The purpose of this study was to examine the distance traveled, running speed, and heart rate of male collegiate soccer players during ball possession training of soccer with different area sizes.
Eight subjects performed the following four area sizes of ball possession soccer training for 4 min while the number of players per team was kept constant 4 vs. 4: 1) Small size (15×15, S size); 2) Medium size (18×18 m, M size): 3) Large size (21×21 m, L size); 4) Vertically long size (42×21 m, VL size). The movement characteristics of all players were examined during training by time-motion analysis using a potable global positioning system.
The total distance traveled, average running speed, and average heart rate during ball possession training showed significantly higher values in M, L, and VL size than in S size (P<0.01). And, the maximum heart rate during ball possession training in VL size was significantly higher than that in S size (P<0.05). Moreover, in the distance traveled by speed, the distance travel with 10–15 km/h showed significantly higher values in M, L, and VL size than in S size (P<0.01). And, the distance travel with 15–20 km/h in VL size was greater than that in S, M, and L size (P<0.05).
Thus, the result of this study suggests the ball possession training of higher exercise intensity in soccer can be done by enlarging the playing area size, and the training with higher speed can be performed by moving the place of possession of the ball.
