Indirect assessment of cardiovascular "demands" using telemetry on professional football players

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Abstract
Aerobic training is not a major component of the conditioning programs of professional football play ers. We used telemetric ECG monitoring to examine the cardiovascular "demands" of practice and game situations in six athletes who were selected to affect a variety of positions and aerobic capacities. Heart rates commonly considered high enough for an aero bic conditioning effect were rarely attained during practice sessions. Maximum oxygen consumption testing confirmed that professional football players do not receive a sufficient amount of aerobic conditioning during practice. Telemetrically monitored heart rate response is much greater in a game situation than that experienced during practice. Telemetry results sup port injury statistics by indicating that aerobic condi tioning should have a significant role in the training program of the professional football player.