Intensity of Soccer Players’ Training Load in Small-Sided Games with Various Content Focus

Abstract

Summary The aim of this research was to make reference to the difference in heart rate values (HR) of soccer players in small-sided games (SSG) with various content focus. We assumed that the aim at the content in small-sided games would significantly affect the HR values of participating soccer players. The research group was comprised of players (n = 6) of the soccer club FK DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda (U15) at the age of 14 ± 0.7 years. The HR values were evaluated on the basis of collected data, which we obtained using sport testers and special software POLAR TEAM2. In order to find out the statistical significance of the difference in HR was used the One-Way ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test. The level of statistical significance was set at 5 %. We found out that by the change of the small-sided game’s content focus, the internal reaction of players’ organism to training load was at different level. In the SSG3, with the emphasis on the improvement of individual’s final offensive game activity – shooting, was recorded the highest achieved HRavg value of the monitored players (181.83 ±7.11 beats.min−1). This form of the SSG was the most intense. However, there were no significant differences in HR values among the individual forms of the SSG. Our recommendation is to employ in the systematic training process small forms of small-sided games with various content focus, because by the means of it we can adequately prepare the players for the match load itself.