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Methods of monitoring the training and match load and

their relationship to changes in fitness in professional
youth soccer players
a b c a a
Ibrahim Akubat , Ebrahim Patel , Steve Barrett & Grant Abt
a
The University of Hull, Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Kingston upon
Hull, UK
b
Newman University College, Department of Physical Education and Sports Studies,
Birmingham, UK
c
The University of Manchester, School of Mathematics, Manchester, UK
Published online: 02 Aug 2012.

To cite this article: Ibrahim Akubat , Ebrahim Patel , Steve Barrett & Grant Abt (2012) Methods of monitoring the training
and match load and their relationship to changes in fitness in professional youth soccer players, Journal of Sports Sciences,
30:14, 1473-1480, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2012.712711

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 Journal of Sports Sciences, October 2012; 30(14): 1473–1480

Methods of monitoring the training and match load and their

relationship to changes in fitness in professional youth soccer players

IBRAHIM AKUBAT1,2, EBRAHIM PATEL3, STEVE BARRETT1, & GRANT ABT1

1
The University of Hull, Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Kingston upon Hull, UK, 2Newman University
College, Department of Physical Education and Sports Studies, Birmingham, UK, and 3The University of Manchester, School
of Mathematics, Manchester, UK

(Accepted 12 July 2012)

Downloaded by [University of Chicago Library] at 19:01 21 September 2013

Abstract
Previous studies examining methods of monitoring the training and match load in soccer players have simply compared
those methods to each other, not to changes in fitness. Training and match load measures from nine professional youth
soccer players were collected for a period of six weeks. A lactate threshold test was conducted before and after this period.
Mean weekly training and match load as determined by session-RPE, Banister’s TRIMP, Team TRIMP and individualised
TRIMP (iTRIMP) were correlated with each other, percentage changes in the velocity at 2 mmol  L71 (vLT) and
4 mmol  L71 (vOBLA) blood lactate concentration, and heart rate at 2 mmol  L71 (LTHR) and 4 mmol  L71
(OBLAHR). There were no significant changes in fitness across the six weeks: vLT (p ¼ 0.54), vOBLA (p ¼ 0.16), LTHR
(p ¼ 0.51) and OBLAHR (p ¼ 0.63). Banister’s TRIMP was significantly correlated with session-RPE (r ¼ 0.75; p ¼ 0.02)
and Team TRIMP (r ¼ 0.92; p 5 0.001). The percentage change in vLT was significantly correlated to mean weekly
iTRIMP (r ¼ 0.67; p ¼ 0.04). The results suggest that an individualised measure of internal load (iTRIMP) related better
than other methods to changes in vLT in professional youth soccer players.

Keywords: training impulse, session-RPE, individualised

based TRIMP similar to that used by Lucia, Hoyos,

Introduction
The monitoring of training and match load is
important for the periodization of training and
assessment of the physical ‘dose’ during training
and match play. Previous studies in soccer have
shown how the prescribed external training load can
influence the physiological response (Rampinini,
Impellizzeri, et al., 2007; Hill-Haas, Rowsell, Daw-
son, & Coutts, 2009). However, very little attention
has been given to the role of the internal training and
match loads on changes in fitness, especially in
soccer. Two studies (Impellizzeri, Rampinini,
Coutts, Sassi, & Marcora, 2004; Alexiou & Coutts,
2008) have examined the relationships between a
number of methods for measuring the internal load
in soccer players. Impellizzeri et al. (2004) and
Alexiou and Coutts (2008) both used HR based
methods as ‘criterion’ measures of load to validate
the use of session-RPE (Foster et al., 2001).
The three HR based methods used were Edward’s
TRIMP (Edwards, 1993), a blood lactate threshold
Perez, and Chicharro (2000) and Banister’s TRIMP
(Banister, 1991). Edwards’ (1993) TRIMP uses the
accumulated time in five arbitrary heart rate zones
multiplied by a weighting factor (1–5). Lucia’s (2000)
TRIMP uses three heart rate zones (weighted 1–3),
which are anchored around individually determined
parameters, in this case LT and OBLA. Banister’s
(1991) TRIMP uses the exponential relationship
between fractional elevation in heart rate and blood
lactate concentration, as observed during incremental
exercise, to ‘weight’ exercise at a particular intensity.
Significant relationships were reported between
session-RPE and all heart rate methods in both
studies. However, in both studies the different
methods were simply correlated against each other
rather than to changes in fitness or performance.
There are also potential limitations to the ‘criterion’
measures of training and match load used in these
papers. Edward’s TRIMP (Edwards, 1993) is based
on arbitrary zones with arbitrary weightings, which
does not reflect the individualised response to

