Table 2.
Included meta-analyses that examined the effects of plyometric training on physical fitness in different population groups
| Study | Population/sport | N participants/ |
N Studies included |
Statistical model | Physical fitness outcome | Effect size (95% CI, p value); (p value) | I2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfaro-Jimenez et al. [38] | Team sports —young and adults (e.g., basketball, handball, volleyball, football and netball) | N = 50 | N = 31 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Explosive strength | 0.98 (0.77–1.19, p < 0.05); (p = n.a) | 72% |
| Asadi et al. [35] | Youth athletes—practitioners and non-practitioners of sports | N = 46 | N = 24 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Change of direction | 0.59 (-0.08—1.24, n.a); n.a | n.a |
| Asadi et al. [36] | Youth athletes—practitioners and non-practitioners of sports | N = 667 | N = 16 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Change of direction | 0.96 (n.a, n.a); n.a | n.a |
| Behm et al. [37] | Healthy trained or untrained boys and girls | N = 1351 | N = 107 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Vertical jump height, sprint performance and lower body strength |
Jump measures Total 0.69 (0.53–0.84, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001) |
51% |
|
Trained Boys 0.67 (0.52–0.82, p < 0.001); (p < 0.05) |
39% | ||||||
|
Untrained 0.80 (0.24–1.35, p < 0.001); (p = 0.005) |
80% | ||||||
|
Children 0.74 (0.53–0.94, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001) |
62% | ||||||
|
Adolescents 0.57 (0.37–0.77, p < 0.01); (p > 0.05) |
14% | ||||||
|
Sprint performance Total 0.38 (0.23–0.53, p (p < 0.001); (p > 0.05) |
12% | ||||||
|
Trained boys 0.32 (0.18–0.46, p < 0.001); (p > 0.05) |
0% | ||||||
|
Untrained 1.19 (− 0.32 to 2.69, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001) |
87% | ||||||
|
Children 0.47 (0.28–0.67, p < 0.001); (p > 0.05) |
31% | ||||||
|
Adolescents 0.13 (− 0.17 to 0.44, p > 0.05); (p > 0.05) |
0% | ||||||
|
Lower body strength Adolescents 0.16 (− 0.26 to 0.58, p = 0.59); (p > 0.05) |
0% | ||||||
| Berton et al. [44] |
Healthy individuals—trained or untrained men |
N = 158 | N = 7 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump height | 0.15 (− 0.30 to 0.60, p = 0.51); 21% (p = 0.97) | 21% |
| de Villarreal et al. [40] | Healthy individuals—with elite, high, medium and lower levels of fitness | N = 122 | N = 56 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Vertical jump height |
Squat jump 0.79 (n.a, n.a); n.a |
n.a |
|
CMJ 0.74 (n.a, n.a); n.a |
n.a | ||||||
|
Drop jump 0.71 (n.a, n.a); n.a |
n.a | ||||||
|
Sargent jump 0.57 (n.a, n.a); n.a |
n.a | ||||||
| de Villarreal et al. [41] | Healthy individuals—with elite, high, medium and lower levels of fitness | N = 24 | N = 15 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Strength performance | 0.97 (n.a, n.a); n.a | n.a |
| de Villarreal et al. [42] | Healthy individuals—with elite, high, medium and lower levels of fitness | N = 41 | N = 26 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Sprint time | 0.37 (n.a, n.a); n.a | n.a |
| Kayantas et al. [46] | Athletes in general sports (e.g., basketball and football) | N = 1201 | N = 6 | Within-subject SMD | Speed parameters | 0.67 (0.38–0.96, p < 0.001); (p < 0.007) | 68% |
