Changes in jump, sprint and coordinative performances following a senior soccer match.

This study aimed to verify the short-term after-effects of a soccer match on senior players' all-out and inter-limb coordination performances. Right before (pre-match) and after (post-match) a match, 10 senior (52.3±10.2years) male soccer players were administered jump (countermovement jump [CMJ]; repeated jump [RJ]), sprint (10m and 10m while dribbling the ball [10mDB]), in-phase (IP) and anti-phase (AP) inter-limb coordination (synchronized hand and foot flexions and extensions at 80, 120, 180bpm). Heart rate (HR) responses, and subjective ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and muscle pain (RMP) were used to evaluate the intensity of the friendly match. During the match HR>85% of individual HRmax occurred for 50% of playing time. Subjective ratings at the end of the match were 12.9±2.2pt and 2.7±2.2pt for RPE and RMP, respectively. Post-match CMJ, 10m, 10mDB, AP, IP 80bpm, and IP 120bpm performances did not show any difference with respect to pre-match values, whereas improvements (P<0.05) in RJ (pre-match: 17.4±3.9cm; post-match 19.3±4.8cm) and IP 180bpm (pre-match: 30.4±15.1s; post-match: 50.3±18.9s) emerged. These findings indicate that senior soccer players are able to cope with the high demands of match-play and suggest that an acute bout of intense exercise has an arousing effect that counteracts fatigue effects and facilitates the performance of old trained individuals on complex motor behaviors relying on central executive control. In considering that players consider soccer as highly motivating, with advancing years this sport could help players in preserving high mental and physical functions, as well as maintaining active engagement in life through social interactions