Correspondence: Dr Grant Abt, The University of Hull, Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, Cottingham Road, Kingston upon Hull, HU6 7RX
United Kingdom. E-mail: g.abt@hull.ac.uk
ISSN 0264-0414 print/ISSN 1466-447X online Ó 2012 Taylor & Francis
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.712711
 1474 I. Akubat et al.
exercise (Abt & Lovell, 2009). Although the zones
used in the LT based TRIMP were individualised
and based on physiological thresholds, the weight-
ings provided are arbitrary and a relationship
between this method and changes in fitness or
performance has not been shown. A more appro-
priate method would be to assign weightings in
accordance with an individual’s own physiological
response to exercise. Although endurance perfor-
mance has been successfully modelled using Banis-
ter’s TRIMP (Morton, 1990; Busso, 2003), this
method is generic for each gender and the use of
mean heart rate is not likely to reflect the intermittent
nature of soccer training or match play. In an attempt
to alleviate some of these issues Stagno, Thatcher,
Downloaded by [University of Chicago Library] at 19:01 21 September 2013
and van Someren (2007) introduced a modified
‘team’ TRIMP for hockey where five zones were
created around LT and OBLA, and each zone
weighted according to the regression equation of
the curve. Although an individual’s own data
contributes to the generation of the ‘team’ regression
equation, the resultant weightings for each of the five
zones are the same for each player.
Session-RPE has been popularised due to its ease
of use and reported relationships with other methods
of monitoring the training load (Impellizzeri et al.,
2004; Alexiou & Coutts, 2008). Indeed, RPE has
been reported to be a good measure of intensity
during intermittent exercise and may also act as a
‘global’ measure of training stress by taking into
account non-physiological factors (Impellizzeri et al.,
2004). While these attributes of the method are a
strong attraction for those working with team sport
players, a valid method of monitoring training stress
should also be sensitive to changes in fitness or
performance. However, previous studies have failed
to detect significant relationships between session-
RPE and changes in fitness in team sport players
(Gabbett & Domrow, 2007).
In order to address the limitations discussed above
we propose the use of an individualised TRIMP
(iTRIMP) (Manzi, Iellamo, Impellizzeri, D’Ottavio, &
Castagna, 2009) in soccer. Here, each individual’s own
data is used to calculate the relationship between
fractional elevation in heart rate and blood lactate
concentration, with each heart rate data point mea-
sured during training or match play weighted accord-
ing to this relationship. Such an approach alleviates the
problems encountered with arbitrary zones and
weightings (Edwards, 1993) and moves away from
the use of generic weightings (Banister, 1991; Stagno
et al., 2007). Manzi et al. (2009) have recently shown
that in distance runners the iTRIMP method relates
better to changes in both aerobic fitness and endurance
performance compared to Banister’s TRIMP.
Therefore the aim of this study was to compare the
relationships between session-RPE, Banister’s
TRIMP, a modified version of Stagno’s Team
TRIMP, and iTRIMP, to changes in parameters of
aerobic fitness in professional youth soccer players.
Methods
Fourteen professional youth soccer players agreed to
participate in the study. However, due to playing
commitments, injury and player compliance to
training the sample was reduced to nine for the final
analysis (N ¼ 9; mean age 17 + 1 years; stature
1.81 + 0.05 m; body mass 72.9 + 6.7 kg). The
study was approved by the departmental ethics
committee and conformed to the Declaration of
Helsinki. Informed consent was provided by the
players and the club prior to the commencement of
the study. All participants played for the same club in
the English Football League Youth Alliance, which is
the second highest level of competition for youth
players in England. On some occasions participants
also played in the club’s reserve team in midweek.
Players trained 4 to 6 times a week consisting of
both technical training and physical conditioning.
Training sessions were usually 60 to 120 mins in
duration. Typically the team would play their
competitive fixtures on a Saturday and would train
twice on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays,
which comprised of both technical and physical
conditioning sessions such as sprint training, speed
endurance training and high intensity aerobic train-
ing. The players had rest days on Sundays and
Wednesdays and a light technical session before
games on Fridays. Occasionally players would be
called up to represent the reserve team, which
resulted in their training being changed with recovery
sessions being incorporated into their schedule.
Players who didn’t play as often as others (sub-
stitutes) would typically do individual work to
increase their weekly load. The team played six
league matches over the six-week period, although
there was a range of four to nine matches per player
because of squad rotation and/or players being called
up to the reserve team. Figure 1 shows the typical
weekly training and match load for two players (one
having played a single match during the week and the
other having played two matches during the week),
together with the mean (SD) iTRIMP over the six-
week period.
Prior to the start of the training period the players
performed two laboratory tests. Players avoided any
strenuous exercise in the 24 hours prior to these
tests. An incremental test on a motorised treadmill
(Woodway EL G55, Weil an rhein, Germany) was
conducted for determination of maximal heart rate
(HRmax). The protocol consisted of 3 mins at
5 km  h71 and then increased at a rate of 1 km 
h71  min71. Participants were instructed to run

