Relationship between brief and prolonged repeated sprint ability

J Sci Med Sport 12(1):6 (2009) PMID 18077213

Repeated sprint ability (RSA) is often assessed over a brief time period with limited recovery between sprints; however, it is not known how performance in such tests is related to the ability to perform repeated sprints over a more prolonged duration. Eighteen boys aged 15.3+/-0.5 years completed both a brief and prolonged RSA test on a non-motorised treadmill. The brief RSA test consisted of seven 5s sprints with 20s of recovery between sprints and the prolonged RSA test lasted for 42min and included a 5s sprint every 2min. There was a moderate but significant relationship between the mean speed in both tests (r=0.51, p=0.72, p=0.77, p0.05). Maximal speed in a single sprint and total work done during repeated sprints represent general qualities related to RSA that are independent of the test protocol. The mean speed and decrements in performance represent specific RSA qualities, which are dependent on the frequency of sprints and duration of the test protocol.