A Contemporary Multi-Modal Mechanical Approach to Training Monitoring in Elite Professional Soccer

Owen AL, Djaoui L, Newton M, Malone S, Mendes B

Objectives: Understanding movements and mechanical demands of elite soccer players during training and competitive stressors is important for the support provision of player performance. Continued appreciation to quantify and monitor training load (TL) is apparent, however reporting multi-modal approaches in-line with competitive match-play demands remain limited. The investigation aimed to highlight a multimodal training monitoring method and its relationship to match-play.

Subjects: 29 elite European soccer players participated were assessed (26.7 ± 4.07 years, height 183.4 ± 5.87 cm, body mass 78.4 ± 8.03 kg, VO2 max 57.55 ± 5.32 ml.kg-1.min-1 and body composition 54.12 ± 13.65 mm) with daily TL and competitive match-load data in order to quantify the relationship between both.

Methods: Key match-day (MD) data and TL was analysed across a 20-week in-season period.

Results: Results reported significant TL differences between training days (TDs) and TDs and competitive MD data, in addition to significant differences between TDs for both volume- and intensity-session scores (p < 0.05). No differences were found between MD-1 and MD-2 session scores. Conclusion: The specific multi-modal approach used allows practitioners to combine key mechanical volume and intensity metrics as part of an athlete or player monitoring strategy and ensure a greater focus on targeted physical stressors.