Effects of deep-water running and land-based running program on aerobic power, physical fitness and motivation on female youth footballers

Deep-water running has previously been studied as a tool for long-distance runners and as a rehabilitation tool for injured athletes. To date, long-distance runners have shown that they can use deep-water running without negatively affecting physical fitness parameters, such as VO2max compared to land-based running sessions. The main objective of this randomized controlled trial study was to examine the difference between the effects of aerobic land-based running sessions (LBR) and aerobic deep-water running (DWR) sessions on motivation and key variables in football, when applied to female youth footballers (age 14-17), with the secondary objective of examining the relationship between physical and psychological parameters. The forty-five players were randomly divided into LBR (n=22) and DWR (n=23) groups. They were all footballers at the same Icelandic club during the time of the study. The measured variables were: VO2max, vertical jumping height, kicking velocity, agility, sprint speed, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. The intervention took seven weeks, with two-to-three endurance session per week, per group at the start of the pre-season in January 2018. The intensity was matched with having the same amount of minutes in each intensity zones for both groups. Both groups increased in VO2max and vertical jumping height. The DWR group increased their VO2max by 1.62ml/kg/min (p<0.01, ES=0.34) and the vertical jumping height by 2.67cm (p<0.01, ES=0.62), while the LBR increased their VO2max by 1.99ml/kg/min (p<0.01; ES=0.69) and the vertical jumping height by 2.75cm (p<0.01, ES = 0.95). However, there was no interaction found between groups in any of the variables. It is possible to conclude that DWR can be used to stimulate cardiovascular fitness, without negatively affecting other key variables of football, for seven weeks at the beginning of the pre-season of youth female footballers. We also conclude that the motivational state had little-to-no effects on improvement.

Author dc:creator

• Eyþór Ernir Oddsson 1991-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn í Reykjavík

• Íþróttavísindi og þjálfun
• Langhlaup
• Vatn
• Endurhæfing
• Íþróttameiðsli
• Tækni- og verkfræðideild
• Meistaraprófsritgerðir
• Exercise science and coaching
• Running
• Water
• Rehabilitation
• Sports injuries
• School of Science and Engineering

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/33534

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/33534