| Kayantas et al. [39] | Athletes in general sports (e.g., judo, basketball, volleyball, handball, football and wrestling) | N = 362 | N = 11 | Within-subject SMD | Muscular strength | 0.40 (0.19–0.61, p < 0.001); (p = 0.36) | 7% |
| Makaruk et al. [18] | Healthy individuals—age > 18 years | N = 602 | N = 11 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Vertical jump height |
Traditional Plyometric 0.68 (0.37–0.99, p < 0.001); (p = 0.16) |
31% |
|
Assisted Plyometric 0.70 (0.20–1.20, p = 0.006); (p = 0.94) |
0% | ||||||
|
Resisted Plyometric 0.48 (0.17–1.19, p = 0.002); (p = 0.14) |
33% | ||||||
| Markovic et al. [30] | Healthy individuals—athletes and non-athletes | N = 1024 | N = 43 | Experimental vs. Control SMD | Vertical jump height |
Squat jump 0.44 (0.15–0.72, n.a); (n.a) |
33% |
|
CMJ 0.88 (0.64–1.11, n.a); (n.a) |
11% | ||||||
|
CMJ with the arm swing 0.71 (0.49–0.93, n.a); (n.a) |
26% | ||||||
|
Drop jump 0.62 (0.18–1.05, n.a); (n.a) |
20% | ||||||
| Moran et al. [31] | Older healthy individuals’ adults (> 50) | N = 444 | N = 9 | Experimental versus control SMD | Lower limbs power | 0.66 (0.33–0.98, p = 0.02); (p < 0.001) | 51% |
| Moran et al. [32] | Healthy trained or untrained girls | (8–18 years); N = 452 | N = 14 | Experimental versus control SMD (Hedges’ g) | Vertical jump height |
0.57 (0.21–0.93; p < 0.01); (p < 0.001) |
68% |
| Moran et al. [45] | Healthy individuals—Untrained and trained | N = n.r | N = 9 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical and horizontal jump performance |
Horizontal plyometric training Horizontal jump 1.05 (0.38–1.72, n.a); (p = 0.002) |
73% |
|
Vertical Jump 0.74 (0.08–1.40, n.a); (p = 0.03) |
75% | ||||||
|
Vertical plyometric training Horizontal jump 0.84 (0.37–1.31, n.a); (p = 0.0005) |
52% | ||||||
|
Vertical jump 0.72 (0.02–1.43, n.a); (p = 0.04) |
78% | ||||||
| Ozdemir et al. [47] | Athletes in general sports (e.g., badminton, basketball, football, wrestling, handball and volleyball) | N = 40 | N = 43 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump performance | 0.68 (0.57–0.80, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001) | 49% |
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [54] | Handball players | N = 129 | N = 5 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump height | 2.15 (0.95–3.36, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001)) | 51% |
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [51] | Volleyball players | N = 346 | N = 14 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump height | 2.07 (1.22–2.93, p < 0.001); (p = 0.087) | 34% |
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [50] | Team sports (e.g., soccer, volleyball, basketball and futsal) | N = 278 | N = 14 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump height | 0.73 (0.45–1.02, p < 0.001); (p = 0.22) | 18% |
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [55] | Female soccer players | N = 99 | N = 8 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump height | 1.01 (0.36–1.66, p = 0.002); (p = 0.33) | 13% |
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [53] | Basketball players | N = 818 | N = 32 | Within-subject SMD | Vertical jump power, countermovement jump with arm swing height, Countermovement jump height, squat jump height, drop jump height, horizontal jump distance, < 10-m linear sprint time, > 10-m linear sprint time, < 40-m change-of-direction performance time, > 40-m change-of-direction performance time, dynamic balance, static balance, maximal strength, hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio at 60°/s, hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio at ≥ 120°/s |
