PhD, Associate Professor R.R. Abzalov¹
Dr.Biol., Associate Professor N.I. Abzalov¹
Dr.Biol., Professor R.A. Abzalov¹
Dr.Biol., Professor Yu.S. Vanyushin²
Postgraduate I.R. Askhadullin^1
1Kazan (Volga region) Federal University, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan
²Kazan State Agrarian University, Kazan

Keywords: speed endurance, cardiac contractility, speed of movements, muscle training, efficiency, athlete, mental capacity.

Introduction. Football as a sport game is characterized by a significant number of speed-strength exercises. Over a period of two halves, a football player performs a large amount of sprint tasks requiring the high level of speed endurance. Any acceleration at the initial phase of play activity is performed by the athlete at full capacity. There is a gradual decrease in the acceleration rate and an onset of fatigue, which indicates a decrease in the indices of endurance to high-speed physical work [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11].

Mental activity of a football player is affected by the specific physiological and emotional conditions. The football player is to solve a number of tasks, depending on his game position, the implementation of which is very challenging for his brain. The signals received from the proprioceptors through the afferent fibers are analyzed in the cerebral cortex. Then, the efferent pathways give the command to the working organs and systems, which is followed by response development. Mental activity of football players is specific and needs to be studied separately. The cardiac contractility indices in football players differ from those in athletes engaged in other sports [1, 2, 5]. We do not observe any evident signs of bradycardia in football players, which is typical of athletes involved in endurance training sessions. The stroke volume indices in football players are high, but inferior to those in skiers, which is obviously associated with speed-strength muscular exercise. The final phase of competitive activity is characterized by the accumulation of oxygen debt, which is due to the fact that the work is performed under anaerobic conditions. This affects the performance of motor actions - lots of mistakes made by the athlete. Therefore, the analysis of the features of cardiac contractility, speed of movements and speed endurance, as well as mental activity of football players with different fitness levels is prospective, relevant, original, and requires a special study using modern methods and methodological tools, especially to characterize the properties of the locomotor system.

Objective of the research was to conduct an integrated study of speed endurance, cardiac contractility and mental capacity of football players with different fitness levels.

Materials and methods. The research involved pupils of the Youth Football School of the Republic of Tatarstan and students of the Department of Physical Education of Kazan Federal University. The subjects (96 young males and females) were divided into four groups: the first group was made of the third-class football players; the second one – of the first-class football players; the third one – of candidate for master of sports, the fourth one – of masters of sports. The reference group consisted of 10th-11th-graders of the comprehensive secondary school (46 boys and girls) - non-athletes. The cardiac contractility indices were recorded using the tetrapolar chest rheography [1]. Cardiac contractility was determined by the method of Kubicek (1974). This technique is reliable and provides the necessary conditions for long-term rheogram registration. The speed of movements and speed endurance were studied using the methodology we had developed by means of the device built specifically for this purpose, which determined the quantitative characteristics of arm movements at the maximum rate for 10 seconds. Speed ​​endurance was represented by the test-performance time at the proposed pace (75% of the maximum number of touches). The efficiency of speed endurance was assessed based on the ratio of the number of platform touches performed by the device at the set pace to the number of touches 75% of the maximum number for 10 seconds. The mental capacity indices were determined using V.Ya. Anfimov’s correction test.

Results and discussion. The indicators of the speed of movements in the third-class football players were higher by 8 touches in boys and by 9 touches in girls by contrast with non-athletes (p≤0.05). With the improvement of sport skills when stepping up the sports category, the speed of movements increased within the range of 6-7 touches. The highest indices of the movement speed were registered in masters of sports. Consequently, in terms of regular speed-strength training the enhancement of the speed of movements in football players continued, but its rate decreased with the sport skills stepped up.

The indicators of speed endurance were statistically higher in the first-class athletes than in the third-class football players: by 4.24 seconds in boys, by 4.04 seconds in girls. The difference between the speed endurance indicators in football players - candidates for master of sports and first-class athletes - equaled 2.65 seconds in boys and 2.36 seconds in girls. Since the range between the I and III Classes was wider than between the rest of the categories, the increase in speed endurance was steady at all the training phases. We detected the high level of speed endurance in masters of sports – 27.93±0.76 seconds. Consequently, speed endurance improved with the sport skills stepped up. Obviously, during muscle training football players - masters of sports manage not only to maintain the current speed of movements and speed endurance, but also to increase them in order to ensure better sport performance.

