Relationship Between Abdominal Muscle Strength, Leg Strength and Soccer Kicking Ability Students
Authors
-
M Imran Hasanuddin
Universitas Negeri Makassar
-
Benny Badaru
Universitas Negeri Makassar
-
Ishak Bachtiar
Universitas Negeri Makassar
-
Abdul Rahman
Universitas Negeri Makassar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36312/sj.v6i2.6038Keywords:
Abdominal muscle strength, Leg strength, Soccer kicking ability, Football, Correlational studyAbstract
Soccer kicking ability is a fundamental skill that supports passing, shooting, and long-ball execution, yet its performance may depend not only on technical execution but also on specific physical components. This study aimed to examine the relationship between abdominal muscle strength, leg strength, and soccer kicking ability among students of SMA Negeri 10 Makassar. A quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational design was used. The sample consisted of 60 male students selected through simple random sampling. Abdominal muscle strength was measured using a 30-second sit-up test, leg strength was measured using a leg dynamometer, and soccer kicking ability was assessed based on maximal kicking distance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality testing, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression with SPSS. The findings showed that abdominal muscle strength was positively and significantly associated with soccer kicking ability (r = .522, p < .001), and leg strength also showed a positive and significant association with soccer kicking ability (r = .586, p < .001). Simultaneously, abdominal muscle strength and leg strength were significantly related to soccer kicking ability (R = .671, R² = .450, p < .001). These findings indicate that both trunk-related and lower-limb strength contribute meaningfully to distance-oriented kicking performance. The study provides practical implications for physical education teachers and coaches by emphasizing the importance of integrating abdominal and leg strength development into soccer skill learning and training programs
References
Akcan, İ. O., Şenyurt, S., Altuğ, T., Ateş, B., Acar, Ş. T., Yücelsoy, B., Kızılörs, G., Taber, C. B., Küçük, H., Aydın, A. S., Söyler, M., & Ölmez, C. (2026). Joint-specific and cross-joint strength profiles in relation to maximal soccer kicking speed. Life, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/life16040688
Albaitomi, M. A., Subagio, I., Sabillah, M. I., & Arifin, M. (2025). Improved free kick accuracy: Through imagery training and concentration of soccer players. Sportske Nauke i Zdravlje, 15(2), 184–192. https://doi.org/10.7251/SSH2502184A
Anderson, D., Breed, R., Spittle, M., & Larkin, P. (2018). Factors affecting set shot goal-kicking performance in the Australian Football League. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 125(4), 817–833. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031512518781265
Attaallah, M., Bassiouni, S., Hassan, A. M. R., Sunderland, C., Soliman, W., Amin, M., & Tschan, H. (2021). The penalty kick accuracy in soccer: A new biomechanical approach. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 16(Proc4), S1552–S1562. https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc4.01
Augustus, S., Amca, A. M., Hudson, P. E., & Smith, N. (2023). Choice of low-pass filter influences practical interpretation of ball kicking motions: The effect of a time-frequency filter method. Sports Biomechanics, 22(11), 1412–1429. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2020.1805507
Bisht, A., & Singh, J. (2025). Static stability of the supporting leg and its relationship with one-step kicking performance in male soccer players. Series on Biomechanics, 39(1), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.7546/SB.01.13.2025
Bonney, N., Berry, J., Ball, K., & Larkin, P. (2020a). The development of a field-based kicking assessment to evaluate Australian football kicking proficiency. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 91(1), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2019.1647331
Bonney, N., Berry, J., Ball, K., & Larkin, P. (2020b). Validity and reliability of an Australian football small-sided game to assess kicking proficiency. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(1), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1681864
Browne, P. R., Sweeting, A. J., & Robertson, S. (2022). Modelling the influence of task constraints on goal kicking performance in Australian Rules Football. Sports Medicine - Open, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00393-9
Carstensen, J., & Andersen, T. B. (2026). Test–retest reliability of kicking performance assessments over a 2-day interval in elite youth soccer players. PeerJ, 14. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20806
Carstensen, J. B., Gaemelke, T., Overgaard, K., & Andersen, T. B. (2026). The effect of fatiguing muscle contractions on kicking performance in experienced soccer players. Sports Biomechanics, 25(2), 214–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2024.2433084
Cejudo, A., Armada-Zarco, J. M., & Izzo, R. (2024). Age is a new indicator of long-ball kicking performance in young soccer players: Analysing kinanthropometry, flexibility and strength. Applied Sciences, 14(19). https://doi.org/10.3390/app14199052
Chinaglia, A. G., Monteiro, R. L. M., dos Santos, C. C. A., Tahara, A. K., & Santiago, P. R. P. (2026). Influence of video instruction on soccer kick velocity in young players. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, 240(2), 568–579. https://doi.org/10.1177/17543371241282362
Cigoja, S., Vienneau, J., Nigg, S. R., & Nigg, B. M. (2019). The effects of midsole bending stiffness on ball speed during maximum effort soccer kicks. Footwear Science, 11(3), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2018.1538263
da Silva Carvalho, D., Ocarino, J. M., de Freitas, L. V., Cintra, S. P., Albuquerque de Araújo, P., Okai Nóbrega, L. A., Pinto, R. Z., Fonseca, S. T., & Souza, T. R. (2024). Kinetic and kinematic strategies integrating the trunk and lower limbs for a powerful soccer kick in amateur players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 42(20), 1967–1976. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2419713
Dwyer, D. B., & Young, C. M. (2024). Shots at goal in Australian Football: Historical trends, determinants of accuracy and common strategies. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 27(5), 354–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2024.02.010
Elliott, S., Whitehead, A., & Magias, T. (2020). Thought processes during set shot goalkicking in Australian Rules football: An analysis of youth and semi-professional footballers using Think Aloud. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101659
