High-speed Training in a Specific Context in Soccer: Transition Games

Abstract

The aims of this study were to compare the load of three tasks designed to train features of soccer: a transition game, a small-sided game with a change of playing area, and a large-sided game. Twenty young elite players performed these tasks. Variables measured were total distance covered (DC), distance covered at 14.0-17.9 km·h-1 (DC 14.0-17.9 km·h-1), distance covered at 18.0-21 km·h-1 (DC 18-21 km·h-1), distance covered at >21 km·h-1 (DC >21 km·h-1), peak speed, accelerations and decelerations >1.0 and >2.5 m·s-2, player load, and rate of perceived exertion. Transition games produced greater DC 18-21 km·h-1, DC >21 km·h-1, peak speed and Acc >2.5 m·s-2 than the other drills (p<0.01) and higher DC 14-17.9 km·h<sup>-1</sup> (p<0.01), Dec >1 m·s<sup>-2</sup> (p<0.05) and Dec >2.5 m·s<sup>-2</sup> (p<0.01) than the large-sided game. Both sided games produced more DC (p<0.01), Acc >1 m·s<sup>-2</sup> (p<0.01) and player load (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) than the transition game. During the small-sided game, significantly higher DC 14-17.9 km·h<sup>-1</sup>, DC 18-21 km·h<sup>-1</sup> and DC >21 km·h<sup>-1</sup> were recorded in comparison with the large-sided game (p<0.01). The studied parameters showed lower variation in the transition game. Coaches could use transition games to train high speed running in counter-attack contexts.

Effects of Bout Duration on Load, Sprint, and Jump Ability During a One-on-one Transition Task

“…Likewise, the sprint profile was composed of the duration, distance covered, and maximal average speed achieved during each sprint. Most of these variables have been used previously in the literature [15,25].…”

“…1 ) were monitored. Following previous work 15 , two teams of seven players faced one on one in a TG where the offensive player started from an advantageous scoring position, and the defensive player tried to prevent his opponent from scoring a goal by pursuing him ( Fig. 1 , section 1 and 2).…”

“…In line with this study, a more recently published work found that a regimen of six bouts of 2 minutes produced lower HR, higher total distance covered and more moderate-speed running than one bout of 12 minutes or two bouts of 6 minutes, showing lower RPE and lactate accumulation than the latter format [20]. Currently the impact of dissimilar bout lengths in TGs is unknown and it is necessary to study the external and internal loads and the level of fatigue created by these training tasks [15]. The purpose of this study was thus to examine firstly, the internal and external load in young professional soccer players during the same TGs performed with different bout lengths and, secondly, their effects on a series of speed and strength tests.…”

“…Transition or counterattacks are crucial phases of the game since they have been found to be the most effective style of play for scoring goals, and more risks take place during these moments [16,17]. These drills are called transition games (TGs) and it has been affirmed that they induce more high-speed running and high accelerations but lower distances covered, player load, and minor decelerations than smallsided games [15]. Although during small-sided games it has been demonstrated that the manipulation of constraints affects soccer players' running requirements [3,4,15,18], currently it is unknown how they could modify the training load in TGs.…”

Internal and External Loads of Young Elite Soccer Players during Defensive Small-Sided Games

“…In order to reproduce competition demands, multiple formats of SSGs have been developed and reported in the scientific literature (Aguiar et al, 2012;Hill-Haas et al, 2011;Sarmento et al, 2018). Some of the most popular variables investigated are pitch size, the number of players and the multiple combinations of them (Casamichana and Castellano, 2010;Kelly and Drust, 2009), inclusion of goalkeepers (Mallo and Navarro, 2008), Journal of Human Kinetics, volume 87/2023 http://www.johk.pl inclusion of floaters, numerical imbalances (Lacome et al, 2018;Rabano-Munoz et al, 2019), and encouragement from coaches (Rampinini et al, 2007).…”