Effect of Small-Sided Games with and without the Offside Rule on Young Soccer Players: Reliability of Physiological Demands

Igor Junio Oliveira Custódio; Renan Dos Santos; Rafael de Oliveira Ildefonso; André Andrade; Rodrigo Diniz; Gustavo Peixoto; Sarah Bredt; Gibson Moreira Praça; Mauro Heleno Chagas

doi:10.3390/ijerph191710544

Effect of Small-Sided Games with and without the Offside Rule on Young Soccer Players: Reliability of Physiological Demands

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 24;19(17):10544. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710544.

Authors

Igor Junio Oliveira Custódio¹, Renan Dos Santos¹, Rafael de Oliveira Ildefonso¹, André Andrade¹, Rodrigo Diniz¹, Gustavo Peixoto¹, Sarah Bredt¹, Gibson Moreira Praça¹, Mauro Heleno Chagas¹

Affiliation

¹ School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the physiological demand between three vs. three small-sided games (SSGs) with (3vs.3_WITH) and without (3vs.3_WITHOUT) the offside rule, as well as the within- and between-session reliability of this demand. Twenty-four U-17 soccer athletes performed various three vs. three (plus goalkeepers) SSGs with and without the offside rule. The data collection was performed within an eight-week period. Athletes' heart rate was monitored during the SSG. The variables analyzed were the percentage mean heart rate (HR_MEAN%) and the percentage peak heart rate (HR_PEAK%). For the analysis of within-session reliability, the mean value of the first two and last two SSG bouts performed within one day were used. The between-session reliability was calculated using the mean value of the four SSG bouts of each SSG type performed on two different days. In both SSGs, the values for reliability were significant and were classified as moderate to excellent. There were no significant differences in the physiological demand among SSG types. We concluded that the offside rule does not influence the physiological demand in a three vs. three SSG and the HR_MEAN% and HR_PEAK% present moderate to excellent reliability in a three vs. three SSG with and without the offside rule.

Keywords: offside rule; peak heart rate; physiological demand; reliability; small-sided games; task constraints; young soccer player.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Athletes
Athletic Performance* / physiology
Heart Rate / physiology
Humans
Reproducibility of Results
Soccer* / physiology

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (PRPq-UFMG), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Técnológico (CNPq), and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG).