The Global Session Metric Score (GSMs): A Modified Session-Specific Exertional Index.

Hanna M Gardner,Laurie Wideman,Andrew W Scheck,Nathaniel T Berry,John R Cone

doi:10.3389/fspor.2021.692691

Abstract

Monitoring session training load to optimize the training stress that drives athlete adaptation and subsequent performance, is fundamental to periodization and programming. Analyzing the internal load experienced by the individual in response to the external load prescribed by coaching staff is crucial to avoid overtraining and optimize training adaptation. Subjective measures provide more information regarding individual training load, as heart rate measures alone do not account for collisions, eccentric muscle actions, muscle soreness, weather conditions, or accumulated training loads, which are paramount to the athlete experience. However, the current subjective metric for interpreting session training load (sRPE) is poorly shaped to the athlete's global response to the whole session, often showing poorer correlations to heart rate (HR) measures during intermittent or high-intensity activity. This study introduces a new metric, the Global Session Metric Score (GSMs), which creates a symmetrical relation between the verbal descriptor and numeric values, as well as more applicable session-specific verbal descriptors for the highest level of exertion. Twenty-four D1 male college soccer field players (age: 20.5 +/– 1.42) wore HR monitors and reported GSMs for all practices and games within an entire season. Linear regression with 10-fold cross validation was used to test the relation between GSMs with B-TRIMP and E-TRIMP, respectively. These models demonstrate good performance with consistency and reliability in the estimation of GSMs to predict both B-TRIMP (R2 = 0.75–0.77) and E-TRIMP (R2 = 0.76–0.78). The findings show promise for the GSMs index as a reliable means for measuring load in both training and matches during a high-intensity intermittent team sport. Future studies should directly compare GSMs to the existing sRPE scale within a controlled laboratory setting and across various other sports. GSMs provides coaches and clinicians a simple and cost-effective alternative to heart rate monitors, as well as a proficient measure of internal training load experienced by the individual.

Highlights

Monitoring training load to optimize the training dose that drives athlete adaptation and subsequent performance, is fundamental to periodization and programming (Fry et al, 1991; Impellizzeri et al, 2004; Halson, 2014; Gabbett, 2016)
Repeated measures correlations show a similar significant positive relation between Global Session Metric Score (GSMs) and B-training impulse” (TRIMP), and GSMs and E-TRIMP for the full, training only, and game only datasets (Table 1). These findings indicate good reliability in GSMs to predict B-TRIMP and E-TRIMP in both training and game play
The results from our analyses show the subjective scaling method of the session-specific experience to reliably align with the objective heart rate measures (e.g., B-TRIMP and E-TRIMP)

Summary

Introduction

Monitoring training load to optimize the training dose that drives athlete adaptation and subsequent performance, is fundamental to periodization and programming (Fry et al, 1991; Impellizzeri et al, 2004; Halson, 2014; Gabbett, 2016). Excessive training loads without adequate recovery, may lead to injury, illness, overtraining syndrome, and result in performance decrements (Fry et al, 1991; Smith, 2003; Coutts and Cormack, 2014; Halson, 2014; Saw et al, 2015), while insufficient training loads result in an athlete that is unprepared for competition and a commensurate increased risk of injury (Gabbett, 2016). J. et al, 2013; Halson, 2014; Gabbett, 2016)

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