Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.26582/k.55.1.5

Comparison of two 8-week training interventions on the athletic performance of padel players

Eduardo Saez de Villarreal orcid.org/0000-0001-9583-9287 ; Physical Performance Sports Research Center (PPSRC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
Daniel Ramos-García ; Physical Performance Sports Research Center (PPSRC), Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
Julio Calleja-González ; Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Pedro E. Alcaraz orcid.org/0000-0002-9792-6656 ; UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, Catholic University San Antonio, Murcia, Spain
Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo orcid.org/0000-0003-2035-3279 ; Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Padel is an intermittent racket sport played in pairs (2 vs. 2) on a small-sized grass court (20 x 10 m), involving high physical fitness demands for the players. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effect of two 8-week in-season training programs on the athletic performance of male padel players. Participants (age, 22.1±0.8 yr; body height, 182.0±1.0 cm ; body mass, 74.7±0.7 kg) were randomly assigned to the integrated training group (IG, n=12) and non-integrated training group (NIG, n=12). The IG trained inside the padel court, integrating neuromuscular exercises with sport-specific (i.e., use of the racket) technical actions. The NIG trained outside the padel court, performing the same neuromuscular exercises and sport-specific technical actions as the IG, although not simultaneously. Before and after the intervention, athletes were assessed for their hand-grip strength, two legged and one-legged Abalakov jump, bench press performance, padel stroke velocity, cardiorespiratory endurance (30-15IFT), 5-m and 10-m linear sprint time and change of direction ability at 90º and 180º using left and right leg. Both groups improved their scores on Abalakov jump tests, bench press performance, stroke velocity, cardiorespiratory endurance (30-15IFT), and change of direction ability at 90º and 180º (all changes p<.05; effect size = 0.22-2.58). The IG improved stroke velocity compared to NIG (p<.05), and only the IG showed pre-post improvements (p<.05; effect size = 0.30-0.76) in change of direction ability at 90º and 180º involving the non-dominant leg (i.e., turn to the right). An 8-week in-season integrated training approach and a non-integrated training approach may induce similar improvements in athletic performance among highly trained male padel players. However, the neuromuscular training program involving an integration of padel-specific and non-specific training exercises may induce greater improvements in padel-specific performance (i.e., stroke velocity) and change of direction speed ability, particularly in movements involving the non-dominant leg.

Keywords

human physical conditioning; resistance training; plyometric exercise; muscle strength; musculoskeletal and neural physiological phenomena; team sports

Hrčak ID:

295062

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/295062

Publication date:

30.6.2023.

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