The influence of pre-season training loads on in-season match activities in professional Australian football players

Journal article

Johnston, Rich D., Murray, Nicholas B. and Austin, Damien J.. (2019). The influence of pre-season training loads on in-season match activities in professional Australian football players. Science and Medicine in Football. 3(2), pp. 143-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2018.1501160
AuthorsJohnston, Rich D., Murray, Nicholas B. and Austin, Damien J.
Abstract

Objectives: To determine the impact of pre-season training loads on in-season match activity profiles in professional Australian football (AF) players.

Methods: Forty-four professional AF players participated in this study. Sixty-nine pre-season training and in-season match profiles were monitored using global positioning system (GPS) microtechnology and technical statistics across two seasons. Technical performance was measured as the Player Rank score provided by Champion Data. Players were divided into three equal training load groups based on total distance accumulated during pre-season.

Results: Players in the high training load (HTL) group performed more relative total and high-speed distance in matches compared with the moderate (MTL; ES = 0.73–0.86) and low (LTL; ES = 0.68–1.31) training load groups, with the differences becoming greater as the season progressed. There were no clear differences in Player Rank score between groups. There were positive relationships between pre-season high-speed running and match relative distance (p = 0.001; r = 0.417; r2 = 0.174) and match relative high-speed running (p = 0.001; r = 0.561; r2 = 0.314), which were greatest in the HTL group.

Conclusions: High pre-season training loads are associated with increased physical match activities, but do not appear to impact technical performance.

Keywordsteam sport; training; activity; profiles; performance; workloads
Year2019
JournalScience and Medicine in Football
Journal citation3 (2), pp. 143-149
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Routledge
ISSN2473-3938
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2018.1501160
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85066461794
Open accessPublished as green open access
Page range143-149
Author's accepted manuscript
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Open
Publisher's version
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All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online06 Aug 2018
Publication process dates
Accepted10 Jul 2018
Deposited07 Jun 2021
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