Previous studies examining methods of monitoring the training and match load in soccer players have simply compared those methods to each other, not to changes in fitness. Training and match load measures from nine professional youth soccer players were collected for a period of six weeks. A lactate threshold test was conducted before and after this period. Mean weekly training and match load as determined by session-RPE, Banister's TRIMP, Team TRIMP and individualised TRIMP (iTRIMP) were correlated with each other, percentage changes in the velocity at 2 mmol · L(-1) (vLT) and 4 mmol · L(-1) (vOBLA) blood lactate concentration, and heart rate at 2 mmol · L(-1) (LT(HR)) and 4 mmol · L(-1) (OBLA(HR)). There were no significant changes in fitness across the six weeks: vLT (p = 0.54), vOBLA (p = 0.16), LT(HR) (p = 0.51) and OBLA(HR) (p = 0.63). Banister's TRIMP was significantly correlated with session-RPE (r = 0.75; p = 0.02) and Team TRIMP (r = 0.92; p < 0.001). The percentage change in vLT was significantly correlated to mean weekly iTRIMP (r = 0.67; p = 0.04). The results suggest that an individualised measure of internal load (iTRIMP) related better than other methods to changes in vLT in professional youth soccer players.

word count 249 Text-only Word Count 3449 Number of Figures and Tables 3 figures, 2 tables "Methods of monitoring training load and their relationships to changes in fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists" by Sanders D, Abt G, Hesselink MK, Myers T, Akubat I. AbstractPurpose: The aim of this study was to assess the dose-response relationships between different training load methods and aerobic fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists. Method: Training data from 15 well-trained competitive cyclists were collected during a 10-week (December -March) pre-season training period. Before and after the training period, participants underwent a laboratory incremental exercise test with gas exchange and lactate measures and a performance assessment using an 8-min time trial (8MT). Internal training load was calculated using Banister's TRIMP (bTRIMP), Edwards' TRIMP (eTRIMP), individualized TRIMP (iTRIMP), Lucia's TRIMP (luTRIMP) and session-RPE (sRPE). External load was measured using Training Stress Score™ (TSS). Conclusions:The results show that training load quantification methods that integrate individual physiological characteristics have the strongest dose-response relationships, suggesting this to be an essential factor in the quantification of training load in cycling.

The 2011 English Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) stipulates training volumes that could put elite youth players at high risk of non-functional overreaching. The aim of the study was to assess player perceptions of well-being and physical performance to these high training loads. Fourteen academy football players (mean ± SD: age 17 ± 1 years; stature 179 ± 6 cm; body mass 70.8 ± 8.6 kg, at pre-season) completed a perception of well-being questionnaire 1-4 times per week throughout each training block (pre-season, in-season 1, 2, 3). Physical performance tests were carried out at the end of each training block. Increases in training exposure (P < 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.52) and moderate to large deteriorations in perceptions of well-being (motivation, sleep quality, recovery, appetite, fatigue, stress, muscle soreness P < 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.30-0.53) were evident as the season progressed. A moderate decrease in 30 m sprint performance (P < 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.48), a large improvement in Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test performance (P < 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.93) and small decreases in countermovement jump (P > 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.18) and arrowhead agility (P < 0.05; [Formula: see text] = 0.24) performance were evident as the season progressed. The present findings show an imbalance between stress and recovery in English elite youth players even when players experience lower training exposure than stipulated by the EPPP.

The results suggest that the integrated use of ratios may help in the assessment of fitness, as performance alone showed no significant relationships with fitness.

This study investigated the reliability and validity of a novel nonmotorised treadmill (NMT)-based soccer simulation using a novel activity category called a "variable run" to quantify fatigue during high-speed running. Twelve male University soccer players completed 3 familiarization sessions and 1 peak speed assessment before completing the intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT) twice. The 2 iSPTs were separated by 6-10 days. The total distance, sprint distance, and high-speed running distance (HSD) were 8,968 ± 430 m, 980 ± 75 m and 2,122 ± 140 m, respectively. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between repeated trials of the iSPT for all physiological and performance variables. Reliability measures between iSPT1 and iSPT2 showed good agreement (coefficient of variation: <4.6%; intraclass correlation coefficient: >0.80). Furthermore, the variable run phase showed HSD significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.05) in the last 15 minutes (89 ± 6 m) compared with the first 15 minutes (85 ± 7 m), quantifying decrements in high-speed exercise compared with the previous literature. This study validates the iSPT as a NMT-based soccer simulation compared with the previous match-play data and is a reliable tool for assessing and monitoring physiological and performance variables in soccer players. The iSPT could be used in a number of ways including player rehabilitation, understanding the efficacy of nutritional interventions, and also the quantification of environmentally mediated decrements on soccer-specific performance.

