Analysis of Power and Aerobic Capacity in Elite Athletes of Both Genres, Practitioners of Different Sports

Ricardo Cesar Alves Ferreira¹, Fabiano de Barros Souza^1,2, Wellington Ribeiro¹, Wendel Simões Fernandes¹, Alessandra de Almeida Fagundes¹, Leandro Yukio Alves Kawaguchi¹, Carolina S. Carvalho¹, Rodrigo Alexis Lazo-Osorio¹

¹IP&D-Lab. Physiology & Pharmacodynamic, University of Vale do Paraíba (Univap), São José dos Campos, Brazil.
²FEA (Faculty of Education & Arts), Physical Education, University of Vale do Paraiba (Univap), São José dos Campos, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/ape.2014.44024                

Abstract

Oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak) has been very important in functional assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness. The Ergospirometry is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate physical performance or ability of an individual, through the analysis of the gases with the respiratory variables. In sports, this method of evaluation is crucial, because it brings a significant contribution to the verification of aerobic fitness, such as, the maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max.), and anaerobic threshold. The present study aims to evaluate the power and aerobic capacity in professional and under-20 soccer players, handball athletes, and women footballers, using the technique of gas analysis. For the study, 48 athletes, who participated voluntarily, were divided into 4 groups of 12 athletes. The VO₂ peak, the average speed and heart rate at anaerobic threshold, as well as respiratory exchange ratio were analyzed. We found that the values were always greater for the group of professional football players, with the exception of the average consumption of maximum O₂, where the difference of the footballers in the under-20 category was not significant. Additional values that were analyzed indicated that there were some physical similarities between the other groups that should be noted. The respiratory exchange ratio was significantly lower for the group of women footballers. Based on this data, it was concluded that the specificity of sport as dimensions of the pitch, duration, and tactical system, morphology and sex of the athlete, directly influences the values of the VO₂ peak, lactate threshold and respiratory exchange ratio for athletes of different sports at the same stage of periodization of fitness.

Keywords

Ergospirometry, Soccer, Female Soccer, Handball, VO₂

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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