Comparison of training loads according to the league ranking in soccer

Aim: The aims of this study is to compare weekly internal and external training loads and to asses training loads of players playing in the same positions of the league champions and the team that is the last of the league during eleven weeks of training in-season 2017-2018. Methods: Altınordu and Manisaspor soccer teams that were played in the 2017-2018 Turkish Sport Toto Development Elite U19 League participated in this study. The total number of participants in this study is 20, including 10 players from the Altınordu and 10 players from Manisaspor. Players were classified by their playing position as 8 players defender; 6 players midfielder; 6 players forward. Goalkeepers were excluded from the analysis. Before the study anthropometric measurements and the YIRT1 test were performed. We collected internal and external load datas for this study during the last 11 weeks of the second half of the league. Internal training load for a training or competition was calculated with RPE using the new phone application that is called Sporty Club Management. Weekly internal workloads were calculated with sum of the daily training loads throughout the week. External training loads were assessed as a sum of moderate, high and sprint intensity running by GPS units in the official game.Results: According to the results of statistical analysis, the YIRT1 performance, weekly average RPE internal training load, monotony, average sum of high intensity running in the official game which gives the external training load and training loads for defense, midfield and offensive players were significantly higher in Altınordu compared to Manisaspor during 11 weeks of study (p<0,05). In addition, body fat percentage of Altınordu soccer players were significantly found to be lower than Manisaspor soccer players (p<0,05).Conclusion: RPE and GPS are effective methods to monitor training load. Internal and external training load of successful teams are higher than unsuccesful teams in the league. Keywords: Soccer, Training Load, Internal Load, External Load, sRPE, GPS, Total High Intesity Running, League Ranking, Soccer-Specific Aerobic Endurance