Published Paper Details:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of agility ladder drills and core stability training on speed among softball players. Sixty (N=60) male softball players who participated in intercollegiate tournaments in Kadapa district, aged 16-24 years, were randomly assigned into three equal groups (n=20 each): Experimental Group I (Agility Ladder Drills), Experimental Group II (Core Stability Training), and Control Group. Both experimental groups underwent their respective training protocols for 12 weeks, while the control group did not receive any special treatment. Speed was measured before and after the training intervention, and the data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The pre-test mean scores on speed were 36.75 (Agility Ladder Drills), 36.28 (Core Stability Training), and 36.58 (Control). The post-test means increased to 40.22, 41.05, and 37.09 respectively. The adjusted post-test means were 40.05 (Agility Ladder Drills), 41.26 (Core Stability Training), and 37.05 (Control). ANCOVA revealed a statistically significant difference among the groups (F = 42.30, p < 0.05). Post hoc analysis using Scheffe's test indicated that both experimental groups improved significantly compared to the control group, with mean differences of 3.00 (Agility Ladder Drills vs. Control) and 4.20 (Core Stability Training vs. Control). Furthermore, Core Stability Training showed a significant advantage over Agility Ladder Drills (MD = 1.20, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that both agility ladder drills and core stability training effectively enhanced speed performance in softball players, with core stability training proving more effective.