Ferraz, R., van den Tillaar, R., & Marques, M. C. (2017). The influence of different exercise intensities on kicking accuracy and velocity in soccer players. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 6(4), 462–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2015.10.001
Ferraz, R. M. P., van den Tillaar, R., Pereira, A., & Marques, M. C. (2019). The effect of fatigue and duration knowledge of exercise on kicking performance in soccer players. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(6), 567–573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2016.02.001
Gaspar, A., Santos, S., Coutinho, D., Gonçalves, B., Sampaio, J., & Leite, N. (2019). Acute effects of differential learning on football kicking performance and in countermovement jump. PLoS ONE, 14(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224280
Giustino, V., Bonaventura, R. E., Messina, G., Patti, A., Pillitteri, G., Pajaujiene, S., Paoli, A., Palma, A., Bianco, A., Oliveri, M., & Battaglia, G. (2024). Acute effects of prismatic adaptation on penalty kick accuracy and postural control in young soccer players: A pilot study. Heliyon, 10(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30515
Gottlieb, R., Ibrahim, R., Shalom, A., & Calleja Gonzalez, J. (2025). The impact of core stability training on neuromuscular performance among young soccer players: A randomized interventional trial. Applied Sciences, 15(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/app152111391
Hadlow, S. M., Pinder, R. A., & Sayers, M. G. L. (2017). Influence of football size on kicking performance in youth Australian rules footballers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(18), 1808–1816. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1239023
Hasan, H., Davids, K., Chow, J. Y., & Kerr, G. (2016). Compression and texture in socks enhance football kicking performance. Human Movement Science, 48, 102–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2016.04.008
Hunter, A. H., Smith, N. M. A., Camata, T. V., Crowther, M. S., Mather, A., Souza, N. M., Ramos-Silva, L. F., Pazetto, N. F., Moura, F. A., & Wilson, R. S. (2022). Age- and size-corrected kicking speed and accuracy in elite junior soccer players. Science and Medicine in Football, 6(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2021.1899274
Jihad, M. K., Qadoori, R. H., Ibraheem, S., Salh Al Naksh, F. A. Q., Ismaeel, S. A., & Aljahni, M. A. (2025). Transformations in muscular mechanical properties and the impact of dynamic balance on free kick accuracy in elite football players. Retos, 64, 899–904. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v64.110222
Joseph, J., Woods, C., & Joyce, C. (2020). Relationship between repeated kicking performance and maximal aerobic capacity in elite junior Australian football. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(8), 2294–2301. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002220
Kilci, A., Korkmaz Eryilmaz, S. G., Boyraz, Ö. C., Koç, M. E., Binokay, H., Kamiş, O., & Praça, G. M. (2026). Exploring the relationship between reactive strength index, leg stiffness, and physical performance in adolescent male soccer players: The mediating role of maturation. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 21(2), 832–842. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541251397132
Kılcı, A., Eryılmaz, S. K., Boyraz, Ö. C., Günaştı, Ö., Postallı, Ç. Ö., Karakaş, Ç. S., Tiyekli, E., Koç, M. E., Özgünen, K. T., & Kurdak, S. S. (2026). The effect of leg kicking exercise on the hip and knee isokinetic strength and maximal kicking speed in young soccer players. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 34(1), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593020251394684
Lesinski, M., Prieske, O., Chaabene, H., & Granacher, U. (2021). Seasonal effects of strength endurance vs. power training in young female soccer athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 35, S90–S96. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003564
Maly, T., Sugimoto, D., Izovska, J., Zahalka, F., & Mala, L. (2018). Effect of muscular strength, asymmetries and fatigue on kicking performance in soccer players. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(4), 297–303. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-123648
Masmoudi, L., Gharbi, A., H’mida, C., Trabelsi, K., Boukhris, O., Chtourou, H., Bouzid, M. A., Clark, C. C. T., Souissi, N., Rosemann, T., & Knechtle, B. (2021). The effects of exercise difficulty and time-of-day on the perception of the task and soccer performance in child soccer players. Children, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/CHILDREN8090793
Mensah, T. K., Moses, M. O., & Domfeh, C. (2020). Anthropometric and motor performance characteristics of male soccer players in public universities. Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine, 32, 15–26. https://doi.org/10.18276/CEJ.2020.4-02
Murray, H. S., Drovandi, C., Carr, E. J., & Corry, P. (2022). Statistical modelling of goalkicking performance in the Australian Football League. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25(8), 690–695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2022.05.004
Navandar, A., Kipp, K., & Navarro, E. (2022). Hip and knee joint angle patterns and kicking velocity in female and male professional soccer players: A principal component analysis of waveforms approach. Journal of Sports Sciences, 40(17), 1919–1930. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2022.2121022
Navarro, M., van der Kamp, J., Schor, P., & Savelsbergh, G. J. P. (2018). Implicit learning increases shot accuracy of football players when making strategic decisions during penalty kicking. Human Movement Science, 61, 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2018.07.004
Niźnikowski, T., Sadowski, J., Mastalerz, A., Porter, J., Makaruk, H., Fernández-Rodríguez, E., Starzak, M., Romero-Ramos, O., Zieliński, J., Bodasińska, A., Chaliburda, A., & Różański, P. (2025). Attentional focus and practice autonomy enhance penalty kick accuracy in soccer. Sports, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13100332
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 M Imran Hasanuddin, Benny Badaru, Ishak Bachtiar; Abdul Rahman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Sportify Journal agree to the following terms:
- For all articles published in Sportify Journal, copyright is retained by the authors. Authors permit the publisher to announce the work with conditions. When the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors agree to implement a non-exclusive transfer of publishing rights to the journal.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
