Abstract
The objective of the present study was to determine the methods of quantification for training and performance which would be the most appropriate for modelling the responses to longterm training in Cadet and Junior judo athletes. For this, 10 young male judo athletes (15.9 ± 1.3 years, 64.9 ± 10.3 kg and 170.8 ± 5.4 cm) competing at a regional/state level volunteered to take part in the study. Data were collected during a two years training period (i.e, 702 days) from January 2011 to December 2012. Their mean training volume was 6.52 ± 0.43 hours per week during the preparatory periods and 4.75 ± 0.49 hours per week during the competitive periods. The followed a training program prescribed by the same coach. The training load was quantified through the session-rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and expressed in arbitrary unit (a.u.). Performance was quantified from five parameters divided in two categories: performance in competition and performance in training. The evaluation of performance in competition was based upon the number of points per level. Performance in training was assessed through four different tests. A physical test battery consisting in a standing long jump, two judo specific tests that were the maximal number of dynamic chin up holding the judogi and the Special Judo Fitness Test. System modeling for describing training adaptations consisted of mathematically relating the training load of the training sessions (system input) to the change in performance (system output). The quality of the fit between training load and performance was similar whether the training load was computed directly from RPE (R 2 = 0.55 ± 0.18) or from the session-RPE (R 2 = 0.56 ± 0.18) and significant in 8 athletes over 10, excluding the standing jump from the computation of the training load, leading to a simplest method. Thus, this study represents a first attempt to model training load effects on judospecific performance and has shown that the best relationships between amounts of training and changes in performance were obtained when training amounts were quantified simply from RPE.