Effects of a pre-season interval training on maximal oxygen consumption and mean velocity in professional soccer players/Efeitos de treinamento intervalado pre-temporada sobre o consumo maximo de oxigenio e a velocidade media em jogadores de futebol profissional

During soccer game players can cover a distance of approximately 10 to 12 km, in a mean intensity proximal to anaerobic threshold. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of a pre-season complementary interval training of four weeks on V[O.sub.2max] and mean velocity in professional soccer players. 17 male players aged 23 [+ or -] 3.3 years old were selected. Before and after the intervention a 2400m test was performed for V[O.sub.2max] estimation. The interval training consisted of 4 running sets lasting 4 minutes at mean velocity obtained in the 2400m test, with active recovery of 3 minutes at 75% of the mean velocity. To verify the difference between the two moments, paired Student t test was done, with p