Performance enhancements and muscular adaptations of a 16‐week recreational football intervention for untrained women

Abstract

The present study investigated the performance effects and physiological adaptations over 16 weeks of recreational football training and continuous running for healthy untrained premenopausal women in comparison with an inactive control group [Football group (FG): n=21; running group (RG): n=18; CO: n=14]. Two weekly 1-h training sessions were performed in FG and RG. After 4 and 16 weeks of training VO(2max) was elevated (P<0.05) by 7% and 15%, respectively, in FG, and by 6% and 10%, respectively, in RG. After 16 weeks, Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 performance was 33% and 19% better (P<0.05) for FG and 29% and 21% better (P<0.05) for RG than after 4 and 0 weeks, respectively. Peak sprinting speed was 12% higher (21.0 +/- 0.6 vs 18.8 +/- 0.7 km/h; P<0.05) for FG after the training period, whereas no difference was observed for RG. After 4 weeks citrate synthase (CS) and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD) activity was 9% and 8%, respectively, higher (P<0.05) than before training in FG with no further changes during the last 12 weeks. In RG, CS increased (P<0.05) by 12% after 4 weeks and no significant increase was observed for HAD. In FG, the number of capillaries per fiber was 18% higher (P<0.05) after 16 weeks (2.44 +/- 0.15 vs 2.07 +/- 0.05 cap/fiber), with no significant difference for RG. No differences were observed between 0 and 16 weeks for CO. In conclusion, recreational women's football leads to significant increases in VO(2max), performance and muscular adaptations throughout a 16-week training period. Thus, football can be used as an activity to elevate the physical capacity of untrained women.

Effectiveness of a community football programme on improving physiological markers of health in a hard-to-reach male population: the role of exercise intensity

“…This is lower than the 82% HRmax associated with the SSG's completed at the end of the session. The intensity of exercise is thought to act as a key primer for any physiological adaptations associated with chronic training programmes 26 .The previous research discussed 27 would suggest that an overall intensity between 80-85% HRmax would induce adaptation within a healthy population, similar to those described in the current investigation. Therefore, it appears that the inclusion of technically orientated football drills may have lowered the overall exercise intensity of the session and limited the time that each participant was required to work at near maximal levels of cardiovascular stress.…”

“…The overall average intensity of the football sessions conducted throughout the 12-week programme was 75 ± 4% HRmax. This is considerably lower than reported in recent research that hasutilised a more controlled exercise prescription such as SSG 25 . The main disparity in the overall exercise intensity within our investigation seemed to have occurred as a consequence of the structure of the session, more specifically the inclusion of football drills and technical practices.…”

“…For example, previous investigations 20 have observed reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 8 and 5 mmHg respectively, following 12-weeks of training. Recent studies have also typically observed reductions in total mass, fat mass and % body fat as well as increases in leg muscle mass and BMD following a period of recreational football training 21 . This data is also in contrast to our findings.…”

Health benefits of different sport disciplines for adults: systematic review of observational and intervention studies with meta-analysis

“…Football was shown to consistently improve aerobic fitness,23–27 measures of cardiovascular function at rest,23 25 26 28 29 metabolic fitness,24 26 28 running performance30 26 28 and reduced adiposity 23–27 29. Improved cardiac adaptation,31 26 blood lipids29 27 and muscular performance32 29 were indicated in two studies each, and increased bone mineral density and improved postural balance each in 1 study 32…”

Performance Effects of 6 Weeks of Aerobic Production Training in Junior Elite Soccer Players

“…Anaerobic production training has also been associated with a reduced rate of glycogen degradation during supramaximal activities (18) and increased fat oxidation during intense submaximal activity (6). Therefore, anaerobic speed endurance production training in trained athletes may be a relevant stimulus for decreasing the net rate of muscle glycogenolysis during submaximal activity (17).…”