Lee, Lars van der (2023) The Effect of Heavy Training Weeks on the Psychological and Physiological Development of Professional Football Players. Master thesis, Psychology.
|
Text
MscThesis_LPvanderLee.pdf Download (952kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Athletes encounter heavy stressors throughout their whole careers. The precise effects of these stressors on psychological and physiological functioning on a longitudinal scale are not clear. In the present research we explore the possible effects of encountering and overcoming heavy training weeks on the psychological and physiological functioning of professional football players and to see if they bounce back, thrive under pressure, or succumb. We collected psychological (e.g. confidence) and physiological variables (e.g. heart rate) longitudinally as part of the daily routine with self-report questionnaires, and the average heart rate was monitored with Polar TeamPro. Then we conducted a group-based repeated measures ANOVA. Results of the study show that experiencing heavy training weeks in the past had a significant positive effect on recovery, RPE, and average heart rate at the beginning of the season. However, halfway through the season, the trend changed in the opposite direction. This suggests that fatigue could play a role in the latter half of the season. Next to this, no significant effects or trends were found for confidence. These results show the possible beneficial effects of heavy training weeks on psychological and physiological functioning but also outline the possible challenges that can arise at the end of a football season, such as fatigue. These insights improve our understanding of how repeated heavy training weeks affects the functioning of football players and acknowledges the possible pitfalls of fatigue and the importance of monitoring players individually to optimize training results. Keywords: Multidisciplinary, resilience, stressors, thriving, training
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Hartigh, J.R. den and Neumann, N.D. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Talent Development and Creativity (TDC) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Dec 2023 14:50 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Dec 2023 14:50 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2956 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |