AEROBIC CAPACITY NOT THAT IMPORTANT FOR SPRINTING PERFORMANCE IN SOCCER AND FIELD HOCKEY

Aziz, A. R., Chia, M., & Teh, K. C. (2000). The relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance indices in field hockey and soccer players. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 40, 195-200.

Male national soccer and field hockey players (N = 40) were assessed for VO2max and 8 x 40-m sprint times.

There were no significant differences between the sports for VO2max. Also, VO2max was not related to the fastest 40-m sprint time. There was only a small amount of common variance (12%) between the total times of the repeated sprints and VO2max.

Implication. Aerobic fitness only provides a minor contribution to repeated sprint ability in soccer and field hockey players. Aerobic fitness could possibly affect other aspects of the sports (e.g., recovery, amount of training volume tolerated) more than these sprinting factors.

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