scholarly journals Monitoring What Matters: A Systematic Process for Selecting Training-Load Measures

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (s2) ◽  
pp. S2-101-S2-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Williams ◽  
Grant Trewartha ◽  
Matthew J. Cross ◽  
Simon P.T. Kemp ◽  
Keith A. Stokes

Purpose:Numerous derivative measures can be calculated from the simple session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE), a tool for monitoring training loads (eg, acute:chronic workload and cumulative loads). The challenge from a practitioner’s perspective is to decide which measures to calculate and monitor in athletes for injury-prevention purposes. The aim of the current study was to outline a systematic process of data reduction and variable selection for such training-load measures.Methods:Training loads were collected from 173 professional rugby union players during the 2013–14 English Premiership season, using the sRPE method, with injuries reported via an established surveillance system. Ten derivative measures of sRPE training load were identified from existing literature and subjected to principal-component analysis. A representative measure from each component was selected by identifying the variable that explained the largest amount of variance in injury risk from univariate generalized linear mixed-effects models.Results:Three principal components were extracted, explaining 57%, 24%, and 9% of the variance. The training-load measures that were highly loaded on component 1 represented measures of the cumulative load placed on players, component 2 was associated with measures of changes in load, and component 3 represented a measure of acute load. Four-week cumulative load, acute:chronic workload, and daily training load were selected as the representative measures for each component.Conclusions:The process outlined in the current study enables practitioners to monitor the most parsimonious set of variables while still retaining the variation and distinct aspects of “load” in the data.

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1175-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Weaving ◽  
Nicholas E. Dalton ◽  
Christopher Black ◽  
Joshua Darrall-Jones ◽  
Padraic J. Phibbs ◽  
...  

Purpose: To identify which combination metrics of external and internal training load (TL) capture similar or unique information for individual professional players during skills training in rugby union using principal-component (PC) analysis. Methods: TL data were collected from 21 male professional rugby union players across a competitive season. This included PlayerLoad™, total distance, and individualized high-speed distance (>61% maximal velocity; all external TL) obtained from a microtechnology device (OptimEye X4; Catapult Innovations, Melbourne, Australia) that was worn by each player and the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (internal TL). PC analysis was conducted on each individual to extract the underlying combinations of the 4 TL measures that best describe the total information (variance) provided by the measures. TL measures with PC loadings (PCL) above 0.7 were deemed to possess well-defined relationships with the extracted PC. Results: The findings show that from the 4 TL measures, the majority of an individual’s TL information (first PC: 55–70%) during skills training can be explained by session RPE (PCL: 0.72–0.95), total distance (PCL: 0.86–0.98), or PlayerLoad (PCL: 0.71–0.98). High-speed distance was the only variable to relate to the second PC (PCL: 0.72–1.00), which captured additional TL information (+19–28%). Conclusions: Findings suggest that practitioners could quantify the TL of rugby union skills training with one of PlayerLoad, total distance, or session RPE plus high-speed distance while limiting omitted information of the TL imposed during professional rugby union skills training.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 947-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luka Svilar ◽  
Julen Castellano ◽  
Igor Jukic ◽  
David Casamichana

Purpose: To study the structure of interrelationships among external-training-load measures and how these vary among different positions in elite basketball. Methods: Eight external variables of jumping (JUMP), acceleration (ACC), deceleration (DEC), and change of direction (COD) and 2 internal-load variables (rating of perceived exertion [RPE] and session RPE) were collected from 13 professional players with 300 session records. Three playing positions were considered: guards (n = 4), forwards (n = 4), and centers (n = 5). High and total external variables (hJUMP and tJUMP, hACC and tACC, hDEC and tDEC, and hCOD and tCOD) were used for the principal-component analysis. Extraction criteria were set at an eigenvalue of greater than 1. Varimax rotation mode was used to extract multiple principal components. Results: The analysis showed that all positions had 2 or 3 principal components (explaining almost all of the variance), but the configuration of each factor was different: tACC, tDEC, tCOD, and hJUMP for centers; hACC, tACC, tCOD, and hJUMP for guards; and tACC, hDEC, tDEC, hCOD, and tCOD for forwards are specifically demanded in training sessions, and therefore these variables must be prioritized in load monitoring. Furthermore, for all playing positions, RPE and session RPE have high correlation with the total amount of ACC, DEC, and COD. This would suggest that although players perform the same training tasks, the demands of each position can vary. Conclusion: A particular combination of external-load measures is required to describe the training load of each playing position, especially to better understand internal responses among players.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Padraic J Phibbs ◽  
Ben Jones ◽  
Gregory AB Roe ◽  
Dale B Read ◽  
Joshua Darrall-Jones ◽  
...  

