Effects of Plyometric Training on University Female Tennis Players' Physical Fitness and Serve Performance

Effects of Plyometric Training on Physical Fitness and Serve Performance Among University Female Tennis Players

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of upper and lower limb plyometric training on the selected physical fitness and serve performance among university female tennis players in China.

The main hypothesis of this study is to evaluate whether there are significant effects of 8 weeks of upper and lower limb plyometric training on selected physical fitness and serve performance among university female tennis players in China.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Illness; Skill, Coping
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Plyometric training; Other: Routine training

Detailed Description

This intervention lasted for 8 weeks, two times each week, for 30-60 minutes of low-high intensity exercise. The content of the experimental group and control group of exercises mainly includes warm-up, primary content, and cool down. The intervention included push-ups and medicine ball exercises for the upper limbs and jumping, hopping exercises for the lower limbs. Exercises for the upper limbs were immediately followed by lower-limb exercises, with no intervening rest periods. all plyometric exercises, including those involving the upper and lower limbs, were executed with maximal effort, with the goal of reducing contact time during each repetition, and with no allowance for rest periods between jumps. During the intervention, the control group just continued with their regular training regime (e.g., normal fitness training, and injury prevention drills), twice a week, for the duration of the experiment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Chongqing, China, 400010
    • Chongqing university
  • Chongqing, China, 400010
    • Southwest university

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 24 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. University female tennis players (aged 18-24 years old);
2. Players who had been trained professionally for more than three years
3. No history of recent surgery, no rehabilitation for the past 12 months;
4. Not systematically trained in plyometric training;

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tennis-specific training time less than 3 years;
2. Players with a history of recent fractures or any injury;
3. Presently involved in a plyometric training program;

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Plyometric training; The 8 weeks of plyometric training included push-ups and medicine ball exercises for the upper limbs and jumping, hopping exercises for the lower limbs. Exercises for the upper limbs were immediately followed by lower-limb exercises, with no intervening rest periods.	Other: Plyometric training; Plyometric training can be described as a type of exercise that involves a rapid and forceful movement that consists of an eccentric contraction, followed by an immediate and explosive concentric contraction. Upper and lower limb plyometrics are exercises that enable an upper and lower body muscle group to react quickly to produce maximal strength
Active Comparator: Routine training; During the intervention, the control group just continued with their routine training regime (e.g., normal fitness training, and injury prevention drills), twice a week, for the duration of the experiment.	Other: Routine training; Regular tennis training, including normal fitness training, and injury prevention drills

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline power performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	Power is the ability to perform strength based movements quickly.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline strength performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	Strength is the maximal force or torque that a muscle can generate.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline speed performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	The ability to move all or part of the body as quickly as possible	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline agility performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	Agility is a skill considered to be important for many sports and has been defined as "a rapid whole-body movement with change of velocity or direction in response to a stimulus.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline endurance performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	Endurance describes your body's ability to maintain physical activity for an extended amount of time.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline flexibility performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	Flexibility is the ability to move muscles and joints through a full normal range of motion.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline serve velocity performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	It is one of the most repeated strokes during the game.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end
Change from baseline serve accuracy performance at 4 weeks and 8 weeks	In many sports, the accuracy of the execution of a motor skill determines success or failure.	Pretest: Before experiment; Mid-test: 4 weeks end; Post-test: 8 weeks end

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universiti Putra Malaysia
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Nuannuan Deng, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Deng N, Soh KG, Zaremohzzabieh Z, Abdullah B, Salleh KM, Huang D. Effects of Combined Upper and Lower Limb Plyometric Training Interventions on Physical Fitness in Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 28;20(1):482. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010482.
• Fernandez-Fernandez J, Saez de Villarreal E, Sanz-Rivas D, Moya M. The Effects of 8-Week Plyometric Training on Physical Performance in Young Tennis Players. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2016 Feb;28(1):77-86. doi: 10.1123/pes.2015-0019. Epub 2015 Aug 6.
• Elliott B. Biomechanics and tennis. Br J Sports Med. 2006 May;40(5):392-6. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2005.023150.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 8, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 18, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 3, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 24, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): April 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 24, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 23, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical fitness; Plyometric training; Serve performance
• Other Study ID Numbers: Deng Nuannuan

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Since this is my doctoral thesis experiment, I won't share it until I graduate

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No