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Influence of oxygen uptake kinetics on physical performance in youth soccer

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Abstract

Purpose

To examine the relationship between oxygen uptake kinetics (VO2 kinetics) and physical measures associated with soccer match play, within a group of highly trained youth soccer players.

Methods

Seventeen highly trained youth soccer players (age: 13.3 ± 0.4 year, self-assessed Tanner stage: 3 ± 1) volunteered for the study. Players initially completed an incremental treadmill protocol to exhaustion, to establish gaseous exchange threshold (GET) and VO2max (59.1 ± 5.4 mL kg−1 min−1). On subsequent visits, players completed a step transition protocol from rest–moderate-intensity exercise, followed by an immediate transition, and from moderate- to severe-intensity exercise (moderate: 95 % GET, severe: 60 %∆), during which VO2 kinetics were determined. Physical soccer-based performance was assessed using a maximal Yo–Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo–Yo IR1) and via GPS-derived measures of physical soccer performance during soccer match play, three 2 × 20 min, 11 v 11 matches, to gain measures of physical performance during soccer match play.

Results

Partial correlations revealed significant inverse relationships between the unloaded-to-moderate transition time constant (tau) and: Yo–Yo IR1 performance (r = −0.58, P = 0.02) and GPS variables [total distance (TD): r = −0.64, P = 0.007, high-speed running (HSR): r = −0.64, P = 0.008 and high-speed running efforts (HSReff): r = −0.66, P = 0.005].

Conclusion

Measures of VO2 kinetics are related to physical measures associated with soccer match play and could potentially be used to distinguish between those of superior physical performance, within a group of highly trained youth soccer players.

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Abbreviations

GET:

Gaseous exchange threshold

GPS:

Global positioning system

HSR:

High-speed running

HSReff:

High-speed running efforts

RER:

Respiratory exchange ratio

tau :

Time constant

TD:

Total distance

VHSR:

Very high-speed running

VHSReff:

Very high-speed running efforts

VO2 kinetics:

Oxygen uptake kinetics

VO2max :

Maximal oxygen consumption

Yo–Yo IR1:

Yo–Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the participants involved in the study for their committed participation. The authors would also like to thank the technical staff in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Staffordshire University for their excellent support. Finally, the authors are extremely grateful to Professor Barry Drust for his expert advice and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DF, UK

    Greg Doncaster & Viswanath Unnithan

  2. Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK

    Greg Doncaster

  3. Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK

    Simon Marwood

  4. Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

    John Iga

  5. The Football Association, London, UK

    John Iga

Authors
  1. Greg Doncaster
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  2. Simon Marwood
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  3. John Iga
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  4. Viswanath Unnithan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Viswanath Unnithan.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter Krustrup.

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Doncaster, G., Marwood, S., Iga, J. et al. Influence of oxygen uptake kinetics on physical performance in youth soccer. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1781–1794 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3431-x

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