Heart Rate Intensity in Female Footballers and its Effect on Playing Position based on External Workload

Introduction: Female football is the world’s fastest developing sport, and due to the rise in magnitude, female football, of all levels, must embrace scientific applications allowing an increase in performance through training, technique and preparation. The purpose of the study was to examine the physiological external workload, of amateur female footballers, across varying heart rate intensities, as well as, interpret fatigue between each half of the Soccer-Specific Aerobic Field Test (SAFT90) protocol. Methods: A sample of n = 24 amateur female football players (mean ± SD; age: 20.7 ± 4.0 years; stretched stature = 165.6 ± 5.8cm, body mass = 58.1 ± 4.7 kg) were recruited during the 2016/2017 competitive season. Maximum heart rate (HRmax) values were determined using the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 (Yo-Yo IR Level 1) with the SAFT90 protocol used to interpret the physiological and mechanical demands displayed during football match. A one-way analysis of variance was applied to determine the differences between each position (defenders, midfielders and forwards) with the level of significance set at alpha level P < 0.05. Results: There were statistically significant differences between each position and total external workload (F (df:23) = 9.156; (P < 0.05), in addition to average heart rate (HR) across 90 - minutes (F (df:23) = 22.317; (P < 0.05). Statistical significance was also determined differences between each position and the duration of time spent within the prescribed HR intensity zones, including zone 1 (<70% HRmax), zone 2 (70-85% HRmax) and zone 4 (90-95% HRmax) across the SAFT90. The total distance all players completed across the 90 minutes was 10913.7 ± 1076.7 m, whereas the shortest external workload (10020.4 ± 1086.6 m) was completed by defenders and largest (11781.9 ± 324.7 m) by midfielders. The player’s average heart rate was 161.1 ±14.7 bpm-1 resulting in a mean intensity of representing 81% HRmax. Conclusions: Midfielders spent the largest proportion of time between zone 2 and zone 4. Based on these results, coaches are able to determine which type of physiological profile is needed for a specific positon and use this information to design specifically prescribed training programmes to maximise the fitness development.