Athletic PerformanceNCT07072715
Plyometrics vs PAPE Training in Football: Effects on Agility, Explosive Power and Speed
A study testing PAPE Training and Plyometric Training in people with Athletic Performance and Football Players, run by Istinye University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of 8 week plyometric training and post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training on explosive power, agility, acceleration and sprint speed, muscle strength and flexibility in healthy male semi-professional football players aged 18-35. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Athletic Performance, Football Players, Sports Performance
- What is being tested?
- PAPE Training and Plyometric Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 45 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2025to 15 Oct 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male athletes aged between 18 and 35 years
- Permission obtained from the team physician to participate in the study
- Active participation in a Semi-Professional football team for at least the past 6 months
- Participating in football training at least 3 times per week
- Willing and able to participate in 8-week training and testing protocol voluntarily
Who cannot join
- Current or recent surgery affecting the lower limbs
- Current or recent injury affecting the lower limbs
- History of neurological, cardiovascular, orthopedic or systemic disease
- Inconsistent football training (<3x per week)
- Failure to attend testing or training sessions
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effectiveness of Plyometric Training and Post-Activation Performance Enhancement Intervention on Agility, Explosive Power, and Speed in Football Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of 8 week plyometric training and post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training on explosive power, agility, acceleration and sprint speed, muscle strength and flexibility in healthy male semi-professional football players aged 18-35.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Read more
Does PAPE training have effects on performance metrics of football players when planned and applied long-term (8 weeks)?
Does long term PAPE training improve agility, acceleration and speed, flexibility, vertical jump height, and muscle strength more effectively than Plyometric training?
Is there a significant difference in performance gains between PAPE and plyometric training compared to a control group receiving only routine football training?
Researchers will compare a plyometric training group, a PAPE training group, and a control group to determine which method most effectively enhances football-specific performance outcomes.
Participants will:
- Be randomly assigned to one of three groups (Plyometric, PAPE, or Control)
- Continue their routine football training as usual
- Receive additional training sessions applied immediately after warm-up and before continuing regular team training alongside the Control group (for PAPE and Plyometric group)
- Undergo an 8-week training program (3 times per week for Plyometric and PAPE groups)
Assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8, including:
- Vertical Jump Test (explosive power)
- 30-Meter Sprint Test, including 10-meter acceleration recording
- Illinois Agility Test
- Isometric strength measurements of quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius using a handheld dynamometer
- Sit and Reach Test and Modified Thomas Test (flexibility)
In addition, all participants will complete a sociodemographic and lifestyle assessment form capturing:
Age, height, weight, BMI Football experience and playing position Education level, employment status Sleep duration, training frequency, and training intensity Smoking and alcohol use status.
- Being tested
- PAPE Training, Plyometric Training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PAPE TrainingBehavioural
Also called Post Activation Performance Enhancement Training
A neuromuscular activation protocol involving heavy banded squats (~85% 1RM) to induce post-activation performance enhancement. Applied three times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with regular football training.
Plyometric TrainingBehavioural
A program of depth jumps designed to enhance explosive power, speed, and agility. Applied 3 times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with their regular football training.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| PAPE Training Group | Experimental | Participants in this group received post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training using high-resistance banded squats (~85% 1RM) 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. 10% of load was added every week to their training load. 3 reps and 3 sets were done per session with 5 minutes of active rest interval between sets. Receives: Behavioral: PAPE Training |
| Plyometric Training Group | Experimental | Participants in this group performed additional plyometric training 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. Training included depth jumps using a plyometric box with gradual increase in height of the box from 30-60 cm. 12 reps and 7 sets were performed with 30 seconds- 1 minute of rest interval between sets Receives: Behavioral: Plyometric Training |
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants in this group continued with their regular football training routine without receiving any additional intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Illinois Agility Test
Time to complete the Illinois Agility Test will be measured under standardized conditions with a stopwatch. Participants sprint and weave through cones in a pre-set course. The total time to complete the course is recorded; best of two attempts is used.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Vertical Jump Height (Countermovement Jump)
Vertical jump height will be assessed using the "MyJump 2" app specifically the Counter Movement Jump with Free Arms (CMJ). A video of the participant will be taken and using frame selection of take-off and landing, their jump height will be automatically calculated by the app. Three attempts will be averaged.
Measured: From Baseline to Week 4 through Week 8
30-Meter Sprint Time (including 10-meter split)
Sprint time over 30 meters will be recorded using stopwatch with a 10-meter acceleration split included.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Vertical Jump Test (Sargent Jump)
Vertical jump height will be measured using the Sargent Jump Test, a standardized field-based assessment of lower-body explosive power. Participants will stand adjacent to a wall, reach up to mark their standing reach height, then perform a maximal vertical jump and touch the wall at the peak of the jump. The difference between the standing reach and jump reach (in centimeters) will be recorded as the jump height. Each participant will perform three trials, and the average will be used for analysis.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Secondary outcomes (3)
Isometric Muscle Strength (Quads, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius)
Maximal voluntary isometric contraction will be measured using a handheld dynamometer across three muscle groups for both left and right sides of the lower extremity. Mean of three trials per muscle group will be used.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Sit and Reach Test
Measures hamstring and lower back flexibility using a sit-and-reach box. Participants perform three attempts; the best distance reached (in cm) is recorded.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.
