Effects of Training Surface on Physiological Characteristics of Prepubescent Female Volleyball Players

Purpose: The present study investigated the effects of different training surfaces on physiological characteristics of prepubescent female volleyball players. Method: 45 prepubescent girls (age: 11.1 ± 0.5 years) were separated in groups S (N=15) and H (N=15) that consisted of volleyball players, while group C (N=15) consisted of girls that had no volleyball training experience. Groups S and H participated in a 10-week volleyball training program including sprints, jumps and technical exercises, while group C executed only technical skills exercises. Group S trained on sand surface, while groups H and C trained on hard surface indoors. Aerobic capacity (20m shuttle run), agility (Illinois test), countermovement (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) as well as 10m sprint test were conducted before, in the middle (5th week) and after the end of the training program for groups S and H. Group C was tested only before and after the training period. Results: Aerobic capacity, agility, jumping and sprinting ability were significantly (p<0.01) improved in groups S and H even from the 5th week of training. Group S achieved greater improvements than group H in all tested variables. Conclusion: Training on sand surface seems to promote training adaptations improving the physiological characteristics of prepubescent female volleyball players

Effect of Training Surface on Agility and Passing Skills of Prepubescent Female Volleyball Players

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of different training surfaces (hard or sand surface) on agility and passing skills of prepubescent female volleyball players. 45 prepubescent girls (age: 11.1 ± 0.5 years) participated in this study and were separated in three groups. Groups S (N=15) and I (N=15) consisted of volleyball players, while group C (N=15) consisted of girls that had no volleyball training experience. All groups participated in a 10-week (3 days/week) volleyball training program that included technical and passing skills exercises. The program of groups S and I also included jumping and sprinting exercises. The training program of group S was conducted on sand surface, while groups I and C trained on hard surface. Measurements of agility (T-test and 505-test) and passing skills were conducted on both hard and sand surface before, in the middle (5th week) and after the end of the training program for groups S and I. Group C was tested only on hard surface before and after the training period. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA for independent samples. Agility T-test and 505-test were significantly (p<0.001) improved in all three groups after the 10-week training program. Agility improvement of group S was significantly (p<0.001) greater than the other two groups (I and C), regardless of the surface (hard or sand) that the test was executed. Group S achieved greater improvements than the other two groups in passing skills too. All three groups were significantly (p<0.001) improved in overhead and forearm passing accuracy after the 10-week training period, but it was group S that achieved the greatest improvement, regardless of the (hard or sand) that the test was executed. In conclusion training on sand surface could be a useful and effective tool for improving agility and passing skills in prepubescent female volleyball player