Monitoring Locomotor Load in Soccer: Is Metabolic Power, Powerful?

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of metabolic power (P) estimated from locomotor demands during soccer-specific drills. 14 highly-trained soccer players performed a soccer-specific circuit with the ball (3×1-min bouts, interspersed with 30-s passive recovery) on 2 different occasions. Locomotor activity was monitored with 4-Hz GPSs, while oxygen update (VO₂) was collected with a portable gas analyzer. P was calculated using either net VO₂ responses and traditional calorimetry principles (P_VO2, W.kg⁻¹) or locomotor demands (P_GPS, W.kg⁻¹). Distance covered into different speed, acceleration and P zones was recorded. While P_GPS was 29±10% lower than P_VO2 (d<− 3) during the exercise bouts, it was 85±7% lower (d<− 8) during recovery phases. The typical error between P_GPS vs. P_VO2 was moderate: 19.8%, 90% confidence limits: (18.4;21.6). The correlation between both estimates of P was small: 0.24 (0.14;0.33). Very large day-to-day variations were observed for acceleration, deceleration and > 20 W.kg⁻¹ distances (all CVs > 50%), while average P_o2 and P_GPS showed CVs < 10%. ICC ranged from very low- (acceleration and > 20 W.kg⁻¹ distances) to-very high (P_VO2). P_GPS largely underestimates the energy demands of soccer-specific drills, especially during the recovery phases. The poor reliability of P_GPS >20 W.kg⁻¹ questions its value for monitoring purposes in soccer.

Key words

soccer - acceleration - deceleration - energy demands - soccer-specific - training load

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