LES MILLS GRIT soccer study
As a result of growth and increased interest in women’s soccer in the past 20 years, numerous scientific studies have been conducted with a focus on enhancing performance.
Background
Training status - defined as lean body mass and VO2max - is correlated to performance during games; specifically in terms of ground covered, time spent at high intensity, number of sprints, and number of touches on the ball. Improving an athlete’s training status is therefore a critical component of any soccer regimen.
The Question
Can LES MILLS GRIT™ classes (a form of high-intensity interval training involving explosive plyometric and dynamic strength exercises) improve VO2max and body composition in elite women’s soccer players?
Method
Eighteen NCAA Division I women soccer players replaced their eight hours per week of traditional training with a unique five-hour-per-week training intervention over a six-week period. The intervention comprised:
Group 1
• 2 x 60 minutes of soccer-specific cardio training
• 2 x 60 minutes of strength training (Les Mills BODYPUMP™)
• 2 x 30-minute LES MILLS GRIT series
Group 2
• 3 x 60 minutes of soccer-specific cardio training
• 2 x 60 minutes of strength training
At the beginning and end of the six-week intervention, lean mass was evaluated with a body composition test and VO2max was estimated from a 2.4 km run.
Results
Group 1 - whose training program included an hour in the 85 - 100% heart rate zone doing LES MILLS GRIT - experienced an increase in both lean body mass (average 2 kg gain) and a 10% increase in VO2max.
Conclusion
LES MILLS GRIT can be an effective protocol for soccer players - and the athletic community - and may maximize competition performance while minimizing training time.
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