Movement intensity demands between training activities and competition for elite female netballers

• Published in: PloS one 2021-04, Vol.16 (4), p.e0249679-e0249679
• Main Authors: Brooks, Edward R, Benson, Amanda C, Fox, Aaron S, Bruce, Lyndell M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accelerometers; Athletes; Biology and Life Sciences; Body mass; Coaches & managers; Comparative analysis; Competition; Computer and Information Sciences; Court decisions; Data collection; Drills; Editing; Engineering and Technology; Medical innovations; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Methodology; Netball; Nutrition; Physical Sciences; Physical training; Physiological aspects; Players; Research and Analysis Methods; Research design; Reviews; Skills; Social Sciences; Team sports; Tournaments; Training; Women athletes
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249679

The aim of this study was to assess the differences in movement intensity demands between training activities and competition match-play in elite netball. Twelve elite female netballers (mean ± SD, age = 25.9 ± 5.1 years; height = 178.6 ± 8.9 cm, body mass = 71.1 ± 7.1 kg) competing in Australia's premier domestic netball competition participated. Data were collected across the season from all pre-season training sessions (n = 29), pre-season practice matches (n = 8), in-season training sessions (n = 21), in-season practice matches (n = 5), and competition matches (n = 15). Linear mixed-effects models assessed differences in PlayerLoad™ per minute and metreage per minute between activity types (Specialist, Skill Drills, Set-piece, Match Scenarios, Practice Match-play, and Competition Match-play) for positional groupings (Defenders, Midcourters, and Goalers). Competition Match-play resulted in higher (p < 0.05) PlayerLoad™ than all training activity types, with the largest magnitudes of difference between Specialist-Competition (d = 0.44-0.59; small to medium) and Skill Drills-Competition (d = 0.35-0.63; small to medium) for all positional groups. The smallest difference was found between Match Scenarios-Competition (d = 0.12-0.20; trivial to small) and Practice Match-play-Competition (d = 0.12-0.14; trivial). Competition Match-play also resulted in higher (p < 0.05) metreage per minute than Specialist (d = 0.23-0.53; small to medium), Skill Drills (d = 0.19-0.61; trivial to medium) and Set-piece (d = 0.05-0.31; trivial to small). Training activity demands in order of least to most similar to competition were specialist, skill drills, set-piece, match scenarios, and practice match-play. We provide data that enables coaches and physical preparation staff to incorporate progressions into their training session designs that can replicate the movement intensity demands of competition in training.