RESEARCH: Creating a Soccer Specific Interval Test

Introduction:

In the majority of team sports speed, agility, explosive power, strength, and endurance combine to different degrees as key components to maximal performance. Many of these sports do not embody continuous movement but instead consist of periods of maximum effort following by periods of slower movement or rest.  It is typical for these sports to involve all three major energy pathways during the course of practice or games.  Coaches often use conditioning programs aimed at developing each specific area of the energy continuum.  Or they may use specific programs that more closely mimic the sport to train athletes in a stop-and-go manner.

The beep test or multi-stage shuttle was developed to test the aerobic endurance of athletes involved in these stop-and-go sports. Many variations of these shuttle runs involve continuous straight-ahead running and are aimed mainly at assessing aerobic capacity.

However, many team games such as soccer, lacrosse, and basketball involve additional movement, short rest periods, and changes of pace and direction.  Thus, a more specific test that combined varied movement patterns, pace and  short rest intervals, might yield a better assessment of a player’s level of readiness to participate in a specific sport.

Subjects:

Female (n = 54) soccer players (ages 14-18 yrs) performed a 20-yd sprint, 20m shuttle run, 3-step approach vertical jump, beep test, and a newly developed soccer-specific test.  Subjects  were all healthy and familiar with these tests. Subjects heights and weights were 170.9 ± 5.3 cm and 62.2 ± 7.9 kg respectively  and had a BMI of 21.2 ± 2.2 kg/m2.

Results:

In these subjects, stepwise multiple regression analysis selected approach vertical jump, beep test distance, and 20-yd dash in that order to predict the distance covered in the soccer-specific test.  These variables had a multiple R = 0.66 (SEE = 157m, CV = 11.7%).  Of the common variance, approach vertical jump (35%), beep test distance (32%), and 20-yd dash (34%) contributed equally.

Methods:

Subjects were matched by age and gender and divided into three groups where testing was alternated throughout three different testing days with a day off in between.

•Performance Tests (speed, agility, vertical)

•Beep Test

•Soccer Specific Interval Test

Subjects were given 3 attempts at each of Performance Tests after a 10 minute dynamic warm up consisting of various, rhythmic running, jumping and change of direction exercises.

The subjects were then give 1-2 warm up attempts to prepare for each exercise. They were then instructed to give maximum effort while being cheered on by others in their group. The best attempt was recorded and then the group would move to the next exercise.

Administering the Test:

Each athlete is lined up on the start line. On command all players start walking to the first cone (10 yds), and without stopping go through the entire protocol finishing with a sprint back to the start cone within 30 seconds (follow diagram below). At the 30 second mark, all athletes are instructed to start walking again (repeating the same pattern) and must be back to the start within 30 seconds. After the second run at the 30 second level, the athletes are given a 30 second rest.

After this rest break, the drill repeats itself 2 more times, but this time the athletes must get back within 29 seconds each time. This is followed by another 30 second rest and repeated in 28 seconds, 27 seconds, 26 seconds… and so on until all players have failed to make it back in the required time. A player is considered “out” when they fail to make it back to the start line in the required time and the total distance is recorded.

Comparison to the Beep Test:

The most interesting data came out when the Beep Test was compared to the Soccer Specific Interval Test (SSIT). The SSIT correlated significantly to the 0.05 level with all other performance based tests while the beep test only correlated significantly to the other conditioning based test (SSIT).

The Athletic Index (a score based on all tests combined similar to decathlon scoring systems) had a lower correlation to the beep test but a high correlation to speed, agility, vertical and the SSIT tests.

Below is a HR comparison of the same player in an actual game and her CAP SSIT Test. Notice how similar to a game (multicolored background) the HR response is represented by the test (blue background).

Practical Application:

The results of this study support our thoughts that although the beep test and other intermittent interval tests may be good measures of  aerobic endurance, they don’t necessarily capture the fitness demands of a soccer match.

Key components of soccer fitness involve varied locomotive patterns, changes of pace, changes of direction and recovery period that seem to be a critical component in the ability to repeat sprints on the field.

The Soccer Specific Interval Test significantly correlates with other performance tests like vertical jump, 20 yd dash and 20 yd shuttle. It also correlates significantly with the Beep Test. If time is limited, we suggest that this one test could be a good gage of overall soccer preparedness.

This study was presented in poster form at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s National Conference in 2009 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas by Scott Moody of Centers for Athletic Performance – scott@capprogram.com

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