Effect of uphill downhill plyometric and combined training on speed abilities and kinematics of high school students

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of uphill-downhill, plyometric, and combined training on high school students performance in 30M and 50M sprint, compared to a controlled group. Uphill-downhill training significantly enhanced speed, velocity, and step frequency for both distances, with progressive improvements from pre- to post-test. Stride length increased notably in the 50M sprint, while the number of steps slightly decreased. This training outperformed the controlled group and showed a slight edge over combined training in the 30M sprint, though combined training was superior in the 50M sprint. Plyometric training also improved speed, velocity, stride length, and step frequency, with significant gains from pre- to post-test in 30M and 50M sprint. The number of steps decreased marginally. It surpassed the controlled group and closely matched the combined training s effectiveness in the 50M sprint, demonstrating its efficacy in enhancing kinematic variables. Combined training yielded marked improvements in speed, velocity, and kinematic parameters for both distances, with fewer steps and longer strides. It showed consistent progress across pre-, mid-, and post-test phases, slightly outperforming other groups in the 50M sprint. The controlled group, lacking structured training, exhibited no significant improvements in sprint performance or kinematic variables for either distance. Overall, uphill-downhill, plyometric, and combined training effectively enhanced sprint performance, with combined training excelling in the 50M sprint, while the controlled group showed negligible progress, underscoring the importance of structured training for speed development in high school students. newline