engleski

Functional capacity parameters of female tennis players aged 12 to 14

The aim of this study was to determine the normative values for physiological variables of female tennis players aged 12 to 14. The subjects, 32 female tennis players, underwent a progressive treadmill running test to volitional exhaustion, with breath-by-breath measurement of expired gasses, ventilation and heart rate. From test data, the gas exchange anaerobic threshold (vAT), maximal running speed (vmax) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were determined, as measures of aerobic fitness, and the distance run from vAT to VO2max (dan), as a measure of anaerobic capacity. The values were calculated separately for the entry (12-13 years) and for the exit (13-14 years) age category. The older age group of players achieved a significantly higher running speed at the vAT (11.6± ; 1.3 : 10.5± ; 1.1 km/h, p<0.05), as well as at exhaustion (14.5± ; 1.1 : 13.3± ; 1.2 km/h, p<0.05), when compared to the younger girls. The higher values of vAT and vmax, despite identical VO2max (50.3± ; 5.2 mlO2/min/kg) and VO2 at vAT ( 86% VO2max), indicate a significantly better running efficiency in older girls. The dan was also higher in the older age group (651± ; 177m : 579± ; 168m), although the difference did not reach statistical significance (p>0.05). The presented tables with centile values for the measured variables will help the young athletes and their coaches in the process of selection for the sport, and in the process of planning and control of optimal training strategies.

tennis ; aerobic capacity ; anaerobic capacity ; growth

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