Assessment of the external load of amateur soccer players during four consecutive training microcycles in relation to the external load during the official match

Javier Sanchez-Sanchez,Daniel Hernández,Mario Sanchez,David Casamichana,Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo,Fabio Y Nakamura,Alejandro Rodriguez-Fernandez,Victor Martin

doi:10.1590/s1980-65742019000010014

Javier Sanchez-Sanchez, Daniel Hernández + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1980-65742019000010014

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Abstract

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the external load of amateur male players during 4 consecutive training microcycles (M) at the beginning of the in-season according to the training session in absolute external load demands and in relation to the competition demands. Methods: Regional-level players (n = 10; age, 20.8 ± 1.7 years; height, 175.5 ± 3.8 cm; body mass, 69.7 ± 2.9 kg; soccer experience, 13.2 ± 2.5 years) were monitored using GPS devices during training sessions and matches. The external load variables measured were: duration (min); total distance covered (TD); distance covered at high-speed (HID, 14.4-19.8 km/h); distance covered at sprinting (SPD; >19.8 km/h); and distance covered in high intensity acceleration (ACD; >2.5 m/s2) and deceleration (DECD; <-2.5 m/s2). Results: The results indicated that the external load variables (time, HID, SPD, ACD, and DECD) were similar between the four microcycles. Greater (p<0.01) time, TD, HID and SPD were observed in match day (MD)-2 compared to MD+1, MD-3, and MD-1. Aside from training duration, all external loads variables (TD, HID, SPD, ACD, and DECD) were lower during training sessions compared to official matches (p<0.05). Conclusion: Amateur soccer players present relative stable external training loads across competitive microcycles, with the peak load observed two days before the official match. Besides this, the match constitutes the highest load during a typical competitive microcycle in this cohort of players.

Highlights

Soccer is a sport that demands high-intensity movements, such as sprints, acceleration, deceleration, and changes in direction[1]
Aside from training duration, all external loads variables (TD, HID, SPD, ACD, and DECD) were lower during training sessions compared to official matches
External load values during match day (MD)-2 were closer to the external load values observed during official matches when compared to the rest of the training sessions

Summary

Introduction

Soccer is a sport that demands high-intensity movements, such as sprints, acceleration, deceleration, and changes in direction[1]. The validity of heart rate is questionable during intermittent activities that involve a high anaerobic metabolic component[11] and RPE seems to be not sensitive to high-speed actions that are carried out during training and/or matches[12]. For this reason, soccer technical staffs tend to prefer external load measures in order to assess training and match demands, and the use of global positioning systems (GPS) has gained popularity as measuring tool[6]. The measurement of common movements in soccer such as changes of direction and short displacements at high-velocity should be performed with caution[13], especially when GPS units have a low sampling frequency (e.g., 1 Hz compared to 10 Hz)[14]

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