Yo-Yo With Ball and Small-Sided Games Intervention

The Effects of Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test With Ball and Small-Sided Games (SSG) on Exercise Performance and Enjoyment in Adolescent Soccer Players

This study aims to investigate the differential effects of three training protocols: traditional Yo-Yo intermittent training, ball-dribbled Yo-Yo intermittent training, and small-sided games (SSGs) on aerobic capacity, anaerobic and exercise enjoyment in adolescent soccer players.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Activity Enjoyment; Aerobic Capacity; Soccer Training; Anaerobic Power
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Yo-Yo running training; Other: Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training; Other: Small-sided games

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Macau
  • Macao, Macau
    • Football court, Yuet Wah College
  • Macao, Macau
    • UM Kinesiology Lab

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• (1) Aged between 13 and 18 years. (2) At least 1 year of formal soccer training experience. (3) Free from major sports-related injury in the past year. (4) In good general health with no smoking or alcohol consumption habits. (5) No known psychological or psychiatric disorders that may affect participation.

  (6) No participation in similar training interventions within the past 12 months.

  (7) Able to attend scheduled training sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• (1)Outside the age range of 13-18 years. (2) Less than 1 year of formal soccer training experience. (3) History of major sports-related injury limiting training participation. (4) Presence of chronic disease or unhealthy habits (e.g., smoking or alcohol use).

  (5) Known psychological or psychiatric disorders affecting study compliance. (6) Participation in similar training interventions within the previous 12 months.

  (7) Attendance of fewer than 75% of the 12 planned training sessions.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Yo-Yo running training; Participants assigned to this arm performed Yo-Yo-based intermittent shuttle running training. Each training bout consisted of repeated 15-second running efforts interspersed with 15 seconds of passive recovery, following a standardized Yo-Yo running format. Each set lasted four minutes. An audio signal with a fixed rhythm was used to regulate running and recovery intervals. Participants were instructed to synchronize their movements with the audio cues and to perform each running bout at maximal intensity.	Other: Yo-Yo running training; Yo-Yo running training is a form of running-based high-intensity interval training characterized by repeated bouts of shuttle running with intermittent recovery periods. The training involves forward and backward running over a fixed distance at progressively increasing speeds, following standardized Yo-Yo test protocols.; Other Names: Running-based High-intensity interval training; Shuttle Running training; R-HIIT
Experimental: Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training; Participants assigned to this arm performed Yo-Yo-based intermittent shuttle running training incorporating ball dribbling. Each training bout consisted of repeated 15-second running efforts with ball control, interspersed with 15 seconds of passive recovery, following a standardized Yo-Yo dribbling format. Each set lasted four minutes. An audio cue with a fixed rhythm was played throughout the session to regulate the timing of exercise and recovery. Participants were instructed to synchronize their movements with the audio cues and to maintain maximal intensity during each running bout.	Other: Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training; Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training is a modified form of Yo-Yo-based running training that integrates ball dribbling into an intermittent shuttle running format. This intervention combines repeated high-intensity running bouts with soccer-specific technical demands, requiring participants to control and dribble a ball while performing forward and backward shuttle runs at prescribed speeds.; Other Names: Ball-dribbled High-intensity interval training; B-HIIT
Experimental: Small-sided Games; Participants assigned to this arm performed small-sided games-based training. The games were conducted on a rectangular field measuring 25 × 35 meters, using a 4 versus 4 player format. The intervention involved game-based, intermittent high-intensity activities that combined physical, technical, and tactical demands. Participants were instructed to engage actively in the games and to maintain high effort throughout each bout.	Other: Small-sided games; Small-sided games (SSG) are a game-based soccer training intervention characterized by modified match play involving a reduced number of players on a smaller pitch. This intervention requires participants to engage in intermittent, high-intensity activities while performing soccer-specific technical and tactical actions under game-like conditions.; Other Names: SSG

