Locomotor activities of professional futsal players during competitions

Abstract

This study aimed to established the quantitative characteristics for the types of movements that are used by professional futsal players but with different positional roles during competitive activities. This goal was achieved using the following methods: video recording, chronometry and by measuring the length of the step. The required data were acquired from the playback of the game videos of professional teams that participated in the study. In addition, we accounted for the pedometer information, performance of each player from these teams, and the data on the length of the step in all components of locomotor activities that were studied. Quantitative values of the main components of locomotor activities (walking, jogging, running, and sprinting) of the studied players from professional teams were established during the competitive period of 16 games. During the futsal game, the longest distance is covered by pivots, and a much shorter distance is covered by defenders. However, this distance is longer than that of goalkeepers. In the structure of pivots' locomotor activity, jogging is the dominant movement; for defenders – running is dominant; for goalkeepers – walking is dominant. During the game, pivots use jogging and sprinting more often than defenders, and defenders use walking and running more often than forwards. According to the study results, the shortcomings in locomotor activities of each player from the professional teams that participated in the study were determined in addition to possible areas of improvement. Coaches can benefit from these results to understand how players with different roles organize themselves during official matches. This will help develop training programs that will increase the effectiveness of technical and tactical training by taking into account the peculiarities of locomotor activities of futsal players.