Integrating External and Internal Load for Monitoring Fitness and Fatigue Status in Standard Microcycles in Elite Rink Hockey

Abstract

The aims of this study were 3-fold: firstly, to present an integrative approach to external and internal load dynamics for monitoring fitness and fatigue status of specific in-court rink hockey training sessions in a standard microcycle; secondly, to assess the differences between training sessions and matches; the third and final aim was to assess the association between external and internal load metrics. The external load, using a local positioning system, and internal load, using the declared rate of perceived exertion, were measured during 23 in-season microcycles for nine top-level players. Training load data were analysed with regard to the number of days before or after a match [match day (MD) minus or plus]. In relation to the first aim, internal and external load metrics merged into a single integrated system using pooled data z-scores provided an invisible monitoring tool that places the players in the fitness-fatigue continuum throughout the different microcycle sessions. In this regard, MD-4 and MD-1 sessions tend to place, with a low dispersion, the players in a “low external and internal load” zone. On the contrary, in MD-3 and MD-2 sessions, as well as in MD, in which higher loads were recorded, most of the players were within a “high external and internal load” zone with a tendency towards dispersion towards the fitness or fatigue zones. Finally, and with regard to the second and third aims, an inverted “U-shape” load dynamic related to the specific goals of each training session was the main finding in terms of comparison between MD; a load peak between MD-3 and MD-2 sessions and a significant decrease in all the load variables in MD-1 sessions were found; and high-to-low correlations were found between external and internal load metrics. This study presents an integrative approach to the external and internal load of players for monitoring fitness and fatigue status during a standard microcycle in rink hockey that might provide team sport staff members with a deeper understanding of load distribution in the microcycle in relation to the match.

The distribution of different intensity demanding scenarios in elite rink hockey players using an electronic performance tracking system

“…In comparison with outdoor sports, the results of indoor sports are more interesting because of PLOS ONE the significant differences in the number of players or the space compared with outdoor sports. As reported by Ferna ´ndez et al [1], the use of roller skates and fences in rink hockey could account for the higher average values and peak demands of DT and HSS compared to basketball and futsal.…”

“…These included the following: distance travelled in meters (DT; m); highspeed skating; distance covered >18 km/h, in meters (HSS >18 km�h−1; m); number of highintensity accelerations (ACC; >2 m�s−2; count); and number of high-intensity decelerations (DEC; >2 m�s−2; count). All these variables were chosen for two reasons: first, they were the ones most commonly used in other descriptive studies of competition loads in indoor sport research, and the thresholds used were the ones most commonly used in other external load research studies on rink hockey [1,2,4,8], which allowed us to compare our results with previous literature, and second, it is a starting point in this kind of literature for further research on both variables and thresholds. After each match, data from the local positioning system were downloaded and extracted using the manufacturer's software (SPRO™, Realtrack Systems SL, version 977).…”

“…All these actions are performed in a sport-specific framework of driving, shooting, passing, blocking, and defending. Roller skating makes rink hockey a dynamic and fast sport that has relative average demands far greater than other indoor sports [1,2]. Actually, there has been a trend in growth of the use of inertial devices combined with ultra-wide band (UWB) positioning technology to track distance, accelerations, and decelerations during matches and training sessions.…”

“…Research comparing different team sports [4] showed that rink hockey along with soccer achieves the greatest values in total distance and distance above 18 km/h; and along with basketball achieves the greatest values in the number of accelerations and decelerations. Finally, other research on external loads in official rink hockey competitions has shown that no differences exist between playing positions (exterior and interior players) in the average physical demands imposed by matches [1,2]. After that, coaches could use that information to plan and prepare the training microcycle, and the individual training sessions for players; as rink hockey is a high intensity sport without any differences between positions in terms of average demands.…”

High Prevalence of Seasonal and Current Groin Problems in Rink Hockey Players

“…It is worth mentioning that the issue was already described in 1991 as adductor overload in the environment of rink hockey, characterized by pain in the pubic insertion of the adductor longus that could compromise hockey performance or participation [4]. The intrinsic characteristics of the sport facilitate the appearance of these injuries since (outfield) players are subjected to high loads in the groin muscles due to sudden accelerations and decelerations, apart from numerous direction changes [5]. Differences exist compared to goalkeepers that could pose the later at higher risk of suffering hip-related groin injuries, similar to what has been observed in ice hockey goaltending [6,7].…”