, and MAS 1000 m (sec.) (p<0.05), there was no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest values of the other parameters (p>0.05). It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest values of the strength parameters hip thrust AD/AB left, hip thrust AD/AB right, hip tightening AD/AB left, right, hip tightening AD/AB right, vertical jump (cm) and flexibility of the football players (p<0,05), while no statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest values of the other parameters (p>0.05). Conclusion: It can be asserted that the athletic performance training applied to the football players during the preparation period contributed positively to their performance parameters such as balance, strength, endurance, jumping, and flexibility. However, in the current study, no statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttests of some parameters. Thus, it is thought that it will be important to prioritize proprioception and nordic hamstring trainings when designing training programs for players competing in football or other sports branches during the preparation period in future studies.