R and R Soccer Training: Understanding Perceived Training Loads in Elite Youth Football

In the world of professional soccer, a player's competitive performance is a complex phenomenon that combines physical fitness with tactical, technical, and mental aspects. To optimize their performance, coaches use periodization to manipulate training contents throughout the season.

A recent study published in analyzed the perceived training loads (TL) of elite-oriented young professional soccer players, specifically focusing on the respiratory and muscular loads they experienced during the season. The researchers found that the TL arising from weekly games was solely responsible for the observed higher weekly TL among starters compared to non-starters.

Coaches used periodization to maximize their players' weekly TL 72 hours before a match, progressively unloading them between mid-week training sessions and the match day. Throughout the season, perceived TL displayed limited variation, with minor differences between starters and non-starters except for during the match itself.

The study also analyzed the TL patterns across different blocks of in-season training, revealing trivial to small variations between groups. The researchers divided the competitive period into 5-8 week blocks and 35 one-week microcycles, considering only players who were available to train for a whole week with the team and participate in the weekly game.

Twenty-four elite youth soccer players from a Spanish La Liga club participated in the study, which aimed to quantify their seasonal perceived respiratory and muscular training loads. The findings provide valuable insights for coaches seeking to optimize their training strategies and improve their players' performance on the pitch.

Overall, this study highlights the importance of understanding perceived TL in professional soccer, particularly among young elite players. By recognizing the patterns and variations in TL throughout the season, coaches can better design their training programs to ensure optimal performance.

R and r soccer training