038 - Precision Over Mileage: Why Preseason Neuromuscular Training Outperforms Endurance Conditioning
Preseason is where performance trajectories are set—and injuries often begin. In sport, especially in female athletes, the default has long been endurance-dominated conditioning: long runs, tempo work, volume accumulation. But this randomized controlled trial rewrites the rules.
Researchers compared the effects of two 10-week preseason conditioning programs on U19 elite female soccer players:
A neuromuscular training (NMT) protocol
A traditional endurance-focused (END) conditioning protocol
Their goal?
To test which approach better improves performance and reduces injury risk.
The results weren’t close.
Key Findings
The NMT group—focused on strength, coordination, agility, and jump-landing mechanics—outperformed the END group in nearly every measurable category:
Greater improvements in jump height (CMJ and SJ)
Faster change-of-direction times
Enhanced acceleration and sprint performance (10m, 30m)
Increased maximal aerobic speed (MAS)
Lower injury incidence across the preseason
Meanwhile, the endurance group maintained or slightly improved aerobic capacity, but showed no significant gains in speed, power, or agility.
WHAT THIS MEANS
Too many training camps still operate on the idea that "fit means ready." But readiness is multidimensional. Strength, neuromuscular control, and explosive output build a resilient, adaptable athlete. Endurance alone won’t do it.
This study reinforces a critical shift for tactical athletes, coaches, and clinicians:
Train movements. Not just capacity. Condition coordination. Not just VO₂.
In the real world, on the field or in the line of duty, it's not who can jog the longest; it's who can move explosively, repeatedly, and without breaking down.
Tactical Implications
1. Neuromuscular training is not “optional”—it’s essential for injury prevention and performance development, especially in preseason blocks.
2. Traditional endurance-focused conditioning may preserve aerobic capacity but doesn’t transfer to key performance tasks like sprinting, jumping, or lateral movement.
3. Integrating low-load strength, plyometrics, agility drills, and motor control work should be foundational—not supplemental—to field-based athletes or tactical trainees.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What tests do you use to assess preseason “readiness”—and do they reflect the tasks that matter?
Are your injury rates tracked across preseason blocks, and if so, which interventions have moved the needle?
How could you integrate neuromuscular training into your warm-ups, skill sessions, or PT interventions starting this week?
Belamjahad A, Tourny C, Jebabli N, et al. Effects of a Preseason Neuromuscular Training Program vs. an Endurance-Dominated Program on Physical Fitness and Injury Prevention in Female Soccer Players. Sports Med Open. 2024;10(1):76. Published 2024 Jun 26. doi:10.1186/s40798-024-00731-7