Different Drop Height Plyometric Training in Soccer Players

Effects of Low, Moderate and High Drop Height Plyometric Training on Lower Limb Explosive Strength, Anaerobic Power and Change of Direction Performance in Competitive Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to determine the effects of different drop height plyometric training protocols on lower limb explosive strength, anaerobic power, and change of direction (COD) performance in soccer players. A total of 56 competitive soccer players aged 18-30 years will be randomly allocated into three intervention groups using sealed envelope randomization: low drop height (30 cm), moderate drop height (45 cm), and high drop height (60 cm) plyometric training groups. Participants will undergo supervised plyometric training three times per week for six weeks. Outcome measures including Vertical Jump Test, Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST), and T-Test Agility Test will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS version 25 to determine within-group and between-group differences.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Athletic Performance; Muscle Strength
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Experimental Group 2; Other: Experimental Group 3; Other: Experimental Group 1

Detailed Description

Soccer is one of the most widely played and physically demanding sports worldwide involving a dynamic blend of aerobic and anaerobic movements, requiring athletes to possess a high level of technical skill, tactical awareness, and physical conditioning. Among the essential physical attributes, lower-limb explosive strength is particularly important, as it contributes to key actions such as sprinting, jumping, and powerful kicking. Anaerobic power and agility are also crucial for executing short bursts of high-intensity movements during both offensive and defensive plays. In particular, the ability to rapidly change direction (COD) allows players to evade opponents, maintain possession, and react swiftly to evolving match scenarios. These physical demands highlight the importance of incorporating targeted training strategies-such as plyometric exercises-to enhance performance outcomes in soccer. Recent evidence supports this approach, showing that plyometric training significantly improves jumping ability, sprint performance, and COD in adolescent soccer players.

One of the most critical performance qualities for a soccer player is lower-limb explosive strength, which contributes to movements such as kicking, jumping, and sprinting. Anaerobic power and agility also play essential roles in performing high-intensity tasks over short durations, contributing to both offensive and defensive capabilities on the field. The ability to quickly change of direction (COD) is often what distinguishes top-tier soccer players from others. This skill is essential for maintaining possession of the ball, evading opponents, and positioning oneself for optimal play.

One training method that has gained considerable attention in recent years is plyometric training. Plyometrics involve high-intensity exercises that take advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) to increase muscle power. Specifically, drop jumps have been shown to be highly effective in improving explosive strength, anaerobic power, and agility in soccer players. Drop jumps typically involve an athlete jumping from a height and then performing a maximal jump immediately upon landing. The drop height influences the eccentric load applied to the muscles, which in turn can affect the muscular adaptations and performance outcomes.

Exercises like drop jumps are especially effective for boosting key performance skills such as vertical jump height, sprint speed, and change-of-direction (COD) ability. These exercises work by having athletes step off a platform, absorb the landing, and immediately spring upward, challenging both their strength and reactivity. The review found that drop-jump training can lead to meaningful improvements in how athletes move, react, and perform on the field. This makes it a valuable focus for research, especially when exploring how different jump heights might impact soccer players' explosive strength, anaerobic power, and agility.

Most research on drop-jump training has focused on moderate drop heights between 30 and 45 cm, Moderate heights like 40 cm are generally believed to provide better improvements in sprint speed and agility compared to lower heights, making them a common choice in training programs. Similarly, combining both horizontal and vertical plyometric training significantly improved the explosive performance and COD abilities of youth soccer players. However, it is unclear whether the same protocols applied to higher-intensity players (adult males) would produce similar or even more profound benefits.

