Unlocking PAPE in Football: Effects of Eight Weeks of French Contrast Training on RSI, Sprint Performance, and Anaerobic Profile (Unlocking PAPE)

April 3, 2026 updated by: Coşkun YILMAZ, Gümüşhane Universıty
This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week French Contrast Training (FCT) intervention on reactive strength index (RSI), sprint performance, and anaerobic profile in elite youth football players

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study was designed as a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the chronic effects of French Contrast Training on neuromuscular performance and anaerobic capacity. A total of 28 elite male youth football players were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The intervention lasted 8 weeks, with performance assessments conducted pre- and post-intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
28

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Trabzon, Ordu, Giresun, Rize, Artvin, Gümüşhane
      • Gümüşhane, Trabzon, Ordu, Giresun, Rize, Artvin, Gümüşhane, Turkey (Türkiye), 29600
        • Gumushane Univetsity

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Minimum 3 years football training
  • ≥80% training attendance
  • Injury-free for 6 months
  • Licensed academy player

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Musculoskeletal injury
  • Neurological disorder
  • Additional training programs
  • Ergogenic aid use

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: French Contrast Training + Standard football training (8 weeks)
Participants in the experimental group performed French Contrast Training twice per week for 8 weeks, including heavy resistance, plyometric, loaded power, and assisted exercises.
Other: French Contrast Training + Standard football training (8 weeks)
Participants in the experimental group performed French Contrast Training twice per week for 8 weeks, including heavy resistance, plyometric, loaded power, and assisted exercises.
Other Names:
  • French Contrast Training
Other: Control
Standard football training
Other Names:
  • Standard football training
No Intervention: Control Group
Standard football training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Anaerobic Power
Time Frame: 8 week
Anaerobic profile (anaerobic capacity and fatigue index values) of the football players were assessed using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer connected to a computer and compatible software Wingate 894E test system. Prior to testing, the saddle height and pedal position were individually adjusted for each athlete to ensure an approximately 10% knee flexion angle at the lowest pedal position. After entering the athletes' descriptive information into the computer, the resistance load was automatically calculated by the system as 75 g per kg of body mass and subsequently applied to the ergometer's braking mechanism
8 week
Reactive Strength Index
Time Frame: 8 weeks
The pre-test and post-test Relative Strength Index (RSI) values of the sample group were obtained using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test. Participants started from an upright standing position on the platform with their feet shoulder-width apart and hands placed on their hips to eliminate arm swing. From this position, they were instructed to perform a rapid downward movement by flexing the hips and knees, immediately followed by a maximal vertical jump without any pause between the eccentric and concentric phases. Participants were required to keep their hands on their hips throughout the movement and to take off and land with both feet while attempting to jump as high as possible.
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fatigue Index
Time Frame: 8 week
Wingate Test
8 week
Sprint Performance (10-meter)
Time Frame: 8 week
The 10-meter sprint performance of the football players was assessed using a photocell timing system (Optojump, Microgate, Italy). Two pairs of photocells connected to an electronic timing system with dual-beam functionality and a measurement accuracy of ±0.001 s were positioned at the start and finish lines along a straight 10-meter track, with the sensors mounted 90 cm above the ground to ensure precise detection of the participants' movements. Participants began each trial from a standing start position, with one foot placed slightly forward, positioned 50 cm behind the starting photocell gate to standardize the initial stance.
8 week

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Gümüşhane Universıty

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 5, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 15, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • E-95674917-108.99-379723

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared to protect participant privacy and in accordance with institutional ethical guidelines.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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