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

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Abstract
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 (A 0 ) and speed (S 0 ). 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 A 0 and S 0 . Results : Theoretical maximal acceleration and S 0 increased with longer microcycles but plateaued beyond 5 days. Grouping by 2 microcycles showed the highest reliability for both A 0 and S 0 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.

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