Perceived exertion in coaches and young swimmers with different training experience

Are Ratings of Perceived Exertion during Endurance Tasks of Predictive Value? Findings in Trunk Muscles Require Special Attention

Background: Subjective rating scales of perceived exertion are often used to quantify effort levels during various endurance exercises, particularly submaximal tasks. The aim of the current study was to determine whether predictive conclusions can be drawn from perceived exertion levels surveyed at the start of defined submaximal endurance tasks. Methods: In this study, healthy participants performed a 10-min endurance task at 50% of their upper body weight, targeting either the back muscles (n = 47, 24 women) or abdominal muscles (n = 32, 17 women). At the end of each minute, participants were asked to rate their perceived exertion (RPE) using the 14-points Borg Scale. Based on their initial and final RPE levels, and for each muscle group separately, participants were divided into subgroups reflecting low (good start/good end) and high (bad start/bad end) strain levels. These values were then compared over the duration of the exercise. Comparisons of RPE levels between subgroups were made using the Mann-Whitney U-test for independent samples, with Bonferroni-Holm correction to account for multiple comparisons. Results: Overall, strain levels increased throughout the duration of the exercise. For the abdominal muscles, the difference between the two RPE groups remained constant over time: participants with good start/end ratings consistently showed different strain levels from those with bad start/end ratings, regardless of whether the grouping was based on initial or final exertion levels. In contrast, for the back muscles, the initial grouping showed a crossover in strain values: by the end of the task, participants in the good start group tended to report higher strain than those in the bad start group. No differences were found in initial RPE values when the grouping was based on final exertion levels. Conclusions: For endurance tasks involving the abdominal muscles, initial strain levels have strong predictive value, whereas this is not the case for the back muscles. Because back muscles are frequently loaded, continuous monitoring of RPE levels is necessary to prevent unexpected task failure, as initial RPE values are not predictive. In contrast, RPE values of 11 or higher on the 14-points Borg scale predict complete exhaustion or even premature task failure with high certainty for abdominal muscle exercises, while lower RPE levels indicate that exercise intensity can be increased.

Hypoxia matters: comparison of external and internal training load markers during an 8-week resistance training program in normoxia, normobaric hypoxia and hypobaric hypoxia

PURPOSE

To compare external and internal training load markers during resistance training (RT) in normoxia (N), intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (HH), and intermittent normobaric hypoxia (NH).

METHODS

Thirty-three volunteers were assigned an 8-week RT program in either N (690 m, n = 10), HH (2320 m, n = 10), or NH (inspired fraction of oxygen = 15.9%; ~ 2320 m, n = 13). The RT program (3x/week) consisted of six exercises, with three sets of six to 12 repetitions at ~ 70% of one repetition maximum (1RM) with the first session of each week used for analysis. 1RM in back squat and bench press was used to evaluate muscle strength before and after the program. External load was assessed by the volume load relative to body mass (RVL, kg·kg-1). Internal load was assessed by the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR).

RESULTS

Smaller relative improvements were found for the back squat in the N group (11.5 ± 8.8%) when compared to the NH group (22.2 ± 8.2%, P = 0.01) and the HH group (22 ± 8.1%, P = 0.02). All groups showed similar RVL, HR responses and RPE across the program (P˃0.05). However, reduced HR recovery values, calculated as the difference between the highest HR value (HRpeak) and the resting heart rate after a two min rest, were seen in the N and NH groups across the program (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It seems that 8 weeks of intermittent RT in hypoxic environments could maximize time-efficiency when aiming to improve strength levels in back squat without evoking higher levels of physiological stress. Performing RT at hypobaric hypoxia may improve the cardiorespiratory response, which in turn could speed recovery.

