Work

Running demands during top-up conditioning sessions compared to competitive matches in elite Portuguese soccer players

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Running Demands: Top-Up Sessions vs. Matches in Elite Soccer INTRODUCTIONDuring the in-season microcycle, matches represent the most physically demanding events of the week [1-3].On average, the total distance covered by elite soccer players during a match ranges from 10 to 13 km [4-6], whereas the mean distance covered in running (> 14.4 km • h -1 ), high-speed running (HSR; 19.8-25.2km • h -1 ), and sprinting (> 25.2 km • h -1 ) are reported to vary from 1348 to 3138 m, 482 to 1214 m, and 152 to 382 m, respectively [5,7].This physical loading accounts for 40-48% of the total weekly running distance covered during a typical microcycle, which includes one match and four training sessions [3].In congested microcycles (i.e., more than one match per week), full matches may contribute up to 80-95% of HSR [8,9].Furthermore, over the course of the season, starters' cumulative training distance accounts for only ~39%, ~31%, and ~9% of their respective season-long match-play Running demands during top-up conditioning sessions compared to competitive matches in elite Portuguese soccer players

Source: Biology of Sport

DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2025.151650

Authors: João Ribeiro, Petrus Gantois, Fabiano de Souza Fonseca, Luis Suarez-Arrones, João Viana, Fábio Yuzo Nakamura

Institutions: Instituto Superior da Maia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Universidad Pablo de Olavide

Language: English

Topic: Sports Performance and Training

Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $480

Funder: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia