Resistance Training in Soccer: A Systematic Review of Holistic vs. Isolated Approaches

Resistance training plays a critical role in enhancing physical performance in soccer by developing key attributes such as strength, speed, and power. This study reviews the effec-tiveness of holistic and isolated resistance training in improving soccer performance, highlighting their impact on strength, speed, power, and transfer to match situations to guide training program design. The method followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, with literature searches conducted across four electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and PubMed) covering the period from 2021 to 2025. Out of 541 identified articles, 30 met the inclusion criteria and were qualitatively analyzed following a rigorous selection and qual-ity assessment process. Both approaches improve strength, speed, and power. Holistic training enhances match transfer and adaptation, while isolated training builds physical foundation. Combining both supports optimal performance and injury prevention. The in-tegration of holistic and isolated resistance training may offer complementary benefits, supporting both foundational physical development and the transfer of performance gains to match situations. This study finds that while isolated resistance training enhanc-es physical traits, it lacks match relevance. Holistic training better supports soccer perfor-mance, but further research is needed to refine its application.