Age-related differences in repeated-sprint ability in highly trained youth football players |
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| Authors: | Iñigo Mujika Matt Spencer Juanma Santisteban Juan José Goiriena David Bishop |
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| Institution: | 1. USP Araba Sport Clinic , Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain;2. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology , University of the Basque Country , Bilbao, Spain inigo.mujika@usphospitales.com;4. Jerv Football Club , Grimstad, Norway;5. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology , University of the Basque Country , Bilbao, Spain;6. Medical Services , Althletic Club Bilbao , Basque Country, Spain;7. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology , University of the Basque Country , Bilbao, Spain;8. Faculty of Motor Sciences , University of Verona , Verona, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Abstract In this study, we investigated the age-related differences in repeated-sprint ability and blood lactate responses in 134 youth football players. Players from the development programme of a professional club were grouped according to their respective under-age team (U-11 to U-18). Following familiarization, the participants performed a repeated-sprint ability test 6 × 30-m sprints 30 s apart, with active recovery (2.0–2.2 m · s?1) between sprints]. The test variables were total time, percent sprint decrement, and post-test peak lactate concentration. Total time improved from the U-11 to U-15 age groups (range 33.15 ± 1.84 vs. 27.25 ± 0.82 s), whereas no further significant improvements were evident from U-15 to U-18. No significant differences in percent sprint decrement were reported among groups (range 4.0 ± 1.0% to 5.5 ± 2.1%). Post-test peak lactate increased from one age group to the next (range 7.3 ± 1.8 to 12.6 ± 1.6 mmol · l?1), but remained constant when adjusted for age-related difference in body mass. Peak lactate concentration was moderately correlated with sprint time (r = 0.70, P > 0.001). Our results suggest that performance in repeated-sprint ability improves during maturation of highly trained youth football players, although a plateau occurs from 15 years of age. In contrast to expectations based on previous suggestions, percent sprint decrement during repeated sprints did not deteriorate with age. |
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| Keywords: | Maturation recovery blood lactate team sports soccer |
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