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Figure 1. A shows the training and match load in a week with one
match for an individual player. B shows training and match load in
a week with two matches for an individual player. C shows the
mean (SD) weekly iTRIMP for all players. # denotes match.
until volitional exhaustion. The heart rate was
recorded using recordable heart rate monitors (Polar
Team System, Polar Electro, OY, Finland). The
highest heart rate recorded was taken as HRmax. On a
separate occasion players completed a modified
lactate threshold test on a motorised treadmill
(Woodway PPS 55sport, Weil an rhein, Germany)
consisting of five stages at 8, 10, 12, 14, and
16 km  h71. Each stage was four minutes in
duration with 1-min rest between stages where a
fingertip capillary blood sample was taken and
immediately analysed for blood lactate concentration
(YSI 2300, YSI inc, Yellow Springs, OH). The
dependent variables derived from this test were (1)
the velocity at 2 mmol  L71 (vLT), (2) the heart
rate at 2 mmol  L71 (LTHR), (3) the velocity at
4 mmol  L71 (vOBLA), and (4) the heart rate at
4 mmol  L71 (OBLAHR). These dependent vari-
ables were chosen as they are typically used to track
changes in aerobic fitness and have previously been
used in training load studies (McMillan et al., 2005;
Manzi et al., 2009). The high reliability of these
Monitoring training and match load in soccer 1475
dependent variables has previously been reported
(Weltman et al., 1990; Pfitzinger & Freedson,
1998). The mean heart rate in the last minute of
each stage was used for the generation of TRIMP
curves. Measurements of resting heart rate were
also taken prior to exercise. Players were instructed
to lie supine in the morning for 10 mins. The
lowest 5 s heart rate measured was taken as the
resting heart rate. At the end of the training period
the players again performed the modified lactate
threshold test.
Collection of training and match load data started
at the beginning of the competitive season in
September and continued for six weeks. Players
were familiarised with use of the RPE scale and heart
rate belts for two weeks prior to the start of the six-
week training period during which training and
match load data were collected. Heart rate was
measured in all training sessions and matches
throughout the six-week period. Approximately 30
mins after each training session or match, players
reported their RPE as per the method of Foster et al.
(2001). Heart rate data were downloaded using the
Polar Precision software (Polar, OY, Finland) and
analyzed using a bespoke spreadsheet (Microsoft
Excel, Microsoft Inc).
Session-RPE was calculated as the RPE multiplied
by the duration of the training session or match
(Foster et al., 2001). Banister’s TRIMP (Banister,
1991) was calculated as described in formula 1:
(1) Duration 6 DHR 6 0.64e1.92x
where DHR equals HRexercise – HRrest/HRmax –
HRrest, e equals the base of the Napierian logarithms,
x equals DHR, and 1.92 is a constant for males.
Team TRIMP was modified from the original
method because not all players met the ‘zoning’
criteria as used by Stagno et al. (2007). That is, the
LT and OBLA for two of the players in our study fell
outside zone 2 and 4 as described by Stagno et al.
(2007), which highlights a limitation in their method.
We therefore modified the method of Stagno et al.
(2007) by using the exponential formula generated
from the pooled data of all players, but
without breaking up the subsequent equation into
zones. The Team TRIMP equation as used in the
present study is described in formula 2.
(2) Duration 6 DHR 6 0.2053e3.5179x
where DHR equals HRexercise – HRrest/HRmax –
HRrest, e equals the base of the Napierian logarithms,
x equals DHR, and both 0.2053 and 3.5179 are
constants for the whole group. The TRIMP for each
heart rate measured at 5 s intervals was calculated
and then all values summated to provide a TRIMP
 1476 I. Akubat et al.

