ArticleJournal of exercise science and fitness2021
Game format alters the physiological and activity demands encountered during small-sided football games in recreational players.
Article in Journal of exercise science and fitness, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparing The Effects of Small-Sided and Medium-Sided Soccer Games on Physical Fitness Adaptations in Untrained Men: A Randomized Controlled Study.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2025Trial
- Comparative changes in cardiovascular measures following speed, agility, and quickness training and small-sided games in youth football players: a randomized trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Handball small-sided games and running-based high-intensity interval training similarly improve sprint, change-of-direction, and repeated-sprint performance in untrained young adults.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Normative Data for Physical Activity and Heart Rate Metrics of Recreational Football Among the General Male Population-The Football Cooperative Initiative.Journal of strength and conditioning research · 2026Article
- Can different small-sided game formats impact physiological, physical, technical, and tactical demands in basketball players? A systematic review with meta-analysis.Biology of sport · 2025Review
- Fixed pitch size small-sided games in young soccer players: effects of different age categories and competitive levels on the physical and physiological responses.Biology of sport · 2025Article
- Physical demands and movement characteristics of veterans football players.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Enhancing physical fitness using recreational soccer and basketball: A parallel-controlled 8-week study involving overweight and obese individuals, with consideration of sex-related interactions.Biology of sport · 2025Article
- The Influence of Including Goalkeepers on the Intensity Demands of Walking Football Practice.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- The effect of a 10-week TOCA Football System intervention program on sport-specific motor skills among junior footballers.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
- Warm-up optimization in amateur male soccer players: A comparison of small-sided games and traditional warm-up routines on physical fitness qualities.Biology of sport · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundConditioning in the form of football small-sided games (SSG) is being increasingly utilized as a health-promoting and performance-enhancing activity.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to quantify and compare the physiological responses and activity demands encountered during 3-a-side, 4-a-side, and 5-a-side football SSG in recreational players.
methodHeart rate, blood lactate (BLa), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and activity demands were measured across 2 × 20-min football sessions played on a 40 × 20-m pitch in 12 recreationally active college students. Data were collected over a period of two weeks using a repeated-measures crossover design.
resultsMean heart rate was higher (moderate) during 5-a-side than 4-a-side (p = 0.02) and 3-a-side SSG (p < 0.001). BLa tended to be higher (small) in 3-a-side compared to 4-a-side (p = 0.12) and 5-a-side SSG (p = 0.46). The total distance covered was lower (large) during 5-a-side than 4-a-side SSG (p = 0.02), while the total number of accelerations (p = 0.01) and decelerations (p = 0.02) were higher (large) during 5-a-side than 4-a-side SSG.
conclusionThese data suggest: 1) 5-a-side SSG require a greater intermittent workload and exacerbated HR responses; 2) 4-a-side SSG require more sustained activity (distance); and 3) 3-a-side SSG result in higher BLa compared to other SSG formats. The observed intermittent workload and exacerbated HR response in 5-a-side SSG were likely due to greater turnover rates with more frequent interceptions. Sustained activity in 4-a-side SSG might be underpinned by format-specific structures permitting optimal team work, while isolated guarding of players in 3-a-side SSG may have exacerbated BLa responses.
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