Introduction: Cross-training is effective in developing the physical abilities of athletes, but its short-term effects are little known among referees. The purpose this study was to determine a five-week cross-training block on performance soccer Methods: It carried out with 18 elite referees Benin, divided into two equal groups: one experimental group (EG) and other control (CG), respectively ...

In sports, fast and accurate execution of movements is required. It has been shown that implicitly learned movements might be less vulnerable than explicitly learned movements to stressful and fast changing circumstances that exist at the elite sports level. The present study provides insight in explicit and implicit motor learning in youth soccer players with different expertise levels. Twenty...

*Corresponding author. Address at the end of text Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the physical and technical activities of elite soccer players from the French First League, according to their playing positions. Methods: During the 2005-2006 season, 3540 professional soccer players’ activities were recorded and analysed during competitive matches played by means of a s...

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of 3 training protocols (plyometric [PLYO], agility [AG], or repeated shuttle sprints [RS]) on physical performance in the same population of young soccer players. Forty-two youth-level male players (13.6±0.3-years; 1.65±0.07 m; 54.1±6.5 kg; body fat: 12.8±2.6%) participated in a short-term (6-week) randomized parallel fully controlled tra...

BACKGROUND Agility is a determinant component in soccer performance. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and sensitivity of a "Modified Illinois change of direction test" (MICODT) in ninety-five U-14 soccer players. METHODS A total of 95 U-14 soccer players (mean ± SD: age: 13.61 ± 1.04 years; body mass: 30.52 ± 4.54 kg; height: 1.57 ± 0.1 m) from a professional and semi-professional...

The management of playing time in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) soccer athletes may be a key factor affecting running performance during competition. This study compared playing time and running performance between regular-season and postseason competitions during a competitive women's soccer season. Nine NCAA Division I women soccer players (age, 21.3 ± 0.9 years; height, 170...

QUESTION Is an injury prevention program consisting of 10 exercises designed to improve stability, muscle strength, co-ordination, and flexibility of the trunk, hip and leg muscles (known as The11) cost effective in adult male amateur soccer players? DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis of a cluster-randomised controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS 479 adult male amateur soccer players aged 18-40 yea...

BACKGROUND The second-to-fourth digit-length ratio (2D:4D) may be a correlate of prenatal sex steroids, and it has been linked to sporting prowess. The aim of the study was to validate dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry (DXA) as a technique to assess 2D:4D in soccer players under 15 years of age (U-15). METHODS Paired X-ray and DXA scans of the left hands of 63 male U-15 elite soccer players (a...