Relationships between sprinting, agility, one- and two-leg vertical and horizontal jump in soccer players

Abstract: The aim of this study was to profile physical characteristics of soccer players measured by acceleration, vertical jump (VJ), horizontal jump (HJ) and change of direction ability (CODA) tests, and to quantify the relationships between these characteristics. Additionally, leg asymmetries between the dominant and non-dominant legs during unilateral VJ and HJ were assessed. Thirty-nine male soccer players (22.9±2.8 years, 179.9±6.01 cm, 77.0±8.3 kg), competing in the third division of the Spanish Soccer League, participated in this study. Soccer experience of these players amounted to 15.19±3.15 years. Significant moderate correlations (p<.05) were found between all HJ tests and the modified agility (MAT) or the 505 test, and between all VJ tests and the Y20 or the 505 test. The significant differences between the dominant and non-dominant legs were found for the horizontal drop jump test (p=.001, d=.66) and horizontal three jump test (p=.017, d=.33). No significant differences between the dominant and non-dominant legs were found for VJ tests. The cor-relation between jumping and CODA varied depending on the characteristics of test types. The significant leg asymmetry in horizontal jumps with bounds found in the present study suggests that soccer players have greater leg asymmetries in the horizontal jump than in the vertical jump.