The effect of two different training approaches on physical performance in young soccer players

Introduction Via the triggering of different cellular signalling cascades, both, short-duration high-intensity and low-intensity high-volume training have been shown to upregulate several physiological mechanisms and therefore are important component of a training programme for enhancing work capacity (1, 2). However, no studies have directly compared these two divergent training approaches in soccer. Thus, the aim of the present investigation was to examine the effect of high-intensity vs endurance training on several football-related exercise performances in young soccer players. Methods During three weeks of the competitive season, nineteen young soccer players from Italian regional team (13.6±1.0 years; 169.5±6.9 cm; 56.8±10.2 kg), replaced their habitual fitness conditioning work with either Anaerobic/Speed-related training (AN n=9) or Aerobic-based training (AER n=10), three time per week. Anaerobic/Speed training consisted of attacking goal drills (8 x 15-30 s all-out, with 2-3 minutes of recovery-time) or small-sided games (7 x 60-90 s all-out, with 2.5-3.0 minutes of recovery time), whereas aerobic-based training was constituted by three, four sets of continuous drills lasting 6-8 minute each (85-90% of HRmax). Before and after the intervention, the players carried out the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1(Yo-Yo IR1) and 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) test, a sprint test (20 m) and a Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) (5 x 30 m, recovery 30 s). Results Significant improvements (p<0.001) were noticed between pre and post in the Yo-Yo IR1 (893 ± 367 vs 1057 ± 368 m; +15.5%, effect size (ES) 0.4) and Yo-Yo IR2 (246 ± 64 vs 307 ± 79 m; 19.9%, ES 0.9), whereas no interactions were detected between groups. No differences were observed in 20 m sprint (3.50 ± 0.18 vs 3.47 ± 0.17 s; p>0.05), RSA total time (26.15 ± 1.30 vs 26.09 ± 1.64 s; p>0.05) and RSA sprint decrement (2.29 ± 1.19% vs 2.82 ± 1.74%; p>0.05). No injured occurred during the intervention period. Conclusion In young male soccer players, three weeks of Anaerobic/ Speed-related training induced similar improvements in intermittent high-intensity exercise performance as aerobic-based training despite a 75% severe reduction in training volume. This findings could have an enormous impact also on others population such as the joints-compromised subjects who may have limitation in performing prolonged exercise training.