The Effect of Plyometric Training on the T-Kick Performance of Pencak Silat Athletes at Tapak Suci Bukit Kecil

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of plyometric training on the T-kick performance of pencak silat athletes at Tapak Suci Bukit Kecil.

Materials and Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. The population consisted of 120 pencak silat athletes, from which 15 athletes were selected through purposive sampling. The treatment consisted of plyometric exercises, namely Single Leg Lateral Hop and Straddle Hops, conducted over 16 training sessions with a frequency of three sessions per week. The instrument used was a 20-second T-kick speed test. Data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test with IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. Prior to implementation, the training program was validated by experts and achieved a feasibility score of 94.64%, indicating that it was highly feasible.

Results: The results of the paired-samples t-test revealed a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement in the T-kick performance of the athletes following the plyometric training program.

Conclusions: Plyometric training significantly improves the T-kick performance of pencak silat athletes at Tapak Suci Bukit Kecil. Therefore, plyometric exercises can be recommended as an effective training method for enhancing kicking speed and overall performance in pencak silat athletes.