{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T10:21:35Z","timestamp":1783592495727,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760659200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>To compare the short- and long-term effects of complex training (CT) and ballistic exercise (BE) on lower-limb explosive performance in elite female hockey players and to identify temporal adaptation patterns.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Twenty-four athletes were randomized to CT (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f8), BE (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f8), or control (CG, <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f8). Interventions lasted 8\u202fweeks (3 sessions\/week). Performance outcomes included countermovement jump (CMJ), 30-m sprint, and squat 1RM, assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>At week 4, the BE group improved CMJ (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f1.85), sprint (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.90), and 1RM (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.39), with no further gains by week 8 (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;gt;\u202f0.05). The CT group improved sprint (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.60) and 1RM (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.92) at week 4, while CMJ remained unchanged. By week 8, CT demonstrated significant improvements in CMJ (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f1.24), additional sprint gains (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.51), and continued 1RM increases (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f1.72). The CG declined in CMJ (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f0.44) and 1RM (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01, <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\u202f=\u202f1.03), with no sprint changes. Between groups, BE outperformed CG in CMJ at week 4 (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05). At week 8, both CT (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01) and BE (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) exceeded CG in CMJ; sprint favored CT and BE over CG (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05); and 1RM favored CT over BE (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.05) and CG (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u202f&amp;lt;\u202f0.01).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>BE induces rapid short-term improvements in jumping and sprinting but plateaus after 4\u202fweeks. CT produces slower yet sustained gains across all indicators by 8\u202fweeks, with superior strength development. BE is suited for pre-competition phases, whereas CT is preferable during preparatory periods for integrated strength\u2013power adaptation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1676079","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T05:31:32Z","timestamp":1760679092000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The effect of complex training and ballistic exercise on the time-course adaptations of lower extremity explosive strength in elite female field hockey 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