Long-Term Effects of Wearing the Elevation Training Mask on Physical Performance in Young Soccer Players

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the 6-week soccer training in on-session on the physical performance (PP) in 17-19 years old soccer players wearing elevation training mask (ETM) during workout. A total of thirty-six healthy soccer players (mean age 17.81 ± 0.89 years, weight 65.95 ± 5.72 kg, height 177.06 ± 4.56 cm and BMI 22.1 ± 2 kg/m2 ) voluntarily participated in the present study. Participants randomly were divided into an experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). EG (n=14) used elevation training mask®2 (set-up as 2750 m altitude, wear in 3 workout a total of 270 min/week), while CG (n=22) didn’t use ETM during interventions. Two groups completed the same soccer training program. Alactic anerobic power (ALAnPw), maximal oxygen use, fatigue index, average power output (APO), speed and flexibility of participants were evaluated. After carried-out a 2x2 ANOVA analysis for changes between pre-test and post-test values of two groups, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) of ALAnPw (F = 0.168, η2 = 0.002), flexibility (F = 0.030, η2 = 0.001), fatigue index (F = 0.036, η2 = 0.001), APO (F = 0.029, η2 = 0.001), VO2max (F = 0.382, η2 = 0.011), and Speed (F = 0.023, η2 = 0.001) between EG and CG. In conclusion, the use of ETM during soccer practices can increase physical performance of young soccer players. However, these improvements were not more than improvements in conventional conditions.