| Title | Aerobic Fitness in Futsal Players of Different Competitive Level. | | Author(s) | Alvarez JC, Dʼottavio S, Vera JG, Castagna C | | Institution | 1Faculty of Education and Humanities of Melilla, Department of Physical Education and Sports, University of Grenada, Melilla, Spain; and 2Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. | | Source | J Strength Cond Res 2009 Oct; 23(7):2163-2166. | | Abstract | Alvarez, JCB, D'ottavio, S, Vera, JG, and Castagna, C. Aerobic fitness in futsal players of different competitive level. J Strength Cond Res 23(7): 2163-2166, 2009-Recently the use of small-sided games (mainly 5 vs. 5) proved to be a valid training method to improve aerobic fitness in soccer. Thus, it could be hypothesized that professional futsal (soccer 5-a-side indoor version) players may possess a well-developed aerobic fitness as a consequence of training and game participation. The aim of this study was to examine maximal oxygen uptake (&OV0312;O2max), ventilatory threshold (VT), and running economy (RE, &OV0312;O2 at 8 km.h) of futsal players of different competitive levels to determine whether aerobic fitness is a discriminative variable for futsal success. Subjects were 24 male futsal players from a professional top-ranked second division team (PT, n = 11) and a semi-professional top-ranked third division team (ST, n = 13). Aerobic fitness was assessed with a running protocol performed on a motor-driven treadmill. Professional team and ST players' &OV0312;O2max were 62.9 +/- 5.3 and 55.2 +/- 5.7 mL.kg.min, respectively (p < 0.05). RE was 34.1 +/- 2.7 and 32.4 +/- 2.7 mL.kg.min for PT and ST, respectively (p >0.05). PT and ST attained VT at 70.5 +/- 2.7 and 71.3 +/- 5.2% of &OV0312;O2max, respectively (p > 0.05). Results showed that &OV0312;O2max may be considered a competitive-level dependent physical variable in futsal. VO2max values of or above 60 mL.kg.min are advisable to play futsal at the professional level. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19855347 |
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