Abstract

Introduction: It has been well documented that there is great difference between male and female according to body shape and other characteristics like ability to perform work, muscular power and strength. There is almost no study conducted on female cricket participants under the age of twenty. This study was designed to determine effects of periodized resistance training on sprinting speed, agility, power in domestic young female cricketers.
Material & Methods: This was a parallel group randomized control trail that utilized purposive sampling to recruit 46 participants. Data was collected from Abdul-Qadeer cricket academy, Kinnaird College for women.46 young female cricketers completed the study, of which 23 were in experimental group and 23 were in control group. In experimental group, 8 week of resistance training program had been introduced in addition to their regular training sessions, while control group only followed their regular training sessions. To evaluate the speed, agility and power tests such as (run a three test, Illinois agility test, sergeant jump test and seated medicine ball throw) were performed before and after the experimental or control training.
Results: Periodized resistance training significantly increase (p = 0.01) sprinting speed measured by run a three test. Post intervention mean±SD of Illinois agility test was 19.817±1.579 that shows significant effect of periodized resistance training on agility (p=0.001). Post intervention mean±SD of sergeant jump test was 7.782±2.448 which shows significant effect of periodized resistance training on power of lower limb (p=0.001). Post intervention mean±SD of seated medicine ball throw was 28.194±3.878 that shows that there is no significant effect of periodized resistance training on power of upper limb (p=0.89).
Conclusion: This study concluded that sprinting speed, agility and power of lower limb is improved by periodized resistance training.