Abstract
The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between anaerobic power achieved in repeated anaerobic exercise and aerobic power. The study group consisted of 40 soccer players (age 17.3 ± 1.36 years). All participants performed 3 tests: a running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST), a graded treadmill test (GXT), and a multistage fitness test (20mPST). A statistically significant correlation was found among peak power in the GXT and the maximum (r = 0.365, p=0.02), minimum (r=0.334, p=0.035) and average (r=0.401, p=0.01) power in the RAST. No relationships were found between VO2max obtained from both aerobic tests and any performance indices in the RAST. A statistically significant correlation was found between the VO2max obtained from the spiroergometry examination (GXT) and the calculated VO2max of 20mPST (r=0.382, p=0.015). In conclusion, the level of VO2max does not influence the performance indices in the RAST in elite junior soccer players. It is possible that the modification of anaerobic test protocol or a more heterogeneous study group would influence the results. The estimation of the VO2max in the 20mPST is too inaccurate and should not replace the laboratory spiroergometry examination.
Highlights
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and is played regardless of such factors as age, sex, race, fitness level or sport performance
The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the anaerobic power achieved in repeated anaerobic exercise, which is characteristic for movement pattern in soccer, and aerobic power (VO2max)
There is evidence that the VO2max from the 20mPST tends to underestimate the VO2max from the GXT by between 3.19 and 6.27 ml.kg-1.min-1 on average (Table 2)
Summary
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and is played regardless of such factors as age, sex, race, fitness level or sport performance. It depends on a number of factors such as technical and tactical skills, mental readiness and physiological factors (Hoff et al, 2002; Stølen et al, 2005). The total distance during an elite soccer match is approximately 10-13 km Most of this distance, is covered by walking and low-intensity running, which demand a limited energy production (Stølen et al, 2005; Bangsbo et al, 2006). The total distance covered and running intensity during competitive matches in young soccer players can differ between age groups. In the study of Brazilian youth players, the running intensity of the U15 (under-15 years) players (118 m.min-1) was significantly greater U17 (108 m.min-1) and U20 (109 m.min-1) (Pereira Da Silva et al, 2007)
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