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Review
. 2023 Feb 13:5:1116293.
doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1116293. eCollection 2023.

High-speed running and sprinting in professional adult soccer: Current thresholds definition, match demands and training strategies. A systematic review

Antonio Gualtieri  1   2 , Ermanno Rampinini  3 , Antonio Dello Iacono  4 , Marco Beato  2
Affiliations
Review

High-speed running and sprinting in professional adult soccer: Current thresholds definition, match demands and training strategies. A systematic review

Antonio Gualtieri et al. Front Sports Act Living. .

Erratum in

Abstract

The aims of this systematic review were (1) to summarize the evidence on absolute velocity thresholds used to classify high-speed running and sprinting, (2) to examine the existing evidence about the individualized thresholds approach, (3) to describe high-speed and sprint running distance match demands, and (4) to provide training strategies for eliciting HSR and sprinting during training sessions in professional adult soccer. This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. After the authors' screening, 30 studies were included in this review. This review found that, to date, there is no consensus on the absolute thresholds defining high-speed and sprint running in adult soccer players. Until international standards are defined, it is reasonable to set absolute thresholds considering the range of values found in the literature collected in this review. Relative velocity thresholds could be considered for specific training sessions whose goal is to reach near maximal velocity exposure. During official matches, high-speed and sprint running distances ranged from 911 to 1,063 m and 223-307 m, respectively, in professional female soccer players, while ranges from 618 to 1,001 m and 153-295 m, respectively, in professional male soccer players. During training, game-based drills designed in formats using relative areas per player greater than 225 m2 and 300 m2 appear to be adequate for achieving high-speed running and sprinting exposure, respectively, for male players. The combination of game-based, running exercises and soccer circuit-based drills is advisable to ensure adequate high-speed and sprint running exposure both at a team and individual level.

Keywords: GNSS; GPS; elite sports; football; team sports; velocity thresholds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram for the description of the overall process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
High-speed running (HSR), very high-speed running (VHSR) and sprint thresholds for elite adult female and male soccer players expressed in km·h−1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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