High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise Performed on the Sand Induces Higher Internal Load Demands in Soccer Players

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the acute physiological effect of shuttle-run-based high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) performed at the same relative speed (i. e., 100% PST−CAR) on sand (SAND) and grass (GRASS) in male junior soccer players. Seven Under-23 Brazilian national league (“Série A”) soccer players completed four testing sessions in either SAND or GRASS surface condition. The first two testing sessions consisted of performing a maximal progressive shuttle-run field protocol until volitional exhaustion (Carminatti's test, T-CAR), whereas the third and fourth sessions comprised a HIIE session on each ground surface. The HIIE session consisted of three 5-min bouts [12 s shuttle-run (with a direction change every 6 s)/12 s of passive rest] performed at 100% of T-CAR peak speed (PST−CAR) with 3 min of passive recovery between sets. Measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration ([La]), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were performed during all conditions. The SAND condition elicited significantly higher %VO2peak (94.58 ± 2.73 vs. 87.45 ± 3.31%, p < 0.001, d = 2.35), %HRpeak (93.89 ± 2.63 vs. 90.31 ± 2.87%, p < 0.001, d = 1.30), RPE (8.00 ± 0.91 vs. 4.95 ± 1.23 a.u., p < 0.001, d = 2.82), and [La] (10.76 ± 2.37 vs. 5.48 ± 1.13 mmol/L, p < 0.010, d = 2.84). This study showed that higher internal workloads are experienced by the players during a single HIIE session performed on a softer surface as SAND, even when the exercise intensity was individualized based on 100%PST−CAR.

Training on Sand or Parquet: Impact of Pre-Season Training on Jumping, Sprinting, and Change of Direction Performance in Professional Basketball Players

“…To examine the immediate influence of sand as a training surface, the acute effects of one training session on CMJ, LA, HR, and RPE were compared between the SG and the HG, the findings of which revealed an enhancement in CMJ performance, higher LA levels, and increased RPE values in the SG, indicating both an acute performance enhancement and heightened metabolic demands compared to training on a hard surface. These results align with previous research that has examined the metabolic responses to sand-based training [25,43,44]. The inherent instability and force-absorbing characteristics of sand-based training impose heightened stabilization demands during the support phase of the stride, accompanied by an elongated ground contact time and, thus, a prolonged time under tension of the muscles.…”

Comparative Analysis of Adaptive Changes in Immunoendocrine and Physiological Responses to High-Intensity Sprint Interval Training with Progressive and Nonprogressive Loads in Young Wrestlers

“…To effectively implement a safe and efficient SSIT program, coaches need to consider several factors. These factors include the type of SIT drill (i.e., running or cycling) (Vollaard and Metcalfe, 2017), the intensity of the interval training (i.e., all-out or non-all-out) (Boullosa et al, 2022), and the training surface (i.e., grass or sand) (Cetolin et al, 2021). In addition, the manipulation of various factors related to training loads, such as work bout intensity, duration of the work bout, recovery period intensity, recovery period duration, number of intervals duration, number of interval bout series, between-series recovery duration, between-series recovery intensity and total work performed seems to be of considerable importance in designing SSIT (Laursen and Buchheit, 2019).…”

Jumps and Lower Limb Strength Asymmetry in Young Soccer Players: Differences Between Sand and Conventional Surfaces

“…Notably, the sandy surface, in the face of widespread and widespread use in both rehabilitation courses and specific training sessions (Rago et al, 2018;Pereira et al, 2023), is only recently gaining research attention in soccer (Cetolin et al, 2021;Larsen et al, 2021;Costa et al, 2022).…”

“…In the case of sand, it is evident in the literature that energy expenditure (Zamparo et al, 1992;Pinnington & Dawson, 2001a& 2001b, as well as the response of maximal oxygen consumption, peak heart rate value, exertion perception and lactate, are significantly higher when analysing high and very high intensity exercise (Cetolin et al, 2021).…”

“…Furthermore, the behaviour of young athletes on a surface with such peculiar characteristics has been neglected, directing attention predominantly to adult or highly qualified athletes (Ahmadi et al, 2021;Cetolin et al, 2021).…”