The impact of an 8-week integrated neuromuscular training on strength, speed, and agility in military personnel: a randomized controlled trial

Objective To assess the combined effects of integrated neuromuscular training (INT) and traditional physical training on enhancing the strength, speed, and agility of military personnel. Methods A total of 20 military cadets (aged 18–22 years, predominantly male) were randomly assigned to either an INT group or a traditional physical training group. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, with three sessions per week, each lasting 70–90 minutes. Countermovement jumps, 100m sprints, and agility tests, were conducted at three time points: pre-intervention, 4 weeks post-intervention, and 8 weeks post-intervention for both groups. Maximum strength measurements, including bench press and squat, were compared at two time points: pre-intervention and post-intervention. Results There were no significant baseline differences in gender, age, height, weight, and BMI between the two groups (p > 0.05). The results indicated that the INT group demonstrated significant improvements in countermovement jumps (7.1 cm increase), 100m sprints (0.88 s reduction), and IAT (1.15 s reduction) at pre-intervention, 4 weeks post-intervention, and 8 weeks post-intervention (p < 0.05), whereas the traditional physical training group showed no significant differences between 4 weeks and 8 weeks post-intervention (p > 0.05). Inter-group comparisons revealed significant differences in 1RM bench press and squat values between the two groups (p < 0.05), and intra-group comparisons showed that the INT group had significantly greater improvements in 1RM bench press and squat compared to the traditional physical training group (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings suggest that an 8-week INT program leads to significantly greater improvements in strength, speed, and agility compared to traditional physical training, making it a promising approach for military conditioning programs. Trial Registration : NCT06663371, Registration Date: 29/10/2024