Introduction

Monitoring both internal and external training load is an essential component of designing effective volleyball training programs. External load refers to the work completed by an athlete – the training stimuli and activities they are exposed to. Internal load refers to the physiological and psychological response and stress experienced by the athlete. As coaches, being able to monitor and manage both external and internal load is key for optimizing performance and avoiding overtraining.

This article will provide volleyball coaches with an overview of methods and strategies for monitoring internal load in particular. Carefully tracking internal load will allow coaches to gauge how athletes are responding to training stimuli and make informed decisions about modifying external load as needed. Factors like fatigue, recovery status, sleep quality, and athlete readiness all provide insight into the internal load response.

While external load is more straightforward to quantify and monitor, internal load is more complex as it involves the athlete’s unique response. However, having a multi-faceted approach to assessing internal load will give coaches the best possible picture. Strategies covered include using questionnaires and scales, direct observation, physiological markers like heart rate, and athlete self-report.

Understanding the differences between functional and dysfunctional fatigue is also critical – coaches aim to prescribe training that induces adaptive, functional fatigue while avoiding overtraining and dysfunction. Careful load management, recovery facilitation, and the optimization of “marginal gains” across lifestyle factors are key tools.

This article provides volleyball coaches with a comprehensive look at current best practices and methods for monitoring athletes’ internal loads in order to prescribe optimal external training loads on a daily basis. Being able to adjust planned external loads based on internal load feedback is the sign of an effective, athlete-centered program.

Defining Internal and External Load

In order to effectively monitor training load, coaches must first understand the differences between external and internal load.

External load refers to the objective, quantifiable workload completed by an athlete. This includes training factors that are imposed on the athlete by the coach or program. Examples of external load metrics are:

• Training duration (length of practice, conditioning, etc.)
• Training intensity (e.g. weight lifted, speeds reached)
• Movement repetitions (e.g. number of jumps performed)
• Distance covered or elevation gained

Technology like GPS trackers, accelerometers, and heart rate monitors can provide coaches with detailed data on these external load variables. However, external load only tells part of the training story.

Internal load refers to the subjective physiological and psychological stress imposed on the athlete. This includes their individualized response to the external workload. Internal load metrics include:

• Perceived effort and exertion
• Fatigue levels
• Muscle soreness
• Energy levels/readiness to train
• Sleep quality/quantity
• Mood state (e.g. motivation, stress)
• Fitness and performance capacity

Unlike external load, internal load is highly individualized to each athlete. Two athletes can complete the same training session but have very different internal load responses based on factors like fitness level, recovery status, stress, nutrition, and sleep quality. Monitoring internal load provides the missing piece for coaches to optimize their training programs.

By tracking both external and internal load, coaches can ensure training stimuli match the athlete’s readiness to absorb them. If external and internal load are mismatched, the athlete may under-recover and progress towards overtraining. Carefully monitoring internal load helps coaches walk the fine line between effective, functional training stress and dysfunctional overtraining.

The Importance of Monitoring Training Load

Carefully monitoring both internal and external training load is crucial for several reasons:

Injury Prevention

Excessive and rapid spikes in training load are strongly linked to increased injury risk. When external load exceeds an athlete’s capacity to recover (internal load), overload injuries can occur. Monitoring load helps coaches gradually progress volume and intensity to avoid large week-to-week changes that overload tissues.

Optimizing Performance

There is a fine line between positive and negative training stress. The right amount of training load will produce adaptation and performance gains. However, too much load without adequate recovery leads to fatigue, impaired performance, and overtraining. Monitoring load helps find the training “sweet spot.”

Informing Periodization Models

The training process aims to apply the right training stimuli at the right time to produce peak performance. Accurately tracking load enables coaches to cycle volume and intensity to time peak fitness for key competitions. Hard training blocks can be followed by easier recovery blocks to optimize adaptation.

Individualization

Response to training varies significantly between athletes based on factors like genetics, fitness, fatigue, motivation, and more. Monitoring load on an individual level allows coaches to understand athletes’ unique capacities and customize programs appropriately. No “one-size-fits-all” training plan truly optimizes performance.

Athlete Buy-In

Close monitoring shows athletes that coaches are invested in their well-being, not just performance. Coaches should explain the rationale for load management to athletes. When athletes feel heard and that their coaches “have their backs,” they tend to buy into the training process more.

Methods for Monitoring Internal Load

A multi-faceted approach utilizing several strategies is recommended for comprehensively tracking internal training load. Possible methods include:

Questionnaires

Standardized questionnaires using rating scales can quantify athlete fatigue, muscle soreness, motivation, sleep quality, and other variables. For example, a 1-10 rating scale could measure soreness or readiness to train. Questionnaires should be repeated consistently to identify trends and changes. Athlete personality also influences responses – some may minimize symptoms while others exaggerate them.

Direct Observation

Coaches should closely observe athletes during training for signs of excessive fatigue, altered mechanics, lack of motivation, disengagement, and other issues potentially tied to internal load. While subjective, observation provides immediate feedback and can reveal problems questionnaires may miss.

Physiological Markers

Objective internal load data can be collected by monitoring athlete heart rate, blood lactate levels, oxygen saturation, and other physiological variables. However, methodology must be consistent and data contextualized. For instance, elevated resting heart rate may signal incomplete recovery from prior training.

Athlete Self-Report

Verbal athlete feedback offers subjective insights into internal load. However, self-reporting is most valid with experienced athletes who are in tune with their bodies. Younger athletes may lack awareness of symptoms signaling excessive fatigue or poor recovery. Still, simply asking athletes how they feel can uncover issues and foster athlete-coach communication.

