Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate position-specific endurance performance of soccer players. 136 professional players competing in the 1st and 2nd division in Germany were divided into the positional groups goalkeepers (GK), central defenders (CD), wingers (WI), central midfielders (CM), and forwards (FW). All players performed an incremental treadmill test with blood lactate sampling until exhaustion with the following endurance parameters being obtained: Fixed aerobic threshold (v2mmol/l), fixed anaerobic threshold (v4mmol/l), individual aerobic threshold (vLT), individual anaerobic threshold (vIAT), and maximum velocity (vmax). Results revealed significant differences between GK and all outfield playing positions for all endurance parameters (p ≤ 0.03; ES 0.87–2.19). No significant differences among outfield playing positions were evident for any of the parameters. However, trends were found in favor of the CM compared to the WI (p = 0.11; ES = 0.68) and the FW (p = 0.06; ES = 0.47) relating to vLT as well as in favor of the CM compared to the WI (p = 0.10; ES = 0.56) relating to vIAT. Findings suggest that goalkeepers possess the lowest endurance capacity compared to other playing positions. While outfield players in general showed similar endurance performance, CM seem to possess the highest aerobic capacity of all positions as indicated by all lactate-based thresholds, however, with only small to moderate ES. These findings could lead one to question the appropriateness of current endurance training regimes to prepare all players adequately for their positional match-running demands. Indeed, endurance training of players should be specific to their match-running demands. However, it remains unknown to what extent these demands are position or player specific.
Highlights
IntroductionProfessional players cover total distances between 10 and 13 km, while the average running intensity is close to the anaerobic threshold (commonly defined as the running velocity at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l) (Stølen et al, 2005; Sarmento et al, 2014)
Soccer is a team sport characterized by intermittent bouts of intense activity
Trends were found in favor of the central midfielders compared to the wingers (p = 0.11; effect sizes (ES) = 0.68) and the forwards (p = 0.06; ES = 0.47) regarding vLT as well as in favor of the central midfielders compared to the wingers (p = 0.10; ES = 0.56) regarding vIAT
Summary
Professional players cover total distances between 10 and 13 km, while the average running intensity is close to the anaerobic threshold (commonly defined as the running velocity at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol/l) (Stølen et al, 2005; Sarmento et al, 2014). Out of Position-Specific Endurance Performance this distance, 22–24% is spent at higher intensities (i.e., above 15 km/h), leading to a complex interaction of the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems (Dolci et al, 2020). Central midfielders, wide defenders, and wide midfielders cover both the greatest total and high-intensity distance, followed by strikers and central defenders (Di Salvo et al, 2007; Bush et al, 2015). Regardless of running intensity, lowest distances have been consistently reported for goalkeepers (West, 2018)
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