Metabolic power in hurling with respect to position and halves of match-play

Abstract

The current investigation compared the metabolic power and energetic characteristics in team sports with respect to positional lines and halves of match-play. Global positioning system (GPS) technology data were collected from 22 elite competitive hurling matches over a 3-season period. A total of 250 complete match-files were recorded with players split into positional groups of full-back; half-back; midfield; half-forward; full-forward. Raw GPS data were exported into a customized spreadsheet that provided estimations of metabolic power and speed variables across match-play events (average metabolic power [Pmet], high metabolic load distance [HMLD], total distance, relative distance, high-speed distance, maximal speed, accelerations, and deceleration). Pmet, HMLD, total, relative and high-speed distance were 8.9 ± 1.6 W·kg-1, 1457 ± 349 m, 7506 ± 1364 m, 107 ± 20 m·min-1 and 1169 ± 260 m respectively. Half-backs, midfielders and half-forwards outperformed full-backs (Effect Size [ES] = 1.03, 1.22 and 2.07 respectively), and full-forwards in Pmet (Effect Size [ES] = 1.70, 2.07 and 1.28 respectively), and HMLD (full-backs: ES = -1.23, -1.37 and -0.84 respectively, and full-forwards: ES = -1.77, -2.00 and -1.38 respectively). Half-backs (ES = -0.60), midfielders (ES = -0.81), and half-forwards (ES = -0.74) experienced a second-half temporal decrement in HMLD. The current investigation demonstrates that metabolic power may increase our understanding of the match-play demands placed on elite hurling players. Coaches may utilize these findings to construct training drills that replicate match-play demands.

Area per player in small-sided games to replicate the external load and estimated physiological match demands in elite soccer players

“…However, it was reported that P met maintains a strong and consistent relationship with the measures of internal load during low-to-high intensity locomotor activities [21]. Therefore, P met could be a satisfactory way to estimate with accuracy the training and match demands [12,22] and to classify the locomotion intensity in team sports [21,28].…”

“…Moreover, P met can be sensitive to decrements in running performance during competition [ 23 – 25 ] and it could be used to account for positional differences [ 23 , 25 ]. Therefore, the combination of the P met approach and the traditional speed-threshold metrics should be used to provides a more comprehensive assessment of the intermittent running demands typically occurring in team sports [ 15 – 17 , 21 , 24 , 26 – 28 ].…”

The Running Performance Decrement in Elite Hurling

“…Data collected from the GPS units included total distance (m), HSR (17-21.9 km•h −1 ), sprint distance (≥22 km•h −1 ) [1,2] and high metabolic load distance (HMLD: a metric that combines HSR distance, and distance covered while accelerating and decelerating) [9]. The total number of sprints (≥22 km•h −1 ) were also collected [17].…”

“…Between-position running performance were recorded in hurling at U17 [23], U21 [1], and senior [8][9][10]. Results showed that running performance within positions decreased in the second half in hurling [1,2,9], similar to other team sports [24][25][26]. Currently, there are no data available that describe the total distance, HMLD, sprint distance, and the number of sprints between quarters in senior hurling.…”

“…Although hurling games attract large attendances of over 80,000 people at the finals in Croke Park with several million people watching on television worldwide [7], the scientific literature has only recently described the match-play performances of competition [8][9][10][11] and training [12][13][14]. Players were reported to display using global positioning systems (GPS) technology, the total distance, relative distance, high-speed running (HSR), sprint distance, and high-metabolic-load distance (HMLD) were recorded in youth, sub-elite, and elite hurlers [1,8,9,15,16]. Quantifying the game demands is critical for the design and implementation of training practices so players can be optimally prepared for the match-play demands of competition [17].…”