Physiological demands of an intermittent futsal-oriented high-intensity test

The aim of this study was to provide evidence for specific physiological demands of a futsal time-motion analysis devised progressive and intermittent shuttle-running test (futsal intermittent endurance test [FIET]). Eighteen full-time professional futsal players (age 20.6 +/- 3.1 years, body mass 71.6 +/- 8.5 kg, height 175 +/- 7.9 cm) volunteered to participate in this study. In a random order and on separate days, they performed the FIET and a treadmill test (TM) to assess aerobic fitness. Physiological demands were examined by monitoring exercise heart rates (HRs), O2, and blood-lactate concentration (BLac) during FIET and TM conditions. During the FIET, players covered 1,464 +/- 136 m attaining a mean speed at exhaustion of 16.5 +/- 0.6 km h. The mean FIET duration was of 13.24 +/- 1.13 minutes. Peak O2, HR, and BLac were 95 +/- 6.4, 99 +/- 2, and 108 +/- 25% of treadmill O2max, HRmax, and BLac, respectively. Large correlations were found between speed at ventilatory threshold and maximal speed at O2max with FIET performance (r = 0.60 and 0.61, p < 0.01, respectively). Peak O2 during the FIET was significantly lower than O2max. Although there was no mean difference between peak exercise HR in the TM and FIET conditions, significant intraindividual bias was evident. This study showed that FIET heavily stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems to a level that is similar to what was reported in futsal game play. Coaches may use the FIET to examine futsal players' ability to cope with intermittent high-intensity exercise. It is suggested that the highest HR found during the FIET should be regarded as peak HR and not as individual HRmax.