Relationship between aerobic power and repeated sprint ability (RSA) in young elite soccer players

Explosive performance is fundamental to success in team sports. For this reason, sport scientists believe that intensive interval performance ability with short recovery and minimum of sprint decrement in some sports such as soccer which is naturally interval is too important. The purpose of this research was to identify the relationship between aerobic power and repeated sprint ability (RSA) in young elite soccer players. Twenty three young players 17.52±0.73 years, weight 68.30±5.25 kg, height 175.21±4.43 cm, Vo2 max =49.67±3.86 ml/kg/min) were randomly selected from players who were playing in league one (Tehran) and had 3-5 training sessions per week. To determine Vo2max a graded exercise test until volitional exhaustion on treadmill was used, and also RAST was used to measure RSA. The lactate concentration was measured before and immediately after RSA protocol. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the correlation between the aerobic power and RSA. Results showed that there is no significant relationship between Vo2max and RSA (r =0.068, p = 0.75), total time (r = 0.025, p = 0.909), and recovery HR (r = -0.225, p = 0.301). In addition, there was no significant relationship between lactate concentration and RSA (r= 0.163, p = 0.458). Based on the findings of the present study it might be concluded that the Vo2max and lactate concentration are not the only predictors of RSA and some other factors might affect RSA.