Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07639190

Acute Effects of a Brief Low-Load Core Activation Warm-Up on Football-Specific Technical Performance in Male Youth Players

This study examined whether a brief, low-load core activation warm-up would acutely improve football-specific technical performance compared with a conventional dynamic warm-up in male youth football players. Twenty-four players (aged 15-16 years) completed both warm-up conditions in a single-session, counterbalanced crossover design separated by a 10-minute passive recovery period. Following each warm-up, players performed standardised tests of dribbling speed, passing accuracy, shooting accuracy, and ball control. The study was designed as an exploratory pilot to estimate effect sizes and inform the design of a future definitive trial.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Athletic Performance Warm-Up Exercise

Age range

15 year–16 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Manisa Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Manisa, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Warm-up routines in football increasingly incorporate neuromuscular activation components; however, evidence regarding the acute effects of core activation on football-specific technical performance in youth players remains limited. This single-session, counterbalanced crossover study randomly assigned 24 male youth football players (age: 15.6 ± 0.5 years) to one of two condition sequences (core activation first or conventional warm-up first) using a computer-generated random number list with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Both warm-up protocols were duration-matched (~8-10 minutes). The core activation protocol consisted of body-weight exercises targeting anterior, lateral, and posterior trunk musculature (front plank, side plank, glute bridge, dead bug, bird-dog). The conventional warm-up consisted of dynamic mobility and low-intensity running drills. Following each warm-up condition, players completed standardised assessments of dribbling time (slalom test), passing accuracy (target-based test), shooting accuracy (target-based test), and ball control (first-touch control test). A 10-minute passive recovery period separated the two conditions. Linear mixed models with condition, period, and sequence as fixed effects and participant as a random intercept were used for analysis. The study was not powered for equivalence or non-inferiority testing and was conceived as feasibility evidence for a subsequent definitive multi-session trial.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male youth football players registered in an organised football academy
  • Minimum of 2 years of football training history
  • Regular participation in training (≥3 sessions per week)
  • Free from acute musculoskeletal injury at the time of testing

Exclusion criteria

  • History of lower limb, trunk, or spinal injury within 6 months prior to testing
  • Participation in a competitive match or high-intensity training within 48 hours prior to testing

Treatment and study plan

Core Activation Warm-Up

Other

A brief (~8-10 min) body-weight core activation protocol consisting of front plank (2x25s), side plank (2x20s each side), glute bridge (2x10 reps), dead bug (2x8 reps each side), and bird-dog (2x8 reps each side), with 10-15 s rest between sets.

Conventional Dynamic Warm-Up

Other

A duration-matched (~8-10 min) conventional warm-up consisting of dynamic leg swings, walking lunges, high knees, butt kicks, and low-intensity running drills.

Primary outcomes

  1. Dribbling Time

    Time frame: Within 3-5 minutes after each warm-up condition

    Time to complete a standardised slalom dribbling test (8 cones, 2 m apart). Best of 2 trials recorded in seconds using a handheld stopwatch. Lower time indicates better performance.

  2. Passing Accuracy

    Time frame: Within 3-5 minutes after each warm-up condition

    Accuracy percentage from a target-based passing test (6 passes from 10 m toward a 1.5 m-wide target). Higher percentage indicates better performance.

  3. Shooting Accuracy

    Time frame: Within 3-5 minutes after each warm-up condition

    Accuracy percentage from a target-based shooting test (5 shots from 11 m toward 1x1 m corner targets). Higher percentage indicates better performance.

  4. Ball Control

    Time frame: Within 3-5 minutes after each warm-up condition

    Total successful first-touch contacts within a 2x2 m area in a standardised ball control test. Higher count indicates better performance.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Inonu University

Other

Collaborators

  • Manisa Celal Bayar University

Registry information

Official study title

Acute Effects of a Brief Low-Load Core Activation Warm-Up on Football-Specific Technical Performance in Male Youth Players: A Counterbalanced Crossover Study

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jun 10, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 10, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.