Comparison among U-17, U-20, and Professional Female Soccer in the GPS Profiles during Brazilian Championships

The purpose of this study was to compare and characterize the physical demand of official matches among under-17 (U-17), under-20 (U-20), and professional (Pro) female soccer players. All matches were from the U-17, U-20, and Pro National Brazilian Championships. Fourteen Pro matches, nine U-20 matches, and four U-17 matches were analyzed. The external load was measured by the global positioning system (GPS) and the internal workload was assessed by the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) multiplied by the duration of the match. The activity profiles measured were total distance covered (km), total sprint distance (m) (speed > 18 km·h^-1), number of accelerations and decelerations (between 1 and 2 m·s^-2 and >3 m·s^-2), and top speed (km·h^-1). For the analysis, we standardized all the metrics (except the top speed) by the time (in minutes) played. The Pro group presented higher sprint distances, number of accelerations and decelerations, and top speeds, compared to U-20 and U-17. There was no difference in the total distance among groups, and there was no difference in any GPS metrics between U-20 and U-17. The RPE was higher in Pro and U-17, compared to U-20; however, the workload-RPE was higher in Pro, compared to both U-17 and U-20 groups. These findings provide important information for the evolution of physical performance according to age categories in elite female soccer players.

Internal Training Load Perceived by Athletes and Planned by Coaches: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and session RPE (sRPE) has been widely used to verify the internal load in athletes. Understanding the agreement between the training load prescribed by coaches and that perceived by athletes is a topic of great interest in sport science.

Objective

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate differences between the training/competition load perceived by athletes and prescribed/intended/observed by coaches.

Methods

A literature search (September 2020 and updated in November 2021) was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and SPORTDiscus databases. The protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (osf.io/wna4x). Studies should include athletes and coaches of any sex, age, or level of experience. The studies should present outcomes related to the RPE or sRPE for any scale considering overall training/competition sessions (physical, strength, tactical, technical, games) and/or classified into three effort categories: easy, moderate, and hard.

Results

Twenty-seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. No difference was found between coaches and athletes for overall RPE (SMD = 0.19, P = 0.10) and overall sRPE (SMD = 0.05, P = 0.75). There was a difference for easy RPE (SMD = − 0.44, small effect size, P = 0.04) and easy sRPE (SMD = − 0.54, moderate effect size, P = 0.04). No differences were found for moderate RPE (SMD = 0.05, P = 0.74) and hard RPE (SMD = 0.41, P = 0.18). No difference was found for moderate (SMD = -0.15, P = 0.56) and hard (SMD = 0.20, P = 0.43) sRPE.

Conclusion

There is an agreement between coaches and athletes about overall RPE and sRPE, and RPE and sRPE into two effort categories (moderate and hard). However, there were disagreements in RPE and sRPE for easy effort category. Thus, despite a small disagreement, the use of these tools seems to be adequate for training monitoring.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40798-022-00420-3.

Perceived Training of Junior Speed Skaters versus the Coach's Intention: Does a Mismatch Relate to Perceived Stress and Recovery?

The aim of this observational study was to examine the differences between training variables as intended by coaches and perceived by junior speed skaters and to explore how these relate to changes in stress and recovery. During a 4-week preparatory period, intended and perceived training intensity (RPE) and duration (min) were monitored for 2 coaches and their 23 speed skaters, respectively. The training load was calculated by multiplying RPE by duration. Changes in perceived stress and recovery were measured using RESTQ-sport questionnaires before and after 4 weeks. Results included 438 intended training sessions and 378 executed sessions of 14 speed skaters. A moderately higher intended (52:37 h) versus perceived duration (45:16 h) was found, as skaters performed fewer training sessions than anticipated (four sessions). Perceived training load was lower than intended for speed skating sessions (-532 ± 545 AU) and strength sessions (-1276 ± 530 AU) due to lower RPE scores for skating (-0.6 ± 0.7) or shorter and fewer training sessions for strength (-04:13 ± 02:06 hh:mm). All training and RESTQ-sport parameters showed large inter-individual variations. Differences between intended-perceived training variables showed large positive correlations with changes in RESTQ-sport, i.e., for the subscale's success (r = 0.568), physical recovery (r = 0.575), self-regulation (r = 0.598), and personal accomplishment (r = 0.589). To conclude, speed skaters that approach or exceed the coach's intended training variables demonstrated an increased perception of success, physical recovery, self-regulation, and personal accomplishment.

