Abstract

Indoor football is a collective sport, of collaboration-opposition, with an energetic demand of a mixed intermittent type (aerobic-anaerobic), a general, high muscular, dynamic demand. It is identified by a type of split and intermittent exertion with incomplete pauses for recuperation both active and passive of various periods of time. The heart, owing to the characteristics of this sport, is probably the organ that is mots required during its practice, as it has to perform a great cardio-vascular work.  Indoor football is having a great social repercussion in our country (at the moment there are 1.500.000 players federated) but research on it is still non-existent or nearly so. We put forward a cardio-vascular study and analysis of the energetic needs produced in its regular practice.
In this study three teams took part a total of 33 players, 14 professionals and 19 non-professionals. We measured heart rate in approximately 150 matches. All participants performed a maximum exertion test (Course Navette) to determine the maximum real heart rate (FCMR), maximum consumption of oxygen and recovery capacity.
Among the conclusions that stand out are:
Indoor football has an anaerobic component that is very high, and requires a cardiovascular adaptation between 85/90% of the maximum individual heart rate.
The practice of indoor football requires an adequate VO2 maximum and a great recuperation capacity.
The indoor football player needs great anaerobic and alactic power and capacity and a rapid regeneration of phosphagens. He must be capable of good toleration to stand medium/high levels of lactic acids.