Table 2.
Effect of aerobic high-intensity training in the late preparation phase or competitive season on selected outcomes in elite football players
| Study | Players | Training regimen | Adaptations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dose | Intensity | Period | When | Mode | Physiological | Performance | ||
| Chamari et al. (2005) [144] | 18 Elite Youth |
4 × 4 min 3 min rest 2/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 8 wks | In-season | Drills/SSG |
+ 8% VO2max + 10% RE 7 km × h−1 |
+ 10% distance covered during technical drill |
| McMillan et al. (2005) [145] | 11 Elite Youth |
4 × 4 min, 3 min rest 2/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 10 wks | Late season | Drills | + 9% VO2max | ↔ 10 m sprint |
| Impellizzeri et al. (2006) [24] | 15 Elite Youth |
4 × 4 min, 3 min rest 2/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 4 + 8 wks | Late preparation & in-season | Runs |
+ 8% VO2max + 3% RE at lactate threshold |
+ 6% match distance + 20% match runs (> 14 km × h−1) |
| Impellizzeri et al. (2006) [24] | 14 Elite Youth |
4 × 4 min, 3 min rest 2/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 4 + 8 wks | Late preparation & in-season | SSG |
+ 7% VO2max + 3% RE at lactate threshold |
+ 4% match distance + 26% match runs (> 14 km × h−1) |
| Jensen et al. (2007) [92] | 16 Elite Youth |
5–6 × 2–4 min, 1–2 min rest 1/wk |
Not specified | 12 wks | In-season | SSG | + 5% VO2max |
+ 15% Yo-Yo IR2 + 21% RSA fatigue index |
| Ferrari Bravo et al. (2008) [93] | 13 Elite Youth and first team |
4 × 4 min, 3 min rest 2/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 7 wks | In-season | Runs | + 7% VO2max |
+ 12% Yo-Yo IR1 ↔ RSA ↔ 10 m sprint |
| Sporis et al. (2008) [146] | 24 Elite Youth |
3 × 20 m; 3 × 40 m; 3 × 60 m; 2 min rest 3/wk |
90–95% HRmax | 13 wks | Late preparation & in-season | Drills | + 5% VO2max |
+ 6% 200 m time + 4% 400 m time + 8% 800 m time + 7% 1200 m time + 7% 2400 m time |
| Owen et al. (2012) [103] | 15 Elite |
5–11 × 3 min, 2 min rest 1–2/wk |
> 90% HRmax | 4 wks | In-season | SSG | + 4% RE 14 km × h−1 |
+ 1% RSA best sprint + 2% RSA total sprint |
| Jastrezebski et al. (2013) [94] | 11 Youth |
7 sets 6 × 15 s/15 s, 1.5 min rest 2/wk |
85–90% HRmax | 8 wks | In-season | Runs |
↔ VO2max ↔ Anaerobic power |
↔ 5 and 30-m sprint |
| Belegisanin (2017) [147] | 23 Professional |
6–12 min 15–30 s, 15 s rest 1–2/wk |
≈100% vVO2max | 8 wks | In-season | Runs | + 6% VO2max | - |
HRmax maximum heart rate, RE running economy, RSA repeated sprint ability, SSG small-sided games, VO2max maximal oxygen consumption, vVO2max velocity eliciting VO2max, Yo-Yo IR1/2 Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 or 2, + denotes a beneficial effect