Differences in execution and perception of training sessions as experienced by (semi-) professional cyclists and their coach

This study aimed to investigate whether (semi-)professional cyclists' execution of a training programme differs from the coach's designed training programme. Also, the study sought to ascertain, in instances where the training sessions were indeed executed as designed by the coach, whether the perception of the cyclists differed from the intention of the coach. This study highlights the differences between the coach and the individual cyclist. In total, 747 training sessions were collected from 11 (semi-)professional cyclists. Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and session Rating of Perceived Exertion (sRPE) were compared with intended RPE (iRPE) and intended sRPE (isRPE), planned by the coach. Pearson's correlation, regression coefficients and Typical Error of Estimate (TEE) were used to identify differences between the executed and planned training sessions. Moderate to large TEEs were noted between executed and intended sRPE, which indicates that cyclists do not always execute the training programme planned by the coach. Furthermore, when the training was executed as planned by the coach, very large correlations but moderate to very large TEEs were noted between cyclists' (s)RPE and the coach's i(s)RPE, with unique individual regression coefficients. This indicates that the relationship between RPE and iRPE is unique to each cyclist. Both the different execution and perception of the training programme by the individual cyclists could cause an impaired training adaptation. Therefore, the coach must pay attention to the perception of training sessions by the individual cyclist. Improved individual management of training load could result in the optimisation of the proposed training programme.Highlights On individual level, (semi-)professional cyclists train differently than planned by the coach, based on duration and sRPE of the training sessionsThe relationship between the RPE of the cyclist and the iRPE of the coach is unique for each cyclistCoaches should be aware that cyclist and coach could interpret the same training differently, resulting in an easier perception of low- and high- intensity training sessions by the cyclists compared to the intention of the coach.

Training for Muscular Strength: Methods for Monitoring and Adjusting Training Intensity

Linear loading, the two-for-two rule, percent of one repetition maximum (1RM), RM zones, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), repetitions in reserve, set-repetition best, autoregulatory progressive resistance exercise (APRE), and velocity-based training (VBT) are all methods of adjusting resistance training intensity. Each method has advantages and disadvantages that strength and conditioning practitioners should be aware of when measuring and monitoring strength characteristics. The linear loading and 2-for-2 methods may be beneficial for novice athletes; however, they may be limited in their capacity to provide athletes with variation and detrimental if used exclusively for long periods of time. The percent of 1RM and RM zone methods may provide athletes with more variation and greater potential for strength-power adaptations; however, they fail to account for daily changes in athlete's performance capabilities. An athlete's daily readiness can be addressed to various extents by both subjective (e.g., RPE, repetitions in reserve, set-repetition best, and APRE) and objective (e.g., VBT) load adjustment methods. Future resistance training monitoring may aim to include a combination of measures that quantify outcome (e.g., velocity, load, time, etc.) with process (e.g., variability, coordination, efficiency, etc.) relevant to the stage of learning or the task being performed. Load adjustment and monitoring methods should be used to supplement and guide the practitioner, quantify what the practitioner 'sees', and provide longitudinal data to assist in reviewing athlete development and providing baselines for the rate of expected development in resistance training when an athlete returns to sport from injury or large training load reductions.

Variability in Submaximal Self-Paced Exercise Bouts of Different Intensity and Duration

PURPOSE

Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) as a training-intensity prescription has been extensively used by athletes and coaches. However, individual variability in the physiological response to exercise prescribed using RPE has not been investigated.

METHODS

Twenty well-trained competitive cyclists (male = 18, female = 2, maximum oxygen consumption =55.07 [11.06] mL·kg-1·min-1) completed 3 exercise trials each consisting of 9 randomized self-paced exercise bouts of either 1, 4, or 8 minutes at RPEs of 9, 13, and 17. Within-athlete variability (WAV) and between-athletes variability (BAV) in power and physiological responses were calculated using the coefficient of variation. Total variability was calculated as the ratio of WAV to BAV.

