Positive performance and health effects of a football training program over 12 weeks can be maintained over a 1-year period with reduced training frequency
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We examined whether improvements in the performance and health profile of an intensive 12-week football intervention could be maintained with a reduced training frequency. Seventeen healthy untrained males completed the study. Ten subjects trained 2.4 times/week for 12 weeks and another 52 weeks with 1.3 sessions/week [football group (FG)] and seven subjects acted as controls [control group (CG)]. For FG, fat mass (3.2 kg) and systolic blood pressure (8 mmHg) were lower (P<0.05) after 64 than 0 weeks, and VO(2max) (8%) and Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 test performance (49%) were higher (P<0.05), with no difference between 64 and 12 weeks. After 64 weeks, quadriceps muscle mass (11%), mean fiber area (10%) and citrate synthase activity (18%) were higher (P<0.05) than those at 0 weeks. Leg bone mass (3.5%) and density (2.0%) were higher (P<0.05) after 64 than 0 weeks, but not different between 12 and 0 weeks. Plantar jump force (17-18%), 30-m sprinting velocity (1.3-3.0%) and muscle glycogen concentration (19-21%) were higher (P<0.05) and blood lactate during submaximal exercise was lower (27-72%, P<0.05) after 64 than after 12 and 0 weeks. The above-mentioned variables were unaltered for CG. In conclusion, positive adaptations in cardiovascular fitness obtained over 12 weeks of regular recreational football training can be maintained over a 1-year period with a reduced training frequency, with further development in musculo-skeletal fitness.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | Suppl. 1 |
Pages (from-to) | 80-89 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISSN | 0905-7188 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
ID: 18585136