Monitoring Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Professional Soccer Players: Is It Worth the Prick?

Purpose: To compare between-tests changes in submaximal exercise heart rate (HRex, 3 min, 12 km/h) and the speed associated with 4 mmol/L of blood lactate (V4mmol) in soccer players to get insight into their level of agreement and respective sensitivity to changes in players’ fitness. Methods: A total of 19 elite professional players (23 [3] y) performed 2 to 3 graded incremental treadmill tests (3-min stages interspersed with 1 min of passive recovery, starting speed 8 km/h, increment 2 km/h until exhaustion or 18 km/h if exhaustion was not reached before) over 1.5 seasons. The correlation between the changes in HRex and V4mmol was examined. Individual changes in the 2 variables were compared (>2 × typical error considered “clear”). Results: The changes in HRex and V4mmol were largely correlated (r = .82; 90% confidence interval, .65–.91). In more than 90% of the cases, when a clear individual change in HRex was observed, it was associated with a similar clear change in V4mmol (the same direction, improvement, or impairment of fitness) and conversely. Conclusions: When it comes to testing players submaximally, the present results suggest that practitioners can use HRex or V4mmol interchangeably with confidence. However, in comparison with a field-based standardized warm-up run (3–4 min, all players together), the value of a multistage incremental test with repeated blood lactate samplings is questionable for a monitoring purpose given its time, labor, cost, and poorer player buy-in.

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ISOKINETIC PROFILES AND REFERENCE VALUES OF PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS

Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte ◽

10.1590/1517-8692202127062021_0073 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 610-615

Author(s):

Guillermo Charneco Salguero ◽

Francisco García-Muro San José ◽

Arturo Pérez Gosalvez ◽

Jose Miguel Cárdenas Rebollo ◽

Isabel Brígido Fernández ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reference Values ◽

Health Professionals ◽

High Speed ◽

Peak Torque ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Warm Up ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Average Work ◽

Torque Values

ABSTRACT Introduction: Isokinetics is a tool commonly used in professional soccer. There is ongoing debate among researchers as to the isokinetic reference values a player should have. Objectives: To determine the absolute peak torque (PT) and average work of professional soccer players in relation to their positions on the field, and to establish the reference values for these variables. Methods: Purposeful sampling was used to select 289 professional soccer players. The sample included 32 goalkeepers, 100 defenders, 98 midfielders, and 59 strikers. The participants were measured preseason. The players were asked to perform a 10-minute warm-up on an exercise bike, and then to perform 5 repetitions at low speed, 10 at medium speed, and 25 at high speed, with 30 to 40-s of rest between each set of repetitions. The contraction method was concentric-concentric in a dynamometer Isomed 2000. Results: The average age, weight, and height of the players was 21.9 years, 74.3 kilograms, and 1.8 meters, respectively. The goalkeepers presented higher PT at the 3 measured speeds, and the higher average work at 180°/s and 240°/s in relation to defenders and midfielders. The strikers presented higher average work at 240°/s in relation to midfielders, and higher PT in relation to the defenders and midfielders. Absolute values were shown and reference values were established. Conclusions: The goalkeepers and strikers were the players that showed the greatest differences in their favor in relation to the other positions. The peak torque values and average work were described in relation to the player's position on the field. This study resulted in the creation of a tool for health professionals working with professional soccer players, providing reference values for these players in relation to their position on the field that can be used as benchmarks, by health professionals, to optimize soccer players’ performance. Level of evidence II, Prospective comparative study.

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Using Submaximal Exercise Heart Rate for Monitoring Cardiorespiratory Fitness Changes in Professional Soccer Players: A Replication Study

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2020-0554 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Stefan Altmann ◽

Rainer Neumann ◽

Sascha Härtel ◽

Alexander Woll ◽

Martin Buchheit

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Potential Role ◽

Lactate Concentration ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Exercise Heart Rate ◽

Incremental Test ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Optimal Thresholds ◽

The Moment

Purpose: To assess the value of monitoring changes in fitness in professional soccer players, using changes in heart rate at submaximal intensity (HR12km/h) over the velocity at a lactate concentration of 4 mmol/L (v4mmol/L). The authors reexamined (1) a range of threshold magnitudes, which may improve detecting substantial individual changes and (2) the agreement between changes in these 2 variables. Methods: On at least 2 occasions during different moments of the season, 97 professional soccer players from Germany (first, second, and fourth division) completed an incremental test to determine HR12km/h and v4mmol/L. Optimal thresholds for changes in HR12km/h and v4mmol/L were assessed, using various methods (eg, smallest worthwhile change + typical error [TE], successive reiterations approach). Agreement between both variable changes was examined for the whole sample (225 comparisons), 4 different subgroups (depending on the moment of the season), and in an individual over 6 years (n = 23 tests). Results: Changes of 4.5% and 6.0% for HR12km/h and v4mmol/L, respectively, were rated as optimal to indicate substantial changes in fitness. Depending on the (sub)groups analyzed, these thresholds yielded 0% to 2% full mismatches, 22% to 38% partial agreements, and 60% to 78% full agreements in terms of fitness change interpretation between both variables. Conclusions: When lactate sampling during incremental tests is not possible, practitioners willing to monitor adult professional soccer players’ (Germany; first, second, and fourth division) training status can confidently implement short, 3-minute submaximal runs, with 4.5% changes in HR12km/h being indicative of true substantial fitness changes, with 60% to 78% accuracy. Future studies should investigate the potential role of confounding factors of HR12km/h to improve changes in fitness prediction.