for the entire session. The same approach was taken

for calculating iTRIMP, however each players
formula was generated from their own data and
hence each had their own equation as per the method
of Manzi et al. (2009).
Descriptive results are presented as means +
standard deviations. After verification of underlying
assumptions, pre and post vLT, vOBLA, LTHR, and
OBLAHR were compared for differences using paired
t-tests. Statistical significance was set at p 5 0.05.
The mean difference and 95% confidence intervals
for the mean difference are also reported. Cohen
effect sizes and their qualitative interpretation as
defined by Hopkins (2002) (0–0.19 trivial; 0.2–0.59
small; 0.6–1.19 moderate; 1.2–1.99 large;  2.0 very
Downloaded by [University of Chicago Library] at 19:01 21 September 2013

large) are reported for significant differences. Re-

lationships between the different training load
methods and changes in fitness were determined
using Pearson’s product-moment correlation co-
efficients. Qualitative interpretations of the correla-
tion coefficients as defined by Hopkins (2002) (0–
0.09 trivial; 0.1–0.29 small; 0.3–0.49 moderate; 0.5–
0.69 large; 0.7–0.89 very large; 0.9–0.99 nearly
perfect; 1 perfect) are provided for all significant
correlations. The Statistical Package for the Social Figure 2. Correlations between mean weekly bTRIMP vs tTRIMP
Sciences (SPSS) (Version 16.0 for Windows; SPSS (A) and sRPE vs bTRIMP (B) (n ¼ 9).
Inc, Chicago, IL) was used for conducting these
analyses.
Table I. Pearson’s product-moment coefficients for all methods
used to monitor the training and match load correlated to changes
Results in fitness parameters.

