TABLE 2.
Means and standard deviations (± sd) of internal and external training intensity measures according to the groups of game formats.
| Load measures | Variables (units) | SSG | MSG | LSG | SG |
| External (eTL) | Vmax (km⋅h–1) | 17.9 ± 2.8 | 18.9 ± 2.7 | 24.0 ± 2.7 | 25.1 ± 2.2 |
| D < 60%min (m⋅min–1) | 94.2 ± 16.9 | 96.6 ± 14.4 | 99.0 ± 14.8 | 100.3 ± 13.8 | |
| D > 60%min (m⋅min–1) | 1.6 ± 2.5 | 3.2 ± 3.7 | 5.0 ± 2.8 | 6.2 ± 2.5 | |
| D > 80%min (m⋅min–1) | 0.0 ± 0.0 | 0.1 ± 1.0 | 0.6 ± 1.0 | 1.2 ± 1.3 | |
| DTmin (m⋅min–1) | 95.8 ± 18.0 | 100.1 ± 15.5 | 104.7 ± 16.0 | 107.6 ± 14.4 | |
| PLmin (AU⋅min–1) | 11.9 ± 2.9 | 11.2 ± 2.4 | 9.8 ± 2.0 | 10.0 ± 1.9 | |
| Dacc > 2min (m⋅min–1) | 4.6 ± 1.3 | 4.4 ± 1.6 | 3.6 ± 1.0 | 3.4 ± 0.9 | |
| Ddec < −2min (m⋅min–1) | 3.1 ± 1.3 | 3.1 ± 1.3 | 2.8 ± 0.9 | 2.6 ± 0.8 | |
| Internal (iTL) | EDWmin (AU⋅min–1) | 3.3 ± 1.5 | 3.6 ± 1.0 | 3.1 ± 1.0 | 3.2 ± 0.7 |
| T > 80%HRmin (min⋅min–1) | 0.3 ± 0.4 | 0.7 ± 1.2 | 0.3 ± 0.5 | 0.2 ± 0.4 |
SSG is 3 vs. 3 (three players per team), MSG involves 4 vs. 4, 5 vs. 5, and 6 vs. 6 game formats, LSG includes 7 vs. 7, 8 vs. 8, and 9 vs. 9 game formats, and SG is a simulated game (10 vs. 10). Vmax is peak velocity, DTmin is total distance covered, D < 60%min is distance covered at less than 60% of the maximal velocity of each player, D > 60%min is distance covered at between 60 and 80% of the maximal velocity of each player, D > 80%min is distance covered at more than 80% of the maximal velocity of each player, Mmin is distance covered per minute, EDWmin is Edwards arbitrary units per min, T > 80%HRmin is time spent at more than 80% of the maximal heart rate, PLmin is player load per minute, Dacc > 2min is distance covered accelerating at more than 2 m⋅s–2, and Ddec < −2min is distance covered decelerating at less than −2 m⋅s–2.