Analysis of the Association between Internal and External Training Load Indicators in Elite Soccer; Multiple Regression Study

The aim of this study was to identify the external training load (ETL) variables that are most influential on the session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) during elite soccer training. The participants (n = 29) were adult male soccer players from a single team that competed in Croatia’s highest national soccer competition in the 2021/2022 season. Data were collected using the 10 Hz Global Positioning System from 66 training sessions, and a total of 1061 training observations were undertaken. The univariate and multivariate relationships among the predictors (ETL variables) and the criterion (sRPE) were assessed using forward stepwise multiple regressions and Pearson’s correlations, respectively. ETL variables explained 63% of the variance in the sRPE (Multiple R = 0.79; p < 0.01), and the model was successfully cross-validated. The significant partial regressors were total distance (β = 0.66), metres per minute (β = −0.47), high-intensity accelerations (β = 0.22) and decelerations (β = 0.18), and sprint distance (β = 0.14). All ETL variables were significantly correlated with the sRPE (all p < 0.01), with the highest correlations found for total distance covered (r = 0.70) and high-intensity accelerations and decelerations (r = 0.62 and 0.65, respectively). Such results show that (i) the total distance and acceleration rates during the training sessions are the most important predictors of the sRPE, and (ii) a combination of different ETL variables predicts the sRPE better than any individual parameter alone. This study shows that both the volume and intensity of training are related to players’ internal responses. The findings ultimately provide further evidence to support the use of sRPE as a global measure of training load in soccer players.