Strength and Endurance in Elite Football Players

We aimed to improve the physical capacity of a top-level elite football team during its pre-season by implementing a maximal strength and high-intensity endurance training program. 21 first league elite football players (20-31 yrs, height 171-194 cm, mass 58.8-88.1 kg) having recently participated in the UEFA Champions' League, took part in the study. Aerobic interval-training at 90-95% of maximal heart rate and half-squats strength training with maximum loads in 4 repetitions × 4 sets were performed concurrently twice a week for 8 weeks. The players were not familiar with maximal strength training as part of their regular program. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) increased 8.6% (1.7-16.6) (p<0.001), from 60.5 (51.7-67.1) to 65.7 (58.0-74.5) mL · kg (-1) · min (-1) whereas half-squat one repetition maximum increased 51.7% (13.3-135.3) (p<0.001), from 116 (85-150) to 176 (160-210) kg. The 10-m sprint time also improved by 0.06 s (0.02-0.16) (p<0.001); while counter movement jump improved 3.0 cm (0.1-6.2) (p<0.001), following the training program. The concurrent strength and endurance training program together with regular football training resulted in considerable improvement of the players' physical capacity and so may be successfully introduced to elite football players.

[1]  U. Wisløff,et al.  Aerobic endurance training improves soccer performance. , 2001, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[2]  A Ali,et al.  A computer-video aided time motion analysis technique for match analysis. , 1991, The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness.

[3]  Stuart J. Cormack,et al.  Reliability of measures obtained during single and repeated countermovement jumps. , 2008, International journal of sports physiology and performance.

[4]  J. Helgerud,et al.  Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. , 2008, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[5]  David G. Behm,et al.  Intended rather than actual movement velocity determines velocity-specific training response. , 1993, Journal of applied physiology.

[6]  Hermann Schwameder,et al.  Science and skiing , 2009 .

[7]  P. Åstrand,et al.  Textbook of Work Physiology , 1970 .

[8]  Alex Martin,et al.  Investigation of anthropometric and work-rate profiles of elite South American international soccer players. , 2000, The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness.

[9]  D. R. Mulvaney,et al.  A Review: The Effects of Combined Strength and Endurance Training on Strength Development , 1990 .

[10]  Digby G. Sale,et al.  Neural Adaptation to Strength Training , 2008 .

[11]  J. Davis,et al.  Pre-season physiological characteristics of English first and second division soccer players. , 1992, Journal of sports sciences.

[12]  K. Wadell,et al.  Validation of the MetaMax II portable metabolic measurement system. , 2004, International journal of sports medicine.

[13]  B. Sjödin,et al.  The relationship between body mass and oxygen uptake during running in humans. , 1991, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[14]  A. Nelson,et al.  Consequences of combining strength and endurance training regimens. , 1990, Physical therapy.

[15]  U. Wisløff,et al.  Strength and endurance of elite soccer players. , 1998, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[16]  Jan Helgerud,et al.  Maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold and running economy in women and men with similar performances level in marathons , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[17]  E A Harman,et al.  Compatibility of high-intensity strength and endurance training on hormonal and skeletal muscle adaptations. , 1995, Journal of applied physiology.

[18]  J. Hawley,et al.  Consecutive bouts of diverse contractile activity alter acute responses in human skeletal muscle. , 2009, Journal of applied physiology.

[19]  D. Heil.  Body mass scaling of peak oxygen uptake in 20- to 79-yr-old adults. , 1997, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[20]  R. Hickson,et al.  Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[21]  J. Hoff.  MAXIMAL STRENGTH TRAINING ENHANCES RUNNING ECONOMY AND AEROBIC ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE , 2001 .

[22]  G. Dudley,et al.  Incompatibility of endurance- and strength-training modes of exercise. , 1985, Journal of applied physiology.

[23]  C Castagna,et al.  Strong correlation of maximal squat strength with sprint performance and vertical jump height in elite soccer players , 2004, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[24]  J. Helgerud,et al.  Endurance and Strength Training for Soccer Players , 2004, Sports medicine.

[25]  G Atkinson,et al.  International Journal of Sports Medicine – Ethical Standards in Sport and Exercise Science Research , 2009, International journal of sports medicine.

[26]  T. Karlsen,et al.  Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. , 2007, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.