The effect of post-match resistance training on recovery in female footballers; when is best to train?

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study examined the effects of resistance training (RT) performed at 24 or 48h post-match on recovery in female soccer players. Methods: In a randomized cross-over design, 10 professional female soccer players undertook matches followed by three conditions: Control (no RT), RT-24h and RT-48h post-match. RT was a high-speed and low-load session, consisting of 3 sets of 6 repetitions of lower-body exercises at 50%1RM. During training, one exercise (half-squat) was performed on a force platform to determine mean and peak forces. Tests were undertaken pre, 24, 48 and 72h post-match including countermovement jump (CMJ), 20m sprint, C-reactive protein (CRP) and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Effect size (ES) analyses compared the time-course of recovery. Results: Despite no significant differences between conditions, ES for changes from pre to 72h were larger for CMJ, 10 and 20m sprint time, and DOMS in RT48h (ES=0.38–2.13) than in RT24h (ES=0.08–0.66) and in Control (ES=0.09–0.36). No differences in forces of half-squat exercise existed between conditions (p>0.05; ES=0.05–0.06). Conclusion: The trend for suppressed recovery of speed, power and perceptual responses at 72h post-match suggests RT48h is less ideal in female soccer players, particularly during congested micro-cycles.

KEYWORDS:

• Strength
• training
• performance
• fatigue

Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. The authors thank CAPES, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do estado de Minas Gerais- (FAPEMIG/Minas Gerais/Brazil), National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq/Brazil) and the Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa (PRPQ) [Research Pro-Rectory] from the UFMG.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was conducted in the Load Evaluation Laboratory/UFMG – Brazil. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001. The authors thank CAPES, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do estado de Minas Gerais- (FAPEMIG/Minas Gerais/Brazil), National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq/Brazil) and the Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa (PRPQ) [Research Pro-Rectory] from the UFMG.