ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2018 December;58(12):1790-9

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07741-6

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Exercise-to-rest ratios in repeated sprint ability training in women’s soccer

Bruno RUSCELLO ^{1, 2, 3} ✉, Mario ESPOSITO ¹, Filippo PARTIPILO ^{1, 2}, Dalila DI CICCO ¹, Cristoforo FILETTI ⁴, Laura PANTANELLA ¹, Stefano D’OTTAVIO ^{1, 2, 5}

¹ Interdepartmental Center of Sports Science and Culture, Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; ² School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy; ³ Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Qatar Stars League, Doha, Qatar; ⁵ Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of three different exercise-to-rest ratios in repeated sprint ability (RSA) training in women’s soccer players, applying those which are usually adopted in male adult and young players, when performing three different sprinting modes (straight, shuttle, and sprinting with changing of direction).
METHODS: Fifteen trained female soccer players (height: 1.65±0.06 m; weight: 59.3±9.0 kg; BMI 21.6±2.7 kg/m2; age: 23.3±5.9 years) participated to the study. In order to compare the different values of the time recorded, an index of fatigue (IF%) was used. Recovery times among trials in the sets were administered according to the 1:5, 1:3, 1:2 exercise-to-rest ratio, respectively. Blood lactate concentrations at the end of each set were analyzed.
RESULTS: Significant differences among trials within each set (repeated measures ANOVA; P<0.05) were found, as evidence of fatigue over time, with an average decay of performance of about 5% but no significant differences were found in IF%, among the three different sprinting modalities when applying the investigated exercise-to-rest ratios (factorial ANOVA; P>0.05). Significant differences were found in blood lactate concentrations (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that the exercise-to-rest ratios considered in this study might be suitable to design effective testing protocols and training sessions aimed at the development of the RSA in women’s soccer players, keeping the performances in the speed domain (IF% <7-8%) but inducing the fatigue processes sought with this kind of training method.

KEY WORDS: Soccer - Women - Athletic performance - Physical education and training