The Effect of Plyometric Exercises Combined With Visual Cues on Offensive Decision-Making Speed and Lower-Limb Explosive Power in Young Handball Players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66968/IJESSR.ycg6nz76Keywords:
Plyometrics, Visual cues, Offensive decision-making speed, Explosive power, HandballAbstract
Backgroud: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of plyometric exercises combined with visual cues on offensive decision-making speed and lower-limb explosive power in young handball players.
Methods: The researcher employed an experimental approach using a two-group design an experimental group and a control group with pre- and post-tests, as this was deemed appropriate for the nature of the problem. The sample consisted of 20 players from the Army Sports Club’s youth handball team in Baghdad for the 2025–2026 season, who were randomly divided into two equal groups of 10 players each, after excluding goalkeepers and verifying the homogeneity of the sample and the equivalence of the groups. The experimental group underwent plyometric exercises combined with visual cues that specified the direction of movement or the type of offensive decision required, for a period of eight weeks at a rate of three sessions per week, whilst the control group performed plyometric exercises at the same intensity without visual cues. The speed of offensive decision-making was measured using a light-based offensive situation test that measures decision time, whilst lower-limb explosive power was measured using a vertical jump test. The data were analysed using the arithmetic mean, standard deviation and t-tests for paired and independent samples.
Results: The results (hypothetical for the purposes of theoretical training) showed a reduction in offensive decision-making time in the experimental group from (1.36) to (1.18) seconds, representing an improvement of (13.2 per cent), and an increase in vertical jump height from (38.4) to (43.0) cm, representing a (12.0 per cent) increase, with statistical significance in favour of the post-test. The experimental group also outperformed the control group in the post-test for both variables.
Conclusions: A combination of plyometric training and visual cues over eight weeks proved effective in improving offensive decision-making speed as well as lower limb explosiveness in young handball players.
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