Modified Thomas Test
Hip flexor and quadriceps flexibility are assessed using the Modified Thomas Test with goniometric measurement. Angles are recorded in degrees; each leg is tested once.
Measured: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jul 2025
- Study start1 Jun 2025
- Primary completion15 Aug 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Oct 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Athletic PerformanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Istinye UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Istinye University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yassmin Ibrahim Talaat Badr, Istinye University
- Investigators
- Habibe S. Inal, Prof. Dr, Principal investigator, Galata University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07072715
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-87
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 18 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effectiveness of Plyometric Training and Post-Activation Performance Enhancement Intervention on Agility, Explosive Power, and Speed in Football Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07072715
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2025-87
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Istinye UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Aug 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Oct 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of 8 week plyometric training and post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training on explosive power, agility, acceleration and sprint speed, muscle strength and flexibility in healthy male semi-professional football players aged 18-35.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does PAPE training have effects on performance metrics of football players when planned and applied long-term (8 weeks)?
Does long term PAPE training improve agility, acceleration and speed, flexibility, vertical jump height, and muscle strength more effectively than Plyometric training?
Is there a significant difference in performance gains between PAPE and plyometric training compared to a control group receiving only routine football training?
Researchers will compare a plyometric training group, a PAPE training group, and a control group to determine which method most effectively enhances football-specific performance outcomes.
Participants will:
- Be randomly assigned to one of three groups (Plyometric, PAPE, or Control)
- Continue their routine football training as usual
- Receive additional training sessions applied immediately after warm-up and before continuing regular team training alongside the Control group (for PAPE and Plyometric group)
- Undergo an 8-week training program (3 times per week for Plyometric and PAPE groups)
Assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8, including:
- Vertical Jump Test (explosive power)
- 30-Meter Sprint Test, including 10-meter acceleration recording
- Illinois Agility Test
- Isometric strength measurements of quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius using a handheld dynamometer
- Sit and Reach Test and Modified Thomas Test (flexibility)
In addition, all participants will complete a sociodemographic and lifestyle assessment form capturing:
Age, height, weight, BMI Football experience and playing position Education level, employment status Sleep duration, training frequency, and training intensity Smoking and alcohol use status.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| PAPE Training Group | Experimental | Behavioral: PAPE TrainingParticipants in this group received post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) training using high-resistance banded squats (~85% 1RM) 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. 10% of load was added every week to their training load. 3 reps and 3 sets were done per session with 5 minutes of active rest interval between sets. |
| Plyometric Training Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Plyometric TrainingParticipants in this group performed additional plyometric training 3 times per week for 8 weeks, immediately after warm-up and before continuing their regular football training. Training included depth jumps using a plyometric box with gradual increase in height of the box from 30-60 cm. 12 reps and 7 sets were performed with 30 seconds- 1 minute of rest interval between sets |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants in this group continued with their regular football training routine without receiving any additional intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Male athletes aged between 18 and 35 years
- Permission obtained from the team physician to participate in the study
- Active participation in a Semi-Professional football team for at least the past 6 months
- Participating in football training at least 3 times per week
- Willing and able to participate in 8-week training and testing protocol voluntarily
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Current or recent surgery affecting the lower limbs
- Current or recent injury affecting the lower limbs
- History of neurological, cardiovascular, orthopedic or systemic disease
- Inconsistent football training (<3x per week)
- Failure to attend testing or training sessions
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PAPE TrainingAlso: Post Activation Performance Enhancement TrainingA neuromuscular activation protocol involving heavy banded squats (~85% 1RM) to induce post-activation performance enhancement. Applied three times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with regular football training. | Behavioural | PAPE Training Group |
| Plyometric TrainingA program of depth jumps designed to enhance explosive power, speed, and agility. Applied 3 times weekly over 8 weeks following the warm-up. Participants then continued with their regular football training. | Behavioural | Plyometric Training Group |
Primary outcome
Illinois Agility Test
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Time to complete the Illinois Agility Test will be measured under standardized conditions with a stopwatch. Participants sprint and weave through cones in a pre-set course. The total time to complete the course is recorded; best of two attempts is used.
Vertical Jump Height (Countermovement Jump)
Time frame: From Baseline to Week 4 through Week 8
Vertical jump height will be assessed using the "MyJump 2" app specifically the Counter Movement Jump with Free Arms (CMJ). A video of the participant will be taken and using frame selection of take-off and landing, their jump height will be automatically calculated by the app. Three attempts will be averaged.
30-Meter Sprint Time (including 10-meter split)
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Sprint time over 30 meters will be recorded using stopwatch with a 10-meter acceleration split included.
Vertical Jump Test (Sargent Jump)
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Vertical jump height will be measured using the Sargent Jump Test, a standardized field-based assessment of lower-body explosive power. Participants will stand adjacent to a wall, reach up to mark their standing reach height, then perform a maximal vertical jump and touch the wall at the peak of the jump. The difference between the standing reach and jump reach (in centimeters) will be recorded as the jump height. Each participant will perform three trials, and the average will be used for analysis.
3 secondary outcomes
Isometric Muscle Strength (Quads, Hamstrings, Gastrocnemius)
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Sit and Reach Test
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.
Modified Thomas Test
Time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Jul 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Habibe S. Inal, Prof. Dr principal investigator
Galata University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing PAPE Training and Plyometric Training in people with Athletic Performance and Football Players, run by Istinye University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Illinois Agility Test (time frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Jul 2025.