The Copenhagen Soccer Test: Physiological Response and Fatigue Development

BENDIKSEN, M., R. BISCHOFF, M. B. RANDERS, M. MOHR, I. ROLLO, C. SUETTA, J. BANGSBO, and P. KRUSTRUP. The Copenhagen Soccer Test: Physiological Response and Fatigue Development. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 44, No. 8, pp. 1595-1603, 2012. Introduction: The aims of the study were 1) to evaluate whether a multifaceted simulated soccer game protocol, entitled the Copenhagen Soccer Test (CST), elicited a similar physiological loading as a competitive game (CG) and 2) to determine muscle metabolites, blood variables, and sprint performance in various phases of CST. Methods: Twelve Danish Second- and Third-Division soccer players participated in the study. On separate days, HR measurements, frequent blood sampling, and physical/technical tests were performed during 60- and 90-min versions of the CST during which repeated musculus vastus lateralis biopsies were collected. A CG was also played, where HR was recorded and pre- and post-game muscle biopsies and blood samples were collected. Results: No differences were observed between CST and CG in average HR (85% +/- 1% and 86% +/- 1% HRmax, P > 0.05) or recovery plasma creatine kinase (24 h: 312 +/- 57 and 324 +/- 76 (UL-1)-L-., P > 0.05). Muscle glycogen decreased (P < 0.05) from 459 +/- 15 to 232 +/- 30 mmol(.)kg(-1) dry weight (d.w.) during CST, which was not different from CG (P > 0.05). The rate of glycogen utilization was 4 +/- 1 mmol(.)kg(-1) d.w.(.)min(-1) during the warm-up and the first 15 min of CST and 1 +/- 1 mmol(.)kg(-1) d.w.(.)min(-1) (P < 0.05) from 60 to 90 min of CST. After 15 min of CST, muscle lactate was elevated (P < 0.05) approximately fivefold (24 +/- 3 mmol(.)kg(-1) d.w.), and creatine phosphate was lowered (P < 0.05) by similar to 60% (28 +/- 4 mmol(.)kg(-1) d.w.). Sprint velocity (2 x 20 m) decreased (P < 0.05) by 7% during CST (5.2 +/- 0.6 to 4.9 +/- 0.7 m(.)s(-1)). Conclusions: The physiological response to the CST was reproducible and comparable to that of high-level CG. The CST allowed for rapid muscle sampling and revealed high creatine phosphate degradation throughout the test and a lowered glycogen utilization toward the end of the simulated game.