The specificity of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test for recreational soccer players is independent of their intermittent running ability

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether or not recreational soccer players (SP) and non-soccer players (non-SP) with similar intermittent-running ability had similar physiological responses to a soccer match-simulation protocol. Twenty-two recreational SP and 19 fitness-matched non-SP participated. Yo-Yo level 1 assessed intermittent-running ability, while the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test served as soccer match-simulation protocol. Heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration [La⁻] and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded after each bout (1–5, plus an exhaustive task). SP had lower HR after the third, fourth and fifth bout, compared to non-SP. Similarly, SP had lower [La⁻] after the third, fourth and the fifth bout. SP also had lower RPE after the third, fourth and fifth bout. The appropriateness of intermittent-running ability as the main determinant of physical performance in SP was questioned.

KEYWORDS:

• Intermittent recovery test level 1
• rating of perceived exertion
• shuttle running
• repeated-sprint ability
• soccer match simulation

Acknowledgements

The authors wanted to thank Giuseppe Bellin, B.Sc., Alessandro Pacifici, M.Sc., Giulia Visentin, M.Sc., for their precious help in data collection. Authors are grateful to all the participants who volunteered to this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors stated that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

The present work received no fund.