Off-Season Effects on Functional Performance, Body Composition, and Blood Parameters in Top-Level Professional Soccer Players

• Autores: Bernardo Requena, Inmaculada García Sánchez, Luis Jesús Suárez Moreno-Arrones, Eduardo Sáez de Villarreal Sáez, José Naranjo Orellana, Alfredo Santalla Hernández
• Localización: Journal of strength and conditioning research: the research journal of the NSCA, ISSN 1064-8011, Vol. 31, Nº. 4, 2017, págs. 939-946
• Idioma: inglés
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• Dialnet Métricas: 6 Citas
• Resumen

  • To examine the effects of a standard off-season period (OSP) on aerobic, sprint, and jumping performances, and body and blood composition in a top-level soccer team. Nineteen soccer players were measured. The OSP included to 2 weeks of no training (resting phase) and a 4-week period of moderate-training load (phase in which each player performed the vacation exercise plan). Player's functional performance (15- and 30-m sprint times [seconds], vertical jump [meter], and incremental field test Vam-Eval [kilometer per hour]), percentage of body fat (%) and blood composition (hematological and biochemical data) were measured at mid-season, end-season, and after the OSP. The percentage of body fat was nonaltered during the competitive season (10.8 ± 3.6 and 10.5 ± 3.5%) and increased significantly after the OSP (11.6 ± 3.6%, p <= 0.05). Similarly, the maximal aerobic speed (VVam-Eval) velocity (kilometer per hour) decreased (p <= 0.05) from 17.4 ± 1 and 17.3 ± 1.2 during the competitive season to 16.6 ± 0.9 after the OSP. The hematocrit and blood hemoglobin concentration increased (p <= 0.05) during the OSP, showing a blood hemoconcentration adaptation. However, sprint time (seconds) and jump height (meters) showed no significant changes after the OSP. Soccer players maintained their functional performance during high-intensity activities such as jumping or sprinting after the OSP proposed. By contrast, there was a decrease in aerobic performance (VVam-Eval) accompanied by a blood hemoconcentration, and an increase of body fat mass associated with a reduction of fat-free mass of the lower limbs. Our data suggest that an end-season evaluation is needed to design holiday training programs focused on regaining aerobic capacity and body composition