Physical Match-Play Demands Research Articles

Position specific physical performance and running intensity fluctuations in elite women's football.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the physical performance of elite female football players during match play along with transient alterations in running performance following 1- and 5-min univariate peak periods. 54 elite female players from four top-level Norwegian teams were monitored for one season (n=393match observations), and physical performance data collected using STATSport GPS APEX. Results revealed significant differences in physical performance between the positions during full match play, particularly between wide and central players. Both full backs (FBs) and wide midfielders (WMs) covered more total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSRD), and sprint distance (SpD) than center backs (CBs) (p<0.05-0.001), while WMs also covered more HSRD than both central midfielders (CMs) (p<0.01) and forwards (FWs) (p<0.05), and more acceleration -and deceleration distance (Accdist and Decdist ) than both CBs and CMs (p<0.01-0.001). A similar pattern was observed for the peak period analysis, with FBs and WMs covering more SpD in peak 1min than CBs and CM (p<0.001) and more SpD in peak 5-min than CBs, CMs, and FWs (p<0.001). Irrespective of the variable analyzed, greater distances were covered during the peak 5-min period than in the next-5 and mean 5-min periods (p<0.001). Significant (p<0.001), but small to trivial (Cohen's Dz : 0.07-0.20), decreases in distance covered were also observed for each variable following each univariate peak 5-min period. In conclusion, practitioners should account for differences in physical performance when developing training programs for female football players and be aware of transient reductions in physical performance following univariate peak 1- and 5-min periods. Specifically, the very high intensity in 1-min peak periods adds support to the principal of executing speed endurance activities during training to mirror and be prepared for the physical demands of match play.

Physical Activity and High-Intensity Running during Sided Games vs. Competitive Match-Play in Elite Soccer Players: A Comparative Study

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the physical activity of players within different sided games (SSG and LSG) and with those found among elite soccer match-play. Methods: Fourteen elite soccer players (age: 23.1 years; height: 178.4 cm; weight: 73.7 kg and body fat mass 8.8%) participated in 3 competitive matches and their data were compared to the following sided games: 5 vs. 5 and 6 vs. 6, 7 vs. 7, and 9 vs. 9. Total distances covered/min (TDC), TDC/min at high intensity running (between 16 and 23 km/h-1) and TDC/min at very high intensity running (>23 km/h-1) were analyzed during all SSGs and official match-play with GPS technology (15 Hz). Results: Post-hoc analysis indicated that the TDC/min was significantly higher during official match-play, 9 vs. 9, and 7 vs. 7 when compared to 6 vs. 6 and 5 vs. 5 (P<0.001). Moreover, the TDC/min, and the TDC/min at high and very high running intensity were significantly higher during the official match-play and large-sided games (9 vs. 9 and 7 vs. 7) than during the 6 vs. 6 and 5 vs. 5 SSG (P<0.001). Conclusion: The present study showed that physical activity, and especially at very high intensity running, was similar in official match-play and in LSG (9 vs. 9 and 7 vs. 7) whereas SSG (5 vs. 5 and 6 vs. 6) induced lower solicitations at the speed thresholds analyzed. In this context, SSG seems not allow to fully recreate the physical match-play demands with a specific difference for the high intensity running activities.

Physical demands of training and competition in collegiate netball players.

We investigated the physical demands of netball match play and different training activities. Eight collegiate netball players participated in the study. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and accelerometer player load (PL) data were collected in 4 matches and 15 training sessions. Training sessions were classified as skills, game-based, traditional conditioning, or repeated high-intensity effort training. Accelerometer data were collected in 3 planes and were normalized to match play/training time (PL per minute, forward per minute, sideward per minute, and vertical per minute). Centers had a higher PL per minute than all other positions (effect size; ES = 0.67-0.91), including higher accelerations in the forward (ES = 0.82-0.92), sideward (ES = 0.61-0.93), and vertical (ES = 0.74-0.93) planes. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between positions for RPE and peak HR. Skills training had a similar PL to match play. However, the mean HR of skills training was significantly lower than match play and all other modes of training (ES = 0.77-0.88). Peak HR for skills training (186 ± 10 b·min) and traditional conditioning (196 ± 8 b·min) was similar to match play (193 ± 9 b·min). There were no meaningful differences in RPE between match play and all modes of training. The center position produces greater physical demands during match play. The movement demands of netball match play are best replicated by skills training, whereas traditional conditioning best replicates the HR demands of match play. Other training modes may require modification to meet the physical demands of match play.