Physiological characterization using standardized submaximal treadmill responses in professional male soccer players.
4 affiliations
- 1Doctoral School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
- 2The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, United States.
- 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Health Insurance, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
- 4Department of Sports Medicine and Digital Health, University of Győr, Győr, Hungary.
Abstract
Submaximal treadmill variables are increasingly used in professional soccer, but their practical interpretation remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether standardized submaximal treadmill-derived variables provide a more informative characterization of positional differences than maximal exercise variables and to examine their associations with maximal exercise performance. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, professional adult male soccer players (n = 206), including midfielders, defenders, and forwards performed an incremental treadmill test until exhaustion, with enhanced speed-dosing above 4 mmol·L⁻1 blood lactate (4L). Absolute and relative heart rate (HR) and speed variables at 4L and exhaustion, together with their associations were analysed during this incremental treadmill test. Midfielders reached the highest 4L-related values, including speed (V4L: 15.6 ± 1.3 km/h, p < 0.005 vs others), HR (HR4L: 177.2 ± 9.0/min, p < 0.05 vs others), V4L as % of maximal speed (V 4L/Max ratio: 77.6 ± 4.9%, p < 0.005 vs. forwards), and HR4L as % of HR reserve (HR 4L/Res ratio: 87.1 ± 4.9%, p < 0.05 vs. others). Positional differences at maximal exercise were inconsistent. V4L correlated moderately with HR4L in all players (r = 0.364, p < 0.001), largely with HR 4L/Res ratio (r = 0.609, p < 0.001) and while HR 4L/Res ratio correlated very largely with V 4L/Max ratio (r = 0.795, p < 0.001), without positional differences. Between 4L and exhaustion, correlations were larger for HR, than for speed, being very large for HR in all (r = 0.739, p < 0.001), while large in forwards (r = 0.661, p < 0.001), and for speed large in all (r = 0.575, p < 0.001), across playing positions. After adjustment for age, BMI, club, competitive division, testing phase, and testing year, positional effects remained significant for V4L (p = 0.003) and HR4L (p = 0.007), but not for VMax (p = 0.077) or HRMax (p = 0.147). Submaximal treadmill-derived variables differentiated playing positions more consistently than maximal exercise variables, while remaining strongly associated with maximal treadmill performance. These findings highlight 4L-related heart rate and running speed variables as informative submaximal markers for the physiological characterization of professional soccer players.
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BibTeX
@article{sziva2026physiological,
title = {{Physiological characterization using standardized submaximal treadmill responses in professional male soccer players.}},
author = {Ágnes Sziva and János Pórszász and Zsuzsanna Kívés and Zsolt Szelid},
journal = {Frontiers in sports and active living},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fspor.2026.1979307},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952715},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physiological characterization using standardized submaximal treadmill responses in professional male soccer players.
AU - Ágnes Sziva
AU - János Pórszász
AU - Zsuzsanna Kívés
AU - Zsolt Szelid
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Frontiers in sports and active living
DO - 10.3389/fspor.2026.1979307
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42952715
AB - Submaximal treadmill variables are increasingly used in professional soccer, but their practical interpretation remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether standardized submaximal treadmill-derived variables provide a more informative characterization of positional differences than maximal exercise variables and to examine their associations with maximal exercise performance. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, professional adult male soccer players (n = 206), including midfielders, defenders, and forwards performed an incremental treadmill test until exhaustion, with enhanced speed-dosing above 4 mmol·L⁻1 blood lactate (4L). Absolute and relative heart rate (HR) and speed variables at 4L and exhaustion, together with their associations were analysed during this incremental treadmill test. Midfielders reached the highest 4L-related values, including speed (V4L: 15.6 ± 1.3 km/h, p < 0.005 vs others), HR (HR4L: 177.2 ± 9.0/min, p < 0.05 vs others), V4L as % of maximal speed (V 4L/Max ratio: 77.6 ± 4.9%, p < 0.005 vs. forwards), and HR4L as % of HR reserve (HR 4L/Res ratio: 87.1 ± 4.9%, p < 0.05 vs. others). Positional differences at maximal exercise were inconsistent. V4L correlated moderately with HR4L in all players (r = 0.364, p < 0.001), largely with HR 4L/Res ratio (r = 0.609, p < 0.001) and while HR 4L/Res ratio correlated very largely with V 4L/Max ratio (r = 0.795, p < 0.001), without positional differences. Between 4L and exhaustion, correlations were larger for HR, than for speed, being very large for HR in all (r = 0.739, p < 0.001), while large in forwards (r = 0.661, p < 0.001), and for speed large in all (r = 0.575, p < 0.001), across playing positions. After adjustment for age, BMI, club, competitive division, testing phase, and testing year, positional effects remained significant for V4L (p = 0.003) and HR4L (p = 0.007), but not for VMax (p = 0.077) or HRMax (p = 0.147). Submaximal treadmill-derived variables differentiated playing positions more consistently than maximal exercise variables, while remaining strongly associated with maximal treadmill performance. These findings highlight 4L-related heart rate and running speed variables as informative submaximal markers for the physiological characterization of professional soccer players.
SN - 2624-9367
ER -