Effects of the FIFA 11+ Kids Warm-Up Program on Physical Performance in Youth Judo Athletes

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up program improves physical performance in young judo athletes. The study includes children aged about 10 to 14 who regularly practice judo. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up improve jumping and strength performance? Does it improve speed, agility, and movement ability? Researchers will compare the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up with a judo-specific warm-up to see which one better prepares young athletes for training. Each participant will perform both warm-up programs on different days. Participants will: Perform the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up and a judo-specific warm-up on separate days Complete physical performance tests after each warm-up, including jumping, sprinting, strength, and agility tests This study may help coaches and athletes choose more effective warm-up routines to improve performance and reduce injury risk in youth judo.

Judo is a high-intensity combat sport that requires strength, power, agility, and coordination. In youth athletes, improving these physical abilities is important for both performance and injury prevention. Warm-up routines play a key role in preparing athletes for training and competition by enhancing neuromuscular readiness. The FIFA 11+ Kids program is a structured warm-up protocol originally developed for injury prevention in youth football players. It includes exercises focusing on balance, coordination, strength, and movement control. Although this program has been shown to improve performance and reduce injury risk in team sports, its effects in combat sports such as judo are not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up program on selected physical performance parameters in youth judo athletes, compared with a traditional judo-specific warm-up. This study uses a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design. Participants are assigned to perform two different warm-up conditions (FIFA 11+ Kids and judo-specific warm-up) in a random order, with a washout period between sessions. This design allows each participant to serve as their own control. A total of 16 competitive youth judo athletes aged approximately 10 to 14 years participate in the study. All participants have regular training experience and are actively competing. After completing each warm-up protocol, participants perform a series of physical performance tests. These tests include measures of explosive power, speed, agility, upper- and lower-body strength, and functional performance. The results of this study are expected to provide information on whether the FIFA 11+ Kids warm-up program can be used as an effective alternative to traditional warm-up routines in youth judo athletes. This may help coaches and practitioners select evidence-based warm-up strategies to improve performance and reduce injury risk.