Limited information is available regarding the training loads of adolescent rugby union players. One-hundred and seventy male players (age 16.1 ± 1.0 years) were recruited from 10 teams representing two age categories (under-16 and under-18) and three playing standards (school, club and academy). Global positioning systems, accelerometers, heart rate and session-rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) methods were used to quantify mean session training loads. Session demands differed between age categories and playing standards. Under-18 academy players were exposed to the highest session training loads in terms of s-RPE (236 ± 42 AU), total distance (4176 ± 433 m), high speed running (1270 ± 288 m) and PlayerLoad™ (424 ± 56 AU). Schools players had the lowest session training loads in both respective age categories. Training loads and intensities increased with age and playing standard. Individual monitoring of training load is key to enable coaches to maximise player development and minimise injury risk.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 735-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Weaving ◽  
Ben Jones ◽  
Phil Marshall ◽  
Kevin Till ◽  
Grant Abt

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the effect of training mode (conditioning and skills) on multivariate training load relationships in professional rugby league via principal component analysis. Four measures of training load (internal: heart rate exertion index, session rating of perceived exertion; external: PlayerLoad™, individualised high-speed distance) were collected from 23 professional male rugby league players over the course of one 12 wk preseason period. Training was categorised by mode (skills or conditioning) and then subjected to a principal component analysis. Extraction criteria were set at an eigenvalue of greater than 1. Modes that extracted more than 1 principal component were subject to a varimax rotation. Skills extracted 1 principal component, explaining 57% of the variance. Conditioning extracted 2 principal components (1st: internal; 2nd: external), explaining 85% of the variance. The presence of multiple training load dimensions (principal components) during conditioning training provides further evidence of the influence of training mode on the ability of individual measures of external or internal training load to capture training variance. Consequently, a combination of internal and external training-load measures is required during certain training modes.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Soares Oliveira ◽  
João Paulo Brito ◽  
Alexandre Martins ◽  
Bruno Mendes ◽  
Francisco Calvete ◽  
...  

Elite soccer teams that participate in European competitions often have a difficult schedule, involving weeks in which they play up to three matches, which leads to acute and transient subjective, biochemical, metabolic and physical disturbances in players over the subsequent hours and days. Inadequate time recovery between matches can expose players to the risk of training and competing whilst not fully recovered. Controlling the level of effort and fatigue of players to reach higher performances during the matches is therefore critical. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to provide the first report of seasonal internal and external training load (TL) that included Hooper Index (HI) scores in elite soccer players during an in-season period. Sixteen elite soccer players were sampled, using global position system, session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and HI scores during the daily training sessions throughout the 2015-2016 in-season period. Data were analysed across ten mesocycles (M: 1 to 10) and collected according to the number of days prior to a match. Total daily distance covered was higher at the start (M1 and M3) compared to the final mesocycle (M10) of the season. M1 (5589m) reached a greater distance than M5 (4473m) (ES = 9.33 [12.70, 5.95]) and M10 (4545m) (ES = 9.84 [13.39, 6.29]). M3 (5691m) reached a greater distance than M5 (ES = 9.07 [12.36, 5.78]), M7 (ES = 6.13 [8.48, 3.79]) and M10 (ES = 9.37 [12.76, 5.98]). High-speed running distance was greater in M1 (227m), than M5 (92m) (ES = 27.95 [37.68, 18.22]) and M10 (138m) (ES = 8.46 [11.55, 5.37]). Interestingly, the s-RPE response was higher in M1 (331au) in comparison to the last mesocycle (M10, 239au). HI showed minor variations across mesocycles and in days prior to the match. Every day prior to a match, all internal and external TL variables expressed significant lower values to other days prior to a match (p<0.01). In general, there were no differences between player positions. Conclusions: Our results reveal that despite the existence of some significant differences between mesocycles, there were minor changes across the in-season period for the internal and external TL variables used. Furthermore, it was observed that MD-1 presented a reduction of external TL (regardless of mesocycle) while internal TL variables did not have the same record during in-season match-day-minus.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Weaving ◽  
Phil Marshall ◽  
Keith Earle ◽  
Alan Nevill ◽  
Grant Abt