No single method provides a complete picture of internal load on its own. Athlete readiness emerges from the convergence of multiple data points. Coaches must triangulate subjective questionnaires, direct observation, physiological markers, and athlete verbal reports to truly optimize training prescription.

Differentiating Between Functional and Dysfunctional Fatigue

A key application of internal load monitoring is differentiating between adaptive functional fatigue versus maladaptive dysfunctional fatigue.

Functional Fatigue

A properly designed training program applies the right stimulus to disrupt homeostasis and spur adaptation. This induces short-term functional fatigue. For example, a weightlifting session may create muscle soreness and immediate strength decreases.

However, after adequate rest and nutrition, the athlete super-compensates and acquires greater fitness – the training stress produced a positive effect. This delayed training effect represents functional fatigue required for improvement.

Dysfunctional Fatigue

Fatigue becomes dysfunctional when training stress exceeds the body’s recovery capacities over a prolonged timeframe. For example, dramatically increasing running mileage over a few weeks may overtax structures leading to overuse injury.

Poor lifestyle habits like sleep deprivation, unbalanced nutrition, and emotional stress can also limit recovery. Training loads that would normally induce functional fatigue instead produce compounding dysfunctional fatigue. Performance stagnates or declines.

Overtraining Syndrome

If dysfunctional fatigue persists unchecked, it can progress to full-blown overtraining syndrome. This state of chronic excessive training with inadequate recovery leads to performance decreases, fatigue, loss of motivation, hormonal issues, and vulnerability to viruses and injury. It can take weeks or months to recover from overtraining.

Finding the Sweet Spot

The goal of coaches is applying the ideal training stimuli that produces functional fatigue enabling peak performance, not overtraining. This “sweet spot” emerges through diligent internal load monitoring. Dysfunctional fatigue signals when external loads should be adjusted to facilitate recovery. Watching for athlete maladaptation is key.

Managing Load to Optimize Recovery

Carefully managing training loads is only half the battle – facilitating adequate recovery through rest and lifestyle strategies is equally important to maintain balance.

Sleep Quality and Quantity

Sleep is foundational for repairing the body from training. During deep sleep stages, growth hormone is secreted, muscles regenerate, and neural connections are restored. Lack of sleep impairs performance, concentration, and immunity. Coaches should educate athletes on sleep hygiene – optimizing sleep duration, efficiency, and environment for recovery.

Recovery Strategies

Passive rest is essential, but active recovery techniques also relieve soreness, reduce inflammation, and speed recovery. This includes light aerobic activity, massage, foam rolling, contrast bathing, cryotherapy, compression, and more. Coaches can build recovery sessions into training schedules and connect athletes with practitioners like physios and masseurs.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition provides the raw materials for replenishing glycogen stores, repairing damaged muscle fibers, and supporting the immune system. Coaches should advise athletes to refuel appropriately post-training and consume high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods consistently.

Mindset Management

Overtraining is correlated with elevated stress hormones like cortisol. Coaches should teach athletes skills to mitigate training-related psychological stress through visualization, breathing exercises, social support, goal-setting, cognitive restructuring and more.

Applying the Concept of Marginal Gains

While nutrition, psychology, and recovery modalities often fall outside a coach’s direct expertise, the “marginal gains” concept provides a framework for optimizing these peripherical factors to enhance performance.

What are Marginal Gains?

The term refers to small improvements made across every variable influencing performance. Individually, a 1% gain may seem trivial and not worth the effort. But when many 1% gains are accrued across multiple training facets, the combined benefit is significant.

Areas for Potential Gains

Sleep – Factors like bedroom temperature, noise, light exposure, and bedding can affect sleep efficiency and recovery.

• Travel – Strategies like optimal flight timing, compression socks, and hydration make travel less taxing.
• Equipment – Ensuring athletes have high-quality gear tailored to their needs enhances comfort and minimizes injury risk.
• Facilities – Control over factors like court quality, lighting, cleanliness, and amenities removes environmental stress.
• Psychology – Promoting positive mindset, motivation maintenance, arousal regulation, focus, and more gives a mental edge.
• Nutrition – Providing the optimal training diet, strategic fueling, hydration, and supplements pays dividends.
• Medical – Proactive injury screening, soft tissue therapy, mobilization exercises and prehab strengthen the body.

Coach Collaboration

Marginal gains often fall outside the coach’s direct scope. Thus, coaches should spearhead a collaborative support team including sport scientists, physicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists, equipment managers and other personnel to holistically enhance each factor.

By fixating on the smallest details that improve the athlete experience, marginal gains provide the aggregative edge to fulfill performance potential.

Conclusion

Optimizing athletic performance is a complex endeavor requiring the management of both external and internal training loads. While coaches directly control external load through programmed training stimuli, carefully monitoring internal load provides critical insights into the athlete’s response.

Specifically, internal load monitoring allows coaches to detect maladaptive responses like excessive fatigue and alter external loads accordingly to facilitate recovery. Finding the sweet spot between functional and dysfunctional fatigue is a nuanced art underpinned by data.

Coaches have several tools at their disposal to gauge internal load, including questionnaires, observation, physiological markers, and athlete self-reports. Trends and correlations between these datasources paint the full picture. No approach in isolation captures the athlete’s true readiness to train.

Furthermore, intentionally promoting recovery via sleep, nutrition, and other lifestyle strategies gives athletes the capacity to absorb higher external loads and progress over time. An interdisciplinary team approach focusing on marginal performance gains can also provide big returns.