Physical and physiological characteristics of the players
| Youth players (n = 21) | Senior players (n = 24) | |
|---|---|---|
| Data are mean (SD). | ||
| *Significantly different from the youth players, p<0.05; **p<0.001. | ||
| lbm, lean body mass in kg. | ||
| Age (years) | 14 (0.4) | 24 (2) |
| Height (cm) | 170 (5.5) | 178 (7.1)* |
| Body mass (kg) | 60.2 (7.3) | 75.7 (7.2)** |
| Body fat (%) | 11.8 (3.2) | 11.6 (1.8) |
| Maximal heart rate (beats/min) | 198 (7) | 190 (10)* |
| Maximal oxygen uptake | ||
| litres/min | 3.60 (0.6) | 4.45 (0.5)** |
| ml/lbm/min | 66.5 (5.9) | 66.6 (5.2) |
| ml/lbm0.72/min | 206 (17) | 216 (11)* |
| Running economy | ||
| ml/lbm/min at 7 km/h | 39.2 (2.9) | 36.0 (3.1)** |
| ml/lbm/m | 0.34 (0.02) | 0.30 (0.02)** |
| ml/lbm0.60/m | 1.65 (0.04) | 1.65 (0.08) |
| Anaerobic threshold (% Vo2max) | 88.8 (5.5) | 89.3 (4.7) |
| Lowest treadmill speed at Vo2max (km/h) | 13.9 (1.1) | 15.3 (1.1)** |
| Maximal treadmill speed at Vo2max (km/h) | 15.1 (1.2) | 16.5 (1.0)** |