THE EFFECT OF CARBOHYDRATE INGESTION ON THE MOTOR SKILL PROFICIENCY OF SOCCER PLAYERS

This study examined the effects of ingesting a glucose-polymer (GP) so lution on the motor skill proficiencies of association football (socce r) players from two teams playing during two matches in a cool environ ment. Fifteen minutes before each match and at halftime, players from both teams ingested 5 ml/kg of either placebo or a 6.9% GP solution. G P ingestion did not improve tackling, heading, dribbling, or shooting ability. On the contrary, the mean of successful tackles was lower wit h GP ingestion than with placebo. The success rate for heading, dribbl ing, and shooting also tended to be lower in the GP than in the placeb o condition. In contrast success in passing and ball control was simil ar in the two conditions. Improvements in passing and ball control may have been related to a decrease in the intensity of play in the secon d half of the game. These data indicate that then are no measurable be nefits of GP ingestion for the motor skill proficiencies of soccer pla yers during games played in a cool environment.