Physical and physiological demands of Football 7 in lower divisions

Abstract

The seven-a-side soccer is a variation of soccer usually practiced by players at early ages, and is accurately regulated by the Spanish Soccer Federation. However, we do not know any research aimed to study the analysis of the physical and physiological demands regarding the lower categories of this discipline. Twenty-four players (12 young and 12 cadet players) took part in the present study. They played two friendly matches (2 x 25 min.) in a field of 45 m. X 60 m. Results showed that the activity pattern in seven-aside soccer, in the young and cadet categories, has an intermittent nature, with a work-rest ratio related to distance of 1:1.4. There were no differences between the total covered distance (5228.1 ± 383.3 m. in young players and 5392.3 ± 347.7 m. in cadet players), while the average distance covered per minute of game was between 106 m. and 108 m. The high intensity efforts made were equivalent to 14.7 % (young players) and 18.8 % (cadet players) of the total covered distance. There were no differences between the two categories regarding the physiological parameters. The average HR ranged between 86% and 88% of the peak HR reached during the game.