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Int J Sports Med 2017; 38(1): 1-11
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-111439
Review
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Variation in Responses to Sprint Training in Male Youth Athletes: A Meta-analysis

J. Moran
1   Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
,
G. Sandercock
1   Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
,
M. C. Rumpf
2   National Sports Medicine Program, Excellence in Football, Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar
3   Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand
,
D. A. Parry
1   Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted after revision 20 June 2016

Publication Date:
28 October 2016 (online)

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Abstract

The trainability of youths and the existence of periods of accelerated adaptation to training have become key subjects of debate in exercise science. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to characterise youth athletes’ adaptability to sprint training across PRE-, MID-, and POST-peak height velocity (PHV) groups. Effect sizes were calculated as a measure of straight-line sprinting performance with studies qualifying based on the following criteria: (a) healthy male athletes who were engaged in organised sports; (b) groups of participants with a mean age between 10 and 18 years; (c) sprint training intervention duration between 4 and 16 weeks. Standardised mean differences showed sprint training to be moderately effective (Effect size=1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.43–1.59) with adaptive responses being of large and moderate magnitude in the POST- (ES=1.39; 0.32–2.46) and MID- (ES=1.15; 0.40–1.9) PHV groups respectively. A negative effect size was found in the PRE group (ES=–0.18; –1.35–0.99). Youth training practitioners should prescribe sprint training modalities based on biological maturation status. Twice weekly training sessions should comprise up to 16 sprints of around 20 m with a work-to-rest ratio of 1:25 or greater than 90 s.

Key words

velocity - speed - adolescent - children - sport - trainability
 

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