Test-Retest Reliability of Physiological and Performance Responses to 120 Minutes of Simulated Soccer Match Play

Abstract

Harper, LD, Hunter, R, Parker, P, Goodall, S, Thomas, K, Howatson, G, West, DJ, Stevenson, E, and Russell, M. Test-retest reliability of physiological and performance responses to 120 minutes of simulated soccer match play. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3178-3186, 2016-This study investigated the test-retest reliability of physiological and performance responses to 120 minutes (90 minutes plus 30 minutes extra-time [ET]) of the soccer match simulation (SMS). Ten university-standard soccer players completed the SMS on 2 occasions under standardized conditions. Capillary and venous blood was taken pre-exercise, at half-time, and at 90 and 120 minutes, with further capillary samples taken every 15 minutes throughout the exercise. Core temperature (Tcore), physical (20- and 15-m sprint speeds and countermovement jump height), and technical (soccer dribbling) performance was also assessed during each trial. All variables except blood lactate demonstrated no systematic bias between trials (p > 0.05). During the last 15 minutes of ET, test-rest reliability (coefficient of variation %, Pearson's r, respectively) was moderate to strong for 20-m sprint speed (3.5%, 0.71), countermovement jump height (4.9%, 0.90), dribble speed (2.8%, 0.90), and blood glucose (7.1%, 0.93), and very strong for Tcore (1.2%, 0.99). Moderate reliability was demonstrated for 15-m sprint speed (4.6%, 0.36), dribble precision (11.5%, 0.30), plasma insulin (10.3%, 0.96), creatine kinase ([CK] 28.1%, 0.38), interleukin-6 (24%, 0.99), nonesterified fatty acids ([NEFA] 13.2%, 0.73), glycerol (12.5%, 0.86), and blood lactate (18.6%, 0.79). In the last 15 minutes of ET, concentrations of blood glucose and lactate and sprint and jump performances were reduced, whereas Tcore, NEFA, glycerol, and CK concentrations were elevated (p ≤ 0.05). The SMS is a reliable protocol for measuring responses across the full 120 minutes of soccer-specific exercise. Deleterious effects on performance and physiological responses occur during ET.

The influence of a 12% carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage on self-paced soccer-specific exercise performance

“…Thereafter, a standardised warm-up (detailed previously) was performed (10:30). A passive ten-min period preceded blood sampling (pre-exercise) and maximal countermovement jump (CMJ) height was assessed (10:55; OptoJump Next; Microgate SRL, Italy; three repetitions, separated by 10 s of intraset recovery; CV<4% 15 ) before exercise started (11:00). highlighted that >80% statistical power existed for differences in blood glucose concentrations.…”

The assessment of neuromuscular fatigue during 120 min of simulated soccer exercise

“…The Research Ethics Committee at Northumbria University approved all procedures. All of the participants contributed to a companion study which investigated the reliability of metabolic, perceptual, and performance responses (Harper et al 2016d); while the data were obtained from the same protocol described below, the primary neuromuscular outcome measures in the current study do not overlap with any of the previous analyses.…”

“…The ET period consisted of two 15 min halves, interspersed by a 2 min break. Due to the inclusion of ET and omission of measuring passing and shooting components, the protocol was a modified version of the previously used SMS, which has been shown to be both valid and reliable when performed over 90 (Russell et al 2011) and 120 min (Harper et al 2016d). On completion of the SMS, participants had covered approximately 14.4 km involving 30 dribbles and 30 sprints, which is similar to actual completion of a match requiring ET (Russell et al 2015).…”

Countermovement Jump Recovery in Professional Soccer Players Using an Inertial Sensor

“…Counter movement jump (CMJ) tests are commonly used to assess recovery of muscle 36 function following strenuous exercise. Impairments in CMJ have been demonstrated on the days 37 following various forms of exercise including drop jump protocols, 1-3 repeated sprint and 38 simulated field sport tests [4][5][6][7][8][9] and soccer matches. [10][11] Traditionally, CMJ performance has been 39 measured using a vertical structure where athletes jump to touch incrementally separated pegs 40…”

“…3,12 Since this test involves an asymmetric vertical reach with one 41 arm, alternative tests have been adopted to better isolate the actual jump performance, and 42 eliminate the reaching component. To this end, CMJ performance has been assessed using 43 contact mats 4,8,11,13,14 or optoelectric systems 1,[5][6][7]9,10 that can accurately measure flight time, and 44 thereby calculate center of mass vertical displacement. These tests assume that the subjects land 45…”