Small-Sided Soccer Games with Larger Relative Areas Result in Higher Physical and Physiological Responses: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review

 Article (PDF) 
Authors
Gibson Moreira Praca, Mauro Heleno Chagas, Sarah da Gloria Teles Bredt, Andre Gustavo Pereira de Andrade
Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review the influence of the relative area on athletes’ physical and physiological responses (outcomes) during small-sided games of soccer which were not matched to the relative area. It also presents a meta-analysis comparing standard small-sided games protocols with different relative areas. We searched the Web of Science and Scopus electronic databases for literature published up to March 2020 following all PRISMA guidelines for selecting articles for a qualitative and quantitative synthesis. As a result, eleven articles matched the inclusion criteria. For the quantitative synthesis, a pooled random-effects model was used to make pairwise comparisons between protocols with larger or smaller areas in each selected study. Prediction intervals were used to assess the heterogeneity. We found positive effects of larger relative areas per player on their total distance (d = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.12–1.34; p = 0.006; medium to large effect), distance covered at high speed (d = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.22–1.65; p = 0.001; large effect), and mean heart rate (d = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.17–0.88; p = 0.008; medium effect). In other words, larger relative areas were found to induce higher physical and physiological responses in players. Future studies should consider the relative area per player when comparing data for different small-sided games configurations to avoid confounding variables. Also, coaches can use relative area per player calculations to easily predict increases and decreases in expected training loads for different versions of SSGs during training.
DOI
DOI: 10.2478/hukin-2022-0013
Citation
 APA 
Praça, G. M., Chagas, M. H., Bredt, S. D. G. T., Andrade, A. G. P. D. (2022). Small-Sided Soccer Games with Larger Relative Areas Result in Higher Physical and Physiological Responses: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review. Journal of Human Kinetics, 81, 163-176. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0013
 Harvard 
Praça, G. M., Chagas, M. H., Bredt, S. D. G. T., and Andrade, A. G. P. D. (2022). Small-Sided Soccer Games with Larger Relative Areas Result in Higher Physical and Physiological Responses: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review. Journal of Human Kinetics, 81, pp.163-176. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0013
 MLA 
Praça, Gibson et al. “Small-Sided Soccer Games with Larger Relative Areas Result in Higher Physical and Physiological Responses: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review.” Journal of Human Kinetics, vol. 81, 2022, pp. 163-176. doi:10.2478/hukin-2022-0013.
 Vancouver 
Praça GM, Chagas MH, Bredt SD G T, Andrade AG P D. Small-Sided Soccer Games with Larger Relative Areas Result in Higher Physical and Physiological Responses: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2022;81:163-176. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0013
Key words
small-sided games, relative area per player, physical response, physiological response

You may also like...