Several studies have confirmed the efficacy of flywheel training, mainly in the bilateral half-squat exercise. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of single-leg Romanian deadlift flywheel training on speed, jumping and change of direction performance. Seventeen young healthy males underwent two periods of 3-week training based on two weekly sessions of 3 sets × 7 repetitions or 4 sets × 7 repetitions of single-leg Romanian deadlifts (0.037 kg/m² moment inertia) with their dominant and non-dominant leg. After the first three weeks of the program, the CMJ, the 10 m, 30 m and total sprint times, as well as the COD-90 test, presented likely substantial beneficial effects and a small decrease in the relationship between the sprint and COD-90 test performance. After the second period of the three-week training, likely detrimental effects were observed in some of the change of direction conditions and an increase in the relationship between the sprint and the COD-180 performance. It could be hypothesized that most of the flywheel training effects reported in the traditional protocols lasting a minimum of 5-6 weeks would occur in the first weeks of training.
Keywords: change of direction; countermovement jump; eccentric training; performance; sprint.