Effects of tapering on physical match activities in professional soccer players

Abstract

This study aimed to examine: (i) the effect of decreasing training load (TL) during taper weeks on physical match activities in professional soccer players, and (ii) to disclose the relationship between weekly TL and physical match activities. Rating of perceived exertion was collected after each training session and match to quantify the TL in 19 professional players over 17 standard and 7 taper weeks during the season. Physical match activities were quantified by a computerised match analysis system and compared between standard training and taper weeks. Compared to standard weeks, the duration and frequency of training sessions during the taper weeks decreased (-21.7% and -18.8%, respectively; P < 0.01) with no change in intensity (-4.8%; P = 0.09). Consequently, the weekly TL decreased during the taper weeks (-25.5%; P < 0.01). Increases in distance covered by intense running (+15.1%; P < 0.05), high-intensity running (HIR) (+15.7%; P < 0.01), number of sprints (+17.8%; P < 0.05) and number of high-speed runs (+15.7%; P < 0.05) were observed during the seven matches played after the taper weeks. High relationships were observed between TL and HIR distance covered, number of HIR and number of sprints (r = -0.53; r = -0.55; r = -0.65, respectively; P < 0.01). Decreasing TL during taper weeks by reducing training duration and frequency but maintaining intensity was associated with an increase in physical activities during matches. However, it needs to be determined whether tapering or other match factors led to the changes in match activity.

Effects of Two Different Tapering Protocols on Fitness and Physical Match Performance in Elite Junior Soccer Players

“…In addition, our study revealed significant time changes between the pre-training and 8-week post-training measurements of distance covered. To the best of the authors' knowledge, only one study has aimed to explore the effects of tapering on physical match performance in soccer players (16). Fessi et al (16) showed that total distance (ES = 0.90), intense running (ES = 1.1), high-intensity running (ES = 1.3), high-speed running (ES = 1.1), and sprinting (ES = 1.2) significantly improved after a 7-week tapering period throughout the season.…”

“…A soccer player changes directions approximately every 3 seconds (45), and players make a total of 1,400 direction changes during the game (1) with approximately 200 intense actions (2). Previous studies have examined how the effects of tapering on the physiological abilities of soccer players allow them to achieve such competitive performance (12,16,18,34). Findings from these studies have shown that tapering may improve performance in repeated sprint ability (RSA) up to 4% (34), decrease symptoms of allergies (18), increase testosterone levels and the testosterone/cortisol ratio (12), and enhance the distance covered and number of sprints (16).…”

“…There has been a lack of studies investigating the effects of both linear and exponential tapering protocols on body composition, physical fitness, and distance covered in soccer. Moreover, previous studies have used a maximum of a 2week tapering period to determine possible effects of tapering on analyzed variables (12,16,18,34). To the best of our knowledge and after an extensive literature review, there has only been one study investigating the effects of tapering protocol on physical match performance in soccer players (19).…”

Quantification of a Professional Football Team's External Load Using a Microcycle Structure

“…Although general and position-specific preparations are key, applied staff still have to strike a fine balance between loading the players enough for positive adaptation without elevating the risk of injury (22,25,26). The general consensus is that load metrics are lower in the session before competition, confirming the concept of tapering (19,23,40). However, limited data exist on the loading patterns after competition for players with game time vs. partial or no game time.…”

Absolute and Relative Training Load and Its Relation to Fatigue in Football

“…The load experienced by players in training and competition can provoke temporary metabolic, neuromuscular or mental fatigue (Campos and Toscano, 2014), reducing performance (Fessi et al, 2016) and increasing the possibility of injury to the player (Ehrmann et al, 2016). In fact, the inappropriate management of training loads (TDs) is emerging as one of the main risk factors in no contact injuries (Soligard et al, 2016).…”