Changes in physical fitness profile in female volleyball players during the competitive season.

Nine members of a female volleyball team served as experimental subjects in order to examine changes in a physical fitness profile during the competitive season consisting of a first season (I) for 10 weeks followed by season II for 11 weeks. The entire season was characterized by 4-5 weekly sessions for playing drills and competitive games and by 2-3 weekly sessions for physical conditioning mostly for strength and explosive strength training. The control group consisted of eight other female volleyball players who trained for physical conditioning during the competitive season 1-2 times per week. The present findings showed that the entire competitive season in experimental subjects led to no changes (from 47.3 +/- 1.7 to 48.1 +/- 3.4 ml x kg-1 x min-1) (n.s.) in VO2max but a significant (p < 0.05) decrease took place in average power in a 30 s anaerobic jumping test. Significant increases took place in the maximal vertical jumping heights in the squat (from 30.3 +/- 1.7 to 31.6 +/- 1.3 cm) (p < 0.05) and in the counter movement jump (from 32.8 +/- 1.6 to 34.3 +/- 1.3 cm) (p < 0.05) as well as in the spike and block jumps (p < 0.05) during competitive season I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)