The effect of heavy resistance exercise on repeated sprint performance in youth athletes

This investigation assessed whether using prior heavy resistance exercise would improve the repeated sprint performance of 16 trained youth apprentice soccer players (Age 17.05 ± 0.65 years; height 182.6 ± 8.9 cm; body mass 77.8 ± 8.2 kg). In the first session individual 1 repetition max was measured. In sessions 2 and 3, participants performed a running-based repeated anaerobic sprint test with and without prior heavy resistance exercise of 91% 1 repetition max utilising a squat movement. Times were recorded for each of the 6 sprints performed in the repeated anaerobic sprint test and summed to provide total time. T-tests were used to compare times for the two exercise conditions for corresponding sprint within each repeated anaerobic sprint test as well as the total time. Analysis revealed significantly reduced total time with use of heavy resistance exercise (33.48 (± 1.27) vs. 33.59 (± 1.27); p = 0.01). Sprints 1 (p = 0.05) and 2 (p = 0.02) were also faster in heavy resistance exercise condition (5.09 (± 0.16) vs. 5.11 (± 0.16) and 5.36 (± 0.24) vs. 5.45 (± 0.26) seconds respectively) although no other differences were shown. Findings demonstrate improved sprint times of trained adolescent soccer players after heavy resistance exercise although this benefit appears not as sustained as in adult participants.