Effect of short duration plyometric training on vertical jump and sprint speed in volleyball players

INTRODUCTION: Volleyball is a fast-paced sport that involves vertical and horizontal projections of the ball by the player. The use of plyometric training is a popular method to enhance performance in players. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to see the effect of short-duration plyometric training on vertical jump and sprint speed in volleyball players. METHOD: This study is a parallel group randomized controlled trial. Thirty-nine participants were screened for participation in the study, of which 30 were selected following the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study. The inclusion criteria for the study comprised of volleyball players of age group 18 to 24 years, both males and females, with playing experience of at least one year, and willing to participate. The exclusion criteria for the study included players with a history of injury in the last six months, any reported neurological or musculoskeletal disorder, and any psychological condition. The selected participants were randomly allocated to Group A and Group B using the lottery method. Group A was given plyometric training for three days a week and Group B was asked to continue their regular routine exercises and playing schedule. The total duration of the intervention was four weeks. The outcome measure for the study was sprint speed and vertical jump height. Sprint speed was measured by the 20 m sprint test, and the vertical jump height was measured by the Sargent jump test. The assessment was done at the baseline and at the end of four weeks. An unpaired t-test was used to analyze between-group differences, and paired t-test was used to analyze the within-group differences in the outcome variables. The significance level was set as p<0.05. RESULTS: The result of the study showed a significant improvement in vertical jump height (MD= -7.133, 95% CI-12.657, -1.609) and no significant improvement in sprint speed when between-group comparisons were made (MD=0.084, 95%CI -0.177, -.345) with an effect size of 0.75 for vertical jump height. The within-group comparison was found significant only for vertical jump height in Group A, and there was no significant improvement was found in sprint speed for both Group A and B. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The short-duration plyometric training is effective in improving the vertical jump height and not the sprint speed in volleyball players. The specificity of plyometric training is important for optimal improvement in sports performance.