title: Physical and anthropometric changes during pre- and in-season in professional soccer players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics in professional soccer players at the beginning of the season, after preseason camp and during in-season.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen players were evaluated on three different periods (June: T0, August: T1 and December: T2). Each evaluation consisted of anthropometric measurements (body mass, height, and body fat) and physical fitness tests (counter movement jump [CMJ], counter movement jump with arm (CMJA), 10-m sprint, 30-m sprint and maximal aerobic speed [MAS]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparatively with T0, all physical performances achieved in T1 were significantly improved (MAS: P<0.01, 10-m sprint: P<0.05, 30-m sprint: P<0.05, CMJ: P<0.01, and CMJA: P<0.05). The decrease in training load during in-season is associated by significant decrement in MAS (P<0.05) and preserved performances in 10 (P=0.85) and 30-m sprint (P=0.99), CMJ (P=0.34) and CMJA (P=0.87) completed in T2 comparatively with T1. Physical fitness performances achieved in T2 remain higher than that obtained in T0 (MAS: P<0.01, 10-m sprint: P<0.01, 30-m sprint: P<0.05 and CMJ: P<0.05) and remain similar for CMJA (P=0.13). No significant changes were observed in anthropometric measurements throughout the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main finding of this study was that a greater training load accomplished during preseason could lead to an improvement in the physical fitness during in-season in professional soccer players. We suggest that this higher training load meets the needed required for the professional soccer although the training loads are declined during in-season.
authors.affiliation: UR 15JS01 EM2S, Education, Motricity, Sport and Health, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax University, Tunisia - nidhal.zarrouk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohamed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fessi
authors.forename: Nidhal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zarrouk
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filetti
authors.forename: Haithem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rebai
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elloumi
authors.forename: Wassim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moalla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012420:Running; D012621:Seasons; D012916:Soccer; D055815:Young Adult