Training and influence of maximal strength in football players - With specific emphasis on females

Abstract

Participation and interest in female football is rising. Football is considered a complex sport, where technical, tactical, and physiological traits are suggested to impact the players´ ability to perform. However, most research on physical testing and training prescription derives from males.

Although research is emerging on the match demands of female football, how underlying physiological or fitness factors are associated with these demands are for the most unknown. For males, a plethora of research describe maximal strength training as an effective means to increase strength, sprint and jump abilities. However, how females should train for strength and explosive abilities to improve football performance is scarcely investigated.

The aims of this thesis were to examine the associations between maximal strength and explosive characteristics and physical match play performance (paper I). Moreover, two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of including systematic maximal strength training during pre-season (paper II) or excluding both maximal strength training and football training during COVID-19 lockdown (Paper IV) on maximal strength and explosive characteristics. One study (paper III) was included to reproduce maximal strength training findings in male football players, as well as comparing whether baseline strength may influence responses between sexes.

The findings of this thesis indicate that maximal strength is of minor importance for physical match play performance in females. Maximal strength training is feasible and effective for increasing maximal strength in both female and male football players, however, only males experienced a transferable improvement in jump and sprint performance. Further, training during the COVID-19 lockdown in Norway, with the prescription of only body weight exercises and without maximal strength training, did not negatively influence maximal strength, sprint times or jump height in female football players.