Analysis of Power and Aerobic Capacity in Elite Athletes of Both Genres, Practitioners of Different Sports

Oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) has been very important in functional assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness. The Ergospirometry is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate physical performance or ability of an individual, through the analysis of the gases with the respiratory variables. In sports, this method of evaluation is crucial, because it brings a significant contribution to the verification of aerobic fitness, such as, the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max.), and anaerobic threshold. The present study aims to evaluate the power and aerobic capacity in professional and under-20 soccer players, handball athletes, and women footballers, using the technique of gas analysis. For the study, 48 athletes, who participated voluntarily, were divided into 4 groups of 12 athletes. The VO2 peak, the average speed and heart rate at anaerobic threshold, as well as respiratory exchange ratio were analyzed. We found that the values were always greater for the group of professional football players, with the exception of the average consumption of maximum O2, where the difference of the footballers in the under-20 category was not significant. Additional values that were analyzed indicated that there were some physical similarities between the other groups that should be noted. The respiratory exchange ratio was significantly lower for the group of women footballers. Based on this data, it was concluded that the specificity of sport as dimensions of the pitch, duration, and tactical system, morphology and sex of the athlete, directly influences the values of the VO2 peak, lactate threshold and respiratory exchange ratio for athletes of different sports at the same stage of periodization of fitness.