RESULTS

Increased RPEs were associated with higher power, heart rate, work, volume of expired oxygen (VO2), volume of expired carbon dioxide (VCO2), minute ventilation (VE), deoxyhemoglobin (ΔHHb) (P < .001), and lower tissue saturation index (ΔTSI%) and ΔO2Hb (oxyhaemoglobin; P < .001). At an RPE of 9, shorter durations resulted in lower VO2 (P < .05) and decreased ΔTSI%, and the ΔHHb increased as the duration increased (P < .05). At an RPE of 13, shorter durations resulted in lower VO2, VE, and percentage of maximum oxygen consumption (P < .001), as well as higher power, heart rate, ΔHHb (P < .001), and ΔTSI% (P < .05). At an RPE of 17, power (P < .001) and ΔTSI% (P < .05) increased as duration decreased. As intensity and duration increased, WAV and BAV in power, work, heart rate, VO2, VCO2, and VE decreased, and WAV and BAV in near-infrared spectroscopy increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-paced intensity prescriptions of high effort and long duration result in the greatest consistency on both a within- and between-athletes basis.

Comparison of coach-athlete perceptions on internal and external training loads in trained cyclists

ABSTRACTThe aim was to compare the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), duration and session-RPE (S-RPE) prescribed by the coaches to those perceived by the cyclists in training sessions. The classification of RPE, duration and S-RPE of 14 male road cycling and mountain biking athletes were compared with the planned values of five coaches. The results revealed no differences for average RPE (P = 0.586), duration (P = 0.717) and S-RPE (P = 0.738) between coaches and cyclists. When comparing the three categories of effort, the results of the intensity of training sessions designed to be easy were perceived as significantly harder by cyclists compared to coaches (3.0 [2.0] vs. 2.0 [0.0] a.u.; P = 0.013). In addition, the correlations between coaches and cyclists on RPE (r = 0.73), duration (r = 0.95) and S-RPE (r = 0.87) were large, almost perfect and very large (P < 0.0001) respectively. In conclusion, our results indicate a mismatch between coaches (prescription) and cyclists (perception) of easy RPE training sessions, where the cyclists perceived the session harder. However, the S-RPE can be used to prescribe and quantifying the internal training load of trained cyclists.

Predicting Lactate Threshold With Rate of Perceived Exertion in Young Competitive Male Swimmers

The purpose of this study was to verify the effectiveness of the rate of perceived exertion threshold (RPET) for predicting young competitive swimmers' lactate threshold (LT) during incremental testing. We enrolled 13 male athletes (M age = 16, SD = 0.6 years) in an incremental test protocol consisting of eight repetitions of a 100-meter crawl with 2-minute intervals between each repetition. We collected data for blood lactate concentration ([La]) and Borg scale rate of perceived exertion (RPE) at the end of each repetition. The results obtained were: M RPET = 4.98, SD = 1.12 arbitrary units (A.U.) and M lactate threshold = 4.24, SD = 1.12 mmol.L^-1, with [La] and RPE identified by the maximal deviation (Dmax) method without a significant difference (p > 0.05) and large correlations between DmaxLa and DmaxRPE at variables for time (r = 0.64), velocity (r = 0.67) and percentage of personal best time (PB) (r = 0.60). These results suggest that RPET is a good predictor of LT in young competitive swimmers.

Factors Influencing the Association Between Coach and Athlete Rating of Exertion: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Subjective monitoring of rate of perceived exertion is common practice in many sports. Typically, the information is used to understand the training load and at times modify forthcoming sessions. Identifying the relationship between the athlete and coach's interpretation of training would likely further benefit understanding load management. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the relationship between coaches' rating of intended exertion (RIE) and/or rating of observed exertion (ROE) and athletes' reported rating of perceived exertion (RPE).

METHODS

The review was undertaken in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We conducted a search of Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases. We assessed the correlation between coach-reported RIE and/or ROE and RPE. Assessment for risk of bias was undertaken using the Quality Appraisal for Reliability Studies (QAREL) checklist. Inclusion criteria were (1) male and/or female individuals, (2) individual and/or team sport active participants, and (3) original research article published in the English language.

