Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation
Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and reliable indicator of general muscular strength, yet its relevance in elite youth football remains insufficiently understood. This study examined the utility of HGS as a practical indicator of athletic performance in this population, focusing on its associatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625015/full |
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| author | Sebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz Lucas Wizani Lynn Matits Lynn Matits Eric Schwarz Patrick Wiedemann Daniel Alexander Bizjak Achim Jerg Johannes Kirsten Alexander-Stephan Henze |
| author_facet | Sebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz Lucas Wizani Lynn Matits Lynn Matits Eric Schwarz Patrick Wiedemann Daniel Alexander Bizjak Achim Jerg Johannes Kirsten Alexander-Stephan Henze |
| author_sort | Sebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and reliable indicator of general muscular strength, yet its relevance in elite youth football remains insufficiently understood. This study examined the utility of HGS as a practical indicator of athletic performance in this population, focusing on its associations with sport-specific motor abilities and the moderating influence of age and biological maturation. A total of 221 elite male youth football players aged 11–19 years completed a standardized performance test battery that included HGS (via dynamometer), dynamic balance (Star Excursion Balance Test), vertical jumps (Counter Movement Jump, Abalakov Jump, Heading Jump), horizontal jumps (Broad Jump, Single-Leg Hop for Distance), and sprints (10 m and 30 m). Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess associations between HGS and motor performance outcomes, while linear regression models tested the moderating effects of age and maturity offset. HGS was strongly associated with jumping (r = 0.69–0.75 for vertical; r = 0.73–0.75 for horizontal) and sprinting performance (r = −0.62 to −0.73) and showed small but significant associations with dynamic balance (r = −0.29; all p < .001). Regression analyses confirmed significant main effects of HGS on jumping (β = 0.31–0.60) and sprinting (β = −0.23 to −0.33), moderated by both age and maturation status. No significant effects were observed for balance. The combination of HGS and age accounted for up to 67% of the variance in sprinting and up to 61% in jumping. These findings demonstrate that HGS is a robust and practical predictor of sprinting and jumping performance, especially when combined with age. This makes HGS a valuable, resource-efficient tool for performance diagnostics and talent development in elite and youth football, especially in settings where extensive testing is impractical. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be4a28c53dc94f9e9024c0c211f3ccba |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2624-9367 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living |
| spelling | doaj-art-be4a28c53dc94f9e9024c0c211f3ccba2025-08-20T03:17:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sports and Active Living2624-93672025-07-01710.3389/fspor.2025.16250151625015Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturationSebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz0Lucas Wizani1Lynn Matits2Lynn Matits3Eric Schwarz4Patrick Wiedemann5Daniel Alexander Bizjak6Achim Jerg7Johannes Kirsten8Alexander-Stephan Henze9Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyFaculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Munich Technical University, Munich, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyClinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Sports Science, Humanities Section, Konstanz University, Konstanz, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanySports and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyHandgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and reliable indicator of general muscular strength, yet its relevance in elite youth football remains insufficiently understood. This study examined the utility of HGS as a practical indicator of athletic performance in this population, focusing on its associations with sport-specific motor abilities and the moderating influence of age and biological maturation. A total of 221 elite male youth football players aged 11–19 years completed a standardized performance test battery that included HGS (via dynamometer), dynamic balance (Star Excursion Balance Test), vertical jumps (Counter Movement Jump, Abalakov Jump, Heading Jump), horizontal jumps (Broad Jump, Single-Leg Hop for Distance), and sprints (10 m and 30 m). Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess associations between HGS and motor performance outcomes, while linear regression models tested the moderating effects of age and maturity offset. HGS was strongly associated with jumping (r = 0.69–0.75 for vertical; r = 0.73–0.75 for horizontal) and sprinting performance (r = −0.62 to −0.73) and showed small but significant associations with dynamic balance (r = −0.29; all p < .001). Regression analyses confirmed significant main effects of HGS on jumping (β = 0.31–0.60) and sprinting (β = −0.23 to −0.33), moderated by both age and maturation status. No significant effects were observed for balance. The combination of HGS and age accounted for up to 67% of the variance in sprinting and up to 61% in jumping. These findings demonstrate that HGS is a robust and practical predictor of sprinting and jumping performance, especially when combined with age. This makes HGS a valuable, resource-efficient tool for performance diagnostics and talent development in elite and youth football, especially in settings where extensive testing is impractical.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625015/fullbiological maturationperformance testingyouth athletessprint speedlower limb powerfunctional testing |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian Viktor Waldemar Schulz Lucas Wizani Lynn Matits Lynn Matits Eric Schwarz Patrick Wiedemann Daniel Alexander Bizjak Achim Jerg Johannes Kirsten Alexander-Stephan Henze Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation Frontiers in Sports and Active Living biological maturation performance testing youth athletes sprint speed lower limb power functional testing |
| title | Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| title_full | Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| title_fullStr | Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| title_short | Handgrip strength in elite youth football: potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| title_sort | handgrip strength in elite youth football potential for performance prediction and the moderating effects of age and maturation |
| topic | biological maturation performance testing youth athletes sprint speed lower limb power functional testing |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1625015/full |
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