Chronic fatigue affects athletes' abilities to maintain force and power capabilities over the course of a season. The ability for sport scientists and coaches to monitor and manage fatigue is beneficial for all sports, especially those with lengthy seasons. Although methods of monitoring and managing fatigue have been suggested for various sports, there is currently limited research examining methods of monitoring fatigue in baseball over the course of a season. To effectively maintain peak performance, potential methods for monitoring and managing fatigue in baseball players need to be discussed.

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if a there was a dose-response relationship across an NCAA Division I men’s soccer season. Specifically, this dissertation serves to: 1.) assess the validity of duration measurements that have previously been used to calculate session RPE during competitive matches, 2.) determine the degree and magnitude of change in intermittent endurance performance across a season and to observe how change in endurance relates with training load, 3.) determine the degree and magnitude of change in strength and explosiveness across a season, and to see how these strength changes relate to training load. 1.) Minutes played were found to be the most accurate duration for calculating session RPE during men’s NCAA Division I soccer matches. 2.) Endurance performance, measured using the Yo-Yo IR1, increased by an average of 14 percent from pre to post season. Furthermore, a large, negative relationship was observed between training load and change endurance performance. These relationships suggest that excessive accumulation of training load can impair endurance performance. The congested NCAA DI match schedule may make it difficult to prevent excessive training loads. 3.) When players were grouped by amount of college soccer experience (upper and underclassmen), upperclassmen jumped significantly higher than underclassmen during the preseason. Moreover, the upperclassmen maintained or increased jump height from pre to post season, while underclassmen experienced a general decrease in jump height from pre to post season. Moderate relationships indicate a positive relationship between training load from resistance training and changes in strength. Likewise, these same relationships strengthened in the players who received more playing time during matches. Taken together, the high numbers of moderate relationships indicate a high level of individual variability. Dose-response relationships with strength variables were not sufficiently established. The overall findings of this dissertation provide evidence that subjectively and objectively monitoring training load and soccer-related performance variables can assist coaches in making decisions that will promote the welfare of their team.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo monitorar parâmetros subjetivos: Carga Interna de Treinamento (CIT) e Escala de Qualidade Total da Recuperação (TQR) e objetivos: (cortisol, testosterona e razão T:C) na primeira fase da temporada competitiva, composta por 8 semanas, comparando semanas com duas ou apenas uma partida por semana, em atletas profissionais de Voleibol. Quatorze jogadores profissionais de voleibol participaram da investigação. As variáveis dependentes foram avaliadas durante as 8 primeiras semanas da SuperLiga Masculina de Voleibol, afim de estabelecer a comparação entre semanas com duas partidas e semanas com uma única partida. A CIT foi calculada por semana, pelo método da PSE da sessão, bem como, o índice de monotonia. O escore da TQR e as amostras salivares (analisadas por ELISA) foram coletados semanalmente sempre no primeiro dia útil da semana. Além disso, foi avaliado o desempenho do salto contra movimento (CMJ). Os principais resultados da presente investigação são: o comportamento da CIT refletiu o planejamento da CET. As semanas 2, 3, 7 e 8 (duas partidas por semana) apresentaram maior magnitude de CIT ~6000 UA e as semanas 1, 4, 5 e 6 (uma partida por semana) com menor magnitude de CIT ~4500; o escore da escala TQR sofreu maior redução nas semanas 2, 3, 7 e 8 (duas partidas por semana, apresentando escore de ~6,7 UA) em comparação as semanas 1, 4, 5, 6 (uma partida por semana) que apresentaram escore de ~7,8); as respostas hormonais, testosterona e cortisol, não apresentaram diferenças entre as semanas com uma ou duas partidas disputadas; a maior magnitude das correlações entre as respostas endócrinas e a CIT foi observada nos períodos com duas