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The Effects of Injury Preventive Warm-Up Programs on Knee Strength Ratio in Young Male Professional Soccer Players

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0050979 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. e50979 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Abdolhamid Daneshjoo ◽

Abdul Halim Mokhtar ◽

Nader Rahnama ◽

Ashril Yusof

Keyword(s):

Young Male ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Strength Ratio ◽

Warm Up ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Knee Strength

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Characterization of Warm-Up in Soccer: Report from Portuguese Elite Soccer Coaches

The Open Sports Sciences Journal ◽

10.2174/1875399x02114010114 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 114-123

Author(s):

Ricardo Ferraz ◽

Paulo Ribeiro ◽

Henrique P. Neiva ◽

Pedro Forte ◽

Luís Branquinho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Training Session ◽

Point Of View ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Specific Information ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Warm Up ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Psychological Point ◽

Observational Study Design ◽

And Performance

Background: Warm-up before competition and training is a strategy that is widely acknowledged to improve players’ physical condition and performance. However, the importance of warm-up is not well understood and so there is a research gap into this topic. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the warm-up of professional soccer players by differences and similarities between different coaches’ methodologies. Methods: A group of thirty-two Portuguese elite soccer coaches participated in this study An observational study design was conducted through a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire with nineteen questions. During the questionnaire, coaches were asked to provide specific information about the warm-ups prescribed for soccer players, about their importance from a technical, physical and psychological point of view and the importance they attached to the warm-up / reheating of substitute players. The questionnaire was administered to the coaches at the end of a training session. Results: The results indicated that there is no consensus regarding the type of warm-up that should be prescribed. There are different opinions between elite coaches regarding the warm-up components that must be emphasized in order to prepare players for the game demands. Moreover, considering the tactical, technical, physical, and psychological dimensions, the coaches have different perspectives of the warm-up. Conclusion: This study allowed to conclude that there is no standard regarding the prescription of warm-up in professional soccer players, in the opinion of coaches. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a distinct appreciation in relation to the importance and influence of warm-up for performance.

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Effectiveness of Injury Prevention Programs on Developing Quadriceps and Hamstrings Strength of Young Male Professional Soccer Players

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.2478/hukin-2013-0074 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 115-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Abdolhamid Daneshjoo ◽

Nader Rahnama ◽

Abdul Halim Mokhtar ◽

Ashril Yusof

Keyword(s):

Injury Prevention ◽

Knee Flexion ◽

Young Male ◽

Prevention Programs ◽

Quadriceps Strength ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Research Centre ◽

Warm Up ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

And Control

Abstract Muscular strength is an important factor which is crucial for performance and injury prevention in most sports. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre 11+ and HarmoKnee injury prevention programs on knee strength of young professional male soccer players. Thirty-six soccer players (age: 18.9 ± 1.4 years) were divided equally into three groups; the 11+, HarmoKnee and control groups. The programs were performed for 24 sessions. Hamstring and quadriceps strength was measured using the Biodex System 3 at 30°, 60° and 90° of knee flexion. The 11+ increased quadriceps strength in the dominant leg by 19.7% and 47.8% at 60°and 90° knee flexion, respectively, and in the non-dominant leg by 16%, 35.3% and 78.1 % at 30°, 60° and 90° knee flexion, respectively. The HarmoKnee group, however, showed increased quadriceps strength only at 90° i.e., by 85.7% in the dominant leg and 73.8% in the non-dominant leg. As for hamstring strength, only the 11+ group demonstrated an increment by 24.8% and 19.8% at 30° and 60° knee flexion in the dominant leg, and in the nondominant leg, by 28.7% and 13.7% at 30° and 60° knee flexion, respectively. In conclusion, both warm-up programs improve quadriceps strength. The 11+ demonstrated improvement in hamstring strength while the HarmoKnee program did not indicate any improvement. We suggest adding eccentric hamstring components such as Nordic hamstring exercise to the HarmoKnee program in order to enhance hamstring strength.

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