RESULTS

Data from 19 articles were found to meet the eligibility criteria. A random effect meta-analysis based on 11 studies demonstrated a positive association of player vs. coach rating of RIE (r = 0.62 [95% CI 0.5 to 0.7], p < 0.001). The pooled correlation from 7 studies of player vs. coach rating on ROE was r = 0.64 95% CI (0.5 to 0.7), p < 0.001.

CONCLUSION

There was a moderate to high association between coach RIE and/or ROE and athlete-reported RPE and this association seems to be influenced by many factors. The suggestions we present in this review are based on imploring practitioners to consider a multi-modal approach and the implications of monitoring when using RPE.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRD42020193387.

Methods for Regulating and Monitoring Resistance Training

Individualisation can improve resistance training prescription. This is accomplished via monitoring or autoregulating training. Autoregulation adjusts variables at an individualised pace per performance, readiness, or recovery. Many autoregulation and monitoring methods exist; therefore, this review’s objective was to examine approaches intended to optimise adaptation. Up to July 2019, PubMed, Medline, SPORTDiscus, Scopus and CINAHL were searched. Only studies on methods of athlete monitoring useful for resistance-training regulation, or autoregulated training methods were included. Eleven monitoring and regulation themes emerged across 90 studies. Some physiological, performance, and perceptual measures correlated strongly (r ≥ 0.68) with resistance training performance. Testosterone, cortisol, catecholamines, cell-free DNA, jump height, throwing distance, barbell velocity, isometric and dynamic peak force, maximal voluntary isometric contractions, and sessional, repetitions in reserve-(RIR) based, and post-set Borg-scale ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were strongly associated with training performance, respectively. Despite strong correlations, many physiological and performance methods are logistically restrictive or limited to lab-settings, such as blood markers, electromyography or kinetic measurements. Some practical performance tests such as jump height or throw distance may be useful, low-risk stand-ins for maximal strength tests. Performance-based individualisation of load progression, flexible training configurations, and intensity and volume modifications based on velocity and RIR-based RPE scores are practical, reliable and show preliminary utility for enhancing performance.

Discrepancies Exist between Exercise Prescription and Dose in Elite Women's Basketball Pre-Season

This study assessed the influence of exercise prescription on the objectively measured exercise dose in basketball. Intensity (RPE) and volume (sRPE) were prescribed by a professional coach on a drill-by-drill basis during pre-season training for nine elite basketball players. Training drills were classified by prescribed intensity (easy-moderate, moderate-hard, hard–very hard, and very hard-maximal) and type (warm-up, skill-development, offensive- and defensive-technical/tactical, or match-simulation). Exercise intensity was objectively quantified using accelerometry-derived average net force (AvF_Net) and time spent in accelerometry-derived relative intensity zones. The volume of exercise (exercise dose) was objectively quantified using accumulated impulse (AvF_Net × duration). Relationships between prescribed volume and exercise dose were explored by correlations between sRPE and drill-by-drill accumulation of sRPE (dRPE) with impulse. Very hard-maximal drill intensity was greater than hard-very hard (p = 0.011), but not moderate-hard (p = 0.945). Very hard-maximal drills included the most time performing Supra-maximal intensity (>100% V˙O₂R) efforts (p < 0.001), suggesting that intensity prescription was based upon the amount of high-intensity exercise. Correlations between impulse with sRPE and dRPE were moderate (r = 0.401, p = 0.197) and very-large (r = 0.807, p = 0.002), respectively, demonstrating that the coach misinterpreted the accumulative effect of drill volume over an entire training session. Overall, a mismatch existed between exercise prescription and exercise dose. Objective monitoring might assist coaches to improve precision of exercise prescription.

