Th e aim of this study was to investigate the eff ect of biological maturation and body size on aerobic capacity using appropriate scaling procedures in 10-12-year-old soccer players divided into late, average and early maturing boys. Peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 peak) was expressed as absolute values, ratio standards, theoretical exponents and experimentally observed exponents. VO 2 peak was not directly proportional to body mass as the experimentally observed exponent for body mass

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... through linear regression analysis yielded to b=0.64 (R 2 =0.62; p<0.05). Th e 95% confi dence interval for the experimentally calculated body mass-related exponent (95% CI: 0.51 to 0.77) included the theoretical values of the exponents (b=0.67 and b=0.75). VO 2 peak expressed in l/min was diff erent (p<0.05) between groups with contrasting maturity status. When VO 2 peak values were adjusted for body mass (ml/min/kg), or when the eff ect of body mass was adjusted for using theoretical exponent scales (ml/kg 0.67 /min, ml/kg 0.75 /min) and experimentally observed exponent (ml/kg 0.64 /min), the VO 2 peak responses displayed relativeley constant values (p>0.05) throughout diff erent maturation groups. Linear regression analyses indicated that aft er adjusting for the eff ects of body mass using the theoretical exponent scales (ml/min/kg 0.67 ), biological maturation and body size had no eff ect on VO 2 peak values in young soccer players. In conclusion, the theoretical exponent scale for body mass (ml/kg 0.67 /min) control adequately for biological maturation and body size diff erences in VO 2 peak Interpretation of peak oxygen consumption in 10-12-year-old soccer players | 17 in 10-12-year-old soccer players. Th erefore, more mature soccer players with bett er body size values should not be preferentially selected for young soccer teams.