The optimal exercise to rest ratios in repeated sprint ability training in youth soccer players

The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of three different exercise to rest ratios in RSA training in youth soccer players, applying those ones already adopted in adult players, when performing three different sprinting modes (straight, shuttle and sprinting with changing of direction).

Eighteen young trained male soccer players (Height: 1.66±0.07 m; weight: 58.22±7.64 kg; BMI 19.37±3.42 kg·m-2; age:14 years) participated to the study. In order to compare the different values of the time recorded, a Fatigue Index (FI) was used. Recovery times among trials in the sets were administered according to the 1:5, 1:3; 1:2 exercise to rest ratio, respectively.

Significant differences among trials within each set (Repeated Measures Anova; P<0.05) were found. as evidence of fatigue over time. with an average decay of performance of about 4%, but no significant differences were found in FI%, among the three different sprinting modalities when applying the investigated exercise to rest ratios (Factorial Anova; between; P>0.05).

The results of this study confirm that the exercise to rest ratios considered in this study might be suitable to design effective testing protocols and training sessions aimed at the development of the RSA in youth soccer players, keeping the performances in the speed domain (FI%< ≈7-8%) but inducing the fatigue processes sought with this kind of training method.