Effects of Adding Cognitive Motor Coordination Exercise to Soccer Training vs. Soccer Training Alone on Physical Fitness of Prepubescent Boys

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of 6-week Life Kinetik exercises combined with soccer training vs. soccer training alone on the physical fitness in prepubescent boys. A total of 30 untrained prepubescent boys were randomly assigned to either Life Kinetik-Soccer (LK-S) (n=15) or soccer training (S) (n=15) to train 2 times/week for 6 weeks. In the LK-S, subjects performed a total of four to five cognitive, coordination and visual Life Kinetik exercises at the beginning of the soccer training, while the S executed soccer training alone. The Y-balance test (Y-BT), T agility (T-test), 20-m sprint, Standing Long Jump (SLJ), and sit-and reach (S&R) test were applied before and after 6-week training. Our results revealed that LK-S and the S group significantly improved their PM%, PL%, and COMP% (p<0.05). In the ANT%, LK-S significantly increased their performance, however, the S showed no significant improvement. While both group showed significant enhancements in the T-test time trial, S&R, there were no significant enhancement in 20-m sprint time trial for LK-S and S groups (p>0.05). In the SLJ performance, boys who performed soccer training alone showed a significant increase of 7.3%. With regard to the LK-S group, no improvement was detected from pre- to post-training. A 2-way analysis of repeated-measures analysis revealed that there were no pre- and post-intervention improvements between the groups regarding all parameters (p>0.05). In conclusion, adding cognitive motor coordination exercise to regular soccer training, might be effective in improving anterior dynamic postural control ability, whereas soccer training alone, might be more appropriate for lower extremity power in untrained prepubescent boys.