Cluster sets vs traditional sets in soccer players: Effects on power, sprint, cod and fatigue - A scoping review

Abstract

Problem Statement: Cluster-set (CS) and intraset-rest configurations are training strategies designed to redistribute rest within a set in order to preserve repetition quality and manage neuromuscular fatigue. These strategies may be particularly relevant in soccer, where decisive actions depend on short-duration, high-intensity efforts such as sprinting, changes of direction (COD), and jumping. However, soccer-specific evidence directly comparing CS and traditional set (TRD) configurations remains limited. Approach: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA ScR, 2018). SPORTDiscus, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and PubMed were systematically searched. Records were exported in RIS format, deduplicated, and screened through title and abstract screening followed by full-text assessment. Eligible studies included soccer players exclusively and compared CS or rest-redistribution configurations with TRD protocols applied to resistance training, plyometrics, or acute priming. Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to map and summarize soccer-specific evidence comparing CS and TRD configurations, describe the main training protocols and performance outcomes, and identify relevant research gaps. Results: Fifty-seven records were identified, of which two studies met the eligibility criteria. One study examined a sixweek plyometric intervention, while the other investigated acute priming effects following resistance exercise. Chronic comparisons between CS and TRD demonstrated small and inconsistent differences in sprint, COD, and jump performance. In contrast, acute findings indicated clearer improvements in 20 m sprint performance approximately 10 minutes after the conditioning stimulus, particularly when shorter inter-repetition rest was applied. Conclusions: Soccer-specific evidence comparing CS and TRD configurations is scarce and heterogeneous. CS appears more practically relevant as an acute priming strategy when recovery timing is optimized, whereas consistent chronic advantages over traditional sets are not evident. Practitioners should emphasize fatigue monitoring and repetition-quality indicators when implementing CS within competitive microcycles.