The coefficient of efficiency of speed endurance in masters of sports in football was the highest among other groups (3.02±0.16). In male candidates for master of sports this coefficient was lower by 0.64 compared to masters of sports.

Thus, we observed a correlation between speed endurance and the level of sport skills. The increase of the fitness level promoted an increase in the coefficient of efficiency of speed endurance.

Myocardial contractility provided the body with the essential cardiac output. Stroke volume at rest in non-athletes equaled 49.91±1.90 ml in boys and 44.29±1.80 ml in girls. By reaching the III Class, the stroke volume indices in football players increased by 4.8 ml in boys, and by 7.98 ml in girls. The highest indices of stroke volume were registered in male masters of sports – 90.17±1.58 ml. Cardiac output increased by 35.46 ml versus third-class football players. A more pronounced shift in stroke volume was detected in the range between the III and I Classes.

We detected the high indices of cardiac efficiency in football players, which were inferior only to those in skiers [1, 2, 5]. The stroke volume indices increased steadily with sport class stepped up. Therefore, high cardiac efficiency in football players testifies to myocardial contractility, though their resting heart rate was slightly higher than that in skiers, which is considered an inefficient heart function. Consequently, the speed-strength nature of muscle training does not result in the pronounced bradycardia of football players’ fitness.

The coefficient of mental capacity in football players increased with their fitness. The high coefficient of mental capacity was observed in football players – masters of sports and candidates for master of sports. The number of dropped letters in candidates for master of sports amounted to 19.37±0.60 letters versus 17.35±0.49 in masters of sports. Hence, football players - masters of sports perform the task faster and make fewer mistakes. Candidates for master of sports have more dropped letters, that is, the quality of their mental activity is less pronounced than that of masters of sports. The indicators of mental capacity in football players upon the completion of the test on the speed of movements are higher than before muscular exercise. Obviously, this is one of the reasons for the increase of the mental capacity level of football players, which is associated with the improvement of their fitness level as they step up their sport category. At the same time, mental speed does not always coincide with the quality of mental activity. Football players – candidates for master of sports demonstrate higher in quantity indicators of mental activity compared to masters of sports. The qualitative level of mental capacity in masters of sports is higher than in the group of candidates for master of sports. Mental speed helps take an immediate and ultimate decision on the football field, and, as a result, the quality of play activity considerably improves.

Conclusion. We developed the methodology for the study of speed, that is, the rate of execution of the test motor task and built a device for determining the quantitative characteristics of arm movements at the maximum rate for 10 seconds. The allotted time is considered to be sprint time, and we take it as a basis for characterizing the speed features. The speed indicators in football players increase with the improvement of their sport skills, which is due to the speed-strength training. When excelling the sport category, speed ​​endurance enhances more than speed itself. The efficiency of speed endurance in football players - masters of sports is the most significant among all the groups we examined (3.06±0.16). The stroke volume indices in football players are high and inferior only to those in skiers, but their heart rate is slightly higher than in skiers, which is caused by the high-speed nature of running exercise.

We established a definite connection between the speed movements and mental activity of football players. The high values of mental capacity were registered in masters of sports, somewhat lower - in candidates for master of sports. Football players - candidates for master of sports made more mistakes compared to masters of sports. The speed endurance indices in football players - masters of sports and candidates for master of sports correspond to the increased level of their mental activity. The obtained indices ​​of the speed of movements, speed endurance and features of mental activity of elite football players are essential in athletes’ play activity when they are to solve a great number of situational tasks. The efficiency of task performance improves the quality of motor activity. The integrated study of speed endurance, myocardial contractility and mental capacity of football players is not only of theoretical but also practical importance for the optimization of the training process and competitive activity.