Jumping Vertical jump power, 0.45 (0.07–0.84, p = 0.021); (p = 0.32) |
0% |
|
Countermovement jump with arm swing height 1.24 (0.72–1.75, < 0.001); (p < 0.001) |
71% | ||||||
|
Countermovement jump height 0.88 (0.55–1.22, p < 0.001); (p = 0.071) |
67% | ||||||
|
Squat jump height 0.80 (0.47–1.14, p < 0.001); (p = 0.008) |
52% | ||||||
|
Drop jump height 0.53 (0.25–0.80, p < 0.001); (p = 0.567) |
0% | ||||||
|
Horizontal jump distance 0.65 (− 0.02 to 1.31, p < 0.001); (p = 0.008) |
80% | ||||||
|
Sprint < 10-m linear sprint time 1.67 (0.32–3.03, p = 0.016); (p = 0.307) |
85% | ||||||
|
> 10-m linear sprint time 0.92 (0.40–1.44, p < 0.001); (p = 0.061) |
74% | ||||||
|
< 40-m change-of-direction performance time 1.15 (0.75–1.55, p < 0.001); (p = 0.189) |
59% | ||||||
|
> 40-m change-of-direction performance time 1.02 (0.29–1.76, p = 0.006); (p = 0.272) |
64% | ||||||
|
Balance Dynamic balance 1.16 (0.43–1.89, p = 0.002); (p = 0.586) |
76% | ||||||
|
Static balance 1.48 (− 0.19–3.15, p = 0.002); (p = 0.252) |
93% | ||||||
|
Strength variables Maximal strength 0.57 (0.07–1.07, p = 0.025); (p = 0.117) |
38% | ||||||
|
Hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio at 60°/s − 0.10 (− 0.56 to − 0.36, p = 0.661); (p = 0.060) |
23% | ||||||
|
Hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio at ≥ 120°/s − 0.04 (− 0.56 to 0.48, p = 0.885); (p = 0.785) |
39% | ||||||
| Ramirez-Campillo et al. [52] | Volleyball players | N = 746 | N = 18 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Linear sprint speed, squat jump height, countermovement jump height, CMJ with arm swing, drop jump and spike jump height |
Linear sprint speed 0.70 (0.31–1.09, p < 0.001); p = 0.609 |
46% |
|
Squat jump 0.56 (0.24–0.88, p = 0.001); p = 0.409 |
0% | ||||||
|
Countermovement jump 0.80 (0.37–1.22, p < 0.001); p = 0.270 |
66% | ||||||
|
Countermovement jump with arm swing, 0.63 (0.21–1.04, p = 0.003); p = 0.002 |
0% | ||||||
|
Drop jump 0.81 (0.15–1.47, p = 0.016); p = 0.496 |
37% | ||||||
|
Spike jump height 0.84 (0.36–1.32, p = 0.001); (p < 0.05) |
0% | ||||||
| Sánchez et al. [56] | Female soccer players | N = 250 | N = 10 |
Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) |
Countermovement jump, drop jump, kicking performance, linear sprint, change of direction speed, and endurance |
Countermovement jump 0.71 (0.20–1.23, p = 0.007); (p = 0.224) |
62% |
|
Countermovement jump with Arm Swing 0.41 (-0.34–1.15, p = 0.28); (p = 0.452) |
65% | ||||||
|
Drop jump 0.79 (0.12–1.47, p = 0.021); (p = 0.063) |
73% | ||||||
|
Kicking performance 2.24 (0.13–4.36, p < 0.037); (p = 0.040) |
89% | ||||||
|
Linear sprint 0.79 (0.39–1.18, p < 0.001); (p = 0.257) |
38% | ||||||
|
Change of direction speed 0.73 (0.39–1.06, p < 0.001); (p = 0.813) |
0% | ||||||
|
Endurance 0.60 (0.09–1.10, p = 0.020); (p = 0.328) |
53% | ||||||
| Singla et al. [57] | Healthy individuals—practitioners and non-practitioners of sports | N = 287 | N = 11 | Within-subject SMD | Ball throwing velocity and distance. Upper body power and strength |
Velocity 0.68 (0.01–1.36, p < n.a); (p = 0.07) |
7% |
|
Distance 0.42 (− 0.07 to 0.92, p < n.a); (p = 0.17) |