The effects of heat and/or hypoxia have been well-documented in match-play data. However, large match-to-match variation for key physical performance measures makes environmental inferences difficult to ascertain from soccer match-play. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the hot (HOT), hypoxic (HYP), and hot-hypoxic (HH) mediated-decrements during a non-motorized treadmill based soccer-specific simulation. Twelve male University soccer players completed three familiarization sessions and four randomized crossover experimental trials of the intermittent Soccer Performance Test (iSPT) in normoxic-temperate (CON: 18°C 50% rH), HOT (30°C; 50% rH), HYP (1000 m; 18°C 50% rH), and HH (1000 m; 30°C; 50% rH). Physical performance and its performance decrements, body temperatures (rectal, skin, and estimated muscle temperature), heart rate (HR), arterial blood oxygen saturation (SaO2), perceived exertion, thermal sensation (TS), body mass changes, blood lactate, and plasma volume were all measured. Performance decrements were similar in HOT and HYP [Total Distance (−4%), High-speed distance (~−8%), and variable run distance (~−12%) covered] and exacerbated in HH [total distance (−9%), high-speed distance (−15%), and variable run distance (−15%)] compared to CON. Peak sprint speed, was 4% greater in HOT compared with CON and HYP and 7% greater in HH. Sprint distance covered was unchanged (p > 0.05) in HOT and HYP and only decreased in HH (−8%) compared with CON. Body mass (−2%), temperatures (+2–5%), and TS (+18%) were altered in HOT. Furthermore, SaO2 (−8%) and HR (+3%) were changed in HYP. Similar changes in body mass and temperatures, HR, TS, and SaO2 were evident in HH to HOT and HYP, however, blood lactate (p < 0.001) and plasma volume (p < 0.001) were only significantly altered in HH. Perceived exertion was elevated (p < 0.05) by 7% in all conditions compared with CON. Regression analysis identified that absolute TS and absolute rise in skin and estimated muscle temperature (r = 0.82, r = 0.84 r = 0.82, respectively; p < 0.05) predicted the hot-mediated-decrements in HOT. The hot, hypoxic, and hot-hypoxic environments impaired physical performance during iSPT. Future interventions should address the increases in TS and body temperatures, to attenuate these decrements on soccer performance.

word count 249 Text-only Word Count 3574 Number of Figures and Tables 3 tables, 1 figure. "Training intensity distribution in road cyclists: objective versus subjective measures" by Sanders D, Myers T, Akubat I. AbstractPurpose: This study aims to evaluate training intensity distribution using different intensity measures based on session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE), heart rate (HR) and power output (PO) in well-trained cyclists. Methods: Fifteen road cyclists participated in the study. Training data was collected during a 10-week training period. Training intensity distribution was quantified using HR, PO and sRPE categorized in a 3-zone training intensity model. Three zones for HR and PO were based around a first and second lactate threshold. The three sRPE zones were defined using a 10-point scale: zone 1, sRPE scores 1-4; zone 2, sRPE scores 5-6; zone 3, sRPE scores 7-10. Results: Training intensity distribution as percentages of time spent in zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3 was moderate to very largely different for sRPE (44.9%, 29.9%, 25.2%) compared to HR (86.8%, 8.8%, 4.4%) and PO (79.5%, 9.0%, 11.5%). Time in zone 1 quantified using sRPE was large to very largely lower for sRPE compared to PO (P < 0.001) and HR (P < 0.001). Time in zone 2 and zone 3 was moderate to very largely higher when quantified using sRPE compared to intensity quantified using HR (P < 0.001) and PO (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Training intensity distribution quantified using sRPE demonstrates moderate to very large differences compared to intensity distributions quantified based on HR and PO. The choice of intensity measure impacts on the intensity distribution and has implications for training load quantification, training prescription and the evaluation of training characteristics.

word count 211 Text-only word count 3771Number of figures & tables 1 figure and 3 tables "The dose-response relationship between training load and aerobic fitness in academy rugby union players" by Taylor R, Sanders D, Myers T, Abt G, Taylor C, Akubat I. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance © 2017 Human Kinetics AbstractPurpose: The aim of this study was to identify the dose-response relationship between measures of training load (TL) and changes in aerobic fitness in academy rugby union players. Method: Training data from ten academy rugby union players was collected during a six-week in-season period. Participants completed a lactate threshold (LT) test which was used to assess VO 2max and velocities at VO 2max , 2 mmol·L -1 (vLT) and 4 mmol·L -1 (vOBLA) as measures of aerobic fitness. Internal training load measures calculated were Banister's TRIMP (bTRIMP), Edward's TRIMP (eTRIMP), Lucia's TRIMP (luTRIMP), individualised TRIMP (iTRIMP) and session-RPE (sRPE). External TL measures calculated were; total distance (TD), PlayerLoad™ (PL), high-speed distance >15 km·h -1 (HSD), very high-speed distance >18 km·h -1 (VHSD) and individualized high-speed distance based on each player's vOBLA (iHSD). Results: A second order regression (quadratic) analysis identified that bTRIMP (R 2 = 0.78, P = 0.005) explained 78% of the variance and iTRIMP (R 2 = 0.55, P = 0.063) explained 55% of the variance in changes in VO 2max . All other HR based internal TL measures and sRPE explained less than 40% of variance with fitness changes. External TL explained less than 42% of variance with fitness changes. Conclusions: In rugby players bTRIMP and iTRIMP display a curvilinear dose-response relationship with changes in maximal aerobic fitness.