Investigation of the effects of teaching core exerciseson young soccer players

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of teaching core exercises on some motoric parameters in young soccer players.32amateur male football players from Afjet Afyonspor and Muğlaspor football team; 16 experimental group (average age 13.75 ± 0.46 years; mean body height 1.65.±0.09 cm; mean body mass 52.88 ± 8.04kg) and 16 control group (average age 13.71 ± 0.34 years; mean body height 1.59±0.08 cm; mean body mass 45.63 ± 6.25kg) participated in this study voluntarily. For each player, flexibility, agility, sprintability and standing long jump performance was measured. Core exercises were done 6 weeks to the subjects located in experimental group in addition to football training. Before starting the core training program, experimental group were applied core exercises during 2 weeks. Explainations on the correct teaching of the core training techniques and the attainments to be achieved during the se exercises were provided. The subjects located in control group were asked to continue their normal training and any additional program was not applied. Control group wasn't provided with the explanations on the correct teaching of core training technique sand the attainments to be achieved. Mann Whitney U test for paired comparison of the groups and Wilcoxcon test for the comparison of pre- and post-tests of the groups were used. The significance level was taken as p<0.05. As for the statistical results between the pre-test values of the groups, no significant difference was found in any of the variables (p>0.05). At the beginning of the study, groups divided into the homogeneous. The experimental groups howed a 11.62%, 6.8%, 7.5%, 3% improvement in standing long jump, agility, 10-m sprint performance and 20-m sprint performance (respectively) (p<0.05).A significant differences was found agility performance (Z= -2.38; p<0.05), standing long jump (Z= -1.4; p<0.05), 10-m sprint performance(Z= -1.26; p<0.05)and20-m sprint performance (Z= -0.56; p<0.05)between the pre-and post-test in experimental group. A significant differences was found agility performance (Z=-2.52, p=0.01) and 10-m sprint performance (Z=-2.53, p=0.01) between the pre-and post-test in control group. There were statistically significant difference between of post-test 10-m sprint performance in experimental and control groups (U=13.0 p=0.04).In conclusion, it was observed that 6 week core exercises implemented on young soccer players brought about significant improvement on parameters of standing long jump, agility, 10-m sprint performance and 20-m sprint performance (p<0.05).The necessary motor skills can be improved by core exercises and a football coach who teaches his or her players correct techniques using and executing these exercises in their training programs. © 2016 The Author(s).