Sport Performance Analysis________________________________________
Introduction || Lecture 1
Kentta and Hassmen model:
components:
1. physical load: physical demands placed on the body through training and competition
- endurance sport → high focus on repetitive, sustained physical efforts
- team sports combine bursts of high intensity with technical and tactical
requirements
2. psychological load: includes mental strain from pressure, stress, and focus required in
training and competitive` environments
- psychological demands in endurance sports may stem from long durations of solitary
effort or self-motivation
- team sports: athletes must navigate interpersonal dynamics, strategy, and shared
responsibilities
3. social load of recovery: refers to social factors that impact an athlete, such as relationships
with teammates, coaches, family, and their broader support network
- supportive relationships can aid recovery, while conflicts or expectation can
exacerbate stress
the importance of recovery:
> recovery is crucial for balancing these loads and ensuring the body and mind adapt positively to
training stimuli
o effective recovery includes: rest, nutrition, mental relaxation, and social support
> optimal recovery = when recovery is sufficient, athletes experience improved performance,
enhanced focus, and reduced injury risk
> inadequate recovery = failure to recover adequately leads to overtraining, fatigue, and increased
likelihood of injuries and burnout over time
application:
- endurance sports emphasize structured recovery phases to allow adaptation from
prolonged physical strain
- team sports often require tailored recovery strategies to address the diverse demands of
tactical, technical, physical, and social loads
it is easy to measure the load on an athlete, but it is way more difficult to measure the recovery
,load-recovery model: emphasizes the balance between training load and recovery as the foundation
for athletic development
- when load and recovery are perfectly balanced, athletes experience steady performance
improvements over time
o Injuries can occur over time when not optimally balanced, when it is optimally
balanced the performance will increase over time
- this principle underpins the practice of periodization, where training and recovery are
systematically planned to achieve peak performance while minimizing injury risk
different types of load:
1. training load monitoring
a. external load = the measurable, objective work performed by the athlete, such
as running 10 x 100m at 90% of maximum effort
> tools like GPA systems quantify variables such as distance, speed, and
acceleration
b. internal load = the body’s response to external load
> physiological load: monitored via heart rate, perceived exertion, or
biochemical markers
> biomechanical load: is assessed by tools like inertial unit (IU) sensors,
which measure forces on joints, aiding in injury risk analysis
· e.g. repeated stress on specific joints during high-impact
activities can be tracked to tailor load management
2. mental load
stress from competition, interpersonal dynamics, and external pressures also
constitutes a form of load: neglecting psychological stress can lead to
under-recovery and eventual injury
periodization: a multifactorial approach
1. training periodization: altering phases of high and low-intensity training to build
performance progressively while preventing overtraining
2. recovery periodization: structured recovery strategies are critical for physiological and
psychological repair
3. dietary periodization: adjusting nutrition to match training demands, such as increasing
caloric intake during high-intensity phases or tailoring macronutrient distribution for
recovery and adaptation
4. psychological skills periodization: gradual development of mental skills, such as focus,
resilience, and stress management, aligning with the athlete’s competitive calendar
5. skill periodization: planning skill development in a phased manner, focusing on
fundamental techniques during early preparation and refining tactical execution closer to
competitions
, team sports: novel monitoring framework
> a new framework separates physiological and biomechanical pathways for load adaptation
1. physiological load: reflects metabolic and cardiovascular demands
o e.g. GPS data and heart rate monitors track how athletes respond internally to
training
2. biomechanical load: focuses on the physical strain placed on joints and muscles
o advanced tools like Xsens suits and IU sensors help measure joint-specific loads,
contributing to injury prevention
sport talent schools and injury prevention
at institutions like SSIG sport talent school Groningen, integrated systems are used to enhance
athlete development and reduce injury risk
- better movement on sport fields: education and training aim to improve movement
efficiency and biomechanics
- stress and injury link: research shows that increased psychosocial stress can manifest as
physical injuries, often appearing up to three weeks after stress peaks
- monitoring tools: devices like Xsens suits analyze athletes’ movements, helping coaches
detect biomechanical inefficiencies or risks early
holistic, data-driven periodization
> a successful athlete management system integrates:
- load recovery balance: adjusted dynamically to individual needs and stressors
- technological insights: tools like GPS, IUs, and Xsens suits for precise data
- multifactorial periodization: addressing training, recovery, nutrition, psychology, and
skills in a coordinated plan
performance on the track: pacing and resilience
> in track events highlights the interplay of physiological and technical factors
1. pacing strategies: planned distribution of effort, energy, and speed during sport activity
or competition to achieve optimal performance
o performance is closely tied to the distribution of velocity throughout a race,
reflecting technique and energy management: athletes must balance speed with
endurance to maintain optimal splits across distances
o metrics like relative season-best time as a percentage of the world record provide
a benchmark for evaluating and improving performance
2. resilience in competition: refers to an athlete’s ability to adapt and recover from
setbacks, such as poor performance, injuries, or external stressors
o building resilience involves both mental conditioning and physical preparation
fostering knowledge exchange: the role of FSG
> organizations like the football science Groningen (FSG) aim to advance the world of football by:
1. research investigating key aspects of performance, injury prevention, and recovery
2. education training coaches, athletes, and practitioners on cutting-edge methodologies
3. innovation developing and implementing new technologies and frameworks to enhance
