Fleming, Adam, Walker, Matthew, Armitage, Mark, Connor, Mark and Beato, Marco (2023) A comparison of training and match play external load during a congested in-season period in English League 2 Football. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. ISSN 1064-8011

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate if external training load metrics differ between training days and matchday during a period of fixture congestion and to verify if external load metrics vary based on playing positions. Training and match day (MD) data were collected in a part of the competition phase of the 2020-21 season (6 weeks) in the English Football League 2 (N = 20 players, mean  standard deviations: age = 24.4  4.7 years). Global Navigation Satellite System units (Catapult S7 Vector 10Hz) were utilized to monitor external load metrics. The metrics were Duration of training, Total distance (TD), High-speed running distance (HSR), Sprinting distance (SPR), Relative intensity (m/min), Total accelerations (TotAcc) (>3 m.s-2), and Total decelerations (TotDec) (<-3 m.s-2). This study found that Duration, TD, Relative intensity, HSR distance, Sprint distance, TotAcc, and TotDec were different (p<0.001, d = small to moderate) between MD and MD-2 or MD-1, however, during MD-4, only Relative intensity was significantly lower (p<0.001) compared with MD output. Therefore, MD-4 was the most demanding training session of the week (after the MD) and during MD-2 and MD-1 coaches decreased players’ load to favor players’ readiness. Moreover, this study found that MD and MD-1 resulted in statistically different values across several metrics between different playing positions (defenders < midfielders and strikers), while metrics in MD-4 and MD-2 were not statistically different, which highlights that in these sessions, players have similar external loads independently from their playing positions.

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