Abstract
The current investigation compared the metabolic power and energetic characteristics in team sports with respect to positional lines and halves of match-play. Global positioning system (GPS) technology data were collected from 22 elite competitive hurling matches over a 3-season period. A total of 250 complete match-files were recorded with players split into positional groups of full-back; half-back; midfield; half-forward; full-forward. Raw GPS data were exported into a customized spreadsheet that provided estimations of metabolic power and speed variables across match-play events (average metabolic power [Pmet], high metabolic load distance [HMLD], total distance, relative distance, high-speed distance, maximal speed, accelerations, and deceleration). Pmet, HMLD, total, relative and high-speed distance were 8.9 ± 1.6 W·kg-1, 1457 ± 349 m, 7506 ± 1364 m, 107 ± 20 m·min-1 and 1169 ± 260 m respectively. Half-backs, midfielders and half-forwards outperformed full-backs (Effect Size [ES] = 1.03, 1.22 and 2.07 respectively), and full-forwards in Pmet (Effect Size [ES] = 1.70, 2.07 and 1.28 respectively), and HMLD (full-backs: ES = -1.23, -1.37 and -0.84 respectively, and full-forwards: ES = -1.77, -2.00 and -1.38 respectively). Half-backs (ES = -0.60), midfielders (ES = -0.81), and half-forwards (ES = -0.74) experienced a second-half temporal decrement in HMLD. The current investigation demonstrates that metabolic power may increase our understanding of the match-play demands placed on elite hurling players. Coaches may utilize these findings to construct training drills that replicate match-play demands.
Highlights
The main results showed that there were positional differences for all the metabolic power variables (Pmet, minimal power, low power, intermediate power, moderate power, high power distance, and HMLD) except for the distance covered in the elevated power distance zone
All metabolic power variables decreased in the second half except minimal power distance [1,2,3]
This paper focused on metabolic power metrics, the equivalent distance and estimated energy expenditure variables derived from global positioning system (GPS) were not included here as these variables were shown to underestimate energy expenditure compared to a direct evaluation during exercise bouts and recovery phases [17]
Summary
Research in team sport has provided valuable information about the movement demands of elite players during match-play describing the different locomotion intensities ranging from. Global positioning system (GPS) technology has been used to quantify the positional profile and temporal changes during match-play [2,4,5,6]. These studies have focused on presenting distances covered using fixed absolute speed-based thresholds (e.g. high-speed running: 17 km h-1) allowing for an estimation of the match-play demands [1,7,8,9]. Accelerating, even at low-speed, is demanding per se [12]
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