Purpose:This study investigated the effect of training mode on the relationships between measures of training load in professional rugby league players.Methods:Five measures of training load (internal: individualized training impulse, session rating of perceived exertion; external—body load, high-speed distance, total impacts) were collected from 17 professional male rugby league players over the course of two 12-wk preseason periods. Training was categorized by mode (small-sided games, conditioning, skills, speed, strongman, and wrestle) and subsequently subjected to a principal-component analysis. Extraction criteria were set at an eigenvalue of greater than 1. Modes that extracted more than 1 principal component were subjected to a varimax rotation.Results:Small-sided games and conditioning extracted 1 principal component, explaining 68% and 52% of the variance, respectively. Skills, wrestle, strongman, and speed extracted 2 principal components each explaining 68%, 71%, 72%, and 67% of the variance, respectively.Conclusions:In certain training modes the inclusion of both internal and external training-load measures explained a greater proportion of the variance than any 1 individual measure. This would suggest that in training modes where 2 principal components were identified, the use of only a single internal or external training-load measure could potentially lead to an underestimation of the training dose. Consequently, a combination of internal- and external-load measures is required during certain training modes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 175-182
Author(s):  
Valeriya G. Volkova ◽  
Amanda M. Black ◽  
Sarah J. Kenny

Training load has been identified as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury in sport, but little is known about the effects of training load in dance. The purpose of this study was to describe adolescent dancers' internal training load (ITL) and compare objective and subjective measures of ITL using heart rate (HR) training impulse methods and session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE), respectively. Fifteen female elite adolescent ballet dancers at a vocational dance school volunteered to participate in the study. Internal training load data using HR and sRPE were collected over 9 days of multiple technique classes at the midpoint of the dancers' training year. Heart rate data were quantified using Edwards' training impulse (ETRIMP) and Banister's training impulse (BTRIMP), and sRPE was estimated from the modified Borg 0 to 10 scale and class duration. Descriptive statistics (median [M], and interquartile range [IQR]) were determined in arbitrary units (AU), and were as follows for all classes combined: ETRIMP: M = 134 AU (IQR = 79 to 244 AU); BTRIMP: M = 67 AU (IQR = 38 to 109); sRPE: M = 407 AU (IQR = 287 to 836 AU). The association and agreement between objective and subjective ITL measures in ballet and pointe class was assessed using Spearman correlations (rs) and adjusted Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement (LOA), respectively, with alpha set at 0.05. A significant moderate positive correlation was found between ETRIMP and BTRIMP in pointe class (rρ = 0.8000, p = 0.0031). The mean difference (LOA) between ETRIMP and BTRIMP was 121 AU (33 to 210 AU) in ballet and 43 AU (-3 to 88 AU) in pointe. It is concluded that some, but not all, measures of ITL in elite adolescent ballet dancers are comparable. Additional research is needed to examine the utilization of ITL measures for evaluating dance-related injury risk, as well as the application of ITL to inform the development of effective injury prevention strategies for this high-risk population.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 819-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi R. Thornton ◽  
Jace A. Delaney ◽  
Grant M. Duthie ◽  
Ben J. Dascombe

