The Effect of Combined Strength, Plyometric, and Sprint Training on Repeated Sprint Ability in Team-Sport Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Repeated sprint ability (RSA) is crucial for success in team sports, and involves both neuromuscular and metabolic factors. While single-mode training (SGL; e.g., sprint training) and combined training (CT; e.g., sprint + plyometric) can improve RSA, whether CT offers additional benefits compared to SGL or active controls maintaining routine training (CON) remains uncertain in team-sport athletes. This study evaluates the effect of CT versus SGL and CON on the RSA of team-sport athletes. A comprehensive search was conducted in five electronic databases. Thirteen studies involving 394 males and 28 females, aged 14 to 26 years, were included. The random effects model for meta-analyses revealed greater improvement in RSA mean after CT compared to SGL (Hedge's g effect size [g] = -0.46; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -0.82, -0.10; p < 0.01) and CON (g = -1.39; 95% CI: -2.09, -0.70; p < 0.01). CT also improved RSA best compared to CON (g = -1.17; 95% CI: -1.58, -0.76; p < 0.01). The GRADE analyses revealed low- to very-low certainty of evidence in all meta-analyses. Subgroup analysis revealed that plyometric + sprint training yielded greater RSA mean (g = -1.46) and RSA best (g = -1.35) improvement than plyometric + resistance + sprint training and resistance + sprint training. The effects of CT on RSA did not differ according to age (≥ 18 vs. < 18), sports (e.g., soccer vs. basketball vs. handball), or RSA test type (linear sprint vs. sprint with change-of-direction). Studies showed an overall high risk of bias (ROB 2). In conclusion, CT may be improving team-sport athletes' RSA more effectively than SGL (small effect size) and CON (large effect size), particularly when CT involves plyometric + sprint training.