Physiological Profile of a
Soccer Player
Sienna Boyd
Fitness Demands
Sport or
Energy
Fitness
Activity
Aerobic
Anaerobic
Soccer
High
High
Muscular
Fitness
Flexibility
Strength
Endurance
Speed
Power
Medium
Medium
Medium-High
High
Medium-High
Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness
•
•
•
•
•
3 or 4 mmol/L blood lactate level
8-12 km close to- LT (Lactate Threshold)
82-85% VO2max- 87-90% HRmax
90 seconds- 2-3 seconds- 10-20 meters
98% Aerobic: 2% Anaerobic- Metabolisms
Muscular Fitness
• Muscular Power Important
– Power versus strength debate
• Muscular Endurance- length of game
• Flexibility- turning, swerving, receiving
Specific Positions- Purposeful
Movements
• Defenders- most- Jogging, skipping, shuffling
– Least- sprinting, running
• Midfielders- most- running, sprinting
– Standing still, shuffling
• Strikers- most- jumping, diving, landing
– Need physical strength for contact- also
defenders
Elite Female Soccer Player
• Compared to elite men soccer players
– Same distance and activity changes
– Differences in distance- high intensity running
– Strength- same relational, different absolute
References
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players: Physiological considerations. Sports Medicine, 34(3), 165-180.
Krustrup, P., Mohr, M., Ellingsgaard, H., & Bangsbo, J. (2005). Physical
demands during an elite female soccer game: Importance of training status.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37 (7), 1242-1248.
Martens, Rainer. (2004). Successful coaching. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Spencer, M., Bishop, D., Dawson, B., & Goodman, C. (2005). Physiological and
metabolic responses of repeated-sprint activities: Specific to field-based
team sports. Sports Medicine, 35(12), 1025-1044.
Stolen, T., Chamari, K. Castagna, C., & Wisloff, U. (2005). Physiology of
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