Isokinetic strength and experience: Analyzing key attributes in professional soccer players

Year 2024, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 1 - 9, 25.03.2024

Cengiz Ölmez Alparslan İnce Necdet Apaydın Hacı Ahmet Taşpınar

https://doi.org/10.31459/turkjkin.1353836

Abstract

Soccer is one of the sports where performance is shaped by the coming together of numerous variables. The importance of strength, a physical variable that determines performance, is thought to be as crucial as the experience levels of athletes, which are also considered important for performance. The present study aimed to compare the isokinetic strength characteristics and soccer experience of professional league (PRL) and amateur league (AML) soccer players. After recording variables such as total playing seasons and weekly training sessions, isokinetic strength measurements were conducted at angular velocities of 60°/sec and 180°/sec. The outcomes revealed that PRL players engaged in significantly more weekly training sessions and had accumulated a higher total number of playing seasons than their AML counterparts (p<0.05). Evaluation of the isokinetic strength metrics identified that H/Q ratios in the non-dominant extremities of AML players were notably lower at both angular velocities (p<0.05). Notably, among the non-dominant extremities, players exhibited comparable PT during extension at both angular velocities (p>0.05); however, PRL exhibited greater flexion strength than AML (p<0.05). At an angular velocity of 180°/sec, all players demonstrated similar PT generation during extension (p>0.05), yet PRL players excelled in flexion (p<0.05). These findings underscore that the PT attributed to the quadriceps doesn't singularly determine player performance. However, PRL consistently achieved higher torque using their quadriceps earlier during extension, emphasizing the significance of swift power generation. In conclusion, the study highlights the significance of soccer experience and training frequency for achieving success in the sport. Furthermore, it underscores the pivotal role of attributes such as rapid power production during extension and overall power, particularly in flexion strength, in distinguishing professional players from their amateur counterparts.

Keywords

Amateur league, isokinetic, professional league, soccer, strength

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