The effect of high-speed interval training on the functional status of the cardiorespiratory system in football players

Aim. The paper aims to study the effect of high-speed interval training on the functional status of the cardiorespiratory system of football players. Materials and methods. The study was carried out in the preparatory (the beginning of the study) and pre-competition period (the end of the study) of the annual training cycle in compliance with the requirements for biomedical research. The experimental group consisted of 32 football players ages 17-21 (Candidates for Master of Sport, First category) who have been playing football for 5-8 years. The control group of athletes (n = 32) was similar to the experimental group in terms of age and skills characteristics. The functional status of the cardiorespiratory system was assessed by using the following tests: orthostatic test, clinostatic tests, Stange test, Gench test, Cooper test, and general fitness assessment. Results. The dynamics of indicators of the cardiorespiratory system in the control group ranged from 3 to 16% by the end of the study. In the experimental group, the dynamics of indicators was 12-20%. The results obtained indicate a wider range of adaptive mechanisms of the cardiorespiratory system in the experimental group. Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that the adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system in athletes increases in the pre-competition period. Running-based physical activity led to a further performance enhancement in the pre-competition period.