3% | ||||||
|
Power -0.08 (-0.45–0.29, p < n.a); (p = 0.45) |
1% | ||||||
|
Strength 0.15 (-0.52–0.82, p < n.a); (p = 0.14) |
4% | ||||||
| Slimani et al. [33] | Soccer players | N = 355 | N = 10 | Experimental vs. Control SMD | Vertical jump height | 0.85 (0.47–1.23, p < 0.001); (p < 0.001) | 68% |
| Sole et al. [48] | Individual sport athletes (e.g., runners, gymnastics, golfers, tennis, swimmers, throwers, fencers, cyclists and recreational resistance training) | N = 667 | N = 26 |
Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) |
Vertical jump, linear sprint, maximal strength, endurance performance |
Vertical jump 0.49 (0.32–0.65, p < 0.001); (p < 0.117) |
0% |
|
Linear sprint 0.23 (0.02–0.44, p = 0.032); (p = 0.518) |
10% | ||||||
|
Maximal strength 0.50 (0.23–0.77, p < 0.001); (p = 0.004) |
0% | ||||||
|
Sprint with change of direction 0.34 (− 0.19 to 0.87, p = 0.205); (p = 0.657) |
70% | ||||||
|
Endurance performance 0.30 (0.03–0.57, p = 0.028); (p = 0.119) |
11% | ||||||
| Stojanovic et al. [50] | Female general athletes (e.g., basketball, amateur soccer, elite runners, collegiate soccer players, hockey and volleyball players) | N = 437 | N = 16 | Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) | Countermovement jump without arm swing, countermovement jump with arm swing, squat jump, drop jump |
Countermovement jump without arm swing 1.87 (0.73–3.01, n.a); (n.a) |
75% |
|
Countermovement Jump with Arm Swing 1.31 (− 0.04 to 2.65, n.a); (n.a) |
92% | ||||||
|
Squat jump 0.44 (− 0.09 to 0.97, n.a); (n.a) |
0% | ||||||
|
Drop jump 3.62 (3.03–4.21, n.a); (n.a) |
96% | ||||||
| Taylor et al. [43] | Healthy individuals trained sports practitioners | N = 188 | N = 31 |
Within-subject SMD (Hedges’ g) |
Vertical jump, Sprint (10, 20, 30 m) ability and high-intensity intermittent running performance |
Vertical jump 0.33 (0.03—0.63), n.a); (n.a) |
33% |
|
Sprint 10 m 0.42 (0.18–0.66, n.a); (n.a) |
0% | ||||||
|
Sprint 20 m 0.49 (0.03–0.95 0.46, n.a); (n.a) |
61% | ||||||
|
Sprint 30 m 1.01 (0.08–1.94 ± 0.93, n.a); (n.a) |
47% | ||||||
|
Repeated sprint ability 0.62 (0.37–0.87, n.a); (n.a) |
0% | ||||||
|
High intermittent running performance 0.61 (0.07–1.15; 0.54, n.a); (n.a) |
56% | ||||||
| van de Hoef et al. [34] | Male soccer players | N = 564 | N = 17 | Experimental versus control SMD | Vertical jump, Sprint (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 m) CMJ vertical jump height performance, strength, agility and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test 1 and 2 |
Vertical jump (cm) 1.07 (0.13–2.00, n.a); (p = 0.46) |
0% |
|
Sprint 5 m (s) 0.00 (− 0.02 to 0.02, n.a); (p = 0.98) | |||||||
|
Sprint 10 m (s) 0.01 (− 0.01 to 0.04, n.a); (p = 0.23) |
0% | ||||||
|
Sprint 15 m (s) 0.04 (− 0.03 to 0.12, n.a); (p = 0.17) Sprint 20 m (s) |
27% | ||||||
| 0.05 (− 0.01 to 0.10, n.a); (p = 0.48) | 46% | ||||||
|
Sprint 30 m (s) 0.05 (− 0.02 to 0.11, n.a); 0% (p = 0.53) |
0% | ||||||
|
Strength (kg) 8.49 (− 10.64 to 27.61, n.a); (p < 0.001) |
97% | ||||||
|
Agility (s) 0.01 (− 0.07 to 0.10, n.a); (p = 0.18) |
34% | ||||||
|
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test 1 and 2 (cm) 120.74 (3.00–238.49, n.a); (p = 0.16) |
42% |
n.a = not assessed; n.r = not reported; SMD = standardized mean difference; I2 = percentage of total variability due to between-study heterogeneity