Physical and Physiological demands of elite and sub-elite Field Hockey players

The purpose of this study was to compare the physiological and the physical characteristics of elite and sub-elite Italian male field hockey players.Twenty-two players: twelve elite (age: 25.1 +/- 3.8 years, height: 1.74 +/- 5.2m, body mass: 70.3 +/- 2.6kg) and ten sub-elite (age: 22.2 +/- 4.0 years, height: 1.72 +/- 1.8m, body mass: 66.7 +/- 5.6kg) participated to the study. Six matches, three performed at international and three at national level were analyzed by the means of a GPS device and heart rate monitoring.The mean total distance covered by each player was 7062 +/- 1363m (elite) and 6186 +/- 1615m (sub-elite); the estimated mean total distance covered in 70 min was 8553 +/- 705m and 8067 +/- 1081m respectively. The acceleration (n=256 +/- 35 elite and n=231 +/- 51 sub-elite) and deceleration events (n=256 +/- 35 elite and n=233 +/- 51 sub-elite) were also computed. Mean heart rate was 84.5 +/- 3.7% and 85.77 +/- 2.8% of the maximal heart rate, in elite and sub-elite respectively. Blood lactate concentrations sampled at the end of the first half and at the end of the matches were collected and processed.No significant differences between elite and sub-elite Italian hockey players were found both in distance covered measured, even at different speed intensities, and in heart rates. Significant differences with Effect Sizes ranging from small to very large, were found in accelerations.