Measurement properties of external training load variables during standardised games in soccer: Implications for training and monitoring strategies

McLaren-Towlson, Christopher; Barrett, Steve; Clubb, Jo

Measurement properties of external training load variables during standardised games in soccer: Implications for training and monitoring strategies

McLaren-Towlson, Christopher; Barrett, Steve; Clubb, Jo

Authors

Dr Christopher McLaren-Towlson C.Towlson@hull.ac.uk
Lecturer in Growth, maturation and talent identification of atheletes

Steve Barrett

Jo Clubb

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the measurement properties of external training load measures across three formats of standardised training games. Eighty-eight players from two English professional soccer clubs participated in the study spanning three consecutive seasons. External training load data was collected from three types of standardised game format drills (11v11, 10v10, 7v7+6) using Global Positioning Systems. The between- and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV%), intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated for each external training load variable in each game format. Total distance (TD) and PlayerLoadTM (PL) demonstrated good sensitivity (TD SNR = 1.6-4.6; PL SNR = 1.2-4.3) on a group level. However, a wide variety of within-subject reliability was demonstrated for these variables (TD CV% = 1.7-36.3%; PL CV% = 4.3-39.5%) and corresponding intensity measures. The percentage contribution of individual planes to PL showed the lowest between-subject CV% (CV% = 2−7%), although sensitivity on a group level varied across formats (SNR = 0.3−1.4). High speed running demonstrated poor reliability across all three formats of SSG (CV% = 51−103%, ICC = 0.03−0.53). Given the measurement properties of external training load measures observed in this study, specifically the within-subject variation, reliability across trials of standardised training games should be calculated on an individual level. This will allow practitioners to detect worthwhile changes across trials of standardised game format drills. Such information is important for the appropriate implementation of training and monitoring strategies in soccer.

Citation

McLaren-Towlson, C., Barrett, S., & Clubb, J. Measurement properties of external training load variables during standardised games in soccer: Implications for training and monitoring strategies. [Dataset]