The mean weekly training and match load (Arbitrary Session- Banister’s Team
Units [AU]) for session-RPE, Banister’s TRIMP, RPE TRIMP TRIMP iTRIMP
Team TRIMP and iTRIMP were 2094 + 466,
% D vLT 0.13 0.28 0.20 0.67*
460 + 98, 1538 + 359 and 1830 + 1805, respec- % D vOBLA 0.40 0.43 0.28 0.33
tively. There were no significant changes after the % D LTHR 0.20 0.21 0.28 0.17
six-week period for vLT (mean change: % D OBLAHR 0.15 70.21 70.49 70.25
70.21 + 0.98 km  h71; p ¼ 0.54; CI: 70.96 to
*Significant p ¼ 0.04.
0.54), vOBLA (mean change: 0.26 + 0.53 km 
h71; p ¼ 0.16; CI: 70.14 to 0.67), LTHR (mean
change: 72 + 9 beats  min71; p ¼ 0.51; CI: 79
to 5) or OBLAHR (mean change: 0 + 7 beats  Discussion
min71; p ¼ 0.63; CI: 76 to 6). Figure 2 shows the The novel finding in the present study was the
correlations between mean weekly session-RPE with significant correlation between iTRIMP and changes
mean weekly Banister’s TRIMP (r ¼ 0.75; p ¼ 0.02; in vLT, which is consistent with the results reported
CI: 0.17 to 0.94; ES ¼ large) and mean weekly by Manzi et al. (2009) who examined the same
Team TRIMP with mean weekly Banister’s TRIMP individualised training load method in distance
(r ¼ 0.92; p 5 0.001; CI: 0.66 to 0.98; ES ¼ nearly runners. The lactate threshold has previously been
perfect). There were no significant correlations found to be a sensitive indicator to changes in fitness
between mean weekly iTRIMP and any of the other in professional soccer players (Edwards, Clark, &
training load methods. Correlations of measures of Macfadyen, 2003). Manzi et al. (2009) also reported
training and match load against changes in fitness significant relationships between the iTRIMP meth-
(vLT, vOBLA, LTHR, OBLAHR) resulted in only od and running performance over 5,000 and
one significant correlation (Table I). The change in 10,000 m. However ‘performance’ in soccer is not
vLT was correlated to mean weekly iTRIMP as easily determined, as factors such as skill and
(r ¼ 0.67; p ¼ 0.04; CI: 0.01 to 0.92; ES ¼ large) decision making also contribute to successful per-
(Figure 3). formance. Physical performance in terms of distance

