Impact of Altering the Method to Score During Small-sided Games on Internal and External Training Loads in Youth Soccer Players

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Diverse strategies to manipulate acute training load can be used in small-sided games (SSG). However, how different methods to score during SSG influence internal and external workloads in young athletes is still under debate. OBJECTIVE: To compare external and internal training loads between SSGs played with different rules to score in young soccer players. METHODS: In separated days, 13 young athletes (age: 14.7±0.4 years) performed three different SSGs models: ball possession (BP-SSG), score zone (SZ-SSG), and SSG with small-goals (SG-SSG). During the SSGs players worn accelerometers to obtain raw acceleration values which were later transformed in external training load (ETL) measured as PlayerLoad ® . ~30-min following the SGGs internal training load (ITL) was obtained as the session-rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE). RESULTS: The BP-SSG (369.05±66.6 a.u.) led to higher ETL compared to the SZ-SSG (326.22±50.6 a.u.), and to the SG-SSG (288.08±52.92 a.u.). Similarly, the BP-SSG (238.69±32.21 a.u.) also caused higher ITL compared to the SZ-SSG (208.57±32.17 a.u.), and to the SG-SSG (187, 38±30.4 a.u.). CONCLUSION: In young soccer players, SSGs with the aim to maintain ball possession caused higher ITL and ETL compared to SSG with other methods to score. Coaches are encouraged to use SSG with the aim to maintain ball possession when designing high-intensity sessions, whereas for low-intensity sessions SSG with the small-goals zone can be used.