ECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP41
INTRODUCTION: Differences in the high-speed performance during official matches between male and female soccer players (Bradley et al., 2014; Mohr et al., 2008) and between age groups (Palucci Vieira et al., 2019) have been reported. However, those studies employed absolute thresholds to identify speed zones. Since female players have lower maximal speed than male (Haugen et al., 2020) and differences exist between senior and younger teams, the physical output during official matches might be similar between groups when adjusting for maximal speed of each player, that is using relative thresholds. Thus, the aims were to assess the differences between age groups and sex in the physical performance during official matches, using both absolute and relative thresholds to identify high speed running distances. METHODS: U19 (n=34, 18.5±0.9 yrs, 74.4±9.1 kg, 181±7 cm) and senior male (FT, n=22, 26.5±5.3 yrs, 82.5±6.6 kg, 184±7 cm) and U19W (n=31, 17.3±0.9 yrs, 61.9±10.1 kg, 166±7 cm) and senior (FTW, n=28, 25.5±4.3 yrs, 63.7±6.2 kg, 170±6 cm) female players from a professional Serie A soccer club participated in this study. Using a GPS (GPEXE Pro2, Exelio), running distances were measured in each match of the 2023–24 and 2024-25 seasons (110 FT, 46 FTW, 93 U19, 48 U19W matches) collecting 1630 individual match data. High-speed zones were identified using absolute (14.4, 19.8, 25.2 km/h) and relative (80-85, 85-90, 90-95 and 95-100% of max speed, which was measured >3 times a year using a 30-m sprint test) thresholds. Mixed models were used to analyse differences between sex and age group. RESULTS: Using absolute thresholds, FT and U19 male players showed higher high-speed running distances (speed zones 14.4-19.8 km/h, 19.8-25.2 km/h and >25.5 km/h) compared to females (p<0.001, ES small to moderate). Considering relative thresholds, no sex-related differences in distance run between 80-85%, 85-90%, 90-95% and 95-100% of the maximal speed were found (p>0.062). Regarding the age group, considering both absolute and relative thresholds, FTW players showed similar high speed running distances compared to U19W (p>0.062), except for the distance in speed zone 14.4-19.8 km/h (p<0.018, ES small). Similarly, male FT players showed similar high speed running distances compared to U19 (p>0.139), except for distance >25.2 km/h (p=0.033, ES small). CONCLUSION: Sex-related differences in high-speed performance of professional soccer players during matches exist only when considering absolute thresholds, while distance >80% of the individual maximal speed was similar between males and females. Since FTW and U19W players have lower maximal speed than FT and U19 (around 29.5 and 33.5 km/h respectively), using the same absolute thresholds necessarily result in females showing lower physical performance. In addition, irrespective of sex, no age-related differences in high-speed distances exist when using relative thresholds to identify speed zones.
Read CV Marco MartinECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP41
INTRODUCTION: This study examined the relationship between physiological and performance responses obtained in the Fitness Intermittent Test 45-15 (FIT 45-15) and in Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery test level 1 (YYIR1) with internal and external load outcomes measured during official matches in U19 female football players. METHODS: 15 female football players were recruited from a professional club. The experimental protocol included 4 testing sessions conducted over a one-month period, with 1 session per week. Each endurance test (FIT 45-15 and YYIR1) was administered twice. Subsequently, players’ physical demands were monitored during 6 official age-category matches. Test outcomes included: maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), maximal heart rate (HRmax) as well as maximal aerobic speed (MAS 45-15) recorded in FIT 45-15 and total distance covered in YYIR1 (YYIR1 distance). VO₂max was directly assessed during FIT 45-15 by a portable metabolic system (Cosmed K5) and estimated in YYIR1 using this formula: YYIR1 distance (m)×0.0084+6.40. During official matches, the following external load parameters, measured by a 50Hz GPS, were considered: total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSR; 14.4-19.8 km/h), very high-speed running distance (VHSR; 19.8-25.2 km/h), acceleration (ACC; ≥3 m/s²) and deceleration (DEC; ≤-3 m/s²) distances. Moreover, HR, recorded via a heart-rate monitor (Polar H10), was selected as internal load outcome. To identify internal load distribution, HR was divided into 5 intensity zones: <50% HRmax (low), 50-70% (moderate), 70-80% (sub-high), 80-90% (high), and >90% (maximal intensity). RESULTS: In FIT 45-15, VO₂max showed large to very large correlations with most external (i.e., HRS, VHSR, and ACC; Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) = 0.626-0.897, p<0.01) and internal (i.e., 50-70%, 80-90%, and >90% HRmax; r = -0.620-0.880, p < 0.01) load outcomes while HRmax presented a large correlation only with DEC (r = -0.597, p<0.05). MAS 45-15 revealed large correlations with most external load parameters (i.e., HRS, VHSR and ACC; r = 0.562-0.619, p<0.05) and some HR intensity zones (i.e., 50-70% and 70-80% HRmax; r = -0.537-0.575, p<0.05). In YYIR1, estimated VO₂max and YYIR1 distance showed large to nearly perfect correlations with most external (i.e., HRS, VHSR and ACC; r = 0.678-0.947, p<0.01) and internal (i.e., 50-70%, 80-90% and >90% HRmax; r = -0.645-0.830, p<0.01) load outcomes, whereas HRmax presented no significant correlation (p>0.05) with both external and internal load parameters. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that both the FIT 45-15 and YYIR1 demonstrated similar correlation patterns with match demands in Under-19 Female Football players, supporting their use in monitoring endurance-related high-intensity capacity in those players. However, the YYIR1 responses revealed higher relationships with official match external load measures than the FIT 45-15, thus indicating its greater utility for monitoring training and match demands in this population.
Read CV Marco PanasciECSS Paris 2023: OP-AP41