Abstract
Despite the wealth of evidence regarding physical training strategies in soccer, there
is little information regarding soccer-specific concurrent training and the effects
of training order. The current study aimed to: i) quantify the effects of concurrent
high-intensity run-based training (HIT) and strength- and power-based training (STR)
on soccer-specific performance, and ii) investigate the order effect of completing
HIT and STR either first or second within training sessions. Eighteen semi- and fully-professional
players completed a battery of field- and gym-based tests before and after a 5-week
pre-season training intervention. Players were pair-matched and completed 3 sessions
per week of HIT followed by STR (n=9) or STR followed by HIT (n=9). ANCOVA tests revealed
no differences between groups for changes in any of the measures (p>0.05). However, a training effect was observed for all measures (p<0.05), with 10-m sprint, 6×30-m repeated sprint, 40-m agility and Yo-Yo test performances
improving by 1.8±2.6%, 1.3±1.8%, 1.0±1.5% and 19.4±23.4%, respectively (n=18). In
conclusion, there was a positive effect of the concurrent training approach on key
measures of soccer performance, but the order of completing HIT and STR appears inconsequential
to performance adaptations.
Key words
pre-season - high-intensity - strength - power - session organisation
