Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of eight weeks of electromyostimulation (EMS) training and core stability exercises on motor performance in female futsal players.

Methods: 36 female futsal athletes with an age range of 16–30 years constituted the participants. These players were selected purposively and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (EMS and core stability) and one control group. In the pre-test, to assess motor performance, a 10-m sprint test, a countermovement jump test, the Illinois agility test, and the RSA test were administered. Then, the EMS and core stability training protocols were separately applied to the experimental groups. After completion of the training protocols, the motor performance variables of all three groups were measured again as post-test data. Pre-test and post-test data for the EMS, core stability, and control groups were collected and analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

Findings: The results showed that the effect of the pre-test was significant for agility (P=0.021) and repeated sprint ability (P=0.010). Furthermore, according to the results of the Bonferroni post hoc test, the variables of agility (0.65 s improvement) (P=0.028) and repeated sprint ability (1.49 s improvement) (P=0.037) showed a decrease (improvement) in the core stability group compared with the control group.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that core stability training can significantly improve the motor performance of futsal players in the components of agility and repeated sprint ability, whereas EMS training alone, without being combined with functional exercises, is not sufficient to enhance multidimensional motor components.