ANAEROBIC RESISTANCE OF SOCCER PLAYERS

Introduction: Anaerobic resistance, i.e. the capacity to perform repeated series of anaerobic exercises at the maximum, is an indispensable feature for soccer players. The aim of the study was thus to determine the anaerobic resistance of soccer players by applying repeated maximal sprints. Materials and Methods: A group of 14 soccer players aged 19 - 27 years-old was subjected twice, in January and March, to a test consisting of maximal running 6x50 m with 15s intermissions between runs. The registered times were converted to speeds. The ratio of average speed to the maximum one achieved in all 6 runs, or the Performance Index (PI), was the measure of anaerobic resistance. Results: Average and maximum speeds were signifi cantly (p<0.001) higher in March (5.47 ± 0.25 and 5.67 ± 0.28, respectively) than in January (5.73 ± 0.31 and 5.97 ± 0.31, respectively), although still rather low. The PI values were on both occasions alike (0.960 and 0.965) and were not correlated with maximum speeds. Discussion: The presented method may serve as a useful tool in determining and classifying athletes with respect to their anaerobic resistance by applying repeated series of specifi c exercise.