player performance and well-being
Introduction || Lecture 1
Kentta and Hassmen model:
components:
1. physical load: physical demands placed on the body through training and competition
- endurance sport → high focus on repetitive, sustained physical efforts
- team sports combine bursts of high intensity with technical and tactical
requirements
2. psychological load: includes mental strain from pressure, stress, and focus required in
training and competitive` environments
- psychological demands in endurance sports may stem from long durations of solitary
effort or self-motivation
- team sports: athletes must navigate interpersonal dynamics, strategy, and shared
responsibilities
3. social load of recovery: refers to social factors that impact an athlete, such as relationships
with teammates, coaches, family, and their broader support network
- supportive relationships can aid recovery, while conflicts or expectation can
exacerbate stress
the importance of recovery:
> recovery is crucial for balancing these loads and ensuring the body and mind adapt positively to
training stimuli
o effective recovery includes: rest, nutrition, mental relaxation, and social support
> optimal recovery = when recovery is sufficient, athletes experience improved performance,
enhanced focus, and reduced injury risk
> inadequate recovery = failure to recover adequately leads to overtraining, fatigue, and increased
likelihood of injuries and burnout over time
application:
- endurance sports emphasize structured recovery phases to allow adaptation from
prolonged physical strain
- team sports often require tailored recovery strategies to address the diverse demands of
tactical, technical, physical, and social loads
it is easy to measure the load on an athlete, but it is way more difficult to measure the recovery
,load-recovery model: emphasizes the balance between training load and recovery as the foundation
for athletic development
- when load and recovery are perfectly balanced, athletes experience steady performance
improvements over time
o Injuries can occur over time when not optimally balanced, when it is optimally
balanced the performance will increase over time
- this principle underpins the practice of periodization, where training and recovery are
systematically planned to achieve peak performance while minimizing injury risk
different types of load:
1. training load monitoring
a. external load = the measurable, objective work performed by the athlete, such
as running 10 x 100m at 90% of maximum effort
> tools like GPA systems quantify variables such as distance, speed, and
acceleration
b. internal load = the body’s response to external load
> physiological load: monitored via heart rate, perceived exertion, or
biochemical markers
> biomechanical load: is assessed by tools like inertial unit (IU) sensors,
which measure forces on joints, aiding in injury risk analysis
· e.g. repeated stress on specific joints during high-impact
activities can be tracked to tailor load management
2. mental load
stress from competition, interpersonal dynamics, and external pressures also
constitutes a form of load: neglecting psychological stress can lead to
under-recovery and eventual injury
periodization: a multifactorial approach
1. training periodization: altering phases of high and low-intensity training to build
performance progressively while preventing overtraining
2. recovery periodization: structured recovery strategies are critical for physiological and
psychological repair
3. dietary periodization: adjusting nutrition to match training demands, such as increasing
caloric intake during high-intensity phases or tailoring macronutrient distribution for
recovery and adaptation
4. psychological skills periodization: gradual development of mental skills, such as focus,
resilience, and stress management, aligning with the athlete’s competitive calendar
5. skill periodization: planning skill development in a phased manner, focusing on
fundamental techniques during early preparation and refining tactical execution closer to
competitions
, team sports: novel monitoring framework
> a new framework separates physiological and biomechanical pathways for load adaptation
1. physiological load: reflects metabolic and cardiovascular demands
o e.g. GPS data and heart rate monitors track how athletes respond internally to
training
2. biomechanical load: focuses on the physical strain placed on joints and muscles
o advanced tools like Xsens suits and IU sensors help measure joint-specific loads,
contributing to injury prevention
sport talent schools and injury prevention
at institutions like SSIG sport talent school Groningen, integrated systems are used to enhance
athlete development and reduce injury risk
- better movement on sport fields: education and training aim to improve movement
efficiency and biomechanics
- stress and injury link: research shows that increased psychosocial stress can manifest as
physical injuries, often appearing up to three weeks after stress peaks
- monitoring tools: devices like Xsens suits analyze athletes’ movements, helping coaches
detect biomechanical inefficiencies or risks early
holistic, data-driven periodization
> a successful athlete management system integrates:
- load recovery balance: adjusted dynamically to individual needs and stressors
- technological insights: tools like GPS, IUs, and Xsens suits for precise data
- multifactorial periodization: addressing training, recovery, nutrition, psychology, and
skills in a coordinated plan
performance on the track: pacing and resilience
> in track events highlights the interplay of physiological and technical factors
1. pacing strategies: planned distribution of effort, energy, and speed during sport activity
or competition to achieve optimal performance
o performance is closely tied to the distribution of velocity throughout a race,
reflecting technique and energy management: athletes must balance speed with
endurance to maintain optimal splits across distances
o metrics like relative season-best time as a percentage of the world record provide
a benchmark for evaluating and improving performance
2. resilience in competition: refers to an athlete’s ability to adapt and recover from
setbacks, such as poor performance, injuries, or external stressors
o building resilience involves both mental conditioning and physical preparation
fostering knowledge exchange: the role of FSG
> organizations like the football science Groningen (FSG) aim to advance the world of football by:
1. research investigating key aspects of performance, injury prevention, and recovery
2. education training coaches, athletes, and practitioners on cutting-edge methodologies
3. innovation developing and implementing new technologies and frameworks to enhance
player performance and well-being
