Demandas físicas de jugadores profesionales costarricenses de fútbol: Influencia de la posición de juego y nivel competitivo

Monitoring physical demands during soccer matches with GPS technologies provides valuable information that can be used to enhance sports performance. Therefore, this study aimed to know Costa Rican professional soccer players' physical demands and analyze the influence of the playing position and the competitive level during matches. Sixty male soccer players, 50 from the first division of Costa Rican soccer and 10 from an absolute national CONCACAF (SAC) team were monitored with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to quantify kinematic variables such as distance traveled (m), total and different intensities (Z 1-5), maximum speed (km/h), total impacts (g), accelerations (m / s) and decelerations (m/s). The game positions were categorized into defenses (Def), midfielders (Mid) and forward (For), and the competitive level in a) SAC, b) Elite level teams (ENE), and c) Sub-elite level teams (ENS). The results reflected significant differences regarding the competitive level in the distance traveled at different intensities Z1 (SAC >ENS >ENE), Z2 (ENE >SAC >ENS) and Z4 (ENE >SAC >ENS), in accelerations (SAC >ENE >ENS), and in decelerations (SAC >ENS >ENE). By game positions, the differences were in the total distance (Mid >Def >For), in the distance traveled in Z2 (Mid >Def >For) and Z3 (Mid >Def >For), as well as in total impacts (Mid >Def >For). It is concluded that the competitive level influences the physical demands. SAC registered more accelerations and decelerations, and ENE traveled a greater distance with moderate and intense efforts. There were differences between playing positions; midfielder traveled longer distances and recorded more impacts. O monitoramento das demandas físicas durante partidas de futebol com tecnologias GPS fornece informações valiosas que podem ser usadas para aprimorar o desempenho atlético. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer as demandas físicas dos jogadores de futebol profissional da Costa Rica, bem como analisar a influência da posição de jogo e do nível competitivo durante os jogos. Sessenta jogadores de futebol masculino, 50 da primeira divisão do futebol costarriquenho e 10 da seleção nacional absoluta da CONCACAF (SAC), foram monitorados com um Sistema de Posicionamento Global (GPS) para quantificar variáveis cinemáticas como distância percorrida (m), total já diferentes intensidades (Z 1-5), velocidade máxima (km / h), impactos totais (g), acelerações (m / s) e desacelerações (m / s). As posições de jogo fora