Maximum oxygen uptake, anaerobic power and neuromuscular performance characteristics in bandy players of two different competitive levels.

Ten elite and eight other bandy players served as subjects in order to examine which characteristics in physical performance capacity might differentiate these two groups of bandy players representing a greatly different competitive level. The value of 60.0 +/- 4.8 ml.kg-1.min-1 for VO2max in the elite group was significantly (p less than 0.05) greater than that of 54.7 +/- 4.0 ml.kg-1.min-1 recorded for the control group. The elite players demonstrated, on average, greater values than the control group for the average anaerobic power output calculated during a 60 s maximal work period. The differences between the groups were significant (p less than 0.05) in the average power produced during the second (15-30 s) and third (30-45 s) work periods of the total 60 s period. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in maximal isometric force and in the shapes of the average force-time and relaxation-time curves of the leg extensor muscles. In the total subject sample the individual values for VO2max had the highest correlation (p less than 0.01) with the individual playing ability in bandy. The present findings demonstrated that elite bandy players were differentiated from those players of a lower competitive level especially with regard to maximum oxygen uptake and also to maximal anaerobic power, while only minor differences were observed between the groups in various neuromuscular performance characteristics. The differences observed might be explainable both by the training background of the athletes and by the competitive physiological requirements of this sports event.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)