This study aims to fill the knowledge gap on increasing drop heights and their impact on male adult football players. This study will specifically investigate the effects of varying drop heights (low 30 cm, moderate 45 cm, and high 60 cm) on male football players' anaerobic power, explosive strength, and COD performance. The results of this study will help build better training plans that improve athletic performance while lowering the risk of injury and will provide light on how plyometric regimens might be tailored for adult football players. The most efficient drop height for improving the many physical attributes required for football performance, like power, speed, and agility, is another goal of this study.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 56
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Danish Hassan, PhD; Phone Number: +92 345 7946009; Email: danish.hassan009@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab Province
    • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 547000
      • Recruiting
      • Punjab Sports Board
      • Contact: Danish Hassan, PhD; Phone Number: 03457946009; Email: danish.hassan009@gmail.com
      • Principal Investigator: Ahmad Hassan, MS

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female soccer players
• Age between 18-30 years
• Minimum 1 year of regular soccer training
• Healthy BMI
• Currently active in competitive soccer (>3 days/week)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Musculoskeletal or neurological disorders
• Lower limb injury within past 6 months
• Participation in structured plyometric training in last 3 months
• Contraindications to high-impact training

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low Drop Height Plyometric Training (30 cm); Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 30 cm platform. Training will be conducted three sessions per week for six weeks with 3-4 sets per session under supervision.	Other: Experimental Group 2; Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 45 cm platform
Experimental: Moderate Drop Height Plyometric Training (45 cm); Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 45 cm platform. Training will be conducted three sessions per week for six weeks with 3-4 sets per session under supervision.	Other: Experimental Group 3; Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 60 cm platform
Experimental: High Drop Height Plyometric Training (60 cm); Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 60 cm platform. Training will be conducted three sessions per week for six weeks with 3-4 sets per session under supervision.	Other: Experimental Group 1; Participants will perform supervised plyometric exercises including drop jumps, bounding drills, and box jumps using a 30 cm platform

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Lower Limb Explosive Strength	Explosive strength will be measured using the Vertical Jump Test. Jump height will be recorded and peak power will be calculated using the Sayers Equation.	Baseline; 7-Week Post-Intervention
Anaerobic Power	Anaerobic power will be assessed using the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST). Peak power, average power and fatigue index will be calculated.	Baseline: 7-Week Post-Intervention
Change of Direction Performance	Change of direction ability will be assessed using the T-Test Agility Test and recorded in seconds.	Baseline ; 7-Week Post Intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Riphah International University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Danish Hassan, PhD, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Bai Y, Zheng Z, Gong B, Shen Y. Effects of different drop height training on lower limb explosive, anaerobic power, and change of direction performance in Chinese elite female wrestler. Heliyon. 2024 Sep 24;10(19):e38146. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38146. eCollection 2024 Oct 15.
• Yang G, Chen W, Qi D, Zhang J, Men Z. The Effects of a 6-Week Plyometric and Sprint Interval Training Intervention on Soccer Player's Physical Performance. J Sports Sci Med. 2024 Sep 1;23(1):526-536. doi: 10.52082/jssm.2024.526. eCollection 2024 Sep.
• Ahmadabadi S, Rjabi H, Gharakhanlou R, Talebian S, Basereh A. Effects of a 4-week plyometric training on activity patterns during different phases of one-leg drop jump with focus on jump height. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 6;13(1):9192. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-36461-1.
• Sun J, Sun J, Shaharudin S, Zhang Q. Effects of plyometrics training on lower limb strength, power, agility, and body composition in athletically trained adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2025 Oct 1;15(1):34146. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10652-4.
• Soyler M, Zileli R, Cingoz YE, Kilincarslan G, Kayantas I, Altug T, Asan S, Sahin M, Gurkan AC. The effect of high-intensity plyometric training on anaerobic performance parameters: a pilot study in U17 elite A league. PeerJ. 2024 Jan 10;12:e16648. doi: 10.7717/peerj.16648. eCollection 2024.
• Shuai C, Xiangyu W, Zihao L, Xinqi J, Li G. Effects of Plyometric Training on Lower-Limb Explosive Power and Its Retention After Detraining in Sprinters. Am J Mens Health. 2025 Jul-Aug;19(4):15579883251363089. doi: 10.1177/15579883251363089. Epub 2025 Aug 13.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 16, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 16, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Vertical Jump; Soccer Players; Plyometric Training; Anaerobic Power; Explosive Strength; Drop Jump Training; Agility Performance
• Other Study ID Numbers: Ahmad Hassan REC/25/0416

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

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