Yo-Yo With Ball and Small-Sided Games Intervention

University of Macau

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aerobic Capacity; Physical Activity Enjoyment; Soccer Training; Anaerobic Power

Treatments: Other: Small-sided games; Other: Yo-Yo running training; Other: Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07408284

BSE-0732-2025

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to investigate the differential effects of three training protocols: traditional Yo-Yo intermittent training, ball-dribbled Yo-Yo intermittent training, and small-sided games (SSGs) on aerobic capacity, anaerobic and exercise enjoyment in adolescent soccer players.

Enrollment: 42 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 13 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• (1) Aged between 13 and 18 years. (2) At least 1 year of formal soccer training experience. (3) Free from major sports-related injury in the past year. (4) In good general health with no smoking or alcohol consumption habits. (5) No known psychological or psychiatric disorders that may affect participation.

  (6) No participation in similar training interventions within the past 12 months.

  (7) Able to attend scheduled training sessions.

Exclusion criteria

• (1)Outside the age range of 13-18 years. (2) Less than 1 year of formal soccer training experience. (3) History of major sports-related injury limiting training participation. (4) Presence of chronic disease or unhealthy habits (e.g., smoking or alcohol use).

  (5) Known psychological or psychiatric disorders affecting study compliance. (6) Participation in similar training interventions within the previous 12 months.

  (7) Attendance of fewer than 75% of the 12 planned training sessions.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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42 participants in 3 patient groups

Yo-Yo running training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants assigned to this arm performed Yo-Yo-based intermittent shuttle running training. Each training bout consisted of repeated 15-second running efforts interspersed with 15 seconds of passive recovery, following a standardized Yo-Yo running format. Each set lasted four minutes. An audio signal with a fixed rhythm was used to regulate running and recovery intervals. Participants were instructed to synchronize their movements with the audio cues and to perform each running bout at maximal intensity.

Treatment:

Other: Yo-Yo running training

Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants assigned to this arm performed Yo-Yo-based intermittent shuttle running training incorporating ball dribbling. Each training bout consisted of repeated 15-second running efforts with ball control, interspersed with 15 seconds of passive recovery, following a standardized Yo-Yo dribbling format. Each set lasted four minutes. An audio cue with a fixed rhythm was played throughout the session to regulate the timing of exercise and recovery. Participants were instructed to synchronize their movements with the audio cues and to maintain maximal intensity during each running bout.

Treatment:

Other: Ball-dribbled Yo-Yo training

Small-sided Games

Experimental group

Description:

Participants assigned to this arm performed small-sided games-based training. The games were conducted on a rectangular field measuring 25 × 35 meters, using a 4 versus 4 player format. The intervention involved game-based, intermittent high-intensity activities that combined physical, technical, and tactical demands. Participants were instructed to engage actively in the games and to maintain high effort throughout each bout.

Treatment:

Other: Small-sided games