Biology of Sport

Abstract

1/2024 vol. 41
Original paper

Do players with superior physiological attributes outwork their less-conditioned counterparts? A study in Gaelic football

  1. Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland
  2. SHE Research group, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland
  3. Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland
  4. Sport and Human Research Centre, University of Limerick, Ireland
Biol Sport. 2024;41(1):163–174
Online publish date: 2023/07/24
View full text
Confronting perimenopausal women’s knowledge of coronary heart disease with their health behaviours. Controversial role of hormone replacement therapy in the protection of coronary heart disease
This study investigated the association of physiological attributes with in-game workload measures during competitive Gaelic football match-play. Fifty-two male developmental level Gaelic football players (mean ± SD; age: 22.9 ± 3.8 years) underwent measurements of anthropometric characteristics, running speed, muscular strength and power, blood lactate (BLa), running economy and aerobic capacity during two separate testing visits. Global Positioning System units (18-Hz) were used to record players in-game workloads during a competitive match 1-week following the baseline physiological assessments. Results indicated that players body fat percentage, drop jump height (DJ) and running velocity at 4 mmol · L−1 BLa were significantly associated with the number of high-speed runs completed (Adjusted R2 26.8% to 39.5%; p < 0.05) while 20 m running speed, running velocity at 2 mmol · L−1 BLa and DJ were significantly associated with the number of accelerations completed (Adjusted R2 17.2% to 22.0%; p < 0.05) during match-play. Additionally, aerobic capacity and body fat percentage were significantly associated with total distance (Adjusted R2 14.4% to 22.4%; p < 0.05) while body fat percentage, DJ and 20 m running speed were significantly associated with high speed distance (Adjusted R2 17.8% to 22.0%; p < 0.05). Players were also divided into higher-standard and lower standard groups using a median split of these physiological attributes. Players in the higher-standard groups completed significantly more high-speed runs and accelerations and covered significantly larger total and high-speed distances (+10.4% to +36.8%; ES = 0.67 to 0.88; p < 0.05) when compared to the lower-standard groups. Thisstudy demonstrates that superior levels of physical conditioning are associated with larger in-game workloads during Gaelic football match-play.
Share
without publication fees