Influence of Aerobic Endurance, Sports Speed and Strength to Repeated Sprint Performance in Professional Soccer Players

Abstract

To establish the contribution of aerobic endurance, speed attributes and strength on repeated sprint ability, male professional soccer players (n=18) were tested at the start of the preseason for maximal oxygen uptake, velocity at maximal oxygen uptake, velocity at lactate threshold, quadriceps and hamstrings isokinetic strength, first step quickness, acceleration, maximal speed and repeated sprint ability. Pearson's correlation coefficients [r(90% confidence limits)] were calculated to establish the associations between repeated sprint ability and aerobic endurance, speed and strength. Velocity at maximal oxygen uptake had a likely moderate correlation to repeated sprint ability [r=-0.33(-0.65;0.08) to r=-0.34(-0.65;0.07)] and maximal speed had a likely moderate correlation to repeated sprint ability [r=0.40(0.00;0.69)]. Isokinetic strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings had likely moderate to most likely large correlations with repeated sprint ability [r=-0.45(-0.72;-0.06) to r=-0.68(-0.85;-0.38)]. Isokinetic strength was a more important determinant of repeated sprint ability compared to aerobic endurance or speed in professional soccer players at the start of the preseason. Isokinetic relative strength of the hamstrings [r=-0.68(-0.85;-0.38)] was the most important determinant of repeated sprint ability; however approximately 50% of the variance in repeated sprint ability performance remained unexplained. Our results underscore the multifaceted nature of the factors underlying repeated sprint ability performance. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR