Affiliations: [a] Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey | [b] Division of Sport and Coaching, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey | [c] School of Physical Education and Sport, Bartin University, Bartin, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Ayse Kin-Isler, Exercise and Sport Sciences Department, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe University, Beytepe Kampusu, 06800 Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey. Tel.: +90 312 2976890; Fax: +90 312 2992167; E-mail: ayse.kinisler@hacettepe.edu.tr.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that there is considerable research in gender related differences in athletic performance, limited studies have been found related with the gender differences in repeated sprint ability (RSA). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gender related differences in RSA. METHODS: Forty team sport athletes participated in this study voluntarily and RSA was determined by a 5 × 6 s cycling RSA test with 24 s recovery. Participants’ peak power (PP), mean power (MP) and performance decrement (PD%) were determined as performance variables. Maximal blood lactate (La)max, heart rate (HR)max and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE)max were determined as physiological responses. RESULTS: Results indicated higher relative PP and MP for men (p< 0.05) while no significant gender differences was observed in PD% (p> 0.05). Men had higher Lamax (p< 0.05), while there were no gender differences in HRmax and RPEmax (p> 0.05). In addition, the highest values was observed in the first sprint for both relative PP and MP regardless of gender and men performed higher than women in each cycle repetitions. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion gender related differences were observed in RSA except for PD%, HRmax and RPEmax which indicated that men and women were not different in terms of fatigue resistance and experienced the same physiological strain during the RSA test.
