Relationship between biological age, body dimensions and cardiorespiratory performance in young soccer players

Background: During adolescence, performance in competitive sport is influenced not only by the levels of physical activity, but also biological state and body dimensions. Objective: The purpose our study was to compare cardiorespiratory between groups with different age male adolescent soccer players. Methods: Eighty-eight young players (age = 15.9 ± 0.5 years, height 176.1 5.6 cm, weight 65.4 7.2 kg) performed a vita-maxima protocol on treadmill. Starting speed 6 km/h inclination 1.4%, which were increased linearly every minute, 11 3.5% respectively (first 5 minutes). Then we 2% minute until exhaustion. effect functional indices examined based two grouping methods. First, participants classified into sub-groups their morphological (or developmental) age, an expression evaluates developmental specific dimensions (body height, weight, shoulder width, lower arm girth, hand circumference). Then, from anthropometric composition measures three clusters created, according participants' state. For both methods, were: late-maturing, average-maturing, early-maturing. Results: Based method, biologically more advanced athletes achieved greater (late-maturing: 337 33 W, average maturing: 363 48 early 386 43 W) higher oxygen uptake 3529 336 ml/min, average-maturing: 3798 436 early-maturing: 3983 541 ml/min) pulse 18.1 1.8 ml/beat, 19.6 2.5 20.8 2.8 ml/beat). There no differences time spent treadmill, maximal lactic acid levels, relative power, heart rate, respiratory tidal volume, uptake, ventilation. significant plastic index muscle mass all groups. Differences maturity status larger when grouped cluster analysis compared age-based method. Conclusions: growth maturation Body (and muscle) significantly affect athletes. inclusion components addition increases explanatory power performance.