Evaluate the effectiveness of 8-weeks complex training on speed, agility, jump performance and strength among male collegiate athletes

Complex training is a training method that pairs heavy resistance exercises with biomechanically similar plyometric exercises within a single session. This method is recognized for improving speed, agility, jump performance and strength efficiently within a single training session, making it advantageous for athletes with limited training time. Recreational collegiate athletes often struggle to balance academic responsibilities and athletic commitments, leading to stress and limited time for physical preparation. Therefore, complex training offers a time-efficient training strategy which aligns with recreational collegiate athletes. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of complex training (CT) on speed (30-m sprint [30M]), agility (Illinois agility test [IAT]), jump performance (countermovement jump [CMJ]) and strength (1-RM bench press [1-RM BP]) among recreational male collegiate athletes. Forty-eight (n = 48) recreational male collegiate athletes were randomly and equally assigned to either complex training group (CTG; n = 24) or control group (CG; n = 24). CTG performed three sessions per week of complex training intervention while control group continue with daily regimen. The physical performances tests were measured at before intervention (pre-test), mid-week (mid-test) and after intervention (post-test). A 2 (group: experimental, control) × 3 (time: pre-, mid-, post-test) mixed model ANOVA has been employed in this study. The results revealed that there was significant “group × time” interactions were observed for all variables (p < 0.001). No between-groups differences were observed in pre- and post-test, but post-test indicated there was significant differences between-groups in all variables. Within-group comparisons showed that CTG improves 30-m sprint, IAT, CMJ and 1-RM BP from pre- to mid- and post-test (p < 0.05), however no significant changes were observed in CG (p > 0.05). The findings of this study indicated that CT is beneficial for improving speed, agility, jump performance and strength among recreational male collegiate athletes. This holistic approach to training intervention could allow athletes to achieve superior performance results while reducing the risk of injury related to the high intensity sports. Future research regarding complex training should be explore deeper to understand mechanisms underlying this enhancement of physical performance, expanding the findings to the wider range of athletic and clinical populations in order to establish comprehensive methods for sport performance improvement.