Load monitoring, strength training, and recovery in futsal: Practitioners’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to describe the current practices in futsal regarding a variety of topics related to performance and injury risk mitigation. Thirty-seven coaches from Spain and Portugal completed a questionnaire consisting of 28 closed questions organized in four categories: a) background information; b) training load (TL) monitoring and assessment of players’ physical qualities; c) strength training (ST) practices; and d) recovery (REC) methods. The results showed that coaches varied in experience (1–8 years) and age (from 20 years to >50 years). Overall, 97.3% of the participants declared monitoring TL, with rating of perceived exertion, heart rate monitors, and wearable technology being used by 86.5%, 40.5%, and 37.8%, respectively. Neuromuscular and strength testing are the most common practices to evaluate performance and fatigue during the season. ST is a significant component of futsal, being performed 3 times/week during the pre- and in-season. ST is prescribed via %1RM – XRM (59.5%), velocity-based training (21.7%), repetitions in reserve (18.9%), until failure (10.8%), and circuit training (2.7%). ‘Better Monitoring’, ‘More Individualized’, ‘Better Facilities’, ‘More Staff’, and ‘More Time’ were the main aspects to improve ST. Multiple post-match REC strategies are used, with durations ranging from 0–15 to 16–30 min independently of game location.

KEYWORDS:

• Team-sports
• five-a-side soccer
• performance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported that there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.