Seasonal Training Load Monitoring Among Elite Level Soccer Players: Perceived Exertion and Creatine Kinase Variations Between Microcycles.

The primary aim of the investigation was to determine the daily load variations between the microcycles of an entire season of an elite group of professional soccer players. The second aim of this study was to determine the relationships between Foster's rating of perceived exertion (RPE), the Hooper index (HI) and CK levels over the weekly microcycles of the season. Thirty-five male professional soccer players participated in this study (3 goalkeepers, 6 wide defenders, 4 central defenders, 9 midfielders, 8 wide midfielders and 4 forwards) (25.7 ± 5.0 years, 182.3 ± 6.4 cm; 79.1 ± 7.0 kg). Significant differences between months in the variables of HI (p = 0.001; ES = 0.052), minT (p = 0.001; ES = 0.066), IL (p = 0.001; ES = 0.052, minimum effect) and CK (p = 0.002; ES = 0.031) were found. Comparison of the HI (p = 0.044; ES = 0.002), minT (p = 0.001; ES = 0.045), and IL (p = 0.001; ES = 0.045) revealed significant differences between microcycles. No significant differences were found in CK (p = 0.710; ES = 0.001) across the period. A significantly higher internal training load and fatigue perception in microcycles with only one official match was found. The greater load occurred 3 to 4 days before the game. In addition, it can be concluded that the first quarter of the season seemed to induce a greater physical demand on elite professional players.

Perceived Training Load, Muscle Soreness, Stress, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality in Professional Basketball: A Full Season Study.

This study aimed to compare the perceived training load (session-RPE) and wellness status (muscle soreness, stress, fatigue, and sleep quality) within and between regular (one-match) and congested (two matches) weeks. Fifteen professional basketball players from a European First league club participated in this study. Wellness status (Hooper's questionnaire) and perceived training loads (session-RPE) were measured for each training session and matches over a full season. Regular weeks presented moderately greater session-RPE than congested weeks (p = 0.201; d = 2.15, moderate effect). Both regular and congested weeks presented a decrease in perceived training load before matches, which was accompanied by improved wellness status on a match day. Congested weeks presented moderately lower sleep quality (p = 0.421; d = 1.320, moderate effect) and moderately greater fatigue (p = 0.468; d = 1.401, moderate effect) than regular weeks. Regular and congested weeks presented minimum differences for DOMS and stress. Lower wellness in congested weeks may be associated to an accumulative effect of training and match loads. Tapering phases before matches seem to play an important role for improving athletes' wellness and preventing overtraining.

Variations of perceived load and well-being between normal and congested weeks in elite case study handball team.

The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to analyze the variations in internal load and well-being in professional handball players between normal and congested weeks and (ii) to analyze the variations between training days within weeks. Twenty male players (26.5 ± 4.9 yo) were monitored during a full season. MD-1 (match day -1) revealed larger decreases in muscle soreness (-17.3%, [-26.6;-6.9]) and fatigue (-16.6%, [-24.8;-7.4]) in congested weeks. Regarding MD-2, larger decreases in DOMS (-19.9%, [-30.5;-7.6]), fatigue (-19.7%, [-30.0;-7.9] and the Hooper index (-16.7%, [-25.6;-6.7]) were found in congested weeks. The results of this study reveal that larger variations between normal and congested weeks occurred in MD-2 and MD-3, with greater values of load and lower levels of well-being occurring in normal weeks. Within-weeks changes revealed greater loads occurring on MD-3 and MD-2 in comparison to MD-1; in the opposite way, greater values of muscle soreness and fatigue occurred on MD-1.

In-season training load quantification of one-, two- and three-game week schedules in a top European professional soccer team.

Top European soccer teams that play in UEFA competitions often participate in one, two- or three-games per week. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure optimal match-day performance and full recovery. The aim of this study was to quantify internal and external training load (TL) within five microcycles: M1 and M2 - one-game weeks; M3 and M4 - two-game weeks; M5 - three-game week). Thirteen elite soccer players participated in this study. A global positioning system (GPS) was used to measure the total distance covered and distances of different exercise training zones (1-5), the session ratings of perceived exertion (s-RPE) scores and the amount of creatine kinase (CK) created during daily training sessions for the 2015-2016 in-season period. The data were analysed with respect to the number of days prior to a given match. The main results indicate that there was a significant difference in training intensity for zone 1 between M2 and M4 (4010.2 ±â€¯103.5 and 4507.6 ±â€¯133.0 m, respectively); a significant difference in training intensity for zone 3 between M1 and M5 (686.1 ±â€¯42.8 and 801.2 ±â€¯61.2 m, respectively); a significant difference in the duration of the training sessions and matches between M2 and M5 (69.2 ±â€¯2.1 and 79.6 ±â€¯2.3) and M3 and M5 (69.7 ±â€¯1.0 and 79.6 ±â€¯2.3); and finally, there was a significant difference in CK between M3 and M2 (325.5 ±â€¯155.0 and 194.4 ±â€¯48.9). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in TL in the last day prior to a match, for all microcycles and all variables. There was no significant difference with respect to s-RPE. This study provides the first report of daily external and internal TLs and weekly accumulated load (training sessions and match demands) during one, two, and three-game week schedules in a group of elite soccer players. Expected significant differences are found in daily and accumulated loads for within- and between-game schedules. A similar pattern is exhibited for one- and two-game week microcycles regarding the day before the match, which exhibits a decrease in all variables. Despite the different number of games played per week, TL remain similar between microcycles for zone 2 and 5, plus s-RPE.

