Plyometric training improves sprinting,jumping and throwing capacities of high level female volleyball players better than skill-based conditioning

There is an evident lack of studies on the effectiveness of plyometric- and skill-based-conditioning in volleyball. this study aimed to evaluate effects of 12-week plyometric- and volleyball-skill-based training on specific conditioning abilities in female volleyball players. the sample included 41 high-level female volleyball players (21.8 ± 2.1 years of age; 1.76 ± 0.06 cm; 60.8 ± 7.0 kg),who participated in plyometric- (n = 21),or skill-based-conditioning-program (n = 20). both programs were performed twice per week. participants were tested on body-height,body-mass (bm),countermovement jump (cmj),standing broad jump (sbj),medicine ball throw,(mbt) and 20-m sprint (s20m). all tests were assessed at the study baseline (pre-) and at the end of the 12-week programs (post-testing). two-way anova for repeated measurements showed significant (p<0.05) “group x time” effects for all variables but body-height. plyometric group significantly reduced body-mass (trivi-al effect size [es] differences; 1% average pre- to post-measurement changes),and improved their performance in s20m (moderate es; 8%),mbt (very large es; 25%),cmj (large es; 27%),and sbj (moderate es; 8%). players involved in skill-based-conditioning significantly improved cmj (large es; 18%),sbj (small es; 3%),and mbt (large es; 9%). the changes which occurred between pre- and post-testing were more inter-correlated in plyometric-group. although both train-ing-modalities induced positive changes in jumping- and throw-ing-capacities,plyometric-training is found to be more effective than skill-based conditioning in improvement of conditioning capacities of female senior volleyball players. future studies should evaluate differential program effects in less experienced and younger players. ©journal of sports science and medicine.