The Effect of Core Training on Agility, Explosive Strength and Balance in Young Female Volleyball Players

The present study aimed to determine the effect of core training on agility, explosive strength and balance in young female volleyball players. 20 young female volleyball players volunteered to participate in the study. Vertical jump, counter movement jump, pro-agility and dynamic balance tests were applied to all volleyball players before and after the core-training program. The athletes were selected randomly and divided into two groups as study group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The study group performed core exercises added to the beginning of the training sessions for 8 weeks (3days/week) in addition to volleyball training. The control group, on the other hand, continued volleyball training alone. At the end of 8 weeks, the tests applied in the pre-test were repeated and analyzed for all participants in order to determine the effect of core training on agility, explosive strength and balance parameters. In the statistical analysis of the study, Kurtosis-Skewness test was used to determine the normal distribution of the data. Mixed Anova and two-independent independent-samples t-test were used to make in-group and between-group comparisons. During the study, the level of significance was accepted as 0.05. A statistically significant difference was found in the balance precision index, static vertical jump (cm), counter movement jump (cm) and pro-agility agility test (sec) parameters when comparing the study and control groups. As a result, core exercises performed in addition to volleyball training appear to have a positive effect on agility, explosive strength and balance performances. 