Search

This study investigated the impact of consecutive basketball games on the physical demands and well-being of young players under 18 years old (U-18), focusing on the peak demands (PD). Monitoring 17 players over 10 games (5 weekends), external load expressed as relative distance (RD) (m·min−1), high-speed running distance covered (HSR) (m·min−1), maximal accelerations (ACC) (n·min−1), and maximal decelerations (DEC) (n·min−1) normalized by playing time were assessed, and the Hooper index was used to evaluate wellness status. Additionally, linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models were employed to detect differences, revealing a significant decrease in RD·min−1 (F = 4.71, p = 0.04) during the second back-to-back game. ACC·min−1 also exhibited significant differences (χ2 = 6.44, p = 0.01) between players in one or two games. However, the PD remained unchanged. Conversely, the Hooper index significantly improved between games (2.67 arb. u. [95% CI 0.11–5.24]; p = 0.04, d = 1.25 large), indicating enhanced well-being on the second competition day. Although RD·min−1 differences suggest the onset of residual fatigue, U-18 teams seem to adapt correctly to a two-game schedule through player auto-regulatory pacing and squad rotation. The positive change in wellness on the second day suggests a need for a comprehensive approach to assessing basketball performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was two-fold: (i) to analyze the variations of training intensity and well-being measures of youth football player over a 38 week period; and (ii) to test the relationships between training intensity and well-being variations throughout a youth football season. This study followed a longitudinal design, lasting 38 weeks. Twenty-five players (age: 15.0 ± 0.4 years) participated in this study. Participants were monitored daily to quantify the training intensity (TI) using the session-rate of perceived exertion (s-RPE) and its related indices: training monotony (TM), weekly training intensity (wTI), mean training intensity (mTI), and 5-day average (5d-AVG). A four-item questionnaire was collected daily to quantify the well-being status of each player. Fatigue, stress, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), sleep quality, and the Hooper Index (HI) measures were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed significant differences for TM, mTI, wTI and 5d-AVG (H = 359.53, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.35; H = 414.97, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.41, H = 258.42, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.24 and H = 282.18, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.26). A positive large correlation was found between TM and sleep quality (r = 0.65, p = 0.05) and a negative large correlation between mTI and sleep quality (r = −0.69, p = 0.04). In conclusion, both TI and well-being measures present significant between-week differences at different periods of the season. Also, the variations of sleep quality seem to depend on TM and mTI variations across a youth football season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although data currently exists pertaining to the intensity in the women's football match, the knowledge about training is still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify external (locomotor activity) and internal (psychophysiological) intensities, as well as the wellness profile of the typical microcycle from professional female soccer players during the 2019/20 in-season. Ten players (24.6 ± 2.3 years) from an elite Portuguese women soccer team participated in this study. All variables were collected in 87 training session and 15 matches for analysis from the 2019–2020 in-season. Global positioning variables such total distance, high-speed running, acceleration, deceleration and player load were recorded as intensity while Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) and session-RPE were recorded as internal measures. The Hooper Index (HI) was collected as a wellness parameter. The results showed that internal and external intensity measures were greater in matches compared to trainings during the week (match day minus [MD-], MD-5, MD-4, MD-2), p < 0.05 with very large effect size (ES). In the same line, higher internal and external intensity values were found in the beginning of the week while the lowest values were found in MD-2 (p < 0.05, with very large ES). Regarding wellness, there was no significant differences in the HI parameters between the training days and match days (p > 0.05). This study confirmed the highest intensity values during MD and the lowest on the training session before the MD (MD-2). Moreover, higher training intensities were found in the beginning of the training week sessions which were then reduced when the MD came close. Wellness parameters showed no variation when compared to intensity measures. This study confirmed the hypothesis regarding internal and external intensity but not regarding wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the effects of playing one or two games per week on subjective perceived exertion (RPE) and (RPE-based) training load, monotony index, sleep, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness (Hooper index), total mood disturbance, and injury rate in elite soccer players. Fourteen males from a first-division soccer club (age: 24.42 ± 4.80 years) competed in two games per week for six weeks and one game per week for twelve weeks (a total of 24 games). Paired t-tests and non-parametric Wilcoxon signed ranks evaluated the significance of the differences (p < 0.05). The main findings were that RPE was significantly larger when playing two games per week compared with one game. However, subject total and mean training load, mood disturbance, monotony, and subjective perception of sleep, stress, fatigue, muscle soreness monitoring (Hooper index), and the number of injuries were not different. The findings suggested that competing in two matches per week does not negatively influence injury rate and players’ perceptions of training load or wellness, even though players perceive two games per week as more physically demanding compared with one game per week.

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare training load (TL) preceding a home versus away match in a top-class elite European team during the 2015-2016 season., Methods: Twenty elite outfield soccer players with a mean ± SD age, height and body mass of 25.9 ± 4.6 years, 183.1 ± 6.6 cm and 78.6 ± 6.6 kg, respectively, participated in this study. Total distance covered, high-speed running distance (HSRD), average speed (AvS), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) multiplied by training duration (s-RPE) and Hooper index (HI) were collected. Data from 24 weeks were analyzed through match-day minus/plus approach (MD-5, -4, -3, -2, -1, MD + 1)., Results: All external TL variables indicated a decrease from MD-5 until MD-1 and then an increase to MD + 1 ( p < 0.01). HI decreased from MD-5 to MD-1, but s-RPE increased until MD-3 and then decreased until MD + 1. When comparing TL data that preceded home matches versus away matches, for MD-5, HSRD and muscle soreness exhibited higher values when away match neared ( p < 0.05). For MD-4 and MD-3, total distance, HSRD and AvS exhibited higher values closer to an away match than a home match ( p < 0.05). For MD-1, total distances covered were higher closer to a home match than an away match ( p < 0.01). For MD + 1, all HI items and AvS were higher when an away match was played ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: This study confirms and provides evidence regarding the influence on internal and external TL data preceding home and away matches from a team that played in European competitions.