The Effect of Weekly Training Load across a Competitive Microcycle on Contextual Variables in Professional Soccer

Marcos Chena, José Alfonso Morcillo, María Luisa Rodríguez-Hernández, Juan Carlos Zapardiel, Adam Owen and Demetrio Lozano
Additional contact information
Marcos Chena: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Campus Universitario-C/19, University of Alcalá, Av. de Madrid, Km 33,600, Alcalá de Henares, 28871 Madrid, Spain
José Alfonso Morcillo: Departamento de Didáctica de la Expresión Musical, Plástica y Corporal, University of Jaén, s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
María Luisa Rodríguez-Hernández: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Campus Universitario-C/19, University of Alcalá, Av. de Madrid, Km 33,600, Alcalá de Henares, 28871 Madrid, Spain
Juan Carlos Zapardiel: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Campus Universitario-C/19, University of Alcalá, Av. de Madrid, Km 33,600, Alcalá de Henares, 28871 Madrid, Spain
Adam Owen: Centre de Recherche et d’Innovation sur le Sport (CRIS), Lyon University, 92 Rue Pasteur, 69007 Lyon, France
Demetrio Lozano: Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad San Jorge, Autov A23 km 299, Villanueva de Gállego, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-10

Abstract: Analysis of the key performance variables in soccer is one of the most continuous and attractive research topics. Using global positioning devices (GPS), the primary aim of this study was to highlight the physiological response of a professional soccer team across competitive microcycles in-season according to the most influential contextual performance variables. Determining the training load (TL), a work ratio was established between all recorded data within the training sessions and the competitive profile (CP). Each microcycle was classified in accordance with the contextual variables: opponent level (high, medium, low), match location (home and away) and score (win, draw, lose). Results revealed that the team were significantly more successful (games won) in competitive games against high-level opponents and when played at home. Cumulative microcycle/weekly training load (WTL) was significantly lower when the team won. In addition to the opponent level and the match location, WTL could condition the athlete’s performance in the competition. Competitive performance responses are the main source of information for the planning of training programs. The results of this study could be used as a reference to structure TL and WTL according to contextual variables in the competition. This study, which is the first of its kind, revealed that WTL effects the performance of the players in the competition.

Keywords: football; GPS; performance; external load; match load; contextual factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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