Fitness Testing Within English Professional Soccer And Training Induced Changes In Elite Female Soccer Players

Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to identify the most commonly used fitness tests within English Professional football (Part A) and to examine the sensitivity of these tests to training-induced changes in fitness (Part B). METHODS All English professional football clubs were given a questionnaire on the types of fitness tests employed and how the information obtained was used (Part A). In the training study (Part B) sixteen well-trained elite female soccer players formed the training group (TG) and 7 recreationally active females formed the control group (CG). The TG completed 6 weeks of an additional training programme consisting of 2 sets of soccer specific aerobic interval sessions and 2 sets of strength work per week (Helgerud et al., 2002; Hoff et al., 2002). All individuals undertook laboratory and field tests pre- and post-training in the laboratory (Submaximal treadmill test and VO2max test) and in a gymnasium (Vertical jump tests, acceleration sprints and The Progressive Multi-Stage Shuttle Run Test (PMSST); Ramsbottom et al., 1988). RESULTS The response rate from the survey was 75% of whom 97% reported to use some form of fitness testing. A wide range of tests were used among which the most popular tests included the multistage fitness test (Ramsbottom et al., 1988), acceleration sprints and vertical jump tests. A greater proportion of clubs in the Premier League employed vertical jump tests (p<0.05), multiple sprint tests (p<0.01) compared to Football League clubs. The TG improved their maximal squat jump by 5.6% (p<0.01) and both countermovement jumps (p<0.05). However, there were no significant improvements in sprint times. Estimated VO2 max and distance covered in the PMSST improved by 6% and 12%, respectively (p<0.01). Furthermore, there was a 4% improvement in treadmill determined VO2max values resulting in a post-training value of 51.2 ± 1 ml.kg−1·min−1 (p<0.01) and a 9.5% increase in run time to exhaustion (p<0.003). In addition, the TG also had lower blood lactate concentrations (p<0.003) and heart rate values (p<0.001) during each stage of a submaximal treadmill test following training. Finally, the CG did not improve their performance on any aspect of the testing following the 6-week period, despite remaining recreationally active. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the most commonly used fitness tests in professional football used in this study appear to be sensitive enough to detect the performance changes that occur as a consequence of additional training in already well trained female soccer players.