Role of Aerobic Training in the Respiratory Functioning of University Football Players

Abstract

Football is an intense, intermittent sport placing significant demands on the cardiorespiratory system. This study examined the effects of an eight-week aerobic training program on respiratory functioning and body composition in university football players using a pre-post intervention design with a parallel observational control group. Forty male football players from the Bahawalnagar sub-campus of Islamia University Bahawalpur participated; 20 underwent the aerobic training intervention (experimental group), and 20 continued their regular football practice (observational control group). Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) were assessed using a SP-100 digital spirometer; body mass index (BMI) and body weight were recorded as body composition indices. Data normality was confirmed via the Shapiro-Wilk test before applying paired-sample t-tests (α = .05) to compare pre- and post-intervention measurements across the combined sample. Results showed significant improvements: IRV increased from 2240.00 ± 30.88 mL to 2277.50 ± 47.60 mL (t(39) = −5.674, p < .001; Cohen's d = 0.94); ERV increased from 932.88 ± 22.81 mL to 955.88 ± 25.84 mL (t(39) = −6.064, p < .001; Cohen's d = 0.94); body weight decreased from 61.73 ± 2.03 kg to 61.11 ± 2.25 kg (t(39) = 4.312, p < .001; Cohen's d = 0.29); and BMI declined from 22.34 ± 1.57 kg/m² to 22.04 ± 1.61 kg/m² (t(39) = 2.428, p = .020; Cohen's d = 0.19). The observational control group remained stable across all outcome variables during the same period, providing contextual support for attributing the observed pre-to-post changes to the aerobic training protocol. An eight-week structured aerobic training program was associated with significant improvements in pulmonary function and body composition in university football players. These findings suggest that incorporating aerobic conditioning into university football training programs may benefit cardiorespiratory functioning and sports performance.