Small-Sided Games in Team Sports Training

Abstract

Small-sided games (SSGs) incorporating skills, sport-specific movements, at intensities sufficient to promote aerobic adaptations, are being increasingly implemented in professional team sport environments. Small-sided games are often employed by coaches based on the premise that the greatest training benefits occur when training simulates the specific movement patterns and physiological demands of the sport. At present, there is relatively little information regarding how SSG can best be used to improve physical capacities and technical and tactical skills in team sports. It is possible that with some modifications (e.g., number of players, pitch size, coach encouragement, and wrestling), such games may be physiologically beneficial for athletes with relatively high initial aerobic fitness levels. For instance, it has been shown that 3-a-side soccer SSG resulted in higher intensity (i.e., greater overall distance, less jogging and walking, higher heart rate, and more tackling, dribbling, goal attempts, and passes) than 5-a-side SSG. Likewise, when player numbers were kept constant, a larger playing area increased the intensity of the SSG with a smaller playing area having the opposite effect. It has also been demonstrated that energy expenditure was similar between badminton and volleyball courts, but lower than that obtained in a basketball court. Moreover, it has been demonstrated in rugby that wrestling can increase the physical demands of SSG. Consistent coach encouragement can also increase training intensity, although most rule changes have trivial or no effect on exercise intensity. Further research is required to examine the optimal periodization strategies of SSG training for the long-term development of physiological capacity, technical skill, and tactical proficiency, while also minimizing the associated risk of injuries.

A comparison of internal load between friendly matches and a conditioned game in professional football players

“…Los resultados obtenidos en nuestro estudio mostraron una mayor CI R en los minutos registrados durante los PA frente a las series de juego de posición (3.75 vs. 3.44 TRIMP MOD / min , respectivamente), evidenciando en nuestro caso la falta de potencial del juego de posición con orientaciones tácticas para simular las demandas fisiológicas propias de la competición. Es posible, que el moderado núme-ro de jugadores participantes por equipo (6), pudiera condicionar la menor exigencia fisiológica en el JR, ya que la respuesta de la FC en los JR suele ser superior cuando participan un menor número de jugadores por equipo (Aguiar et al, 2012;Halouani, Chtourou, Gabbett, Chaouachi, & Chamari, 2014), incluso independientemente de las dimensiones del terreno de juego (Aslan, 2013). Investigaciones previas, también mostraron la falta de potencial de algunos JR para replicar las demandas físicas de la competición, concretamente de las acciones ejecutadas a elevadas velocidades (Casamichana, Castellano, & Castagna, 2012), por lo que se debería tener precaución cuando se utilicen este tipo de tareas con el objetivo de simular las demandas físico-fisiológicas de la competición.…”

Effects of self-monitoring of heart rate and additional sprint running on exercise intensity and technical performance during small-sided games in soccer

“…2 As a result, commonly the goal when performing SSGs is the attainment of exercise intensities of 90-95% HRmax in attempts to induce training adaptations that will transfer to competition. 1 With junior soccer players, Impellizzeri et al 4 demonstrated that 12 weeks of training comprised of SSGs where players attained 90-95% HRmax for long periods resulted in improvements in V O2max and match performance indices (total distance covered and time spent during high-intensity running) similar to that obtained with standard aerobic interval training methods. Similar results demonstrating equivalent pre-to postimprovements in aerobic and intermittent tests after traditional exercise training or SSGs have been reported for youth soccer players and elite professionals provided exercise heart rate and total exercise time are comparable.…”

“…SSGs are frequently used as a means to concurrently develop technical ability, tactical ability and conditioning specific to the demands of the sport. 1 Key elements in the study and implementation of SSGs include the monitoring and optimisation of exercise intensity. The most common measures used to quantify intensity during SSGs include heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and GPS related information including total distance and distance covered in various speed zones.…”

“…Research has demonstrated that changes in pitch area and player number consistently influence exercise intensity, whereas most rule changes investigated have shown trivial or no effects. 1,2 In general, the modifications described are expected to influence players relatively equally. However, one of the potential limitations with SSGs is that the fittest players with the highest V O2max may experience lower relative intensities and therefore reduced likelihood of training adaptations, 2 As a result, Hoff et al 11 suggested that targeted modifications may be required to increase the exercise stimulus for those with the highest V O2max and potentially reduce the exercise stimulus for those with the lowest V O2max.…”

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“…Well developed aerobic system in ice hockey is characterized by decreased recovery time between shifts, reduced fatigue in the latter stages of a game and builds a base necessary to handle more anaerobic training (Twist & Rhodes, 1993). As it was above mentioned, one fifth of overall training volume was dedicated to small side games, which are considered as an effective tool for aerobic training (Balsom et al, 1999) and may be physiologically beneficial for athletes with relatively high initial aerobic fitness levels (Halouani et al, 2014).…”