title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRUNK ENDURANCE PLANK TESTS AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE TESTS IN ADOLESCENT SOCCER PLAYERS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although it is believed that trunk function is important for athletic performance, few researchers have demonstrated a significant relationship between the trunk function and athletic performance. Recently, the prone plank and side plank tests have been used to assess trunk function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between trunk endurance plank tests and athletic performance tests, including whether there is a relationship between long distance running and trunk endurance plank tests in adolescent male soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five adolescent male soccer players performed prone and side plank tests and seven performance tests: the Cooper test, the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, the step 50 agility test, a 30-m sprint test, a vertical countermovement jump, a standing five-step jump, and a rebound jump. The relationships between each individual plank test, the combined score of both plank tests, and performance tests were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combined score of plank tests was highly correlated with the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (r = 0.710, p < 0.001), and was moderately correlated with the Cooper test (r = 0.567, p < 0.001). Poor correlation was observed between the prone plank test and step 50 agility test (r = -0.436, p = 0.001) and no significant correlations were observed between plank tests and jump performance tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that trunk endurance plank tests are positively correlated with the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, the Cooper test, and the step 50 agility test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level 2.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneoka
keywords: Agility; core strength; jump; long distance running; prone plank