Training load and fitness monitoring in Czech football: coach practices and perspectives

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216305%3A26630%2F26%3A0199215" target="_blank" >RIV/00216305:26630/26:0199215 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1513573/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1513573/full</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1513573" target="_blank" >10.3389/fspor.2025.1513573</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Training load and fitness monitoring in Czech football: coach practices and perspectives

Original language description

Introduction The study aimed to describe the practices and perspectives of Czech football coaches regarding the monitoring of players' training load and physical performance, with a focus on identifying key barriers and preferred sources of information.Methods A total of 235 football coaches completed an online survey comprehending training load monitoring methods, physical performance assessments, barriers to implementation, and information sources.Results Among respondents, 93.7% reported monitoring training load, with training diaries (70%) being the most utilized method for external load measures and heart rate (45%) for internal load. Despite this, 42.7% of coaches did not monitor internal load and 21.7% did not conduct physical fitness evaluations. The most frequently reported barrier was a lack of resources (74.5%), though elite-level coaches (52.8%) and strength and conditioning coaches (75%) identified human resources as their primary limitation. Across all levels, the Football Association was the preferred source of information (61.7%).Conclusion The findings highlight the predominance of traditional monitoring practices among the Czech football coaches, alongside with notable gaps in internal load tracking and fitness evaluation. The resource constraints remain a major barrier. Practical recommendations include promoting economical monitoring tools, such as RPE, and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders to improved monitoring strategies. The Football Association's play a key role on support these efforts.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30306 - Sport and fitness sciences

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

ISSN

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e-ISSN

2624-9367

Volume of the periodical

7

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

10

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001420326000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85217871528