Associations Between Lower‐Body Fast Maximal Dynamic and Reactive Strength Tests With Acceleration Performance in Semi‐Professional Male Soccer Players

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of fast maximal dynamic strength (MDS) and reactive strength capacity with physical match performance. Seventeen male semi-professional soccer players (age = 20.2 ± 1.3 years) performed the countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump and a modified version of the single-leg triple crossover hop (CO_av) tests during the season to measure their fast MDS and reactive strength capacities. Strength capacities were compared with the physical match performance measured through Global Positioning System (GPS) in official matches ± 14 days after the test day. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. CMJ significantly predicted the relative number of high-intensity accelerations >4 m/s^-2 (ACC_>4) (R² = 42.9%; p < 0.01) and maximum acceleration (ACC_max) (R² = 30.6%; p < 0.05). The transformed modified reactive strength index (log₁₀ (mRSI)) also significantly predicted ACC_>4 (R² = 37.1%; p < 0.01) and ACC_max (R² = 26.3%; p < 0.05). CO_av significantly predicted the worst-case scenario for player load (WCS_PL) (R² = 27.0%; p < 0.05). The present results suggest that different lower-body strength capacities are associated with acceleration match performance.