Research Laboratory Sports Performance Optimization National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis,
Tunisia; 2Department of Team-Sports, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of
Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 3Department of Health and Physical Education, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong
Kong; and 4Department of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Quebec, Trois-Rivie`res, Quebec, Canada
ABSTRACT
Chaouachi, A, Manzi, V, Wong, DP, Chaalali, A, Laurencelle, L,
Chamari, K, and Castagna, C. Intermittent endurance and
repeated sprint ability in soccer players. J Strength Cond
Res 24(10): 26632669, 2010The ability to perform highintensity intermittent exercise (i.e., Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery
Test [Yo-Yo IR1]) and to repeat sprints with relatively short
recovery times (i.e., 20- to 30-seconds, relatively short time
interval [repeated sprint ability (RSA)]) has been shown to be
relevant fitness variables in soccer. However, though they
potentially share common features, it is not known whether
these 2 abilities are associated. The aim of this study was to
examine the relationships between Yo-Yo IR1 and RSA
performances in elite soccer players. Twenty-three soccer
players (age 19 6 1 years, height 181 6 5.7 cm, body mass
73.2 6 4.1 kg, %body fat 11 6 2.4) performed the Yo-Yo IR1
and a test for RSA (7 3 30 m with 25-second recovery).
Results were 2,289 6 409 m, 31.21 6 1.13 seconds, and 4 6
2.1% for Yo-Yo IR1, total sprint time, and sprint decrement,
respectively. Yo-Yo IR1 showed a significant and moderate
relationship with sprint decrement (r = 20.44, p = 0.04).
Splitting the sample into Best and Worst Yo-Yo IR1 performers
according to median score (2,320 m), the Best group showed
lower RSA total time (30.69 6 0.99 vs. 31.79 6 1.06, p , 0.05)
and speed decrement (2.90 6 0.86 vs. 5.09 6 2.42, p , 0.01)
compared to the Worst group. Sprint-time deterioration over 30
m occurred earlier (from the second sprint on) in the Yo-YoWorst
compared with in the Yo-YoBest group (from the fourth sprint on,
p , 0.001). Intermittent high-intensity endurance is poorly
associated with RSA performance (r2 = 0.19). Consequently,
coaches and strength and conditioning professionals should
INTRODUCTION
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METHODS
Experimental Approach to the Problem
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Subjects
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Figure 2. Profile of mean sprint decrements (%Best and %Diff, see text)
of the 7 3 30-m test (n = 23) progressively grouping sprint bouts (i.e.,
27). *Significantly different from the 7 3 30-m sprint decrement =
p , 0.05.
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TABLE 1. Comparisons between Best (n = 11) and Worst (n = 11) performers with respect to Yo-Yo IR1 median
(2,320 m).*
Best
TT 30 m (s)
(%) Best 30 m
(%) Diff 30 m
TT 10 m (s)
(%) Best 10 m
(%) Diff 10 m
TT 5 m (s)
(%) Best 5 m
(%) Diff 5 m
30.69
2.90
5.87
13.02
4.94
4.89
7.88
7.71
5 12
6 0.99
6 0.86
6 2.49
6 0.67
6 2.44
6 3.05
6 0.56
6 4.08
6 3.20
Worst
31.79
5.09
6.21
13.74
7.53
6.63
8.27
10.00
7.90
6 1.06
6 2.42
6 2.67
6 0.85
6 4.38
6 3.34
6 0.67
6 4.84
6 6.63
Mean
difference
Effect size
1.09
2.18
0.33
0.72
2.58
1.74
0.38
2.29
2.79
0.182.01
0.573.80
22.29 to 2.95
0.041.40
20.57 to 5.74
21.72 to 5.21
20.16 to 0.93
21.69 to 6.27
22.96 to 8.55
1.07
1.20
0.13
0.94
0.73
0.54
0.63
0.51
0.53
RESULTS
Figure 3. Mean sprint decrements (%Best, see text) over A) 5 m, B) 10, and C) 30 m of players with higher (Best)
and lower (Worst) Yo-Yo IR1 performances (according to Yo-Yo IR1 median 2,320 m). *p , 0.05; **p , 0.01.
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DISCUSSION
The main finding of the present study was the occurrence of
only a moderate relationship (r = 20.44) between 2 soccerrelevant physical abilities such as intermittent high-intensity
endurance (Yo-Yo IR1 distance) and the repeated sprint
ability (7 3 30-m %Best). Indeed the present study results
showed that only 19% of variance was shared between the
Yo-Yo IR1 and RSA tests. The independence of these
2 measures of ability is further supported by the lack of
relationship between Yo-Yo IR1 performance and TT: The
sum of sprinting scores (TT) is considered the most reliable
outcome of RSA tests (34,45). As a result, the original
working hypothesis assumed for this study has not been
affirmed.
The present study findings are in line with those previously
reported for Australian rules football players, which found
a low association between multistage fitness test performance
and 6 3 30-m sprint test (r = 20.20, trivial) (34). Similar
results were also reported by Krustrup et al. (25), who found
no significant relationship between level 2 of the Yo-Yo IR
and repeated sprint performance over 5 3 30 m with
a 25-second active recovery (r = 0.26 small, p . 0.05). This
suggests that RSA performance and intermittent highintensity endurance should be regarded as semi-independent
soccer performancerelated variables. As a result, coaches
and strength and conditioning professionals should consider
these 2 physical ability variables separately to depict players
fitness performance profiles.
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PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Intermittent high-intensity endurance and RSA should be
regarded as 2 different fitness attributes of soccer players.
Consequently, distinct tests addressing these 2 physical
abilities should be considered by coaches and strength and
conditioning professionals to provide a detailed profile of
players fitness. In this context, performance in the Yo-Yo IR1
$2,320 m may be beneficial in promoting RSA in elite soccer
players.
The RSA protocols involving 30 m with 25-second
recovery should involve at least 5 sprint bouts as fatigue
effects (sprint decrement percentage) is similar to that of
longer protocols. This suggestion may also be extended to
training prescription when striving to develop RSA with
specific training protocols (15,16,43). In the present study,
percentage measures of performance decrements were found
to be significantly associated. However, methods that take
into account all sprint bouts (%Best) are preferable (18). In
light of the poor reliability of sprint performance methods,
total sprint time should be considered for within-subject
comparisons (45).
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