The Validity of the Session Rating of Perceived Exertion Method for Measuring Internal Training Load in Professional Classical Ballet Dancers

The aim of this study was to investigate the convergent validity of session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) with objective measures of internal training load (TL) in professional classical ballet dancers. Heart rate and s-RPE data were collected in 22 professional classical ballet dancers across a total of 218 ballet class or rehearsal sessions. Eleven participants completed at least 9 sessions, and were therefore included in analyses of individual relationships between s-RPE and objective measures. To calculate s-RPE, the session duration was multiplied by the RPE, measured using the modified Borg CR-10 scale. The Edwards summated heart rate zones (Edwards TRIMP) and Banister training impulse (Banister TRIMP) methods were used as criterion measures of internal TL. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to determine intra-individual relationships between s-RPE and objective measures. Repeated measures correlations were used to identify intra-individual relationships common across the cohort. Positive linear relationships were seen between s-RPE and objective measures across all session types [Edwards TRIMP: r rm (195) = 0.81, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r rm (195) = 0.79, p < 0.001], in ballet class [Edwards TRIMP: r rm (58) = 0.64, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r rm (58) = 0.59, p < 0.001], and in rehearsals [Edwards TRIMP: r rm (119) = 0.82, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r rm (119) = 0.80, p < 0.001], as well as across both males [Edwards TRIMP: r rm (136) = 0.82, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r rm (136) = 0.80, p < 0.001], and females [Edwards TRIMP: r rm (57) = 0.80, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r rm (57) = 0.78, p < 0.001]. Intra-individual correlation coefficients ranged from 0.46-0.96 [Edwards TRIMP: mean r = 0.81 ± 0.11, p = 0.051 - < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: mean r = 0.78 ± 0.14, p = 0.13- < 0.001]. These results demonstrate that s-RPE is a valid and practical method for measuring internal TL in professional classical ballet dancers.

Achieving a desired training intensity through the prescription of external training load variables in youth sport: More pieces to the puzzle required

Identifying the external training load variables which influence subjective internal response will help reduce the mismatch between coach-intended and athlete-perceived training intensity. Therefore, this study aimed to reduce external training load measures into distinct principal components (PCs), plot internal training response (quantified via session Rating of Perceived Exertion [sRPE]) against the identified PCs and investigate how the prescription of PCs influences subjective internal training response. Twenty-nine school to international level youth athletes wore microtechnology units for field-based training sessions. SRPE was collected post-session and assigned to the microtechnology unit data for the corresponding training session. 198 rugby union, 145 field hockey and 142 soccer observations were analysed. The external training variables were reduced to two PCs for each sport cumulatively explaining 91%, 96% and 91% of sRPE variance in rugby union, field hockey and soccer, respectively. However, when internal response was plotted against the PCs, the lack of separation between low-, moderate- and high-intensity training sessions precluded further analysis as the prescription of the PCs do not appear to distinguish subjective session intensity. A coach may therefore wish to consider the multitude of physiological, psychological and environmental factors which influence sRPE alongside external training load prescription.

Player Session Rating of Perceived Exertion: A More Valid Tool Than Coaches' Ratings to Monitor Internal Training Load in Elite Youth Female Basketball

PURPOSE

To monitor elite youth female basketball training to verify whether players' and coaches' (3 technical coaches and 1 physical trainer) session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) has a relationship with Edwards' method.

METHODS

Heart rate of 15 elite youth female basketball players (age 16.7 [0.5] y, height 178 [9] cm, body mass 72 [9] kg, body mass index 22.9 [2.2] kg·m-2) was monitored during 19 team (268 individual) training sessions (102 [15] min). Mixed effect models were applied to evaluate whether s-RPE values were significantly (P ≤ .05) related to Edwards' data, total session duration, maximal intensity (session duration at 90-100% HRmax), type of training (ie, strength, conditioning, and technique), and whether differences emerged between players' and coaches' s-RPE values.

RESULTS

The results showed that there is a relationship between s-RPE and Edwards' methods for the players' RPE scores (P = .019) but not for those of the trainers. In addition, as expected, both players' (P = .014) and coaches' (P = .002) s-RPE scores were influenced by total session duration but not by maximal intensity and type of training. In addition, players' and coaches' s-RPE values differed (P < .001)-post hoc differences emerged for conditioning (P = .01) and technique (P < .001) sessions.