Figure 3. Scatterplot showing the significant relationship between
vLT and iTRIMP (n ¼ 9).
covered or distance covered at high-intensity could
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potentially be used as it has previously (Helgerud,
Engen, Wisløff, & Hoff, 2001). However, issues
surrounding high match-to-match variability of such
measures (Rampinini, Coutts, Castagna, Sassi, &
Impellizzeri, 2007; Gregson, Drust, Atkinson, &
Salvo, 2010) makes meaningful changes difficult to
interpret, and is why we focused on examining the
changes in aerobic fitness as opposed to performance.
The aim of the current study was to examine many
of the previous methods of measuring the training
and match load and relate them to changes in training
status and not merely to each other as done
previously (Impellizzeri et al., 2004; Alexiou &
Coutts, 2008). Results from the present study
indicate that mean weekly Banister’s TRIMP corre-
lates with session-RPE and Team TRIMP. However,
none of these methods were related to changes in
aerobic fitness parameters, highlighting the limita-
tions of using such analyses as a basis for the
validation of a measure of internal training and
match load. It has been suggested that only methods
that show an association with changes in fitness or
performance should be considered as measures of
load for that particular group of athletes (Thomas,
Nelson, & Silverman, 2005; Manzi et al., 2009).
Previous studies have reported a correlation between
session-RPE and heart rate based measures, namely
Banister’s TRIMP (Impellizzeri et al., 2004; Alexiou
& Coutts, 2008; Borresen & Lambert, 2008). We
also found that session-RPE correlated with
bTRIMP (r ¼ 0.75), although we correlated the
mean weekly training loads and not individual
sessions as was done in previous studies. While
previous studies assessing the validity of session-RPE
have suggested that RPE correlates well to criterion
measures of intensity such as heart rate (Foster et al.,
2001), this doesn’t necessarily mean that this extends
to the calculation of ‘load’ of which intensity is just
one term in an equation with two or more. There is
also evidence that the correlation between RPE and
other measures of intensity such as heart rate may
not be as high as previously thought, particularly
Monitoring training and match load in soccer 1477
during intermittent exercise (Chen, Fan, & Moe,
2002). It could be that this variability in the
relationship between RPE and heart rate partly
explains the lack of relationship between session-
RPE and iTRIMP.
Our results also showed that there was no
significant change in aerobic fitness as determined
by vLT and vOBLA. The period during which the
data was collected for this study can be described as
in-season and therefore the present results are similar
to those previously described for youth soccer players
(Impellizzeri et al., 2004; McMillan et al., 2005).
The iTRIMP was not related to any of the other
measures of load and showed large variation between
players as indicated by the large standard deviation.
This might suggest that the iTRIMP is more
sensitive to individual differences, that is, how
different players respond to the same external load.
Although there was a significant relationship between
iTRIMP and vLT, there was no such relationship
with vOBLA. This is in contrast to the findings of
Manzi et al. (2009) who reported a significant
correlation of 0.74 between iTRIMP and the
percentage speed improvement at OBLA. However,
the runners in their study were partially detrained,
resulting in quite large increases in both the speed at
2 mmol  L71 (mean 21%) and 4 mmol  L71
(mean 11%). As previously discussed, the players
in our study were at the start of their competition
period when large increases in fitness are not
typically observed (McMillan et al., 2005). The use
of a continuous test to assess changes in an
intermittent sport may also lack the required
sensitivity to detect changes in fitness in soccer
players (Hill-Haas, Coutts, Rowsell, & Dawson,
2009). This has been shown with soccer referees
where despite no significant improvement in max-
imal oxygen uptake, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery
Test performance increased by *30% over the
course of a 12 week training period (Krustrup &
Bangsbo, 2001). As such, future studies should aim
to include more soccer-specific tests of aerobic
fitness and/or physical performance. While there
were no changes in mean vLT or vOBLA across the
training period, mean changes are not reflective of
the individual variation within the group. In the
current study we observed individual increases in
vLT of *15% through to decreases of *12%, a
finding that has been observed in other training load
studies (Gabbett & Domrow, 2007). Hence, the
presence of a significant relationship between
iTRIMP and vLT despite no change in mean vLT
highlights the value in examining individual changes,
rather than just group changes.
Although the iTRIMP method has been reported
to relate to changes in fitness for both runners
(Manzi et al., 2009) and now soccer players in the
 1478 I. Akubat et al.
present study, closer examination of the correlations
show that for similar training loads there are varied
changes in fitness and vice versa. There is also a large
variation in iTRIMP values as can be seen by the
mean (+SD) of 1830 + 1805 AU and also the
spread of values in Figure 3. However, this also
shows the large variability in individual response to
training and match-play. The heterogeneous nature
of the iTRIMP data also needs to be taken into
consideration, particularly in relation to the correla-
tion with vLT (Figure 3). Five of the nine players
have relatively similar mean weekly iTRIMP values
with the remaining three being much larger. This is
in contrast to Manzi et al. (2009) who reported mean
weekly iTRIMP values between *550 and 800 AU.
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In this regard, we acknowledge the effect of our
relatively small sample size on this correlation and its
