title: Health-Related Physical Fitness in Healthy Untrained Men: Effects on VO2max, Jump Performance and Flexibility of Soccer and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Running.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of recreational soccer (SOC) compared to moderate-intensity continuous running (RUN) on all health-related physical fitness components in healthy untrained men. Sixty-nine participants were recruited and randomly assigned to one of three groups, of which sixty-four completed the study: a soccer training group (SOC; n = 20, 34±4 (means±SD) years, 78.1±8.3 kg, 179±4 cm); a running group (RUN; n = 21, 32±4 years, 78.0±5.5 kg, 179±7 cm); or a passive control group (CON; n = 23, 30±3 years, 76.6±12.0 kg, 178±8 cm). The training intervention lasted 12 weeks and consisted of three 60-min sessions per week. All participants were tested for each of the following physical fitness components: maximal aerobic power, minute ventilation, maximal heart rate, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJ), sit-and-reach flexibility, and body composition. Over the 12 weeks, VO2max relative to body weight increased more (p<0.05) in SOC (24.2%, ES = 1.20) and RUN (21.5%, ES = 1.17) than in CON (-5.0%, ES = -0.24), partly due to large changes in body mass (-5.9, -5.7 and +2.6 kg, p<0.05 for SOC, RUN and CON, respectively). Over the 12 weeks, SJ and CMJ performance increased more (p<0.05) in SOC (14.8 and 12.1%, ES = 1.08 and 0.81) than in RUN (3.3 and 3.0%, ES = 0.23 and 0.19) and CON (0.3 and 0.2%), while flexibility also increased more (p<0.05) in SOC (94%, ES = 0.97) than in RUN and CON (0-2%). In conclusion, untrained men displayed marked improvements in maximal aerobic power after 12 weeks of soccer training and moderate-intensity running, partly due to large decreases in body mass. Additionally soccer training induced pronounced positive effects on jump performance and flexibility, making soccer an effective broad-spectrum fitness training intervention.
authors: Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors: Zoran
authors: Z
authors: Milanović
authors: Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors: Saša
authors: S
authors: Pantelić
authors: Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Goran
authors: G
authors: Sporiš
authors: Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; Center of Health and Human Performance, Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
authors: Magni
authors: M
authors: Mohr
authors: Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer