Strength and Endurance in Elite Football Players

Abstract

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.

Key words

1RM - sprint performance - counter movement jump - VO_2max - running economy - Champions League

References

• 1 Ali A, Farrally M. A computer-video aided time-motion analysis technique for match analysis.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1991;  31 82-88
• 2 Almåsbakk B, Hoff J. Coordination, the determinant of velocity Specificity.  J Appl Physiol. 1996;  80 2046-2052
• 3 Åstrand PO, Rodahl K. Textbook of Work Physiology.. Physiological Basis of Exercise, 3rd edition New York: McGraw-Hill; 1986
• 4 Bangsbo J, Nørregaard L, Thorsøe F. Activity profile of competition soccer.  Can J Sport Sci. 1991;  16 110-116
• 5 Behm DG, Sale DG. Intended rather than actual movement velocity determines velocity-specific training response.  J Appl Physiol. 1993;  74 359-368
• 6 Bergh U, Sjødin B, Forsberg A, Svedenhag J. The relationship between body mass and oxygen uptake during running in humans.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1991;  23 205-211
• 7 Chromiak JA, Mulvaney DR. A review: the effects of combined strength and endurance training on strength development.  J Appl Physiol. 1990;  4 55-60
• 8 Coffey VG, Pilegaard H, Garnham A, O’Brian, Hawley JA. Consecutive bouts of diverse contractile activity alter acute responses in human skeletal muscle.  J Appl Physiol. 2009;  106 1187-1197
• 9 Cormack SJ, Newton RU, McGuigan MR, Doyle TL. Reliability of measures obtained during single and repeated countermovement jumps.  Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2008;  3 131-144
• 10 Davis JA, Brewer J, Atkin D. Pre-season physiological characteristics of English first and second division soccer players.  J Sports Sci. 1992;  10 541-547
• 11 Dudley GA, Djamil R. Incompatibility of endurance- and strength-training modes of exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1985;  59 1446-1451
• 12 Duthie GM, Pyne DB, Ross AA, Livingstone SG, Hooper SL. The reliability of ten-meter sprint time using different starting techniques.  J Strength Cond Res. 2006;  20 246-251
• 13 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. International Journal of Sports Medicine – Ethical Standards in Sports and Exercise Science Research.  Int J Sports Med. 2009;  30 701-702
• 14 Heil DP. Body mass scaling of peak oxygen uptake in 20- to 79-yr-old adults.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;  29 1602-1608
• 15 Helgerud J. Maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold and running economy in women and men with similar performances level in marathons.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1994;  68 155-161
• 16 Helgerud J, Engen LC, Wisløff U, Hoff J. Aerobic endurance training improves soccer performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;  33 1925-1931
• 17 Helgerud J, Høydal KL, Wang E, Karlsen T, Berg PR, Bjerkaas M, Simonsen T, Helgesen CS, Hjorth NL, Bach R, Hoff J. Aerobic high intensity intervals improve VO_2max more than moderate training.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;  39 665-671
• 18 Hennessy LC, Watson AW. The interference effects of training for strength and endurance simultaneously.  J Strength Cond Res. 1994;  8 12-19
• 19 Hickson RC. Interference of strength development by simultaneous training for strength and endurance.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1980;  45 255-263
• 20 Hoff J, Almåsbakk B. The effects of maximum strength training on throwing velocity and muscle strength in female team-handball players.  J Strength Cond Res. 1995;  9 255-258
• 21 Hoff J, Helgerud J. Endurance and strength training for soccer players. Physiological considerations. A review.  Sports Med. 2004;  34 165-180
• 22 Hoff J, Berdahl GO, Bråten S. Jumping height development and body weight considerations in ski jumping.. In: Müller E, Schwameder H, Raschner C, Lidinger E (eds) Science and Skiing II. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovac; 2001: 40-41
• 23 Hoff J, Helgerud J. Maximal strength training enhances running economy and aerobic endurance performance.. In: Football (Soccer). New Developments in Physical Training Research, Hoff J, Helgerud J Trondheim, Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology; 2003: 37-53
• 24 Kraemer WJ, Patton JF, Gordon SE, Harman EA, Deschenes MR, Reynolds K, Newton RU, Triplett T, Dziados E. Compatibility of high-intensity strength and endurance training on hormonal and skeletal muscle adaptations.  J Appl Physiol. 1995;  78 976-989
• 25 Larsson PU, Wadell KM, Jakobsson EJ, Burlin LU, Henriksson-Larsen KB. Validation of the Metamax II portable metabolic measurement system.  Int J Sports Med. 2004;  25 115-123
• 26 Lees A, Graham-Smith P. Plyometric training: a review of principles and practice.  Sports Exerc Injury. 1996;  2 24-30
• 27 Nelson AG, Arnall DA, Loy SF, Silvester LJ, Conlee RK. Consequences of combining strength and endurance regimens.  Phys Therapy. 1990;  70 287-294
• 28 O’Donoghue P. Time-motion analysis of work rate in elite soccer.. In: Tavares HMF (ed).IV World Congress of Notational Analysis of Sport Lisbon, Portugal; 2001: 65-70
• 29 Reilly T. Physiological profile of the player.. In: Ekblom B (ed) Football (Soccer). London, Blackwell; 1994: 78-94
• 30 Rienzi E, Drust B, Reilly T, Carter JEL, Martin A. Investigation of the anthropometric and work-rate profiles of elite South American international soccer players.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2000;  40 162-169
• 31 Sale DG. Neural adaptations to strength training.. In: Komi PV (ed) Strength and Power in Sport. London, Blackwell; 1992: 249-265
• 32 Schmidtbleicher D. Training for power events.. In: Komi PV (ed) Strength and Power in Sport. London, Blackwell; 1992: 381-395
• 33 Støren Ø, Helgerud J, Støa EM, Hoff J. Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;  40 1089-1094
• 34 Valquer W, Barros TL, Sant’anna M. High intensity motion pattern analyses of Brazilian elite soccer players.. In: Tavares HMF (ed) IV World Congress of Notational Analysis of Sport. Lisbon, Portugal; 1998: 80
• 35 Withers RT. Match analyses of Australian professional soccer players.  J Hum Mov Stud. 1982;  8 159-176
• 36 Wisløff U, Castagna C, Helgerud J, Jones R, Hoff J. Strong correlation of maximal squat strength with sprint performance and vertical jump height in elite soccer players.  Br J Sports Med. 2004;  38 285-288
• 37 Wisløff U, Helgerud J, Hoff J. Strength and endurance of elite soccer players.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998;  30 462-467

Correspondence