Does resisted sled towing improve the physical qualities of elite youth soccer players of differing maturity status?

Purpose: Sled towing has been shown to be an effective method to enhance the physical qualities in youth athletes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a 6-week sled towing intervention on muscular strength, speed and power in elite youth soccer players of differing maturity status. Method: Seventy-three male elite youth soccer players aged 12–18 years (Pre-Peak Height Velocity [PHV] n=25; Circa-PHV n=24; Post-PHV n=24) participated in this study from one professional soccer academy. Sprint assessments (10 and 30 m), countermovement jump and isometric mid-thigh pull were undertaken before (T1) and after (T2) a 6-week intervention. The training intervention consisted of 6 weeks (2 x per week, 10 sprints over 20 m distance) of resisted sled towing (linear progression 10 to 30% of body mass) during the competitive season. Bayesian regression models analysed differences between T1 and T2 within each maturity group. Results: There were minimal changes in strength, speed and power (p=0.35-0.80) for each maturity group across the 6-week intervention. Where there were changes with greater certainty, they are unlikely to represent real effect due to higher regression to the mean (RTM). Conclusion: It appears that a 6-week sled towing training programme with loadings of 10-30% body mass only maintains physical qualities in elite youth soccer players Pre-, Circa-, and Post-PHV. Further research is required to determine the effectiveness of this training method in long-term athletic development programmes.