Cardiorespiratory capacity of a first-division football player during a top sport career (case study)
Abstract
Between 2001 and 2021, FC Viktoria Plzeň players regularly underwent a comprehensive sports medical examination, including anamnestic data, anthropometric examination, a standard clinical examination and a stress test on a treadmill ergometer. During the observed period, the player D.
L. shows a slight trend to increase both BMI and the adipose tissue content, but this does not exceed the average of the Czech male population. The parameters of aerobic capacity (VO2max and VO2max/kg) for player D.
L. in the given period reach the level required for elite football players. The comparison of individual measurements shows that higher values of aerobic capacity were achieved at the end of the winter preparation period before the start of the spring part of the league competition compared to the values measured after the end of the league competition in May or June.
The economics of running power, which can be assessed from VO2 values during running load, fluctuated only in a relatively very narrow range. The courses are "very similar" and show the stability of the functional parameters of the trained person.
Certain differences that occurred during the repeated examinations can be attributed to the different stages of training preparation in which the examinations were performed, as well as a certain shift in the player's training programm, documented by the different course of the lactate curve.