An individual approach to monitoring locomotive training load in English Premier League academy soccer players

To account for the individual intensity of locomotion tasks, individualised speed thresholds have been proposed as an alternative to global speed thresholds. Methodologies to determine individual speed thresholds have typically been laboratory based, time consuming and expensive, rendering them inappropriate for applied practitioners working with large squads. The current investigation utilised easy-to-administer field tests to individualise speed thresholds. The aim was to investigate differences between high-speed locomotion measured using global and individual speed thresholds. Nineteen, male, professional soccer players completed maximum sprint and maximum aerobic speed protocols and were divided into groups dependent upon maximum aerobic speed performance (high, medium and low). Locomotion data were collected using portable Global Positioning System units and analysed using global and individual analysis methods to determine distances travelled performing high-speed running, very high-speed running and sprinting. In low athletes, the individual analysis method produced significantly higher percentages of high-speed running, very high-speed running and sprinting compared to global (mean differences 7.8%, 6.1% and 1.7%, respectively, all p &lt; 0.001). In medium athletes, no significant differences were found between analysis methods for high-speed running and very high-speed running. In high athletes, the individual analysis method produced significantly lower high-speed running and very high-speed running percentages compared to global (mean differences 11.0% and 6.8%, p &lt; 0.001). Results concluded that global thresholds produced high-speed locomotion percentages significantly higher or lower than individual thresholds for 47% of athletes. The current investigation recommends the use of field tests to individualise speed thresholds, allowing applied practitioners to accurately quantify individual athlete intensity. </jats:p

Physical demands of playing position within English Premier League academy soccer

Physical demands of soccer competition vary between playing positions. Previous research investigated total, and high-speed distances, with limited research into acceleration demands of competition. Research investigating speed and acceleration demands have utilised arbitrary thresholds, overlooking the individual nature of athlete locomotion. The current investigation was the first utilising individual speed and acceleration thresholds, investigating the relative intensity of activities. Relationship between match outcome and physical outputs were also investigated. GPS data from 44 professional matches was collected using 10-Hz GPS and 100-Hz accelerometer devices. 343 observations were divided by playing position, and match result, with differences in GPS metrics analysed. Central midfielders produced the highest total distances, and moderate-intensity acceleration distances (p0.05). In addition to differing tactical and technical roles, soccer playing positions have specific physical demands associated. Current results allow overload of individual training intensities relative to competition. No relationships were evident between GPS metrics and match outcome, suggesting soccer success is the result of superior technical and tactical strategies

Effects of Bio-Banding upon Physical and Technical Performance during Soccer Competition:A Preliminary Analysis

Bio-banded competition has been introduced to address the variation in physical maturity within soccer. To date, no research has investigated the effect of bio-banded competition relative to chronological competition. The current study investigated the effect of bio-banding upon physical and technical performance in elite youth soccer athletes. Twenty-five male soccer athletes (11–15 years) from an English Premier League soccer academy participated in bio-banded and chronological competition, with physical and technical performance data collected for each athlete. Athletes were between 85–90% of predicted adult stature, and sub-divided into early, on-time and late developers. For early developers, significantly more short passes, significantly less dribbles and a higher rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were evident during bio-banded competition compared to chronological competition (p &lt; 0.05). Significantly more short passes and dribbles, and significantly fewer long passes were seen for on-time developers during bio-banded competition (p &lt; 0.05). For late developers, significantly more tackles, and significantly fewer long passes were evident during bio-banded competition (p &lt; 0.05). No significant differences in physical performance were identified between competition formats. Results demonstrated that bio-banded competition changed the technical demand placed upon athletes compared to chronological competition, without reducing the physical demands. Bio-banded competition can be prescribed to athletes of differing maturation groups dependent upon their specific developmental needs

Prognostic importance of tissue velocity imaging during exercise echocardiography in patients with systolic heart failure

Resting echocardiography measurements are poor predictors of exercise capacity and symptoms in patients with heart failure (HF). Stress echocardiography may provide additional information and can be expressed using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), or diastolic parameters (E/E′), but LVEF has some major limitations. Systolic annular velocity (S′) provides a measure of longitudinal systolic function, which is relatively easy to obtain and shows a good relationship with exercise capacity. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship among S′, E/E′ and LVEF obtained during stress echocardiography and both mortality and hospitalisation. A secondary objective was to compare S′ measured using a simplified two-wall model. A total of 80 patients with stable HF underwent exercise stress echocardiography and simultaneous cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Volumetric and tissue velocity imaging (TVI) measurements were obtained, as was peak oxygen uptake (VO(2) peak). Of the total number of patients, 11 died and 22 required cardiac hospitalisation. S′ at peak exertion was a powerful predictor for death and hospitalisation. Cut-off points of 5.3 cm/s for death and 5.7 cm/s for hospitalisation provided optimum sensitivity and specificity. This study suggests that, in patients with systolic HF, S′ at peak exertion calculated from the averaged spectral TVI systolic velocity of six myocardial segments, or using a simplified measure of two myocardial segments, is a powerful predictor of future events and stronger than LVEF, diastolic velocities at rest or exercise and VO(2) peak. Results indicate that measuring S′ during exercise echocardiography might play an important role in understanding the likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with HF