Metrifit Fact Sheet: Training Loads
“The training loads that we, as coaches, can give to an athlete have to adhere to the Goldilocks principle: training loads have to be high enough to elicit adaptation, but not so high they result in overtraining”
– George Beckham
Tips on achieving the most from training loads
Symptoms of Overtraining
Getting it just right: Monitoring is key
Session RPE / Training Load
Train harder and smarter: The acute:chronic workload ratio
Managing Training Loads
One of the greatest challenges faced by coaches is load management. Using the training principle of progressive overload, most coaches are aware that to improve any fitness characteristic, providing a greater stimulus over time is necessary. However, knowing what stimulus to increase (e.g frequency, intensity, duration), as well as by how much can provide a real challenge. Several studies suggest that performance generally increases with training load, however; as research progresses further it is also well understood that poor load management (under and over-training) is a major risk factor for injury. Given that higher injury rates have been shown to negatively impact team success, the importance of appropriate loading through athlete monitoring is now generally accepted.
Athlete monitoring is a multifaceted process. Internal and external load monitoring, athlete wellness and readiness to perform are all important considerations. The acute:chronic workload ratio is a tool which can help guide practitioners appropriately manipulate load. However, it should not be used in isolation, and instead used in conjunction with other information such as an athlete’s internal risk profile, how the athlete is tolerating training and information from daily well-being reports. Using Metrifit’s Session-RPE can provide an internal workload measure and help inform athletes and practitioners alike.
About Metrifit
Metrifit’s approach not only covers the physical requirements of a particular sport but also helps the coach derive the benefits of other factors that have a significant influence on an athlete’s well-being: training, body, nutrition, mind, and sleep. Daily wellness questionnaires and Session RPE are just some of the modules included. Metrifit’s lifestyle profiling is scientifically supported and offers a practical way to assess and improve lifestyle strategy for your team. In this short video, we explain how Metrifit works for both the athlete and the coach.
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