The distribution of match activities relative to the maximal mean intensities in professional rugby league and Australian football

Johnston, RD, Thornton, HR, Wade, JA, Devlin, P, and Duthie, GM. The distribution of match activities relative to the maximal mean intensities in professional rugby league and Australian football. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2020—This study determined the distribution of distance, impulse, and accelerometer load accumulated at intensities relative to the maximal mean 1-minute peak intensity within professional rugby league and Australian football. Within 26 rugby league (n = 24 athletes) and 18 Australian football (n = 38 athletes) games, athletes wore global navigation satellite system devices (n = 608 match files). One-minute maximal mean values were calculated for each athlete per game for speed (m·minP−1P), accelerometer load (AU·minP−1P), and acceleration (m·sP−2P). Volumes for each parameter were calculated by multiplying by time, specifying total distance, accelerometer load, and impulse. The distribution of intensity of which these variables were performed relative to the maximal mean was calculated, with percentages ranging from 0–110%, separated into 10% thresholds. Linear mixed models determined whether the distribution of activities within each threshold varied, and positional differences. Effects were described using standardized effect sizes (ESs), and magnitude-based decisions. Across both sports, the distribution of activity (%) largely reduced the closer to the maximal mean 1-minute peak and was highest at ∼60% of the maximal mean peak. When compared with Australian football, a higher percentage of total distance was accumulated at higher intensities (70–80% and 100–110%) for rugby league (ES range = 0.82–0.87), with similar, yet larger differences for accelerometer load >80% (0.78–1.07) and impulse >60% (1.00–2.26). These findings provide information of the volume of activities performed relative to the mean maximal 1-minute peak period, which may assist in the prescription of training.