Effect of maximum strength training on the football skills of elite male players

Abstract

Purpose: This study sought to explore how maximum strength training affected elite male football players' ability to dribble, trap, pass, and kick, among other essential football skills. It was anticipated that targeted strength training would result in observable gains in these technical abilities. Materials and Methods: Two groups of elite male football players were formed: The Maximum strength training (MST) and Baseline (BG) group. The MST group followed a structured maximum strength training program alongside their regular football practice for a specific period. Prior to and following the training, they completed standardized evaluations to determine their dribbling, trapping, passing, and kicking abilities. The data was analysed using MANOVA and follow-up univariate tests to identify any differences between groups, and effect sizes (partial eta squared) were determined for utilitarian reasons. Results: The multivariate analysis (MANOVA) didn’t manifest any statistically significant differences between the MST and BG groups (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.782, F (4, 35) = 2.49, P = 0.058, Partial η² = .22). Nevertheless, moderate effect sizes were noticed in trapping and passing, which suggests there could be some practical benefits from the intervention, even if the statistical significance wasn’t quite there. Conclusions: While the findings didn’t quite hit statistical significance, the moderate effect sizes in trapping and passing indicate a promising trend. These results underscore the potential of maximum strength training as a valuable addition to boost technical performance in elite football. For future studies, it would be beneficial to explore longer training periods, larger participant groups, and combined technical-physical training protocols.