partidas; foi observado aumento do salto vertical após o período de investigação (TE = 0,30); a associação entre a menor variabilidade semanal na escala de recuperação e melhora do salto. Este estudo revela que o planejamento da CET foi acompanhado pelo comportamento da CIT durante atemporada competitiva, sendo que as semanas com duas partidas apresentaram maior CIT em comparação às semanas com apenas uma partida disputada, que, por sua vez, apresentaram menor CIT. O escore da escala TQR apresentou maior redução nas semanas com duas partidas em comparação às semanas com apenas uma partida. Os hormônios cortisol e testosterona não apresentaram alteração ao longo das 8 semanas de investigação. As correlações entre as variáveis do presente estudo apresentaram maior magnitude nos períodos de maior CET, reforçando a hipótese que em períodos de maior CET, há maior sensibilidade dos parâmetros subjetivos. Por fim, o planejamento adotado, durante as 8 primeiras semanas do período competitivo, foi eficaz para promover aumento do CMJ em jogadores profissionais de voleibol. Os atletas que apresentam a menor variabilidade semanal no escore da TQR apresentaram o maior aumento do CMJ. Esses resultados reforçam a relevância da adoção estratégias de monitoramento integrado, utilizando parâmetros objetivos e subjetivos. Esse constante acompanhamento pode fornecer informações valiosas sobre a forma que os atletas lidam com as demandas da temporada competitiva, auxiliando a retro-alimentação do planejamento da CET ao longo do processo / The current study aimed to monitor subjective parameters: Internal Training Load (ITL) and Total Recovery Quality Scale (TQR) and objectives parameters: (cortisol, testosterone and T: C ratio) during the first phase of the competitive season, comparing weeks with two or only one match per week in professional volleyball players. Fourteen professional volleyball players participated of research. The dependent variables were evaluated during the first 8 weeks of the Men\'s Volleyball SuperLiga, to compare the weeks with 2 matches and the weeks with a single match. ITL was calculated per week by the session RPE method, as well as, the monotony index. The TQR score and the salivary samples (analyzed by ELISA) were collected weekly on the first day of the week. In addition, the performance of the counter movement jump (CMJ) was evaluated. The main results of the present investigation are: ITL reflected the ETL planned. Weeks 2, 3, 7 and 8 (2 matches per week) with a higher magnitude of CIT ~ 6000 AU and weeks 1, 4, 5 and 6 (one match per week) with a lower magnitude of CIT ~ 4500; the TQR score had a greater reduction at weeks 2, 3, 7 and 8 (2 matches per week, presenting a score of ~6.7 AU) compared to weeks 1, 4, 5, 6 (one match per week) presenting a score of ~ 7.8); the endocrine responses did not show differences between the weeks with 2 or 1 matches played; the greater magnitude of the correlations between the endocrine responses and the ITL was observed in weeks with 2 matches; there was an increase in CMJ after the investigation period and (Effect Size = 0,30); the association between the lower weekly variability in the recovery scale (TQR) and the improvement in the CMJ. This study reveals that the ETL planning was accompanied by the ITL during the competitive season, and the weeks with 2 matches had a higher ITL compared to the weeks with only 1 match played, which, in turn, presented lower ITL. The TQR score showed a greater reduction in the weeks with 2 matches compared to the weeks with only 1 match played, following the ITL behavior. The hormonal responses were not affected during the 8 weeks of investigation, withoutdifference between the weeks with 2 or 1 match disputed. The correlations between the variables of this research showed greater magnitude in weeks of higher ETL (2 matches), reinforcing the hypothesis that in periods of higher ETL, there is greater sensitivity of the subjective parameters. Finally, the ETL periodization adopted, during the first 8 weeks of the competitive period, was effective to promote increase of CMJ in professional players of volleyball. The athletes with the lowest weekly variability in the TQR score had the highest increase in CMJ. These results reinforce the relevance of adopting integrated monitoring strategies, using objective and subjective parameters. This constant monitoring can provide valuable insight into how athletes cope with the demands of the competitive season, provinding feed-back for the ETL planning throughout the process