Comparison of Different Coach Competition Micro-cycle Planning Strategies in Professional Football
Description
The objective of this study was to compare the conditional demand of different competitive microcycle planning strategies (Mi) proposed by five professional soccer coaches (from Co1 to Co5). The activity profile of the players was monitored during each training session using a global positioning system (GPS). A total of 318 sessions were recorded over four seasons (2018-19 to 2021-22). The variables were: total distance traveled (TD, in m), high-speed running distance (TD21, >21 km·h-1, in m), sprint distance (TD27, >27 km·h-1, in m), acceleration load (aLoaD, in arbitrary units, au), number of accelerations (ACC2, >2 m·s-2 in n) and decelerations (DEC2, <-2 m·s-2 in n). Training sessions corresponded to a typical seven-day competitive week between matches, with the MD+1 session (post-match session) and the MD-4, MD-3, MD-2 and MD-1, 4, 3, 2 and 1 day/s before the match, respectively). Regardless of the coach, the sessions furthest from Mi (MD+1, MD-4 and MD-3) were the most conditionally demanding, where DT27 was especially stimulated in MD-3 (ES= 0.7, 0.2/1.2, mean and range); furthermore, MD-2 was the least demanding session of all the trainers (ES=-2.4, -2.6/-1.5, mean and range). However, there were nuances regarding the conditional demand among the coaches, Co1 and Co2 proposed a higher conditional demand in the MD-2 and MD-1. Conclusion was that all coaches proposed a horizontal alternation in the weekly distribution of training demand, there were particularities in the periodization strategy, probably caused by the differences in the style of play and specific task and session designs.