A comparison of methods used for quantifying internal training load in women soccer players.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the session-RPE method for quantifying internal training load (TL) with various HR-based TL quantification methods in a variety of training modes with women soccer players.


METHODS
Fifteen elite women soccer players took part in the study (age: 19.3 +/- 2.0 y and VO2max: 50.8 +/- 2.7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)). Session-RPE, heart rate, and duration were recorded for 735 individual training sessions and matches over a period of 16 wk. Correlation analysis was used to compare session-RPE TLs with three commonly used HR-based methods for assessing TL.


RESULTS
The mean correlation for session-RPE TL with Banister's TRIMP, LTzone TL and Edwards's TL were (r = 0.84, 0.83, and 0.85, all P < .01, respectively). Correlations for session-RPE TL and three HR-based methods separated by session type were all significant (all P < .05). The strongest correlations were reported for technical (r = 0.68 to 0.82), conditioning (r = 0.60 to 0.79), and speed sessions (r = 0.61 to 0.79).


CONCLUSIONS
The session-RPE TL showed a significant correlation with all training types common to soccer. Higher correlations were found with less intermittent, aerobic-based training sessions and suggest that HR-based TLs relate better to session-RPE TLs in less intermittent training activities. These results support previous findings showing that the session-RPE TL compares favorably with HR-based methods for quantifying internal TL in a variety of soccer training activities.
Alexiou
Helen
H
School of Leisure, Sport, and Tourism, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
Coutts
Aaron J
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult