Relative Match Intensities at High Altitude in Highly-Trained Young Soccer Players (ISA3600)
Martin Buchheit1,2,, Kristal Hammond3, Pitre C. Bourdon4, Ben M. Simpson4, Laura A. Garvican-Lewis5,6, Walter F. Schmidt7, Christopher J. Gore5,8, Robert J. Aughey3
1Sport Science Department, Myorobie Association, Montvalezan, France 2Performance Department, Paris Saint Germain FC, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France 3Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia 4ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar 5Department of Physiology, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia 6University of Canberra, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, Canberra, Australia 7Department of Sports Medicine / Sports Physiology, University of Bayreuth, Germany 8Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
Martin Buchheit ✉Performance Department, Paris Saint Germain FC, 4a avenue du president Kennedy, 78100 Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France Email: mb@martin-buchheit.net
Received: 14-05-2014 -- Accepted: 07-11-2014 Published (online): 01-03-2015
ABSTRACT
To compare relative match intensities of sea-level versus high-altitude native soccer players during a 2-week camp at 3600 m, data from 7 sea-level (Australian U17 National team, AUS) and 6 high-altitude (a Bolivian U18 team, BOL) native soccer players were analysed. Two matches were played at sea-level and three at 3600 m on Days 1, 6 and 13. The Yo-Yo Intermittent recovery test (vYo-YoIR1) was performed at sea-level, and on Days 3 and 10. Match activity profiles were measured via 10-Hz GPS. Distance covered >14.4 km.h-1 (D>14.4 km·h-1) and >80% of vYo-YoIR1 (D>80%vYo-YoIR1) were examined. Upon arrival at altitude, there was a greater decrement in vYo-YoIR1 (Cohen’s d +1.0, 90%CL ± 0.8) and D>14.4 km·h-1 (+0.5 ± 0.8) in AUS. D>14.4 km.h-1 was similarly reduced relative to vYo-YoIR1 in both groups, so that D>80%vYo-YoIR1 remained similarly unchanged (-0.1 ± 0.8). Throughout the altitude sojourn, vYo-YoIR1 and D>14.4 km·h-1 increased in parallel in AUS, so that D>80%vYo-YoIR1 remained stable in AUS (+6.0%/match, 90%CL ± 6.7); conversely D>80%vYo-YoIR1 decreased largely in BOL (-12.2%/match ± 6.2). In sea-level natives competing at high-altitude, changes in match running performance likely follow those in high-intensity running performance. Bolivian data confirm that increases in ‘fitness’ do not necessarily translate into greater match running performance, but rather in reduced relative exercise intensity.
Key words:
Association football, hypoxia, match running performance
Key Points
When playing at high-altitude, players may alter their activities during matches in relation to their transient maximal physical capacities, possibly to maintain a ‘tolerable’ relative exercise intensity.
While there is no doubt that running performance in not the main determinant of match outcomes (Carling, 2013), fitness levels influence relative match intensity (Buchheit et al., 2012, Mendez-Villanueva et al., 2013), which in-turn may impact on decision making and skill performance (Rampinini et al., 2008).
In the context of high-altitude competitions, it is therefore recommended to arrive early enough (i.e., ~2 weeks) to allow (at least partial) acclimatisation, and in turn, allow sea-level native players to regulate their running activities in relation to both actual game demands and relative match intensity.
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Relative Match Intensities at High Altitude in Highly-Trained Young Soccer Players (ISA3600)
Martin Buchheit, Kristal Hammond, Pitre C. Bourdon, Ben M. Simpson, Laura A. Garvican-Lewis, Walter F. Schmidt, Christopher J. Gore, Robert J. Aughey
, Kristal Hammond3, Pitre C. Bourdon4, Ben M. Simpson4, Laura A. Garvican-Lewis5,6, Walter F. Schmidt7, Christopher J. Gore5,8, Robert J. Aughey3 
