Enhancing Adolescent Athlete Performance through Plyometric and Strength Training

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that combined plyometric and strength training produces small-to-moderate improvements in acceleration, sprint speed, and jump performance in male adolescent athletes, with particularly large strength-related gains for 0–10 m acceleration.

That synthesis pooled randomized trials in male adolescent team-sport athletes and reported outcomes for acceleration, linear sprint time, change-of-direction, vertical and horizontal jump height, and muscle strength across 69 studies using random-effects meta-analysis. Pooled estimates showed moderate improvements in 0–10 m acceleration (PT ES ≈ −0.60; ST ES ≈ −0.71), moderate gains in change-of-direction, a moderate-to-large vertical jump benefit with plyometrics (PT ES ≈ 0.86), and a large effect of strength training on muscle strength (ST ES ≈ 1.49), while linear sprint effects were smaller.

Program variables meaningfully moderated effect sizes. For plyometrics, larger training volume (≥6 sets, ≥13–16 total sessions), higher frequency (>2 sessions/week for some sprint outcomes), and shorter rest intervals (<90 s) amplified gains. For strength training, shorter targeted blocks (≤8 weeks) with higher repetitions (>6) and relatively short rest (≤120 s) related to larger 0–10 m acceleration effects.

Biological maturity and training age shaped responses via neuromuscular adaptation, motor control maturation, and differential overload risk. Older or taller adolescents in the pooled cohorts tended to show larger plyometric responses for acceleration and change-of-direction, whereas some strength-related jump benefits were more pronounced in younger cohorts.

Key Takeaways:

• Meta-analytic data support integrated plyometric and strength approaches to improve acceleration, sprint, and jump outcomes in male adolescents.
• Program variables (duration, frequency, sets, rest, progression) substantially modify effects and should be selected to match maturity and training age.
• Sequence strength development before high-intensity plyometrics during rehabilitation and monitor recovery and movement quality throughout.