The relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance indices in field hockey and soccer players.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance in field hockey and soccer players.


METHODS



METHODS
a descriptive study on the aerobic-anaerobic performance of intermittent team game players.


METHODS
the study was conducted at the Sports Medicine and Research Centre.


METHODS
forty male national team game players (22.6+/-4.2 years; 1.73+/-0.07 m and 63.7+/-6.2 kg) were involved in the study.


METHODS
all subjects completed a treadmill run test to exhaustion to determine maximal oxygen uptake and 8x40 m sprints either on the field or running track to determine repeated sprint ability performance.


RESULTS
Body mass-normalised maximal oxygen uptake of 58.0+/-4.9 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) of the group is comparable to values reported in the literature for team game players. No significant correlations were established between the fastest 40 m sprint time and maximal oxygen uptake (r=-0.21 and -0.08, p>0.05). Moderate correlations were established between maximal oxygen uptake and total time for the eight sprints (r=-0.346 and -0.323; p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Maximal oxygen uptake was not correlated with the fastest 40 m sprint time but was moderately correlated with total sprint time. Since the shared variance between maximal oxygen uptake and total sprint time was only 12%, improving aerobic fitness further will only be expected to contribute marginally to improving repeated sprint performance of the team game players. It remains possible that a high level of aerobic fitness enhances other aspects of match play in games like soccer and hockey.
Aziz
A R
AR
Sport Medicine & Fitness Division, Singapore Sports Council, Singapore. Abdul-Rashid-Aziz@ssc.gov.sg
Chia
M
M
Teh
K C
KC
D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D006688:Hockey / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors