Effects of a 12-week functional training program on the strength and power of Chinese adolescent tennis players

• Main Authors: Xiao, Wensheng, Bai, Xiaorong, Geok, Soh Kim, Yu, Dawei, Zhang, Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/107553/1/Effects%20of%20a%2012-week%20functional%20training%20program%20on%20the%20strength%20and%20power%20of%20Chinese%20adolescent%20tennis%20players.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/107553/; https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/4/635
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Background: Functional training is any type of training designed to improve a specific movement or activity for fitness or high performance sports. This study examined the effect of functional training on the strength and power of young tennis players. Methods: 40 male tennis players were assigned to the functional training group (n = 20; age, 16.7 ± 0.4 years) or the conventional training group (n = 20; age, 16.5 ± 0.6 years). The functional training group received three 60 min sessions per week for 12 weeks, while the conventional training group participated in three sessions per week of mono-strength exercise for 12 weeks. Strength and power were measured according to the International Tennis Federation protocol at baseline, 6 weeks after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention. Results: Both forms of training increased (p < 0.05) push-ups, wall squat test, over medicine ball throw, and standing long jump after 6 weeks of training, and the effect improved further as the 12-week mark approached. Except for the wall squat test (left) at 6 weeks, functional training showed no advantage over conventional training. After an additional 6 weeks of training, all measures of strength and power were better (p < 0.05) in the functional training group. Conclusions: Improvements in strength and power could occur after as little as 6 weeks of functional training, and 12-week functional training could outperform conventional training in male adolescent tennis players.