Six-Week Pilot Evaluation of the Match-Fit® Fitness Trainer in Women Soccer Players

Overview and Purpose

A six-week pilot study was conducted to examine the effects of the Match-Fit® fitness trainer on aerobic fitness in women soccer players, compared with a traditional conditioning approach and a non-training control condition. The primary objective was to evaluate whether a time-efficient, soccer-specific training session combining aerobic and anaerobic running within a single 30-minute workout could produce comparable improvements in fitness to a longer, more traditional conditioning protocol.

Participants

Thirty women soccer players between the ages of 19 and 24 participated in the pilot. All participants were recreationally or competitively active soccer players and were assigned to one of three groups (n = 10 per group):

• Group 1 (Match-Fit® Group): Completed 30-minute training sessions using the Match-Fit® fitness trainer three days per week.

• Group 2 (Traditional Conditioning Group): Completed a combined workout consisting of 30 minutes of steady-state cardiovascular exercise followed by 15 minutes of sprint-based training, three days per week.

• Group 3 (Control Group): Did not participate in any structured fitness training during the six-week period.

Training Protocols

The Match-Fit® training sessions were designed to integrate aerobic and anaerobic demands within a single workout, reflecting the intermittent, stop-start nature of soccer match play. Sessions emphasized repeated changes in pace, direction, and intensity.

The traditional conditioning protocol consisted of continuous cardiovascular exercise (e.g., running or cycling) followed by short, high-intensity sprint efforts performed separately within the same session.

Fitness Assessment

Aerobic fitness was assessed using the 20-meter shuttle run test (bleep test). All participants completed the test immediately prior to the six-week training period (pre-test) and again at the conclusion of the intervention (post-test). Performance was recorded as the highest level completed.

Results

Analysis of pre-test data revealed no significant differences in bleep test performance between the three groups at baseline, indicating comparable initial fitness levels.

Following the six-week intervention, clear group differences emerged:

• Both training groups demonstrated significant improvements in bleep test performance compared to the control group.

• Participants in Group 1 (Match-Fit®) and Group 2 (traditional conditioning) improved by approximately 1–3 bleep test levels, while the control group showed no meaningful change.

• There was no statistically significant difference between the Match-Fit® group and the traditional conditioning group.

• However, the Match-Fit® group demonstrated a small but consistent advantage, scoring approximately 0.5–1 level higher on the post-test compared to the traditional conditioning group.

Interpretation

The findings of this pilot study reinforce a well-established principle in sport science: structured fitness training improves aerobic performance, as measured by the bleep test. This outcome, while expected, serves as an important validation benchmark for any new training approach.

More notably, the results suggest that a 30-minute Match-Fit® session was as effective as a 45-minute traditional cardio and sprint training session in improving shuttle run performance. Despite requiring less total training time, Match-Fit® produced equivalent improvements and, in some cases, marginally greater gains.

These findings indicate that integrating aerobic and anaerobic stimuli within a single, soccer-specific workout may provide an efficient alternative to longer, segmented conditioning routines.

Key Takeaways

• Fitness training significantly improves bleep test performance in women soccer players.

• A 30-minute Match-Fit® workout produced improvements comparable to a 45-minute traditional conditioning session.

• Match-Fit® demonstrated slightly higher post-test scores than traditional cardio and sprint training, despite reduced training time.

• Time-efficient, soccer-specific conditioning may offer practical advantages without compromising fitness outcomes.

Conclusion

While larger-scale studies are needed to confirm and extend these findings, this six-week pilot provides promising preliminary evidence that Match-Fit® is an effective and efficient fitness training solution for soccer players. By matching the physiological demands of the sport within a streamlined session, Match-Fit® may help athletes and teams maximize fitness gains while minimizing time commitment.