title: Monitoring fitness, fatigue and running performance during a pre-season training camp in elite football players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the usefulness of selected physiological and perceptual measures to monitor fitness, fatigue and running performance during a pre-season, 2-week training camp in eighteen professional Australian Rules Football players (21.9±2.0 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational.
  
  
  METHODS
  Training load, perceived ratings of wellness (e.g., fatigue, sleep quality) and salivary cortisol were collected daily. Submaximal exercise heart rate (HRex) and a vagal-related heart rate variability index (LnSD1) were also collected at the start of each training session. Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery level 2 test (Yo-YoIR2, assessed pre-, mid- and post-camp, temperate conditions) and high-speed running distance during standardized drills (HSR, >14.4 km h(-1), 4 times throughout, outdoor) were used as performance measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant (P<0.001 for all) day-to-day variations in training load (coefficient of variation, CV: 66%), wellness measures (6-18%), HRex (3.3%), LnSD1 (19.0%), but not cortisol (20.0%, P=0.60). While the overall wellness (+0.06, 90% CL (-0.14; 0.02) AU day(-1)) did not change substantially throughout the camp, HRex decreased (-0.51 (-0.58; -0.45)% day(-1)), and cortisol (+0.31 (0.06; 0.57) nmol L(-1)day(-1)), LnSD1 (+0.1 (0.04; 0.06) ms day(-1)), Yo-YoIR2 performance (+23.7 (20.8; 26.6) m day(-1), P<0.001), and HSR (+4.1 (1.5; 6.6) m day(-1), P<0.001) increased. Day-to-day ΔHRex (r=0.80, 90% CL (0.75; 0.85)), ΔLnSD1 (0.51 (r=0.40; 0.62)) and all wellness measures (0.28 (-0.39; -0.17)<r<0.25 (0.14; 0.36)) were related to Δtraining load. There was however no clear relationship between Δcortisol and Δtraining load. ΔYo-YoIR2 was correlated with ΔHRex (r=0.88 (0.84; 0.92)), ΔLnSD1 (r=0.78 (0.67; 0.89)), Δwellness (r=0.58 (0.41; 0.75), but not Δcortisol. ΔHSR was correlated with ΔHRex (r = -0.27 (-0.48; -0.06)) and Δwellness (r=0.65 (0.49; 0.81)), but neither with ΔLnSD1 nor Δcortisol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training load, HRex and wellness measures are the best simple measures for monitoring training responses to an intensified training camp; cortisol post-exercise and LnSD1 did not show practical efficacy here.
authors: ASPIRE, Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: martin.buchheit@aspire.qa.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Buchheit
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Racinais
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Bilsborough
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Bourdon
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Voss
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Hocking
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Cordy
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mendez-Villanueva
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Coutts
mesh_terms: D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human; D011594:Psychometrics; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: GPS; Heart rate variability; High-intensity intermittent running performance; Psychometric measures; Saliva cortisol; Standardized drills