Changes in aerobic endurance of young football players in a fifteen-week period training

Abstract

In order to present a superior technical and tactic capacity in a consistent way, soccer players must have high levels of physical conditioning, specially aerobic endurance. This article aimed at studying the evolution of the aerobic endurance expressed by means of the maximum oxygen young football players consumed during a fifteen-week training period. Thirty seven young soccer players with an average age ranging from 17,15 – 1,18 years were subjects of this study. The soccer players were subjected to a training program five days a week, twice a day, with training sessions lasting approximately two hours. The study was based on the division of periods proposed by MATVEEV (1986), and it was developed during the preparation time. The soccer players performed the Intermittent YO-YO endurance test proposed by BANGSBO (1994). The results showed that the midfielders, left and right backs, and the central midfielders are the positions that demand more aerobic endurance. In relation to the aerobic changes (VO₂max), the goalkeepers and the forwards were the positions that presented significant increase. However, all the soccer players, independent on their position, showed a 2.19 to 8.60% improvement. Therefore, by analyzing the results of this study it is possible to conclude that five weeks of training caused important changes in the aerobic endurance (VO₂max).