NCT07331623

Comparative Effects of Moderate Intensity Circuit Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in Soccer Players

Comparative Effects of Moderate Intensity Circuit Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Heart Rate Recovery, VO2 Max, Power and Agility in Soccer Players

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 56 (actual)
• Sponsor: Riphah International University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will compare the effects of Moderate-Intensity Circuit Training (MICT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) on Heart rate recovery, VO₂ max, power, and agility in 40 male soccer players aged 18-25. Participants will be randomly assigned to either group, with two 45-minute sessions per week over 8 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will include heart rate recovery, VO₂ max, 5 Jump Test, and T-Test for agility. Statistical analyses will compare within- and between-group changes using paired t-tests and ANOVA. The goal is to determine which training method is more effective for enhancing athletic performance.

Detailed description

Study design: Randomized clinical trial Sample Size: To be calculated Inclusion Criteria: * Male soccer players aged 18-35 years. * Players with at least two years of competitive soccer experience and are in practice season. * Players with a body mass index (BMI) within the range of 18.5 to 30 kg/m². * Availability to attend all training sessions and assessments. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants with medical conditions that contraindicate exercise. * Athletes currently involved in other Moderate-Intensity continuous training programs. * Presence of cardiovascular, neuromuscular, orthopedic, or neurologic conditions. * Individuals who have undergone any surgery in the past six months. * Those who do not provide written informed consent. * Players taking any nutritional supplements, drugs, nicotine and alcohol. * Athletes with known sleep disorders. Sampling Technique: Non probability purposive sampling technique. Tools: 1. Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) Assessment 2. VO2 Max - Multistage Fitness Test (MSFT) 3. Power Assessment: 5 Jump Test 4. Agility Assessment: T-Test

Conditions

• Sports Physical Therapy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Moderate-intensity continuous Training	Group A: Experimental Group (MICT) Frequency: 2 times/week Duration: 45 minutes/session Structure: Warm-Up (10 minutes): Stationary Marching, Toe Touches, Leg/Arm Swings, Rotations, Push-Ups, Lunges, Bodyweight Squats. Primary Exercise (25 minutes): MICT Protocol: 8 sets of 4 minutes each (20s all-out effort, 10s rest) at 60-70% of HRmax. Exercises: Forward Lunges, Jump Squats, Burpees, Spider Crawls, Planks, Mountain Climbers, Ab Crunches. (At moderate intensity and controlled pace) Cool-Down (10 minutes): Static Stretching (Hamstring, Quad, Shoulder, Child's Pose).
OTHER	Moderate-Intensity Circuit Training	Group B: Contrast Group (Circuit Training of Moderate intensity) Frequency: 2 times/week Duration: 45 minutes/session Structure: Warm-Up (10 minutes): Same as Group A. Primary Exercise (25 minutes): Circuit: 30s per exercise, 15s rest, 3 sets with 45s rest between sets. Exercises: Jump Rope, Butterfly Sit-Ups, Hurdle Hop, Push-Ups, Jack-Knife, Squats, Inverse Sit-Ups. Cool-Down (10 minutes): Same as Group A.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-03-21
• Primary completion: 2025-10-02
• Completion: 2025-11-02
• First posted: 2026-01-12
• Last updated: 2026-01-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Pakistan