Weekly External Load Correlation in Season Microcycles with Game Running Performance and Training Quantification in Elite Young Soccer Players
Vasileios Kanaras,
Yiannis Michailidis,
Athanasios Mandroukas,
Andreas Stafylidis,
Lazaros Vardakis,
Angelos E. Kyranoudis,
Kosmas Christoulas,
Ioannis Gissis,
Thomas I. Metaxas
Affiliations
Vasileios Kanaras
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Yiannis Michailidis
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Athanasios Mandroukas
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Andreas Stafylidis
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Lazaros Vardakis
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Angelos E. Kyranoudis
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Kosmas Christoulas
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ioannis Gissis
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Thomas I. Metaxas
Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
The purpose of this study was to (a) correlate the weekly external training load with the game running performance in season microcycles and (b) specify the optimal training/game ratio of the weekly external load in elite youth soccer players. The total distance (TD), the high-speed running distance (HSRD) (19.8–25.2 km/h), the ZONE6 distance (>25.2 km/h), the acceleration (ACC) (≥+2 m/s2), and the deceleration (DEC) (≥−2 m/s2) were monitored with global positioning system (GPS) technology throughout 18 microcycles and official games. TD had a very high positive correlation average (r = 0.820, p = 0.001), the HSRD had a high positive correlation average (r = 0.658, p = 0.001), the ZONE6 distance and DEC had a moderate positive correlation average ((r = 0.473, p = 0.001) and (r = 0.478, p = 0.001), respectively), and the ACC had a low positive correlation average (r = 0.364, p = 0.001) between microcycles and games. Regarding the training/game ratio, the HSRD showed statistically significant differences between ratios 1.43 and 2.60 (p = 0.012, p ≤ 0.05), the ACC between ratios 2.42 and 4.45 (p = 0.050, p ≤ 0.05) and ratios 3.29 and 4.45 (p = 0.046, p ≤ 0.05), and the DEC between ratios 2.28 and 3.94 (p = 0.034, p ≤ 0.05). Considering the correlation between weekly training and game external load, high weekly training TD values correspond to higher game values, whereas HSRD, ZONE6 distance, ACC, and DEC, which determine training intensity, should be trained in a specific volume. Training/game ratios of 1.43, 2.42 to 3.29, and 2.28 to 3.11 seem to be optimal for HSRD, ACC, and DEC weekly training, respectively.
