Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial

Purpose: Functional training to improve athletes’ technical performance and movement quality is becoming increasingly popular, but few studies have focused on young tennis players. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of 12 weeks of functional training on skilled youth male tennis play...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wensheng, Xiao, Te, Bu, Feida, Zhao, Zhang, Junlong, Bai, Xiaorong, Soh, Kim Geok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BioMed Central 2025
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/1/120187.pdf
_version_ 1848868133579784192
author Wensheng, Xiao
Te, Bu
Feida, Zhao
Zhang, Junlong
Bai, Xiaorong
Soh, Kim Geok
author_facet Wensheng, Xiao
Te, Bu
Feida, Zhao
Zhang, Junlong
Bai, Xiaorong
Soh, Kim Geok
author_sort Wensheng, Xiao
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose: Functional training to improve athletes’ technical performance and movement quality is becoming increasingly popular, but few studies have focused on young tennis players. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of 12 weeks of functional training on skilled youth male tennis players’ skill performance and movement quality. Methods: Forty skilled youth male tennis players were assigned to the functional training group (n = 20) or the control training group (n = 20). The control group received a traditional resistance training program by their coach, whereas the functional training group was given Santana’s Racket Sports Program. Each group received 60-minute training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. At baseline (T0), after six weeks (T6), and after 12 weeks (T12), the participants’ skill performance was measured according to the International Tennis Federation’s protocol, and movement quality was measured according to the functional movement screening assessment recommended by Gray Cook. The data were analyzed via a generalized estimation equation model. Results: The results revealed that there were no significant differences in skill performance or movement quality between the groups at baseline (p > 0.05), but there were significant differences in those variables between the groups after 6 weeks of the intervention and 12 weeks of the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that the functional training model seems to be more effective than the traditional resistance training model in terms of increasing athletic skill performance and movement quality. The inclusion of functional training as part of an athlete’s training routine is highly recommended, as it has proven to be an effective method for improving skill performance and movement quality. Trial Registration: ISRCTN67565717, registered 26/07/2024, retrospectively registered. © The Author(s) 2025.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T14:47:33Z
format Article
id upm-120187
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T14:47:33Z
publishDate 2025
publisher BioMed Central
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling upm-1201872025-09-24T07:37:02Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/ Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial Wensheng, Xiao Te, Bu Feida, Zhao Zhang, Junlong Bai, Xiaorong Soh, Kim Geok Purpose: Functional training to improve athletes’ technical performance and movement quality is becoming increasingly popular, but few studies have focused on young tennis players. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of 12 weeks of functional training on skilled youth male tennis players’ skill performance and movement quality. Methods: Forty skilled youth male tennis players were assigned to the functional training group (n = 20) or the control training group (n = 20). The control group received a traditional resistance training program by their coach, whereas the functional training group was given Santana’s Racket Sports Program. Each group received 60-minute training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. At baseline (T0), after six weeks (T6), and after 12 weeks (T12), the participants’ skill performance was measured according to the International Tennis Federation’s protocol, and movement quality was measured according to the functional movement screening assessment recommended by Gray Cook. The data were analyzed via a generalized estimation equation model. Results: The results revealed that there were no significant differences in skill performance or movement quality between the groups at baseline (p > 0.05), but there were significant differences in those variables between the groups after 6 weeks of the intervention and 12 weeks of the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that the functional training model seems to be more effective than the traditional resistance training model in terms of increasing athletic skill performance and movement quality. The inclusion of functional training as part of an athlete’s training routine is highly recommended, as it has proven to be an effective method for improving skill performance and movement quality. Trial Registration: ISRCTN67565717, registered 26/07/2024, retrospectively registered. © The Author(s) 2025. BioMed Central 2025 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/1/120187.pdf Wensheng, Xiao and Te, Bu and Feida, Zhao and Zhang, Junlong and Bai, Xiaorong and Soh, Kim Geok (2025) Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 17 (1). art. no. 43. pp. 1-11. ISSN 2052-1847 https://bmcsportsscimedrehabil.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13102-025-01085-7 10.1186/s13102-025-01085-7
spellingShingle Wensheng, Xiao
Te, Bu
Feida, Zhao
Zhang, Junlong
Bai, Xiaorong
Soh, Kim Geok
Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title_full Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title_fullStr Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title_full_unstemmed Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title_short Effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: A cluster randomized control trial
title_sort effects of functional training on skill performance and movement quality among skilled youth male tennis players: a cluster randomized control trial
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/120187/1/120187.pdf