Effect of Aerobic Conditioning with Technical Skill Drills on Selected Physical and Performance Parameters in Football Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic conditioning combined with technical skill drills on selected physical fitness and performance parameters among football players. The study was conducted on male football players aged 18 to 25 years from colleges affiliated with Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. A total of 60 football players were randomly selected as subjects and divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group, with 30 subjects in each group. The experimental group underwent a structured training programme consisting of aerobic conditioning exercises integrated with football-specific technical skill drills for a period of twelve weeks, while the control group continued their routine activities without any specialized training intervention. The selected physical fitness variables included speed, agility, cardiovascular endurance, and leg explosive power. The selected performance parameters were passing accuracy, dribbling ability, and shooting performance. Pre-test and post-test data were collected for all variables using standardized testing procedures. The collected data were statistically analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and paired and independent sample t-tests to determine the significance of differences between groups. The level of significance was fixed at 0.05. The results of the study revealed significant improvements in all selected physical fitness and performance variables among the subjects who participated in the combined aerobic conditioning and technical skill drill programme. The experimental group showed greater enhancement in speed, agility, endurance, passing accuracy, dribbling skill, and shooting performance compared to the control group. These findings indicate that the integration of aerobic conditioning with technical skill drills is an effective training approach for improving both fitness and football-specific performance among collegiate football players. The study concludes that a systematic programme of aerobic conditioning combined with technical skill drills can significantly enhance the physical fitness and playing performance of football players aged 18 to 25 years and may be recommended for coaches and trainers working with university-level football athletes.