AEROBIC AND CARDIAC PERFORMANCE OF ELITE WEIGHT LIFTERS AND SOCCER PLAYERS
Authors: Angelova Penka , Kanalev Kostadin , Boyadjiev Nikolay 
Published: March 2020

Endurance training sessions and maximal strength training are different in general. That makes training sessions and aerobic, and pulmonary performance completely different in weight lifters and soccer players. Weight lifting requires maximal power and concentration, while football requires endurance, combinability and speed. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is a basic method for evaluation of the functions of cardiovascular system in sportsmen, healthy people and in different diseases. Spiroergometry tests give additional information about the adaptation of the body to physical loadings, aerobic performance and oxygen pulse. Oxygen pulse estimates left ventricular stroke volume changes during exercise, and it is the ratio of VO2 extracted per heartbeat.The aim of the study was to investigate aerobic and cardiac performance, and the oxygen pulse of elite weight lifters and soccer players.Two groups of 12 weight lifters and 17 soccer players, men, members of elite sport teams, voluntary underwent spiroergometry test on system AT-104 (Schiller, Switzerland). There was no difference in the age between weight lifters (group WL, n=12, 19.33±1.67 years) and soccer players (group S, n=17, 20.47±1.66 years), (P>0.05). The body mass index of WL (26.4±1.47 kg/m2) and S (24.99±3.58) was also similar (P>0.05).Before the beginning of the tests we have obtained informed consent. The sportsmen denied diseases, usage of drugs and doping. Medical examinations were performed. The day before the test was without heavy physical activity. Veloergometer stepwise incremental protocol was applied.Physical working capacity, represented as peak loading was lower in group WL as compared with group S (120±13.43 vs. 160±14.62 W, P<0.0001). Maximal heart rate was higher in S as compared with WL (172.59±14.51 vs. 137.18±12.8 b.p.m., P<0.0001).Maximal level of the systolic blood pressure was higher in S as compared with WL (179.12±24.70 vs. 137.50±15.88 mmHg, P<0.0001).Maximal level of the diastolic blood pressure was higher in S as compared with WL (93.24±12.37 vs. 79.08±10.10 mmHg, P<0.0001).Not surprising aerobic performance was better in the group of the soccer players. Oxygen pulse at the level of the anaerobic threshold was higher in soccer players’ group as compared with WL (12.07±3.60 vs. 7.95±2.09, ml per beat, P=0.002), but maximal VO2pulse was similar for WL (15.15±5.40, ml per beat) and S (17.29±3.20, ml per beat), (P>0.05). There were no differences between the groups in the values of VO2pulse during the levels of loading from 30 to 120 The heart rate recovery after physical loading was determined in three grade scale (1-poor; 2-normal; 3-good) and there were no significant differences between the groups, WL (2.45±0.52), S (2.38±0.50), (P>0.05).Despite the differences in aerobic and cardiac performance between the weight lifters and soccer players there were no differences in the values of the peak VO2pulse. The values of the VO2pulse during the levels of physical loading from 30 to 120 W was similar in both groups. Further investigations are need to evaluate the importance of VO2pulse values as an index for determining the physical condition in different diseases, healthy people, and sportsmen.