strength football

With elite male footballers covering 8-12k during a typical game, aerobic capacity is clearly a strong determinant of performance. But what of other capacities, such as strength?

‘Within this aerobic context a sprint bout occurs about every 90 seconds, each lasting an average of two to four seconds,’ observe a group of Norwegian researchers. Also during a game ‘professional soccer players perform about 50 turns, comprising sustained forceful contractions to maintain balance and control of the ball against defensive pressure. Hence strength and power share importance with endurance in top level soccer play. Power is, in turn, heavily dependent on maximal strength.’

Given the lack of data on the relationship between maximal strength and power performance, such as sprint and jumping capacities, in elite soccer players, the researchers set out to study this relationship in a team of 17 elite male soccer players from Rosenborg FC, the most successful team in Norway for the last decade.

The players, all full-time professionals, training on a daily basis, were tested for the following capacities:

• Maximal strength in half squats;
• Sprinting ability (0-30m and 10m shuttle run sprint);
• Vertical jumping height.

Analysis of the findings showed a strong correlation between maximal strength in half squats and sprint performance and jumping height, with no positional differences observed among the players.

Interestingly, despite previous evidence of an ‘interference effect’ with concurrent strength and endurance training, the results in this group of players showed that a high level of maximal strength did not compromise a high VO₂max.

The researchers conclude that maximal strength in half squats determines sprint performance and jumping height in high level soccer players.

Given the training regimen employed by the players with a high level of strength in this team, the researchers recommend elite players to focus on ‘maximal strength training with emphasis on maximal mobilisation of concentric movements, which may improve their sprinting and jumping performance’.

Br J Sports Med 2004;38:285-288