Ramos, GP, Nakamura, FY, Penna, EM, Mendes, TT, Mahseredjian, F, Lima, AM, Garcia, ES, Prado, LS, and Coimbra, CC. Comparison of physical fitness and anthropometrical profiles among Brazilian female soccer national teams from U15 to senior categories. J Strength Cond Res 35(8): 2302–2308, 2021—This study aimed to compare anthropometric and physical fitness of Brazilian female national team soccer players from the U15 to senior categories, and to compare the physical performance between selected and nonselected players. Subjects included 231 athletes (U15, n = 46, U17, n = 49, U20, n = 98, and Senior, n = 38). Body mass, height, sum of skinfolds, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), 20-m linear sprint, and Yo-Yo IR1 were assessed. The U15 players were shorter than all other groups (p < 0.01) and lighter than U20 players (p < 0.01). Regarding physical tests, Senior athletes presented higher SJ compared with U20, and both showed higher CMJ and SJ compared with the U15 and U17 (p < 0.05). Senior athletes were also faster than players of all other categories in 20-m sprint (p < 0.01) and covered the greatest distance in the Yo-Yo IR1 (p < 0.05). U20 were better in the Yo-Yo IR1 than the younger groups (p < 0.05). When comparing selected and nonselected players, no differences were identified in anthropometric measures (p > 0.05). However, selected players from U17, U20, and Senior teams showed better performance in Yo-Yo IR1 than nonselected ones (p < 0.05). Finally, selected senior athletes also presented higher CMJ and SJ than nonselected players (p < 0.05). These results suggest that, although there is a tendency for maintenance in anthropometric measures from the age of 15 years, there are substantial improvements in speed, lower-body power, and aerobic capacity from U20 age group. In addition, it seems that intermittent aerobic fitness contributes to the selection of players to international tournaments in national teams.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-week aerobic training period on the time to fatigue (t lim) during exercise performed at the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). Thirteen untrained male subjects (TG; age 22.5 ± 2.4 years, body mass 72.9 ± 6.7 kg and VO2max 44.9 ± 4.8 mL kg(-1) min(-1)) performed a cycle ergometer test until fatigue at the MLSS power output before and after 6 weeks of aerobic training. A group of eight control subjects (CG; age 25.1 ± 2.4 years, body mass 70.1 ± 9.8 kg and VO2max 45.2 ± 4.1 mL kg(-1) min(-1)) also performed the two tests but did not train during the 6-week period. There were no differences between the groups with respect to the VO2max or MLSS power output (MLSSw) before the treatment period. The VO2max and the MLSSw of the TG increased by 11.2 ± 7.2 % (pre-treatment = 44.9 ± 4.8 vs. post-treatment = 49.8 ± 4.5 mL kg(-1) min(-1)) and 14.7 ± 8.9 % (pre-treatment = 150 ± 27 vs. post-treatment = 171 ± 26 W), respectively, after 6 weeks of training. The results of the CG were unchanged. There were no differences in t lim between the groups or within groups before and after training. Six weeks of aerobic training increases MLSSw and VO2max, but it does not alter the t lim at the MLSS.

This study compared the exercise intensity of four specific soccer training sessions (friendly and training match, tactical and technical workouts). Ten professional soccer players (24.2 ± 3.7 years, 177.9 ± 7.3 cm, 63.2 ± 4.6 mLO2•kg-1•min-l) were recruited. A treadmill progressive interval test was performed to determine the players' VO2max, maximal heart rate (HRmax), HR-VO2 curve, and the heart rate corresponding to blood lactate concentrations of 2 and 4 mmol/L. The heart rate during the training sessions was used to estimate the exercise intensity and to classify them into intensity zones (low-intensity: <2 mmol/L; moderate-intensity: between 2 and 4 mmol/L; high-intensity: >4 mmol/L). Exercise intensities were different among training sessions (friendly match: 86.0 ± 5.1% HRmax; training match: 81.2 ± 4.1% HRmax; tactical workout: 70.4 ± 5.3% HRmax; technical workout: 62.1 ± 3.6% HRmax). The friendly match presented the highest percentage of time performed in the high-intensity zone.

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The aim of this research was to verify the effect of the creatine supplementation on performance in the 10 and 30-second Wingate tests, besides its influence in the creatinine, urea and lactate concentration and body mass of physically active men. This research selected nine volunteers, who were then separated in two groups using the double-blind procedure: creatine group (n=4) and placebo group (n=5).The supplementation was orally administered during ten days. The creatine group ingested 20g of creatine (4 times a day) in the first five days, followed by an ingestion of 5 g/day until the tenth day. The placebo group received the same dosage, but of maltodextrine instead, as placebo. The test protocol performed before and after the supplementation period consisted of an adapted 10-second Wingate test, followed by an interval of 20 minutes for application of the 30-second Wingate test .Blood samples were collected before and after the supplementation period for analysis of creatinine and urea, lactate at rest, 90 seconds after the 10-second test and 180 seconds after the 30-second test. Creatine supplementation promoted significant raise (p<0.05) in maximal power output during the 30-second test, in the mean power output in the 10 second-test, besides the creatinine concentration. The results suggest that creatine supplementation can improve individual performance in high intensity activities and short duration made in cycle ergometer; however, creatine supplementation increases the creatinine concentration at rest.

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The purpose of this study is to present an equation to predict the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) through a VO2peak incremental protocol. Twenty-six physically active men were divided in two groups (G1 and G2). They performed one maximal incremental test to determine their VO2peak and maximal power output (Wpeak), and also several constant intensity tests to determine MLSS intensity (MLSSw) on a cycle ergometer. Group G2 underwent six weeks of aerobic training at MLSSw. A regression equation was created using G1 subjects Wpeak and MLSSw to estimate the MLSS intensity (MLSSweq) before and after training for G2 (MLSSweq = 0.866 x Wpeak-41.734). The mean values were not different (150±27W vs 148±27W, before training / 171±26W vs 177±24W, after training) and significant correlations were found between the measured and the estimated MLSSw before (r²=0.49) and after training (r²=0.62) in G2. The proposed equation was effective to estimate the MLSS intensity before and after aerobic training.