Purpose:To investigate the ability of various internal and external training-load (TL) monitoring measures to predict injury incidence among positional groups in professional rugby league athletes.Methods:TL and injury data were collected across 3 seasons (2013–2015) from 25 players competing in National Rugby League competition. Daily TL data were included in the analysis, including session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE-TL), total distance (TD), high-speed-running distance (>5 m/s), and high-metabolic-power distance (HPD; >20 W/kg). Rolling sums were calculated, nontraining days were removed, and athletes’ corresponding injury status was marked as “available” or “unavailable.” Linear (generalized estimating equations) and nonlinear (random forest; RF) statistical methods were adopted.Results:Injury risk factors varied according to positional group. For adjustables, the TL variables associated most highly with injury were 7-d TD and 7-d HPD, whereas for hit-up forwards they were sRPE-TL ratio and 14-d TD. For outside backs, 21- and 28-d sRPE-TL were identified, and for wide-running forwards, sRPE-TL ratio. The individual RF models showed that the importance of the TL variables in injury incidence varied between athletes.Conclusions:Differences in risk factors were recognized between positional groups and individual athletes, likely due to varied physiological capacities and physical demands. Furthermore, these results suggest that robust machine-learning techniques can appropriately monitor injury risk in professional team-sport athletes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1182-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula B. Debien ◽  
Marcelly Mancini ◽  
Danilo R. Coimbra ◽  
Daniel G.S. de Freitas ◽  
Renato Miranda ◽  
...  

Purpose: To describe and analyze the distribution of internal training load (ITL), recovery, and physical performance of professional volleyball players throughout 1 season. Methods: Fifteen male professional Brazilian volleyball players participated in this study. The session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and Total Quality Recovery (TQR) score were collected daily for 36 wk. s-RPE was collected after each training session, and TQR, before the first session of the day. The sum of the ITL of each session during the week, training monotony, strain, acute∶chronic workload ratio, match difficulty score, and average of the TQR scores were recorded for the analysis. In addition, the athletes performed countermovement-jump (CMJ) tests with and without the use of the arms 4 times over the season. Results: The season mean weekly ITL was 3733 (1228) AU and the TQR was 15.02 (0.71). The ITL and recovery demonstrated undulating dynamics over the 36 wk, with higher weekly ITL in the preparatory periods (F = 50.32; P < .001) and worse recovery during the main competition (F = 6.47; P = .004). Negative correlations were found between TQR and ITL variables (P < .05). There was improvement and maintenance in CMJ tests without (F = 11.88; P < .001) and with (F = 16.02; P < .001) the use of the arms after the preparatory periods. Conclusions: The ITL variables, recovery, and physical performance changed significantly throughout a professional volleyball season. Despite the decrease in ITL during the main competitive period, the correct distribution of weekly ITL seems to be very important to guarantee the best recovery of athletes.


Author(s):  
Corrado Lupo ◽  
Alexandru Nicolae Ungureanu ◽  
Gennaro Boccia ◽  
Andrea Licciadi ◽  
Alberto Rainoldi ◽  
...  

Purpose: The present study aimed to verify if practicing tackles during rugby union training sessions would affect the players’ internal training load and acute strength loss. Method: A total of 9 male Italian Serie A rugby union players (age: 21 [2] y) were monitored by means of an integrated approach across 17 sessions, 6 with tackles (WT) and 11 with no tackles (NT). Edwards training load was quantified using heart-rate monitoring. Global positioning system devices were used to quantify the total distance and time at >20 W. Work-to-rest ratio was quantified by means of a video analysis. Before (PRE) and after (POST) the session, the players’ well-being and rating of perceived exertion were measured, respectively. The countermovement jump and plyometric push-up jump tests were performed on a force plate to record the players’ PRE–POST concentric peak force. Linear mixed models were applied to quantify the differences between WT and NT in terms of training load and PRE–POST force deltas, even controlling for other training factors. Results: The Edwards training load (estimated mean [EM]; standard error [SE]; WT: EM = 214, SE = 11.8; NT: EM = 194, SE = 11.1; P = .01) and session rating of perceived exertion (WT: EM = 379, SE = 21.9; NT: EM = 277, SE = 16.4; P < .001) were higher in WT than in NT. Conversely, no difference between the sessions emerged in the countermovement jump and plyometric push-up concentric peak force deltas. Conclusions: Although elite rugby union players’ external and internal training load can be influenced by practicing tackles, upper- and lower-limb strength seem to not be affected.


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