Recent surveys among performance coaches in the Dutch Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Divisie reveal that daily use of heart rate data is not always standard practice. Practical challenges include inaccuracies in measurements or discomfort players feel wearing heart rate monitors. This raises an important question: how can heart rate data be effectively used to provide genuine value? This article explores how heart rate data, despite its challenges, can be optimized during a typical training week with specific focus on key training days like MD+1, MD+2, MD-4, MD-2, and MD-1.
The Value of Heart Rate Data in Training
During a match or heavy training session, various bodily systems are taxed. Muscles and tendons experience micro-damage that requires recovery to maintain strength and flexibility. Energy stores like glycogen in muscles are depleted and need to be replenished through proper nutrition. The nervous system, responsible for regulating functions such as heart rate and breathing, must recover from the demands of intense activity. The cardiovascular system also needs rest to restore balance after elevated heart rates and blood pressure during exertion.
This information allows for smarter adjustments to training, better scheduling of rest periods, and reduced risks of overloading players. Heart rate data thus becomes an invaluable tool for enhancing recovery, preventing injuries, and optimizing performance.
Heart Rate Data Across the Training Week
Heart rate data can be monitored live during training or analyzed post-session to provide a clear picture of players’ physical states. Below is how heart rate monitoring can be applied across the key days of a training week:
MD+1: Recovery Training – Focus on Active Recovery
The day after a match is all about recovery and reactivation. Activities like cycling, walking, or light field sessions improve circulation, which helps flush out waste products like lactate.
Practical use of heart rate data:
Live monitoring: During recovery sessions, real-time heart rate tracking ensures players remain within the correct zones, typically 50-60% of their maximum heart rate (HRmax). If a player’s heart rate exceeds this range, it may indicate insufficient recovery or additional stress, prompting immediate intensity adjustments.
Post-session analysis: Reviewing data after the session can reveal recovery effectiveness, particularly by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) and how quickly players return to their resting heart rates.
Example: A player whose heart rate remains elevated five minutes after cycling may not yet be fully recovered, suggesting a need for reduced intensity or extended rest.
MD+2: Increasing Load – Reintroducing Stimuli
On this day, training intensity begins to increase. This typically involves conditioning sessions with interval runs or high-intensity small-sided games.
Practical use of heart rate data:
Live monitoring: Coaches target 70-85% of HRmax during conditioning drills. If a player falls short of this zone, it could signal fatigue or a lack of focus. Conversely, a heart rate exceeding this range may indicate inadequate recovery.
Post-session analysis: Examining time spent in each heart rate zone helps evaluate session intensity. Additionally, how quickly a player’s heart rate drops during rest periods indicates their fitness and recovery capacity.
Example: During interval sprints, if a player’s heart rate doesn’t return to 60% of HRmax during rest intervals, it may indicate insufficient recovery, warranting longer rest durations.
MD-4: High-Intensity Training – Building Load Capacity
This is often the most demanding training day of the week, featuring intense duels, sprints, and high-intensity games.
Practical use of heart rate data:
Live monitoring: Coaches track heart rate to ensure players reach 85-95% of HRmax during peak moments like sprints. If players fail to reach this range, it may reflect fatigue or suboptimal effort.
Post-session analysis: Peak and average heart rate data are used to evaluate overall training load and compare it to match conditions.
Example: If a central defender’s peak heart rate during small-sided games is only 70% of HRmax, it may indicate low involvement or possible physical limitations, requiring further attention.
MD-2: Tactical Training – Refining Game Plans
The focus on MD-2 shifts to match preparation and tactical drills. Physical intensity is reduced to avoid fatigue before match day.
Practical use of heart rate data:
Live monitoring: Ensuring players stay within low-intensity zones (50-80% HRmax) prevents unintended physical overload during tactical exercises.
Post-session analysis: Comparing average heart rates to previous sessions ensures the day remained light enough to support match readiness.
Example: If players hit 85% of HRmax during a tactical drill, it might indicate the pace is too high for a pre-match session, prompting adjustments such as longer breaks or slower play.
Challenges of Heart Rate Data
The integration of heart rate monitoring with GPS systems offers significant benefits, including convenience. Players no longer need separate heart rate straps, as the sensors are embedded in GPS vests. Data accuracy is also high, with studies showing a 99% agreement between the JOHAN PACER and Polar H10 heart rate monitors, confirming the reliability of the technology.
However, challenges remain. Correct usage is essential: vests must be worn with direct skin contact, not over undershirts, to ensure accurate readings. Moistening the chest strap before training improves sensor contact and speeds up data collection. External factors such as temperature, humidity, and stress can also impact heart rate, potentially distorting the data. Coaches must account for these variables when interpreting results.
Individualizing Heart Rate Zones
Heart rate zones must be tailored to each player, as heart rate responses vary widely due to factors like age, genetics, and fitness levels. Standard zones may provide inaccurate insights into load and recovery. By conducting individualized assessments, such as a maximal exertion test or lactate threshold test, coaches can ensure heart rate zones are precisely aligned with each player’s physiology.
Heart Rate in training week schedule
The Heft of Heart Rate
Heart rate monitoring provides holistic insights into load and recovery. Despite its challenges, it remains a crucial tool for performance coaches, aiding in training optimization, enhanced recovery, and injury prevention. With the "power of heart rate," teams can take measurable steps toward healthier and more effective performance.
References:
Teixeira, J. E., Forte, P., Ferraz, R., Leal, M., Ribeiro, J., Silva, A. J., & Barbosa, T. M. (2021). Monitoring accumulated training and match load in football: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8), 3906.: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8068156/