Training load quantification of high intensity exercises: Discrepancies between original and alternative methods

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Performance Analysis

Background:

• Accurate quantification of training loads (TL) is crucial for optimizing endurance athlete performance and preventing overtraining.
• Existing methods for measuring TL, including TRIMP, session-RPE, and Work-Endurance-Recovery (WER), have limitations in high-intensity interval training.
• Updated alternatives like TRIMPcumulative, RPEalone, and New-WER aim to provide more precise TL measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify and compare training loads (TL) in high-intensity endurance sessions using original methods and their updated alternatives.
• To investigate the influence of exercise volume and intensity on TL quantification across different methods.
• To determine if original and alternative TL methods are interchangeable.

Main Methods:

• Ten endurance athletes performed five high-intensity sessions until exhaustion, including maximal 800m runs and intermittent interval sessions.
• Training loads were quantified using original methods (TRIMP, session-RPE, WER) and alternative methods (TRIMPcumulative, RPEalone, New-WER).
• Intermediate TL (TL800) was calculated at 800m of accumulated running within sessions, alongside end-session RPE and TL.

Main Results:

• Marked differences in total TL were observed between original and alternative methods, with RPEalone and New-WER showing similar TL across sessions.
• Intermediate TL (TL800) showed notable discrepancies, particularly between TRIMP and other methods.
• Original methods showed strong correlations among themselves, as did the alternative methods, but correlations between original and alternative methods were light to moderate.

Conclusions:

• Original and alternative methods for quantifying training loads are not interchangeable due to significant differences in their outcomes.
• Alternative methods (RPEalone, New-WER) based on perceived exertion and exhaustion provide a potentially more accurate reflection of training stress, irrespective of exercise volume.
• Further research with larger, diverse populations and varied exercise protocols is needed to validate these findings.