High-intensity acceleration in soccer. Why is the evaluation method important?

The aim of the current study was to analyze the possible differences between the use of different kinds of thresholds to assesshigh-intensity acceleration efforts, both in number and distance covered in young elite soccer players. A total of 26 young soccer playerswere analyzed during 18 competitive...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Martínez Cabrera, F. Ignacio, Núñez Sánchez, Francisco Javier, Muñoz López, Alejandro, Hoyo Lora, Moises de
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2021
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repository:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/136815
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/136815
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i39.82281
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Acceleration
High intensity
Soccer
Aceleración
Alta intensidad
Fútbol
Description
Summary:The aim of the current study was to analyze the possible differences between the use of different kinds of thresholds to assesshigh-intensity acceleration efforts, both in number and distance covered in young elite soccer players. A total of 26 young soccer playerswere analyzed during 18 competitive matches (n=108). High-intensity acceleration efforts were assessed using an individual relativethreshold based on the capacity of acceleration from different initial speeds, considering high-intensity acceleration when it was >75%of the maximal acceleration (>75% amax). It was also used a threshold >21 km·h-1 when the acceleration intensity was >75% amax, andabsolute thresholds of >3 m·s-2 and >4 m·s-2, both in number and distance (meters). Post hoc analysis showed pairwise significantdifferences between the use of high-intensity thresholds (p < .05), in number and distance. The results showed that the use of absolutethresholds could overestimate (>3 m·s-2) and underestimate (>4 m·s-2 and >21 km·h-1) high-intensity acceleration efforts (both in numberand distance) in comparison with the use of an individual relative threshold (p < .05), whereas a threshold based on high-speed runningcould underestimate high-intensity acceleration efforts (p < .05). Therefore we conclude that the use of absolute acceleration thresholds(>3 m·s-2 and >4 m·s-2) may not be appropriate to analyze these efforts in young soccer players. In addition, speed running thresholdscould underestimate high-intensity actions developed in short distance, being more appropriate to combine with an individual relativethreshold to assess high-intensity action in soccer matches.