Short-term street soccer improves fitness and cardiovascular health status of homeless men

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This study examined the effect of 12 weeks of small-sided street soccer (2.2 ± 0.7 sessions/week) and fitness center training (0.5 ± 0.2 sessions/week) on physical fitness and cardiovascular health profile for homeless men. Exercise capacity, maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)), body composition (DXA scans), blood pressure (BP), and blood lipid profile were determined before and after the intervention period for 22 soccer-group subjects (SG) and 10 waiting list controls (CO). In addition, time-motion analyses, HR measurements, and pedometer recordings were performed during street soccer training and daily-life activities. During a 60 min 4 versus 4 street soccer session 182 ± 62 intense running bouts were performed; mean HR was 82 ± 4% HR(max) and HR was >90% HR(max) for 21 ± 12% (±SD) of total time. On a day without training the participants performed 10,733 ± 4,341 steps and HR was >80% HR(max) for 2.4 ± 4.3 min. In SG, VO(2max) was elevated (p  0.05). BP was unaltered after 12 weeks (p > 0.05), but diastolic BP was lowered for all SG subjects with pre-values >75 mmHg (83 ± 6 to 76 ± 6 mmHg, n = 8, p 
Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume112
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)2097-2106
Number of pages10
ISSN1439-6319
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

ID: 34490956