Seasonal player wellness and its longitudinal association with internal training load: study in elite volleyball.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring training load is critical to minimize the risk of overreaching, injury or illness. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships and variance between perceived internal load and wellness status of elite male volleyball. METHODS: Thirteen elite volleyball players were studied during a full competitive season (nine months, 237 training sessions and 37 official matches). Perceived exertion, muscle soreness, stress, fatigue and sleep quality levels were daily measured using session RPE and the Hopper Questionnaire. RESULTS: Moderate-to-large correlations were found between weekly training load and perceived status of muscle soreness, fatigue and stress. Stronger correlations were found between weekly training loads than daily training load. Significant greater stress levels in match days than in training were found. No correlations between load and wellness were not found in the last month when players perceived higher levels of stress due to the competition. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of the weekly training load had a higher relationship with players' wellness status in preseason and middle of the season. In the last part of the season (final matches for the title), despite of a decrease in perceived load of last month of the season, there was an increase stress and fatigue levels. These results suggest the importance of including the impact on the competition when elite athletes are monitored. The results show the monitoring tools used may help in to characterize the training process of teams and the player's acute and chronic responses.

Daily and weekly training load and wellness status in preparatory, regular and congested weeks: a season-long study in elite volleyball players.

The study aimed to assess the changes in the perceived internal load and wellness status of volleyball players in preparatory, regular (i.e. uncongested), and congested weeks during a full season. Thirteen elite volleyball players were studied (237 training sessions and 37 official matches). Session-RPE, muscle soreness, stress, fatigue, sleep quality, and the Hooper Index were measured daily using questionnaires. Training sessions were classified based on the number of matches per week and the days before or after a match: preparatory (no match), regular (one match), and congested weeks (two or more matches). Pairwise comparisons found significantly greater session-RPE scores (p < 0.05) one day before the match (304.74 A.U.), in regular weeks than in congested weeks (204.40 A.U.). Matches during the congested weeks (364.71 A.U.) had significantly higher session-RPE scores (p < 0.05) than regular weeks (252.97 A.U.). Three days before the match involved significantly higher values of muscle soreness, fatigue, stress, and sleep quality than regular weeks. Match accumulation increased the session-RPE training load of the matches. This study provides insights into the training load and well-being status before competition, for training the day of competition, and after the competition.

Internal training load and its longitudinal relationship with seasonal player wellness in elite professional soccer.

Monitoring internal training load has been extensively used and described within team sport environments, however when compared to internal physiological measures such as heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), the literature is sparse. The primary aim of this investigation study was to assess differences of playing position on ITL, session-RPE and wellness across two different training microcycles (1 vs. 2 competitive games), in addition with examining the relationship between ITL and Hooper's Index across an entire season. Thirty-five professional soccer players from the Portuguese premier league participated in the study (25.7±5.0years; 182.3±6.4cm; 79.1±7.0kg). Analysis of variance revealed higher values of DOMS (Means(M): 3.33 vs. 3.10; p=0.001; effect Size (ES)=0.087), fatigue (M: 3.18 vs. 2.99; p=0.001; ES=0.060) and HI (M: 11.85 vs. 11.56; p=0.045; ES=0.034) in 2-game weeks compared with 1-game weeks. Correlation between ITL and HI levels found significant negative correlations between ITL and DOMS (ρ=-0.156), ITL and sleep (ρ=-0.109), ITL and fatigue (ρ=-0.225), ITL and stress (ρ=-0.188), and ITL and HI (ρ=-0.238) in 2-game weeks. Results from 1-game microcycle only highlighted negative correlations between ITL and stress (ρ=-0.080). It was concluded from the study that greater fatigue potential, muscle soreness, stress and ITL was significantly more apparent within a 2-game microcycle. As a result, care should be taken when planning the lead into and out of a 2-game fixture microcycle highlighting key specific recovery strategies to damped the increased stress effect. Additionally, the potential utilization of squad rotation strategies may be a positive approach with aim of managing the fatigue effect.