Athlete Monitoring and Evaluation of Training Programs

Question 1

• Define ‘internal load’ and ‘external load’

Answer 1

Training Load - What
- Athlete load = combination of sport + non-sport stressors
Training load
- Cumulative amount of stress placed on an indiv from a single or multiple training sessions over a period of time
Internal Load
- “relative biological (both physiological + psychological) stressors imposed on the athlete during training or comp”
External Load
- “objective measures of the work performed by the athlete during training or comp + are assessed independently of internal workloads”

Question 2

• Explain why training load should be monitored

Answer 2

Training Load - Why Monitor Training Load?
- Understand adaptation
- Understand response
- Understand fatigue
- Understand injury risk

> Too Easy = no fatigue + no adaptation
Balanced = fatigue + adaptation
Too Hard = excessive fatigue + limited adaptation

Question 3

• Describe methods to assess training load (internal measures)

Answer 3

Internal load:
- RPE
- wellness questionnaires
- HR indices
- O2 uptake
- Blood lactate

Session RPE Method
- Assesses overall session load
- Good validity + reliability
- “How was your workout”
- sRPE (AU) = session duration (min) x RPE (0-10)
- Session duration = 60 min
- RPE = 7
- sRPE = 420 (AU)

Question 4

• Describe methods to assess training load (external measures)

Answer 4

External load:
- time
- training frequency
- distance
- power output
- speed
- acceleration
- GPS measures
- metabolic power
- accelerometry
- player load

Global Position System (GPS)
- Objective info about session or match
- Good validity + reliability*
- Integrated accelerometry
- Some units can be used indoors + outdoors
- Variables include distance, velocity, acceleration

Question 5

• Describe the association between training load in injury and illness

Answer 5

Training Response – Injury and Illness
Overreaching
- “an accumulation of training and/or non-training stress resulting in short-term decrement in perf capacity”
- Functional and non-functional
Overtraining
“an accumulation of training and/or non-training stress resulting in long-term decrement in performance capacity.” (Meeusen, 2013)

Question 6

• Describe the association between training load in injury and illness

Answer 6

Training Response – Injury and Illness
Overreaching
- “an accumulation of training and/or non-training stress resulting in short-term decrement in perf capacity”
- Functional + non-functional
Overtraining
- “an accumulation of training and/or non-training stress resulting in long-term decrement in performance capacity.”

Question 7

• Describe the association between training load in injury and illness = It’s complicated!

Answer 7

• “The results of this systematic review highlight that there is emerging moderate evidence for the r/s b/w the training load applied to an athlete + the occurrence of injury and illness.”
• “Our results demonstrate that the existence of a r/s b/w training load + injury continues to be well supported in the literature + is strongest for subjective internal training load. The directionality of this r/s appears to depend on the type + timeframe of load measured”
• “Current training load measures + metrics provide unreliable assessments of injury risk. It appears that a more detailed approach centered on the specific causal mechanisms of injury should be sought to provide more rigorous assessments of injury risk”

Question 8

• Explain the rationale for assessing athlete wellness

Answer 8

Why Monitor Athlete Wellness?
Understand athlete preparedness
- response to training
- Non-sport stressors
- Understand injury risk
Objective vs. subjective measures
- objective measures include CMJ, HRV, questionnaires
- Subjective measures include questionnaires

Question 9

Subjective Measures

Answer 9

• Typically include measures of recovery, stress, mood
• Questionnaires include RESTQ, POMS, ARSS, SRSS, + many more!