associated confidence intervals, and therefore sug-
gest that the significant relationship between
iTRIMP and vLT be confirmed by a larger study.
The significant correlation between iTRIMP and
vLT (r ¼ 0.67) in the current study shows that about
45% of the variation in aerobic training adaptation
can be explained by variation in the iTRIMP. This
would suggest that other training factors that have an
effect on the vLT are not necessarily reflected in the
iTRIMP. This is not unexpected, given the inter-
mittent nature of soccer and the mix of aerobic and
anaerobic demands during training and match-play.
This also highlights the fundamental difference in the
physiological demands of endurance and intermit-
tent sports, as Manzi et al. (2009) reported a stronger
correlation (r ¼ 0.87) between the percentage
change in the speed at 2 mmol  L71 and iTRIMP
compared to the same relationship in the current
study (r ¼ 0.67). These differences could also be
explained by factors such as initial fitness level, and/
or genetics (Viru & Viru, 2000; Impellizzeri, Rampi-
nini, & Marcora, 2005). Therefore the modelling of
the individual dose-response relationship in soccer
using contemporary approaches that have been used
in endurance sports (Busso, 2003; Taha & Thomas,
2003) appears to be a logical step forward with the
iTRIMP method. As the quantitative measurement
of soccer ‘performance’ remains a matter of debate
amongst researchers, the modelling of performance
in soccer still remains a challenge. Furthermore a
greater understanding of the dose-response relation-
ship in soccer is required as the response to a training
dose is not merely a fitness response but also a
fatigue response (Banister, 1991). Although attempts
to model endurance performance have been success-
ful using other methods of quantifying load (Morton,
1990; Busso, 2003), the continuous nature of the
exercise in those studies may have made the use of
such methods appropriate. Given the findings of the
present study researchers should consider if these
methods are appropriate for intermittent sports. In
addition to this if an individual’s training response is
dependant on numerous factors (Viru & Viru, 2000;
Impellizzeri et al., 2005) and different to other
players, then it is logical to assume that their fitness
and fatigue decay constants (Banister, 1991; Busso,
2003) used in the modelling process are also
individual and that these will vary not only between
players but also over time (Busso, 2003). Therefore
future research in soccer should aim to gain a greater
understanding and clarity of these issues in order to
develop a successful modelling strategy.
One of the limitations of the present study and
others (Stagno et al., 2007; Manzi et al., 2009) is the
small sample size. Unfortunately in training studies
there are a number of factors that can impinge on the
sample size including small squad sizes, player
compliance and injuries. As discussed in the Method
section, the sample size at the start of this study was
14, but due to the factors listed that was reduced to
nine prior to the final testing session. We have
reported the precision of our results with 95%
confidence intervals so the results of this study
should be interpreted in light of those. While the
duration of the study was only six weeks and also in-
season, it seems that this period was enough for
meaningful changes in aerobic fitness to occur.
However, the duration of the training period and
the time of the season also need to be kept in mind
when interpreting the results of the current study.
There is also a potential issue with the use of blood
lactate measures for quantifying the change in
aerobic fitness. It could be suggested that as the
iTRIMP method itself uses the blood lactate
response to ‘weight’ exercise intensity, then our use
of vLT and vOBLA might result in a spurious
correlation. While other studies (Stagno et al., 2007;
Manzi et al., 2009) have used a similar method,
future studies examining the changes in aerobic
fitness in soccer players should examine this issue in
more detail. Certainly, the use of additional labora-
tory and field tests that are more specific to soccer
will provide a more complete picture regarding the
validity of the iTRIMP method. One of the funda-
mental issues in relation to the validity of the
iTRIMP method is the use of the exponential nature
of the weighting applied to each heart beat based on
an individualised blood lactate profile. As discussed
by Akubat and Abt (2011), the question remains as
to whether the lactate concentration observed in the
blood is representative of the overall ‘stress’ imposed
on the player’s body. While some authors suggest
that exercise intensity and physiological stress
increase in an exponential fashion similar to the
manner in which blood lactate increases with
exercise intensity (Norton, Norton, & Sadgrove,
2010), studies from comparative physiology suggest

a linear relationship (Kram & Taylor, 1990). Future
studies examining the iTRIMP method (and other
measures of training load) need to examine these
fundamental questions, and particularly in relation to
intermittent sports such as soccer.
In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that
an individualised approach to monitoring internal
training and match load (iTRIMP) related better
than other methods to changes in lactate threshold in
professional youth soccer players. Furthermore, to
take into consideration the intermittent nature of
soccer training and match play the use of mean heart
rate does not appear to be useful as shown by the lack
of a relationship between Banister’s TRIMP and
changes in vLT or vOBLA. The use of heart rate
Downloaded by [University of Chicago Library] at 19:01 21 September 2013
monitors, calculation of iTRIMP and monitoring of
training load does require both technical and
scientific expertise that needs to be resourced, and
these issues should be kept in mind if clubs wish to
implement the findings of the current study.
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