A Comparison of Land and Water Based Plyometric Training on Fitness of Field Hockey Players
A Comparison of Land and Water Based Plyometric Training on Fitness of Field Hockey Players
Field hockey players, recruited from clubs in Jamaica, will be randomized to either a water
 training or land training groups. Persons will be exposed to 6 weeks of plyometric training
 with two sessions per week. Pre and post test measures will be done for lower limb power,
 flexibility and agility. Distance covered, pace, heart rates and exertion during a match will
 also be assessed.
Plyometric training has been used in a variety of sports to improve power. There is minimal
 research however regarding its use among hockey players and even less research exploring
 water based training. International field hockey competitions are played on wet turf and it
 is felt that water training may be beneficial to these players. The study will explore
 whether water based plyometrics will prove to have additional benefits compared to land based
 plyometrics for the Jamaican hockey athletes. The members of the Jamaica hockey clubs will be
 recruited to participate in this study. Recruitment will be done by the principal
 investigator Dr. Roopchand-Martin. A total of 34 persons will be recruited and they will be
 randomly allocated to aquatic or land based training. All training programmes will be
 conducted at the section of physical therapy and training will be done two times per week for
 6 weeks. Baseline assessments will be done independent evaluators for lower limb power using
 the Standing Broad Jump and Vertical Jump Test, anaerobic power using the Running Anaerobic
 Sprint test, agility using the Illinois agility and T tests, flexibility using the Sit and
 Reach Test and performance during game play on wet artificial turf in relation to time-motion
 analysis for total distance covered, and total time, average and maximum pace, average and
 maximum heart rate, time in heart zones 1-5, and changes in rate of perceived exertion.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  All club hockey players over the age of 16 in Kingston and St. Andrew, Jamaica

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Persons with musculoskeletal injuries of the hip or knee, who have undergone surgery
 or injections in the past 3 months, or who are under rehabilitation and not at the
 phase to undergo high intensity training will be excluded.

 -  Persons with skin diseases, open wounds and self-reported aqua phobia will also be
 excluded.