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Flywheel vs Traditional Resistance Training for Change of Direction in Elite Soccer Players

NCT07567677 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 22

Last updated 2026-05-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of unilateral flywheel resistance training and unilateral traditional resistance training on change-of-direction performance in elite male soccer players.

A total of 22 elite soccer players will be randomly assigned to either a flywheel resistance training group or a traditional resistance training group. Both groups will perform supervised training twice per week for 8 weeks in addition to their regular soccer training.

Performance outcomes will include linear sprint tests (10 m and 30 m), pre-planned change-of-direction tests (Pro-agility, T-test, Arrowhead test), and agility tests under no-ball and with-ball conditions (AFL agility test).

The primary outcome is change-of-direction performance assessed by the T-test. Secondary outcomes include direction-specific change-of-direction ability and agility performance.

It is hypothesized that unilateral flywheel resistance training will produce greater improvements in change-of-direction performance compared with traditional resistance training, particularly in tasks involving braking and re-acceleration.

Conditions

  • Change of Direction Performance
  • Athletic Performance

Interventions

OTHER

Flywheel Resistance Training

Unilateral flywheel resistance training was performed using a Bulgarian split squat exercise on a flywheel device. Participants completed 2 training sessions per week for 8 weeks. Each session consisted of 4 sets of 6 repetitions per leg. The inertial load was individually selected based on mean concentric velocity matching. Participants were instructed to perform the concentric phase explosively and the eccentric phase with maximal braking effort.

OTHER

Traditional Resistance Training

Unilateral traditional resistance training was performed using a barbell Bulgarian split squat exercise. Participants trained twice per week for 8 weeks. Each session consisted of 4 sets of 6 repetitions per leg at approximately 80% of one-repetition maximum. Movement tempo was controlled with an explosive concentric phase and a controlled eccentric phase.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Beijing Sport University

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
25 Years
Sex
MALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-02-20
Primary Completion
2026-04-20
Completion
2026-04-21

Countries

  • China

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07567677 on ClinicalTrials.gov