Match analysis and heart rate of futsal players during competition

TLDR

Heart rates and time‑motion were recorded for 10 futsal players (mean age 25.6 yr) during four matches, with movements classified into standing, walking, jogging, medium‑intensity running, high‑intensity running, and sprinting. Players averaged 90 % of maximum heart rate, spent 83 % of time above 85 % HR, and covered 117.3 m/min, with 28.5 % at medium‑intensity, 13.7 % at high‑intensity, and 8.9 % sprinting, indicating futsal is a multiple‑sprint sport with more high‑intensity phases than soccer.

Abstract

Abstract Heart rates were monitored and time – motion analysis performed for 10 players (mean age 25.6 years, s = 2.5; body mass 73.8 kg, s = 5.7 kg; height 1.75 m, s = 0.06) during four competitive futsal matches. Mean heart rate during the match was 90% (s = 2) of maximum heart rate. Heart rate records were classified based on the percentage of time spent in three zones (>85%, 85 – 65%, and <65% maximum heart rate); players spent 83%, 16%, and 0.3% in these three zones, respectively. During the second period, there was a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in the percentage of time spent at an intensity above 85% of maximum heart rate (first vs. second period: 86% vs. 79%). Players' movements were classified as standing, walking, jogging, medium-intensity running, high-intensity running, and sprinting (maximal speed running). Time – motion analysis indicated that the mean distance covered per minute of play was 117.3 m (s = 11.6), of which 28.5% (s = 2.2) was covered while performing medium-intensity running, 13.7% (s = 2) during high-intensity running, and 8.9% (s = 3.4) while sprinting. From the results, we conclude that futsal is a multiple-sprints sport in which there are more high-intensity phases than in soccer and other intermittent sports.