Effect of Strength vs. Plyometric Training on Ground Reaction Force and Jumping Performance in Football Athletes

Purpose To compare the effects of strength training (ST) versus plyometric training (PT) on vertical ground reaction force (GRF) and jumping performance in football athletes. Methods Sixtyfive male football players (age 18–24 years) were randomly allocated to either an ST group (n = 33) or PT group (n = 32). Both groups trained three times weekly for seven weeks. Outcome measures included countermovement jump (CMJ) height, standing broad jump (SBJ) distance, and vertical GRF during CMJ. Withingroup changes were assessed by paired ttests; betweengroup differences via oneway ANOVA. Results Both ST and PT groups showed statistically significant improvements in CMJ height and SBJ distance (p < 0.05). The PT group had significantly greater gains in CMJ (mean change ~ 2.0 cm vs ~ 1.6 cm) and SBJ (~ 17.4 cm vs ~ 7.6 cm) compared to the ST group (p < 0.05). Vertical GRF increased in both groups but did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion Plyometric training led to superior improvements in explosive jumping performance compared with strength training. While ST builds foundational force capacity, PT produces greater specific gains in jump metrics. Combined or periodized models incorporating both modalities are recommended.