From fixed thresholds to individual acceleration-speed profiles A prop and a winger may finish a match with a surprisingly similar number of accelerations on the report. That number, however, describes two very different games. The count itself is accurate. What it cannot tell you is what those accelerations cost, because a single fixed threshold is […]

Scientific transparency vs black boxes Every time we compare gpexe with a new client’s previously used system, the request is always the same: “I want to keep seeing the same number of accelerations.” It is an absolutely reasonable request. At first, we also think the comparison will be straightforward: simply set the same thresholds on […]

One of the most common questions performance practitioners ask is also one of the most difficult to answer: how does my team compare to others? Not just within the same league, but against higher-level competitions that are often used as performance references. To help answer that question, the gpexe educational team analysed official match data […]

This article is based on an extract from the HQ Coaching webinar delivered by Gianluca Spinelli, then head of the goalkeeping department at Paris Saint-Germain, and has been re-elaborated by gpexe in collaboration with HQC.The session focused on how external load data can help interpret and compare goalkeeper dive strategies beyond what is visible on […]

The return-to-play (RTP) process after injury is complex, non-linear, and multifactorial. Recent evidence shows that assessing tissue healing is not enough; athletes also need to be progressively re-exposed to the physical and cognitive demands of training and competition. A progressive process to restore the athlete’s ability to tolerate pre-injury training loads. In this context, the […]

Let’s explore how mechanical power can serve as a more accurate indicator of neuromuscular load in rugby. Quantifying mechanical load — the neuromuscular and musculo-tendinous stress experienced by players during training and competition — is essential for effective load management, injury prevention, and performance optimisation in team sports such as rugby. But how many actions […]

Introduction Sprinting is a fundamental capacity of many team sports and involves two key characteristics: acceleration and maximal velocity. The ability to accelerate and reach the highest velocity possible in the shortest period is underpinned by the mechanical components of the neuromuscular system: force, velocity, and power. These are well described by the force-velocity (F-v) […]

1. Introduction LITA is a company specialised in physical performance, particularly in everything around speed: acceleration, changes of direction, maximum velocity and gym. We work closely with elite athletes, national football and rugby teams, and numerous top-flight football and rugby clubs in France. We also have a sprint group, LITAthletics, training elite sprinters for the […]

Introduction From the 2022/2023 season, gpexe teams competing in the Italian Serie A adopted a new mechanical approach to their monitoring routines, utilising acceleration-speed profiling (ASP) and external power. This method was proposed to overcome the limitations of counting the number of accelerations to isolate the most demanding actions from a neuromuscular perspective. Indeed, relying […]

We asked Prof. Pietro Enrico di Prampero, a pioneer in metabolic analysis and a pillar of the gpexe scientific team, to answer a few questions about his latest paper, “Energy cost of running uphill as compared to running on the level with impeding horizontal forces.” His responses help clarify the study’s motivations, findings, and potential […]

Introduction Team sports can have very different demands, with some requiring frequent sprints and high-speed running [1, 2]. In contrast, others often involve lateral movements and changes of direction (CODs) performed at lower speeds [1]. These latter movements are particularly interesting to fitness coaches and trainers as they are highly demanding, especially from a neuro-muscular […]

In part 1 of the article, we started exploring the nuances of high-demanding actions in football through the lens of metabolic and mechanical approaches. Let’s continue the analysis by answering the next question. is there any link between MPEs and bursts? The first point to stress is that both MPEs and bursts are expressions of high […]