The Effects of Flywheel Training with a Portable Device on Physical Performance in Soccer Players

Abstract

Soccer is a team sport in which players expend high-intensity intermittent efforts that require the production of sprints, accelerations, decelerations, changes of direction, and jumps. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of training with portable and low-cost flywheel devices, using multi-directional exercises over 8 weeks, on the performance of linear sprint, curve sprint, and change of direction in senior soccer players. Thirty-three players participated in the research, divided into a control group and an experimental group. The latter group performed the training protocol in addition to the technical–tactical soccer training. Before and after the application of the training protocol, the linear and curve sprint and change of direction (V-cut) were evaluated. At the end of the training program, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were found in change of direction and in curve sprint with respect to the control group. The results suggested that resistance training with flywheel devices with low training volumes improves performance in change of direction and in curve sprint, which are key performance variables in soccer. Therefore, this type of training could be added to technical–tactical soccer training to enhance the variables that are essential to reach high-performance metrics in soccer.