INTRODUCTION: The present study investigated the fitness and health effects of medium-term soccer training for untrained hypertensive middle-aged men. METHODS: Thirty-three untrained males (31-54 y) with mild-to-moderate hypertension were randomised 2:1 to a soccer training group (STG, two 1-h sessions per week, n = 22, 68% on medication) and a doctor advice group receiving traditional physician-guided recommendations on cardiovascular risk factor modification (DAG, n = 11, 73% on medication). Two-way repeated-measurement ANOVA time-group statistics was applied. RESULTS: During soccer training, average heart rate was 155 +/- 2 bpm or 85 +/- 2% HRmax. In STG, systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased (p < 0.01) over 6 mo from 151 +/- 2 to 139 +/- 2 mmHg and 92 +/- 2 to 84 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively, with smaller (p < 0.05) decreases in DAG (153 +/- 2 to 145 +/- 2 mmHg and 96 +/- 2 to 93 +/- 2 mmHg). In STG, VO2max increased (p < 0.01) from 32.6 +/- 4.9 to 35.4 +/- 6.6 ml.min.kg and relative VO2 during cycling at 100W was lowered (p < 0.05) from 55 +/- 2 to 50 +/- 2% VO2max over 6 mo, with no changes in DAG. In STG, resting heart rate was lowered by 8 +/- 5 bpm (p < 0.05) and the augmentation index (a measure of arterial stiffness) was lowered (p < 0.05) by 7.3 +/- 3.1 over 6 mo, with no change in DAG. CONCLUSION: Six months of soccer training improved aerobic fitness, reduced blood pressure and resulted in an array of other favourable effects on cardiovascular risk profile for untrained middle-aged hypertensive men. Soccer training may, therefore, be a better non-pharmacological treatment for hypertensive men than traditional physician-guided advice.

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