The Effect of 12-Week Core Strengthening and Weight Training on Muscle Strength, Endurance and Flexibility in School-Aged Athletes

This study investigates the effect of 12-week core strengthening and weight training on muscle strength, endurance and flexibility in school-aged athletes. Ninety male athletes at the age of 12 were randomly divided into three equal groups (30 in each). Group 1 underwent core strengthening training, group 2 underwent weight training, and group 3 was the control. The training was for 12 weeks, with three sessions per week (one hour per session). Prior to and after the training, abdominal strength, endurance, and flexibility were evaluated using the sit-ups test, the Cooper 12 min run test and the sit and reach test. The analysis of variance was used to analyze pre- and post-intervention data. The results showed that both the core strength training group and the weight training group significantly (p = 0.00) improved in abdominal strength, represented by the number of sit-ups (from 18.70 ± 3.20 to 22.21 ± 3.50 and from 17.60 ± 3.29 to 21.60 ± 3.63, respectively); endurance, represented by distance covered in 12 min (from 1817 ± 185.78 m to 2008.97 ± 214.79 m and from 1806 ± 237.25 m to 2002.59 ± 83.32 m, respectively); and flexibility, represented by the sit and reach distance (from 23.48 ± 2.75 cm to 25.96 ± 2.38 cm and from 23.66 ± 2.92 cm to 25.86 ± 2.55 cm, respectively) when compared to the control group (from 17.20 ± 3.20 to 16.39 ± 2.69; from 1813 ± 224.69 m to 1778.15 ± 05.28 m; from 23.46 ± 3.06 cm to 21.76 ± 2.56 cm). More specifically, abdominal strength and endurance improved slightly more in the weight training group than in the core strength training group, whilst flexibility increased slightly more in the core strength training group than in the weight training group. These findings indicate that both core strengthening training and weight training are effective in improving physical fitness in school-aged athletes; however, the improvement is to differing extents regarding their endurance, flexibility, and abdominal strength.