References

1. Abzalov R.A. Razvivayushcheesya serdtse i dvigatel'ny rezhim (Developing heart and motor mode) / R.A. Abzalov, F.G. Sitdikov. – Kazan: Kazan state ped. un-ty pub. h-se, 1998. – 95 p.
2. Abzalov R.A. Teoriya i metodika fizicheskoy kul'tury i sporta: ucheb. posobie (Theory and methodology of physical culture and sports: study guide) / R.A. Abzalov, N.I. Abzalov. – Kazan: Vestfalika, 2013. – 202 p.
3. Abzalov N.I. Vzaimosvyaz' nasosnoy funktsii serdtsa i skorostnoy vynoslivosti u sportsmenov (Relationship of heart pumping function and speed endurance in athletes) / R.A. Abzalov, R.R. Abzalov, A.A. Gulyakov, S.A. Dubynin // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. – 2013. – № 2. – P. 31-34.
4. Bal'sevich V.K. Ontokineziologiya cheloveka (Human ontokineziology) / V.K. Bal'sevich. – Moscow: Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury, 2000. – 275 p.
5. Isaev A.P. Lokal'no-regional'naya myshechnaya vynoslivost' v sisteme podgotovki i adaptatsii begunov i lyzhnikov-gonshchikov v usloviyakh ravniny i srednegor'ya: monografiya (Local-regional muscular endurance in training and adaptation of runners and cross-country skiers in conditions of plains and mid altitude areas: monograph) / A.P. Isaev, V.V. Erlikh, V.B.Ezhov. – Chelyabinsk: South Ural State University Publishing Center, 2014. – 286 p.
6. Lubysheva L.I. Sotsiologiya fizicheskoy kul'tury i sporta: ucheb. posobie dlya stud. vyssh. ucheb. zavedeniy (Sociology of physical culture and sports: study guide for students of higher ed. institutions) / L.I. Lubysheva. – 3rd ed., rev. and sup. – Moscow: Akademiya, 2010. – 272 p.
7. Khuramshin I.G. Nasosnaya funktsiya serdtsa u sportsmenov pri vypolnenii fizicheskogo uprazhneniya dlya razvitiya bystroty (Heart pumping function in athletes during exercise to develop speed) / I.G. Khuramshin, R.A. Abzalov, N.I. Abzalov // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. – 2012. – № 6. – P. 49-52.
8. Yarullin R.H. Kachestvo dvigatel'noy deyatel'noy deyatel'nosti cheloveka (Quality of human motor activity) / R.H. Yarullin // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. – 1999. – № 8. – P. 20-21.
9. Aubert, A.E. Heart rate variability in athletes / A.E. Aubert, B. Seps, F. Beckers // Sports Med. – 2003. – Vol. 33, № 12. – P. 889-919.
10. Carter, J.B. Effect of endurance exercise on autonomic control of heart rate / J.B. Carter, E.W. Bainster, A.P. Plaber // Sports Medicine. – 2003. – Vol. 33. – P. 33-46.
11. Wilmore, J.H. Heart rate and blood pressure changes with endurance training: the HERITAGE Family Study / J.H. Wilmore, P.R. Stanforth, J. Gagnon, et al. // Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. – 2001. – Vol. 33, № 1. – P. 107-116.

Abstract. The analysis of speed endurance interrelated with cardiac contractility and mental activity is a topical issue of physiology. To study the speed of movements and speed endurance we developed a special technique and designed a device. Cardiac contractility was determined by the method of Kubicek (1974). Mental capacity was characterized using the Anfimov’s correction test. The cardiac output indices in football players are high, which is due to the features of motor activity peculiar to this kind of sport. Resting heart rate is slightly higher in football players compared to skiers, which is due to the speed-strength training. The speed of movements and speed endurance increase in football players as they improve their sport skills. We detected the high level of speed endurance in masters of sports. The speed endurance ratio in masters of sports in football is higher than that in candidates for master of sports. The efficiency of speed endurance increases with sport fitness level stepped up. Mental capacity in candidates for master of sports and masters of sports is higher than in the rest of the groups. The failure rate, in the form of dropped letters, is higher in candidates for master of sports than in masters of sports. Football players differ in the development of quantitative and qualitative indicators of mental activity.