Identification of Physiological Factors Associated with the Manchester United Fitness Test in Female Collegiate Soccer Players

Background: The Manchester United (ManU) fitness test is a type of Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test that is often used to assess the cardiovascular fitness of soccer athletes. The purpose of this study was to identify physiological factors associated with the completion of the ManU fitness test. Methods: Twenty-one female soccer athletes from a Division II college participated in this study. Data collected during the ManU fitness test included: HRmax, HR during each stage, %HRmax at stage level, and estimated VO2max. Data was gathered using the FirstBeat Player Status Analysis (FPSA) software package. Blood lactate was taken after warm up and immediately concluding the ManU. Results: . Mean stages completed was 18.29 ± 3.15, with the lowest stage completion at 11 and the highest at 23. Team data indicated the team spent most of the time in an anaerobic state (83.66%) verses that of an aerobic state (16.34%). Conclusions: Although the ManU fitness test elicited acute physiological adaptations such as increased HR, it was not able to significantly differentiate cardiovascular fitness levels between athletes who were only able to complete 11 stages versus those who were able to complete 23 stages.