Characterization of the sprint and repeated-sprint sequences performed by professional futsal players, according to playing position, during official matches

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to investigate sprints and to characterize repeated-sprint sequences (RS) performed by athletes during professional futsal matches. We analyzed 97 players during 5 official matches using the DVideo automatic tracking system. The sprints were analyzed during the first and second halves according to playing position, and RS were categorized according to the number of sprints and the time between them. The results showed an increase (F[1, 2520] = 3.96; P = .046) in the sprint duration from the first (mean = 3.1 +/- 1.3) to the second half (mean = 3.2 +/- 1.2). However, no differences were found for other variables (distance covered, peak velocity, initial velocity, recovery time between sprints, and sprints performed per minute) or among playing positions. In addition, when considering RS, the results showed that RS comprising two sprints interspersed with a maximum of 15 seconds of recovery were significantly more frequent than other RS. The findings of this study characterizing the sprinting features of futsal players can help coaches to plan physical training and assessments according to the requirements of the sport