Submaximal running testing to monitor training responses in elite Australian rules football players

Abstract

Monitoring training load and training responses in professional football continues to inform athlete management, injury prevention and player welfare. Maximising fitness and minimizing fatigue are finely balanced and differ within phases of the periodised year. It is possible that submaximal exercise tests are more useful than maximal exercise testing to regularly monitor individual training responses in a team environment. The overarching aim of this thesis was to demonstrate the effectiveness of using heart rate measured during a novel submaximal intermittent running test to monitor training responses throughout a season in elite Australian rules football players. The thesis comprised systematic and narrative reviews of the literature, focussing on advances in athlete monitoring within professional football codes. Findings informed the next three studies of original research.