CONCLUSIONS

Elite youth female basketball players are better able to quantify the internal training load of their sessions than their coaches, strengthening the validity of s-RPE as a tool to monitor training in team sports.

Session RPE Breakpoints Corresponding to Intensity Thresholds in Elite Open Water Swimmers

This study aims to assess the correspondence between session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) breakpoints with both the first lactate threshold (LT1) and the second lactate threshold (LT2) in elite open water swimmers (OWS). Six elite OWS of the National Olympic Team specialized in distances between 5 and 25 km participated to the study. OWS performed a set of 6 times 500 m incremental swimming step test during which blood lactate concentration (BLC), split time (ST), stroke frequency (SF), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected. To assess the corresponding breakpoints, we considered LT1 as the highest workload not associated with rise in BLC and LT2 as the increase of 2mM above LT1. According to the LT1 and LT2, the identified zones were: Z1 ≤3, Z2 between 4 and 6, Z3 ≥ 7. In conclusion, the intensity zones determined for OWS resulted different from what previously reported for other endurance disciplines.

Training Loads, Wellness and Performance Before and During Tapering for a Water-Polo Tournament

We investigated the effectiveness of a short-duration training period including an overloaded (weeks 1 and 2) and a reduced training load period (weeks 3 and 4) on wellness, swimming performance and a perceived internal training load in eight high-level water-polo players preparing for play-offs. The internal training load was estimated daily using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and session duration (session-RPE). Perceived ratings of wellness (fatigue, muscle soreness, sleep quality, stress level and mood) were assessed daily. Swimming performance was evaluated through 400-m and 20-m tests performed before (baseline) and after the end of weeks 2 and 4. In weeks 3 and 4, the internal training load was reduced by 19.0 ± 3.8 and 36.0 ± 4.7%, respectively, compared to week 1 (p = 0.00). Wellness was improved in week 4 (20.4 ± 2.8 AU) compared to week 1 and week 2 by 16.0 ± 2.2 and 17.3 ± 2.9 AU, respectively (p =0.001). At the end of week 4, swimming performance at 400-m and 20-m tests (299.0 ± 10.2 and 10.2 ± 0.3 s) was improved compared to baseline values (301.4 ± 10.9 and 10.4 ± 0.4 s, p < 0.05) and the overloading training period (week 2; 302.9 ± 9.0 and 10.4 ± 0.4 s, p < 0.05). High correlations were observed between the percentage reduction of the internal training load from week 4 to week 1 (-25.3 ± 5.5%) and the respective changes in 20-m time (-2.1 ± 2.2%, r = 0.88, p < 0.01), fatigue perception (39.6 ± 27.1%), muscle soreness (32.5 ± 26.6%), stress levels (25.6 ± 15.1%) and the overall wellness scores (28.6 ± 21.9%, r = 0.74-0.79, p < 0.05). The reduction of the internal training load improved the overall perceived wellness and swimming performance of players. The aforementioned periodization approach may be an effective training strategy in the lead-up to play-off tournaments.

Physiological Responses to and Athlete and Coach Perceptions of Exertion During Small-Sided Basketball Games

