Effects of soccer training on health-related physical fitness measures in male adolescents

Purpose: The aims of this study were to(1) investigate the health-related physical fitness profile of untrained adolescent boys in comparison to adolescent soccer players,(2) determine the intensity and enjoyment of 6 v 6 and 4 v 4 small-sided games, and(3) evaluate the health-related effects of a short-period of soccer training in the untrained group.Methods: Forty-one adolescent boys(untrained, n = 24: age = 15.9 ± 0.6 years; trained, n = 17: age = 15.7 ± 0.7 years) were recruited. For Purpose 1,the players(n = 17) and the untrained(n = 24) boys were tested for speed, jumping power, postural balance, flexibility, and aerobic capacity. After baseline testing, Purposes 2 and 3 were addressed by randomly assigning the untrained boys to either a soccer-training group(small-sided games,2 sessions per week for 8 weeks) or to a control group, followed by identical retesting.Results: At baseline, physical fitness was higher(p < 0.001) in trained players than in untrained for aerobic fitness, sprinting, jumping power, and postural balance. Small-sided games using 6 v 6 or 4 v 4 elicited similar heart rate(HR)(mean: ~ 85% peak heart rate, HR_(peak)), rate of perceived exertion, and enjoyment responses. Over 8 weeks, the between-group analysis revealed that soccer training had a large beneficial effect on postural balance(45%) when compared with control group with unclear effects on other fitness parameters.Conclusion: Adolescent soccer players had markedly higher physical fitness compared with untrained adolescents. Small-sided soccer games practiced by untrained adolescents elicited high exercise intensity. While 8 weeks of twice-weekly soccer training sessions induced significant improvement in postural balance, the short duration of the study was not sufficient to result in between-group differences in sprint and jump performance or aerobic fitness.

Effects of 3 months of full-court and half-court street basketball training on health profile in untrained men

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether street basketball organized as 3 v 3 on either a half court(HC) with 1 basket or a full court(FC) with 2 baskets could improve fitness and health profiles of untrained men after 3 months of supervised training.Methods: Thirty-five untrained men(aged 20—42 years) completed the pre-and post-intervention testing(FC: n = 13, HC: n = 12, CO(control):n = 10). The training attendance was 2.0 ± 0.4 and 1.9 ± 0.3 times per week in FC and HC, respectively. Mean heart rate(HR) was 83.8 ± 6.0 percent of maximal heart rate(%HR_(max)) and 84.5 ± 2.9 %HR_(max) in FC and HC, respectively.Results: The 3 months of street basketball training on an FC with 2 baskets increased maximal oxygen uptake(2.4 mL/min/kg(95% confidence interval(CI): 1.0—3.9)), time to exhaustion(47 s(95%CI: 26—67)), lean body mass(0.8 kg(95%CI: 0.1—1.5)), and bone mineral density(0.021 g/cm^2(95%CI: 0.011—0.031)), whereas mean arterial pressure(—5.6 mm Hg(95%CI: —7.5 to 3.7)), body fat percentage(—1.6%,(95%CI: —2.5 to —0.7)), heart rate(—18 bpm(95%CI: —24 to —12)), and blood lactate(median: —1.4 mmol/L(interquartile range: —1.5 to —0.6)) during submaximal running were lowered. The changes were less pronounced after the training period when playing on an HC with 1 basket, but increases in maximal oxygen uptake(1.6 mL/min/kg(95%CI: —0.1 to 3.3)), time to exhaustion(28 s(95%CI: 9—47)), lean body mass(1.3 kg(95%CI: 0.3—2.4)), and lower body fat percentage(—0.9%(95%CI: —1.9 to —0.1)) were observed in this group.Conclusion: Three months of 3 v 3 street basketball training improved fitness and led to broad-spectrum improvements in variables related to overall health profile, with the most marked effects observed when playing on an FC with 2 baskets.

Principles and practices of training for soccer

The complexity of the physical demands of soccer requires the completion of a multi-component training programme. The development, planning, and implementation of such a programme are difficult due partly to the practical constraints related to the competitive schedule at the top level. The effective planning and organisation of training are therefore crucial to the effective delivery of the training stimulus for both individual players and the team. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the principles of training that can be used to prepare players for the physical demands of soccer. Information relating to periodisation is supported by an outline of the strategies used to deliver the acute training stress in a soccer environment. The importance of monitoring to support the planning process is also reviewed.

Effects of small-volume soccer and vibration training on body composition,aerobic fitness,and muscular PCr kinetics for inactive women aged 20-45

Purpose： The present study investigated the effects of 16 weeks of small-volume, small-sided soccer training soccer group （SG, n = 13） and oscillating whole-body vibration training vibration group （VG, n = 17） on body composition, aerobic fitness, and muscle PCr kinetics in healthy inactive premenopausal women in comparison with an inactive control group （CO, n = 14）. Methods： Training for SG and VG consisted of twice-weekly 15-min sessions with average heart rates （HRs） of ～ 155 and 90 bpm respectively. Pre- and post-measurements of body composition （DXA）, phosphocreatine （PCr） on- and off-kinetics, and HR measurements during stand- ardised submaximal exercise were performed. Results： After 16 weeks of training in SG, fat percentage was lowered （p = 0.03） by 1.7%±2.4% from 37.5% ± 6.9% to 35.8% ± 6.2% and the PCr decrease in the quadriceps during knee-extension ramp exercise was attenuated （4% ± 8%, p = 0.04）, with no changes in VG or CO （time- group effect： p=0.03 and p = 0.03）. Submaximal exercise HR was also reduced in SG after 16 weeks of training （6%± 5% of HRmax, p = 0.01）. Conclusion： Short duration soccer training for 16 weeks appears to be sufficient to induce favourable changes in body composition and indicators of aerobic fitness and muscle oxidative capacity in untrained premenopausal women.

SIZE MATTERS:PITCH DIMENSIONS CONSTRAIN INTERACTIVE TEAM BEHAVIOUR IN SOCCER

Pitch size varies in official soccer matches and differently sized pitches are adopted for tactical purposes in small-sided training games. Since interactive team behaviour emerges under constraints, the authors evaluate the effect of pitch size （task） manipulations on interactive team behaviour in small-sided soccer games. Four 4-a-side （plus goalkeepers） small-sided games were played： a reference game （30×20 m）, length manipulation （24×20 m）, width manipulation （30×16 m）, and a combina- tion （2× 16 m）. Using position data （100Hz）, three measures quantifying the teams＇ interaction were calculated： longitudinal inter-team distance, laterM inter-team distance, and surface area difference. Means and standard deviations, correlations and coupling values were calculated. Running correlations were calculated over a 3-s window to evaluate interaction patterns. As expected, a shorter pitch results in smaller longitudinal inter-team distance, lateral inter-team distance decreased for narrow pitches, and smaller total playing area resulted in decreased surface area. Unanticipated, a crossover effect was present; length and width manipulations also triggered changes in lateral and longitudinal direction respectively. Inter-team distances and surface area difference differed significantly across conditions. Interaction patterns differed across conditions for all measures. So, highly tactically relevant, soccer teams seem to adapt their interactive behaviour according to pitch size in small-sided gaines.