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. 2019 Jun;36(2):119-124.
doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2019.81113. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Relative pitch area plays an important role in movement pattern and intensity in recreational male football

Saša Pantelić  1 , Ante Rađa  2 , Marko Erceg  2 , Zoran Milanović  1   3 , Nebojša Trajković  4 , Emilija Stojanović  1 , Peter Krustrup  5   6   7 , Morten B Randers  5
Affiliations

Relative pitch area plays an important role in movement pattern and intensity in recreational male football

Saša Pantelić et al. Biol Sport. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Recreational football has been shown to be an effective health-promoting activity, but it is still unclear how changes in game formats affect external and internal load. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of area per player in recreational small-sided football games. Ten recreational active male football participants (mean±standard deviation, age: 20.1±1.1 years; height: 182.2±7.4 cm; body mass: 75.9±9.8 kg) completed two sessions comprising 2x20 min of 5v5 football with 80 and 60 m2 per player, during which heart rate (HR) and movement pattern were measured. In 80 m2, mean HR (167±9 vs. 160±10 b.p.m., P<0.001, ES=0.70) and peak HR (192±8 vs. 188±9 b.p.m., P=0.041, ES=0.50) were significantly higher than in 60 m2. Percentage playing time with HR >90%HRpeak was higher in 80 m2 than 60 m2 (45±14 vs. 29±16%, P=0.004, ES=1.07). Moreover, a higher number of sprints (8.0±4.8 vs. 3.0±1.3, P=0.014, ES=1.41) and a greater distance in the highest speed zones (>13, >16 and >20 km·h1) were covered in 80 m2 than 60 m2. Peak running speed was also higher in 80 m2 (24.3±1.7 vs. 22.3±1.4 km·h-1, P=0.011, ES=1.27), whereas no statistically significant differences were found in total distance covered, player load, or the acceleration-deceleration profiles. In conclusion, the internal and external loading was higher for recreationally active male football players when playing on a pitch with 80 m2 area per player compared to 60 m2.

Keywords: GPS; Heart rate; High-intensity running; Soccer; Sprinting.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Heart rate distribution presented as percentage of total playing time in heart rate zones of <70%, 70-80%, 80-90%, 90-95%, 95-100% as well as 90-100% of individual peak heart rate (%HRpeak) in small-sided recreational football games with 80 and 60 m2 area per player. * denotes significant difference (P<0.05) between game formats. Data are presented as mean±SD.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
Distance covered in speed zones of 0-2, 2-5, 5-9, 9-13, 13-16, 16-20 and >20 km h-1 in small-sided recreational football games with 80 and 60 m2 area for player. * denotes significant difference (P<0.05) between game formats. Data are presented as mean±SD.
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