Report

Individualised internal and external training load relationships in elite Wheelchair Rugby players

Establishing the relationship between measures of internal and external training load specific to Wheelchair Rugby.

Lead academic:
Professor Vicky Tolfrey
Additional academics:
Barry Mason, Tom Paulson
Funder:
The Peter Harrison Foundation

The quantification and longitudinal monitoring of athlete training load (TL) provides a scientific explanation for changes in performance and helps manage injury and illness risk.

Therefore, accurate and reliable monitoring tools are essential for the optimisation of athletic performance. The aim of the present study was to establish the relationship between measures of internal (heart rate (HR) and session
rating of perceived exertion (RPE) (sRPE)) and external TL specific to Wheelchair Rugby.

Methods

14 international Wheelchair Rugby athletes were monitored during 18 training sessions over a 3-month period during the competition phase of the season. Activity profiles were collected during each training session using a radiofrequency based indoor tracking system. External TL was quantified by total distance (m) covered as well as time spent and distance covered in a range of classification-specific arbitrary speed zones. Banisters TRIMP and Edwards summated HR zone (SHRZ) methods were used to quantify physiological internal TL. sRPE was calculated as the product of session duration multiplied by perceived exertion using the Borg CR10 scale. Relationships between external and internal TL were examined using Pearson correlation coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Main findings and applications

  • Each method of internal TL correlated significantly (p<0.01) with the total distance covered during training sessions.
  • Large and very large significant (p<0.01) correlations were observed between all measures of internal TL and, times spent and distances covered in low and moderate intensity speed zones.
  • Weaker relationships (r=0.38–0.58) were observed between internal TL and the number of high intensity activities performed.
  • A large variation of within-individual correlation co-efficient was observed between sRPE and all external TL measures.
  • The current findings suggest that sRPE and HR-based internal TL measures provide a valid tool for quantifying volume of external TL during Wheelchair Rugby training but may underestimate high intensity activities.
  • It is recommended that both internal and external TL measures are employed for the monitoring of overall TL during court-based training in elite Wheelchair Rugby athletes.

Reference

  • Paulson, T., Mason, B., Rhodes, J. and Goosey-Tolfrey, V. (2015). Individualized internal and external training load relationships in elite wheelchair rugby players. Frontiers in Physiology. (6): 388. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00388