The Influence of Weekly Training Load on Match Physical Demands in Spanish Professional Soccer Players: A Full In-Season Study
Abstract
:Highlights
- Trivial-to-small correlations were observed between the weekly training load (TL) and the match physical demands of that week for different external load variables.
- During MD–3, the greatest values of total distance (TD), medium-speed running (MSR), very high speed running (VHSR), Sprint distance, high-speed running (HSR), and player load (PL) occurred, and during MD–4, the highest values of accelerations (ACC) and decelerations (DEC) occurred, showing that the hardest training sessions were those days.
- A correct weekly TL distribution could optimize the subsequent performance of soccer players.
- Practitioners should reduce the volume of the training sessions after heavy training sessions characterized by high external load in MD–4 and MD–3.
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Participants
2.3. Instruments and Variables
2.4. Training and Match External Load Ratios Explanation
2.5. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Daily and Match External Load According to Training Day
3.2. Correlations Between Weekly External Load and Match Physical Demands
3.3. Training and Match External Load Ratios
4. Discussion
Limitations and Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Practical Applications
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
TL | Training load |
TD | Total distance |
MSR | Medium-speed running |
HSR | High-speed running |
VHSR | Very high-speed running |
Sprint | Sprinting-speed running |
ACC | Accelerations |
DEC | Decelerations |
MD | Match day |
TMr | Training/match ratio |
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Variables | MD+1 | MD–4 | MD–3 | MD–2 | MD–1 | MD | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | Coeff (SE) | |
TD (m) | 4322 (114) | 6677 (105) | 7316 (107) | 3661 (110) | 3938 (113) | 10,587 (119) | 34,561 (3182) |
MSR (m) | 710 (54.7) | 1459 (52.7) | 1715 (53.1) | 490 (53.7) | 482 (54.4) | 2945 (55.9) | 7252 (1391) |
VHSR (m) | 166 (17.7) | 310 (17.1) | 442 (17.2) | 103 (17.4) | 110 (17.6) | 806 (18.1) | 1781 (445) |
Sprint (m) | 15.22 (4.22) | 27.09 (4.07) | 55.22 (4.10) | 7.57 (4.15) | 3.08 (4.20) | 124.31 (4.31) | 206 (104) |
HSR (m) | 181 (20.8) | 337 (20.1) | 498 (20.3) | 110 (20.5) | 113 (20.7) | 930 (21.3) | 1987 (524) |
ACC (n°) | 14.4 (1.55) | 25.7 (1.53) | 20.5 (1.53) | 13.7 (1.54) | 15.1 (1.55) | 33.0 (1.56) | 114 (32.92) |
DEC (n°) | 12.14 (1.11) | 27.31 (1.08) | 21.80 (1.09) | 9.59 (1.10) | 10.30 (1.11) | 40.75 (1.33) | 112 (27.82) |
PL (m) | 227 (6.04) | 325 (5.72) | 338 (5.79) | 197 (5.88) | 216 (6.00) | 478 (6.24) | 1697 (164) |
TMr | MD+1 | MD–4 | MD–3 | MD–2 | MD–1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | |
TDr | 0.70 (1.08) | 1.08 (1.69) | 1.19 (1.92) | 0.06 (0.94) | 0.07 (1.12) |
MSRr | 4.19 (34.27) | 9.04 (77.73) | 10.46 (88.84) | 3.84 (35.66) | 4.13 (34.92) |
VHSRr | 1.32 (14.70) | 2.26 (24.97) | 3.25 (36.60) | 0.72 (7.93) | 0.79 (9.06) |
Sprintr | 0.27 (0.70) | 0.43 (1.32) | 0.81 (2.48) | 0.12 (0.33) | 0.04 (0.20) |
HSRr | 1.42 (16.30) | 2.38 (27.18) | 3.55 (41.82) | 0.75 (8.62) | 0.79 (9.24) |
ACCr | 0.62 (0.82) | 1.06 (1.19) | 0.82 (0.91) | 0.55 (0.65) | 0.60 (0.70) |
DECr | 0.58 (1.25) | 1.18 (2.29) | 0.93 (1.76) | 0.40 (78) | 0.42 (0.73) |
PLr | 0.71 (82) | 1.02 (1.13) | 1.07 (1.21) | 0.61 (0.68) | 0.69 (0.83) |
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Ponce-Bordón, J.C.; Polo-Tejada, J.; Lobo-Triviño, D.; Sanabria-Pino, B.; Raya-González, J.; Muñoz, A.; García-Calvo, T. The Influence of Weekly Training Load on Match Physical Demands in Spanish Professional Soccer Players: A Full In-Season Study. Sensors 2025, 25, 2413. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082413
Ponce-Bordón JC, Polo-Tejada J, Lobo-Triviño D, Sanabria-Pino B, Raya-González J, Muñoz A, García-Calvo T. The Influence of Weekly Training Load on Match Physical Demands in Spanish Professional Soccer Players: A Full In-Season Study. Sensors. 2025; 25(8):2413. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082413
Chicago/Turabian StylePonce-Bordón, José C., Jorge Polo-Tejada, David Lobo-Triviño, Borja Sanabria-Pino, Javier Raya-González, Alberto Muñoz, and Tomás García-Calvo. 2025. "The Influence of Weekly Training Load on Match Physical Demands in Spanish Professional Soccer Players: A Full In-Season Study" Sensors 25, no. 8: 2413. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082413
APA StylePonce-Bordón, J. C., Polo-Tejada, J., Lobo-Triviño, D., Sanabria-Pino, B., Raya-González, J., Muñoz, A., & García-Calvo, T. (2025). The Influence of Weekly Training Load on Match Physical Demands in Spanish Professional Soccer Players: A Full In-Season Study. Sensors, 25(8), 2413. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25082413