Methodological Insights Into the Acceleration-Speed Profile: Optimizing Data Analysis for Reliable Application in Elite Female and Male Football.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of the acceleration-speed profile in elite male and female football players across 3 competitive seasons. Specifically, we assessed how the number and type of microcycles influence the reliability of theoretical maximal acceleration (A0) and speed (S0).

METHODS

GPS-derived acceleration and speed data were collected from 181 women's and 146 men's microcycles. Acceleration-speed profiles were constructed using overlapping windows of 1 to 5 consecutive microcycles, classified as competitive, including match day (MD) or post-MD (MD + 1) or noncompetitive, not including MD or MD + 1. Linear regressions were applied to estimate A0 and S0.

RESULTS

Theoretical maximal acceleration and S0 increased with longer microcycles but plateaued beyond 5 days. Grouping by 2 microcycles showed the highest reliability for both A0 and S0 in male and female players. Competitive profiles consistently outperformed noncompetitive profiles in terms of stability and signal quality across both sexes. Male players demonstrated lower variability and higher signal-to-noise ratios than female players.

CONCLUSIONS

The most reliable acceleration-speed profiles can be obtained from 2 consecutive microcycles, each including 5 or more sessions and at least 1 MD or MD + 1. These findings support the integration of in situ sprint profiling into applied performance monitoring without the need for isolated testing.