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery 1 test distance	Participants performed repeated 20-m shuttle runs between two lines at progressively increasing speeds dictated by standardized audio signals, interspersed with 10-s active recovery periods. The initial running speed was set at 10 km·h-¹ and increased stepwise according to the YYIR1 protocol. Participants were required to reach the 20-m line in time with the audio cue. A first failure to meet the line in time resulted in a warning, and the test was terminated after a second failure. The total distance covered before test termination was recorded as the YYIR1 score. YYIR1 distance is expressed in meters, with higher values indicating greater intermittent aerobic capacity and a superior ability to perform and recover from repeated high-intensity running efforts.	Baseline and end of intervention at 4 weeks
Anaerobic power	Anaerobic power was assessed using the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) performed on a cycle ergometer. After a standardized warm-up, participants completed a 30-s all-out sprint against a resistance equivalent to 7.5% of their body mass. Participants were instructed to pedal as fast as possible throughout the entire test, and strong verbal encouragement was provided. Power output was recorded continuously. Peak power output (PPO) was defined as the highest mechanical power achieved over any 5-s interval, and mean power output (MPO) was calculated as the average power across the full 30-s test duration. Anaerobic power outcomes are expressed in watts (W), with higher PPO and MPO values indicating greater maximal and sustained anaerobic power capacity.	baseline and end of intervention at 4 weeks
Physical activity enjoyment	Overall session enjoyment was assessed using the PACES-8. Participants rated how they felt about the activity on eight items using a 7-point Likert scale from 1 (unpleasurable) to 7 (pleasurable).Total scores ranged from 8 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater physical activity enjoyment.	every Saturday acute after training during 4-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Repeated Sprint Ability	Repeated sprint ability (RSA) was assessed using a 6 × 40 m shuttle sprint test (20 m + 20 m with a 180° change of direction), with 20 s of passive recovery between sprints. Sprint times were recorded using infrared timing gates positioned at the start and finish lines. The primary RSA outcomes included best sprint time (RSA_best), mean sprint time (RSA_mean), and performance decrement (RSA_dec). RSA_best represents the fastest single sprint time and reflects maximal sprint capacity. RSA_mean is the average time across all six sprints and reflects repeated-sprint performance.	baseline and end of intervention at 4 weeks
10/30m sprint performance	Sprint performance was assessed using 10 m and 30 m linear sprint tests to evaluate acceleration and maximal running speed, respectively. Participants performed three maximal-effort trials over each distance on synthetic turf. Sprint times were recorded using infrared timing gates positioned at 0 m, 10 m, and 30 m. The primary outcomes were best sprint time and mean sprint time for both distances. The 10 m sprint reflects initial acceleration capacity, whereas the 30 m sprint reflects near-maximal sprint speed. Lower sprint times indicate better sprint performance.	baseline and end of intervention at 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Macau
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Zhaowei Kong, PHD, University of Macau

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Arslan E, Orer GE, Clemente FM. Running-based high-intensity interval training vs. small-sided game training programs: effects on the physical performance, psychophysiological responses and technical skills in young soccer players. Biol Sport. 2020 Jun;37(2):165-173. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2020.94237. Epub 2020 Mar 31.
• Amani-Shalamzari S, Khoshghadam E, Donyaei A, Parnow A, Bayati M, Clemente FM. Generic vs. small-sided game training in futsal: Effects on aerobic capacity, anaerobic power and agility. Physiol Behav. 2019 May 15;204:347-354. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.017. Epub 2019 Mar 17.
• Kong Z, Qi F, Shi Q. The influence of basketball dribbling on repeated high-intensity intermittent runs. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2015 Dec;13(2):117-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2015.10.001. Epub 2015 Nov 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 4, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): November 11, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 9, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 9, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: football; exercise performance; Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1; youth team
• Other Study ID Numbers: BSE-0732-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: All individual participant data (IPD) and supporting materials underlying the findings of this study will be openly accessible to the public. The shared materials will include the full dataset, the list of included studies, and extracted variables.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: 27/12/2025-27/12/2028
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: These data will be made available via the Open Science Framework (OSF) and can be accessed without restrictions.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; CSR

Study Data/Documents

1. Individual Participant Data Set
   Information comments: All research data are available via the Open Science Framework (OSF)

Drug and device information, study documents

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