| The Effects of Four Weeks of High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) on Physical Fitness, Mental Readiness, and Technical Skills in Adolescent Football Players |
| Paper ID : 1599-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
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پویا شمس تبار *1, طاهر افشارنژاد2, محمدرضا اسماعیل زاده طلوعی3 1مربی فوتبال 2استادیار دانشگاه یزد 3دانشکده تربیت بدنی و علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه شمال |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effects of a four-week High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) program on the physical, technical, and psychological performance of adolescent football players. The research addresses a critical gap by examining HIFT's efficacy in this population, where evidence is both limited and inconsistent. The primary objective was to determine if this time-efficient training modality could simultaneously enhance key athletic determinants, including fitness metrics, football skills, and mental readiness. Methods: Thirty male adolescent players (aged 14-16) were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). The experimental group completed a four-week HIFT intervention (three sessions/week), incorporating integrated strength, plyometric, speed, agility, and technical football drills. The control group continued their regular training. Assessments pre- and post-intervention measured aerobic capacity, agility, muscular endurance, technical skills (passing, ball control), and mental readiness. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and independent t-tests via SPSS 26, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Results: The HIFT group exhibited significantly greater improvements than the control group across most measured outcomes. Statistically significant enhancements were observed in aerobic capacity (p=0.012), agility (p=0.019), muscular endurance (p=0.008), and technical skills (p=0.021). However, no significant inter-group difference was found for mental readiness (p=0.187), indicating the intervention's limited impact on psychological preparedness. Conclusion: A four-week HIFT program is a highly effective and efficient training strategy for concurrently developing vital physical and technical attributes in adolescent football players. These findings provide coaches with a validated, multifaceted training model to optimize athletic performance. The lack of improvement in mental readiness suggests that psychological factors may require longer intervention periods or the integration of specific cognitive-behavioral training components alongside physical conditioning. n. |
| Keywords |
| High-Intensity Functional Training, Football, Physical Fitness, Technical Skills |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
