Abstract:

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of functional training on the agility and attention features of adolescent wrestlers. Twenty-five male wrestlers between the ages of 12-16 voluntarily participated in the study. Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups as experimental (n:12) and control group (n:13), and the experimental group applied a functional training program consisting of 8-week wrestling-specific movements. T agility test and reaction time test (Fitlight Junior-TR) were conducted before and after the implementation of the training program. As the data showed normal distribution, Paired Samples T-Test was used for comparison of pre-post test values, and Independent Samples T-Test was used for intergroup comparison. The level of significance in the statistical interpretation of the data was determined as p <0.05. In the agility test, no significant difference was found in the pre-test post-test comparison in both the experimental and control groups. However, in the post-test comparison, it was determined that the experimental group developed significantly more than the control group (p<0.05). In terms of reaction time performance, a significant difference was detected in favor of the experimental group in the comparison of sequential series mode test fourth series post-test (p <0.05). Significant differences were found in the all random mode and open mode variables in both experimental and control group, within-group comparisons (p <0.05). As a result, it is seen that functional training improves the agility of the experimental group wrestlers compared to the control group and has a positive effect on shortening the selection and reaction time in some parameters of reaction time performance. Considering the number of high intensity movements that require maximum attention, stimulus intervals and change direction in wrestling, it is evaluated to be beneficial of include a functional training program in the training plan. 

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