Inspiratory muscle training improves performance of a repeated sprints ability test in professional soccer players

• Published in: Journal of bodywork and movement therapies 2019-07, Vol.23 (3), p.452-455
• Main Authors: Cavalcante Silva, Rodrigo Luis, Hall, Elliott, Maior, Alex Souto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Inspiratory muscle training; Repeated sprint ability test; Soccer players
• ISSN: 1360-8592; 1532-9283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2019.01.016

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is an important method of attenuating both respiratory and peripheral effort perceptions, consequently improving neuromuscular performance and resulting in greater improvements in exercise capacity than exercise training alone. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of IMT on exercise tolerance, repeated sprint ability (RSA) performance, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and peak inspiratory flow (PIF) in a cohort of professional male soccer players. Twenty-two healthy male professional soccer players (18.3 ± 1.4 years; 174.5 ± 6.1 cm; 70.5 kg ± 4.6 kg; body fat 10.1 ± 4.2%) from a club in the Brazilian first division soccer league participated in this study. IMT consisted of 15 and 30 self-paced inspiratory breaths (each to 50% maximal static inspiratory pressure [P0]) in the 1-and 2-week intervention period, respectively. IMT was performed prior to soccer training (1 sets.d−1; 6 d.wk−1) with repeated sprint ability (RSA) assessed pre- and post- the 2-week period of IMT. Statistical analyses identified a significant (p