Vaquera, A, Suárez-Iglesias, D, Guiu, X, Barroso, R, Thomas, G, and Renfree, A. Physiological responses to and athlete and coach perceptions of exertion during small-sided basketball games. J Strength Cond Res 32(10): 2949-2953, 2018-This study describes heart rate (HR) responses during different small-sided games (SSGs) in junior basketball players and identifies the level of agreement between athlete and coach perceptions of internal training load calculated using the in-task rating of perceived exertion (RPE) method. Over a 6-week period, 12 male junior basketball players, who played in the Spanish national under-18 League, played 7 games of one-a-side (1v1), 6 games of 2-a-side (2v2), 8 games of 5-a-side (5v5), and 5 games of superiority (3v2) situations. During 1v1, 2v2, 5v5, and 3v2, peak HRs were 90.27 ± 3.37%, 92.68 ± 3.29%, 92.01 ± 3.48%, and 88.74 ± 5.77% of HRmax, respectively. These differences were statistically significant between 1v1 and 2v2 (p < 0.01), 1v1 and 5v5 (p ≤ 0.05), 2v2 and 3v2 (p < 0.001), and 5v5 and 3v2 (p < 0.001). Mean HR was 79.5 ± 4.4%, 83.1 ± 4.2%, 91.2 ± 4.7%, and 78.5 ± 7.5% of HRmax during 1v1, 2v2, 5v5, and 3v2, respectively, and differences were observed between 1v1 and 2v2 (p < 0.001), 2v2 and 3v2 (p < 0.001), and 5v5 and 3v2 (p ≤ 0.05). There were differences in athletes and coaches in-task RPE in all SSGs (all p < 0.0001 apart from 5 × 5 p = 0.0019). The 2v2 format elicited a higher mean in-task RPE in comparison with all other SSGs (p < 0.001), possibly because 2v2 imposes a greater cognitive load.

Sport-Specific Outdoor Rehabilitation in a Group Setting: Do the Intentions Match Actual Training Load?

CONTEXT

Previous research has shown a weak relationship between intended and actual training load in various sports. Due to variety in group and content, this relationship is expected to be even weaker during group rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between intended and actual training load during sport-specific rehabilitation in a group setting.

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

Three outdoor rehabilitation sessions.

PARTICIPANTS

Nine amateur soccer players recovering from lower limb injury participated in the study (age 22 ± 3 y, height 179 ± 9 cm, body mass 75 ± 13 kg).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We collected physiotherapists' ratings of intended exertion (RIE) and players' ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Furthermore, Zephyr Bioharness 3 equipped with GPS-trackers provided heart rate and distance data. We computed heart rate-based training loads using Edwards' method and a modified TRIMP.

RESULTS

Overall, we found weak correlations (N = 42) between RIE and RPE (r = 0.35), Edwards' (r = 0.34), TRIMP_MOD (r = 0.07), and distance (r = 0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

In general, physiotherapists tended to underestimate training loads. To check whether intended training loads are met, it is thus recommended to monitor training loads during rehabilitation.

Comparisons of Perceived Training Doses in Champion Collegiate-Level Male and Female Cross-country Runners and Coaches over the Course of a Competitive Season

Background

Session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) is a practical tool for coaches to assess internal training load of their athletes. In a sport like cross-country running, that is individual in nature, but has a team training and competition component, information about the association between external and internal load is lacking. Furthermore, there is a need for studies that examine perception of training doses across multiple training cycles including the competitive season as well as between male and female athletes.

Methods

Session RPE, duration, and training load (TL_RPE = sRPE × duration) of 25 highly trained male and female cross-country runners and their coaches were recorded for every training session (110 days) throughout a collegiate cross-country season. Intensity (sRPE), duration, and TL_RPE were compared between coaches and runners by gender separately. Training sessions were also analyzed by those intended by the coaches to be easy, moderate, and hard as well as by training period.

Results

Data from 3024 training sessions were collected, 62% of which were considered “easy,” 18% “moderate,” and 20% “hard.” Men and women rated coach-intended easy sessions significantly harder during each month of the season (effect size (ES) > 2.9, p < 0.0001). Men rated moderate intensity sessions significantly higher than coaches (ES ≥ 1.0, p ≤ 0.002), whereas females rated hard intensity sessions significantly lower than coaches (ES > 0.5, p < 0.008). There was no difference between males and coach’s hard sessions (ES < 0.07, p > 0.05) or females and coach’s moderate sessions (ES < 0.18, p > 0.05). Training intensity and TL_RPE tended to increase throughout the season (p > 0.05), with a significant increase in moderate and hard intensity sessions in the last training period (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The results indicate the male and female cross-country runners tend to regress to moderate intensity training throughout the cross-country season. Given the success of the athletes in this study, these results show how a simple system for monitoring training such as the sRPE method may improve control of training variables and provide a useful tool for coaches to evaluate training load placed on athletes in a simple, responsive way.