The relation between movement velocity and movement pattern in elite soccer

The aim of the study was to analyse the inter-individual differences concerning the velocities at which changes in movement pattern occurred. During the FIFA World Cup Final in 2006 20 players were observed. For every player the individual velocity boarders were obtained for the movement patterns walking, jogging, cruising and sprinting. Comparisons were done between common velocity boarders and the individualized thresholds. Significant differences (p < .001) were found for all three movement patterns. Therefore analysis based on generalized and fixed transition velocities should be reconsidered.