ORIGINAL PAPER
Effects of a minimal dose of plyometric training on the FITescola®
1
ISCE – Polytechnic University of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Department of Sport Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
2
School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
3
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
4
Live Quality Research Center (LQRC), Complexo Andaluz, Santarém, Portugal
5
University of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Coimbra, Portugal
Submission date: 2025-12-11
Acceptance date: 2026-05-22
Online publication date: 2026-08-06
Corresponding author
Armando Costa
ISCE – Polytechnic University of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Department of Sport Sciences, Lisbon, Rua Bento de Jesus Caraça, 12, 2620-379 Ramada, Portugal
ISCE – Polytechnic University of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Department of Sport Sciences, Lisbon, Rua Bento de Jesus Caraça, 12, 2620-379 Ramada, Portugal
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
The FITescola® was designed to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits, as well as to assess the neuromuscular fitness determinants to know the motor habits of Physical Education students in Portugal. However, to date, it is unclear how a neural training programme can affect FITescola® activities. This study aimed to examine the effects of a Minimal Dose of Plyometric Training (MDPT) on the results obtained from the FITescola® test in adolescents between the ages of 11 and 13 years.
Methods:
Eighty students were recruited for this study and randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG-P = 40) and a control group (CG = 40). The EG-P underwent a reduced plyometric training programme (PTP), while the CG continued their physical education classes systematically without any specific plyometric intervention. Before and after the programme, the 40 m sprint (V40), standing long jump (SLJ) and 4 × 10 m agility (AG4X10) were assessed.
Results:
The results showed significant group × time interactions for all variables, including SLJ [F(1,73) = 13.72, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.158], AG4X10 [F(1,73) = 29.31, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.286], and V40 [F(1,73) = 8.85, p = 0.004, η2p = 0.108], indicating that performance changes differed between the experimental and control groups.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that MDPT may be an effective and time-efficient strategy to improve neuromuscular performance in school-age students. Therefore, its inclusion in physical education classes may be beneficial provided that the training guidelines described in this study are followed.
The FITescola® was designed to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits, as well as to assess the neuromuscular fitness determinants to know the motor habits of Physical Education students in Portugal. However, to date, it is unclear how a neural training programme can affect FITescola® activities. This study aimed to examine the effects of a Minimal Dose of Plyometric Training (MDPT) on the results obtained from the FITescola® test in adolescents between the ages of 11 and 13 years.
Methods:
Eighty students were recruited for this study and randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG-P = 40) and a control group (CG = 40). The EG-P underwent a reduced plyometric training programme (PTP), while the CG continued their physical education classes systematically without any specific plyometric intervention. Before and after the programme, the 40 m sprint (V40), standing long jump (SLJ) and 4 × 10 m agility (AG4X10) were assessed.
Results:
The results showed significant group × time interactions for all variables, including SLJ [F(1,73) = 13.72, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.158], AG4X10 [F(1,73) = 29.31, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.286], and V40 [F(1,73) = 8.85, p = 0.004, η2p = 0.108], indicating that performance changes differed between the experimental and control groups.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that MDPT may be an effective and time-efficient strategy to improve neuromuscular performance in school-age students. Therefore, its inclusion in physical education classes may be beneficial provided that the training guidelines described in this study are followed.
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