5/16/2012

1

Repeated high-speed activities during youth

soccer games in relation to

changes in maximal sprinting and aerobic speeds

Martin Buchheit, Ben Simpson and Alberto Mendez-Villanueva

Sport Science Department, Physiology Unit, ASPIRE, Academy for Sports

Excellence, Doha, Qatar.

3rd World conference on Science and Soccer - 14-16th May 2012, Ghent, Belgium

Sport science support -Training process in an academy

• Football is first a tactical / technical game

• Understanding the physical demands of a game is

determinant for the implementation of physical training

strategies

� What should we train?

� How much should be train?

Time motion games analysis

Gir

ard

et

al.

Sp

ort

s M

ed

20

11

Research on repeated-

sprint ability

Bu

chh

eit

et

al.

IJ

SM

20

10

a

International games in young highly-trained players

Q: Do/how speed and fitness influence

high-intensity running performance and

repeated-sprint activity during game ?

5/16/2012

2

Impellizzeri et al. IJSM 2006

Rampinini et al. IJSM 2007

Pre Post

VO

2m

ax (

ml.m

in-1

.kg

-1)

50

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66VO2max

Dis

tance (

m)

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

High Intensity Running (>17km/h)

Bu

chh

eit

et

al.

IJ

SM

20

10

a

# o

f re

pe

ate

d h

igh

-sp

ee

d a

ctio

ns

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

CD WM

Ru

nn

ing

sp

ee

d (

%M

SS

)

*

Me

nd

ez-

Vil

lan

ue

va

JS

CR

20

11

Playing position ‘constrains’ the expression of

physical capacities during games

Bu

chh

eit

et

al.

IJ

SM

20

10

b

The impact of fitness on match running

performance is position-dependent

• Most of the available data limited to cross-sectional

analyses or correlations

• No data on repeated high-speed actions or sprints

• Impact of playing positions on these relationships is unclear

• Q: which physical capacities can impact

high-intensity running performance and repeated-sprint

activity during game ?

• Q: can all playing positions benefit from the same

‘transfert’ ?

Game running activities vs. physical capacities

Examine in highly-trained young players

the effect of longitudinal changes in

• Maximal sprint speed (MSS)

• estimated maximal aerobic speed (MAS)

on

• Repeated high-speed actions

• Repeated sprints sequences

during international games

with respect to playing

positions

Purpose

5/16/2012

3

• 124 young soccer players

– 14.3 ± 0.8 yrs,

– 0.3 ± 0.9 yrs from/to peak height velocity

– 163.0 ± 9.4 cm and 49.1 ± 7.8 kg

• 14 hours of combined soccer-specific training and competitive play per week

• Tested 3 x / year (i.e., October, January and May)

Physical Performance field tests

• Time-motion analysis during international friendly games

Methods Physical performance tests

• Anthropometry � Maturity status = age from

peak height velocity (Mirwald MSS 2002)

• Incremental track test (Vam-eval) � esti. MAS

• 40-m sprint with 10-m split times

� Acceleration (1st 10 m) / MSS (best split) (Buchheit IJSPP 2012)

Reliability of the performance measures (CV):

(n = 65 players)

• MSS: 1.4% (90% CL: 1.2;1.6)

• MAS: 3.5% (90% CL: 3.0;4.1)

• GPS, SPI Elite, GPSport, 1Hz

• 109 games � 736 player-matches

– full-backs (FB, n = 36 different players

played at this position)

– centre-backs (CB, n = 26)

– midfielders and second strikers (MD,

n = 48)

– wide midfielders (wingers, W, n = 43)

– strikers (S, n = 19).

Match analyses

• Absolute and relative speed

thresholds (Buchheit IJSM 2010)

• Absolute speed threshold

– in relation to opponents

– to compare players

� Repeated high-speed actions :

> 2 actions >19 km.h-1 within 60s

• Relative speed threshold

– Relative demand for each player

� Repeated sprint sequences :

> 2 actions >61% of MSS within 60s

Match analyses124 players tested 3 x / years

• October to January• January to May• May to October

No change in

MSS or MAS

No change in

MSS or MAS

Substantial (>1/2 CV)

decrease

in MSS or MAS

Substantial (>1/2 CV)

decrease

in MSS or MAS

Substantial (>1/2 CV)

increase

in MSS or MAS

Substantial (>1/2 CV)

increase

in MSS or MAS

Changes in repeated high-speed actions and repeated

sprint sequences ?

Changes in repeated high-speed actions and repeated

sprint sequences ?

33 different players, 207 games

Pairs of Δ : 41 for MSS and 28 for MAS

10 different players, 73 games

Pairs of Δ : 9 for MSS and 12 for MAS

At least 2 games played during

a given testing period

Δ736 player-matches

5/16/2012

4

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RHSS

Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RHSS # Sprint/RHSS

Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

↑MAS

↑MSS

Changes in MAS

Improvements in physical

capacities :

� greater repeated high-speed

activity

�Effect position-dependent

� less clear for # efforts per

sequence

Repeated high-speed actions

(absolute speed)

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

rences

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

ndard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ces

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

Sta

ndard

ized d

iffe

rences

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

ndard

ized d

iffe

ren

ces

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RHSS

Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

Sta

ndard

ized d

iffe

rences

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

ndard

ized d

iffe

ren

ces

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RHSS # Sprint/RHSS

Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

↓MSS

↓MAS

Changes in MAS

Decrements in physical capacities :

� Greater or unchanged repeated

high-speed activity

�Effect position-dependent

� less clear for # efforts per

sequence

Repeated high-speed actions

(absolute speed)

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

rence

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RSS

Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0Substantial improvements in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ize

d d

iffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RSS # Sprint/RSS

Substantial improvements in Vvam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in Vvam-Eval

↑MAS

↑MSS

Changes in MAS

Improvements in physical

capacities :

� Unchanged or less sequences

�Effect position-dependent

� less clear for # efforts per

sequence

Repeated sprints

(relative speed)

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RSS

Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Substantial decreases in MSS

FB CB MD W S

Sta

nd

ard

ized

diffe

ren

ce

s

-2.0

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

# of RSS # Sprint/RSS

Substantial decreases in VVam-Eval

Changes in MSS

Changes in VVam-Eval

↓MSS

↓MAS

Changes in MAS

Decrements in physical capacities :

� greater or unchanged # of

sequences

�Effect position-dependent

� less clear for # efforts per

sequence

Repeated sprints

(relative speed)

• Getting faster and/or fitter

– Enables greater repeated high-speed activities

– but does not translate into greater repeated-

sprint activity during games

– ↓the occurrence of sprints (↓ load)

– Large position differences

� Game constrains limit the expression of fitness

• Loosing speed and/or fitness

– Does not compromise the actual match running

activity � fitness was not limiting before

– But ↑ relative running load during games

• Physical fitness

�is not THE first determinant of repeated high speed

actions during games � actual game demands are

likely more important

�May modulate relative physical load

� Injury risk, fatigue

�Passing ability, decision making, etc…

5/16/2012

5

How much should we train physical

capacities?

• Who can do more, can do less !

• Thresholds ? ‘Minimum required’ to play…

• Cost/benefits in relation to player’s

– Physical profile

– Playing style

– Playing position

– Playing standard

Martin Buchheit

Physiologist

ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence

P.O. Box 22287, Doha, Qatar

Tel: (+974) 55232540

Email: martin.buchheit@aspire.qa

Bu

chh

eit

et

al.

IJ

SM

20

10

a