Oliveira, RafaelMorgans, RylandFernandes, RenatoBrito, JoãoEspada, Mário C.Santos, Fernando J.2024-12-262024-12-262024-12-20Oliveira, R., Morgans, R., Fernandes, R., Brito, J.P., Espada, M.C. & Santos, F.J. (2024). External load transition practices from pre-season to in-season. A case study in elite female professional soccer players. PLOS ONE 19(12): e0314076. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314076http://hdl.handle.net/10400.15/5038Thestudy aim wastocomparetheexternal load during varying microcycles (M1-M4 during pre-season and M5during the in-season) in elite female Portuguese soccer players and to describe external load variations between differing Ms. Fourteen first-team players partici pated in the study (age 23.29 ± 3.19 years, weight 59.14 ± 6.87 kg, height 1.66 ± 0.08 m). Load measures included total distance, high-speed running (HSR) distance (�15 km/h), number ofaccelerations and decelerations [acceleration 1 (ACC1), >1–2 m/s; acceleration 2 (ACC2), >2–3m/s; acceleration 3 (ACC3), >3–4 m/s; acceleration 4 (ACC4), >4 m/s] and decelerations [deceleration 1 (DEC1), <1–2 m/s; deceleration 2 (DEC2), <2–3 m/s; deceler ation 3 (DEC3), <3–4 m/s; deceleration 4 (DEC4), <4 m/s]. M1 showed higher values of total distance, ACC1, ACC2, ACC3, DEC2,DEC3andDEC4thanM2(p=<0.001–0.04), although HSR washigher inM2(p<0.001). M2showedlowervalues ofHSR, ACC1, DEC1,DEC2,DEC3thanM3(p=0.001–0.04).M3reportedhigher values of total distance, ACC1,ACC2,DEC1,DEC2thanM4(p=<0.001–0.03),whileM4onlyfoundhighervalues of ACC4andDEC4thanM5(both,p=0.01).Thehighestvaluesoccurred inM3for the majority of external load metrics (except ACC3, ACC4, and DEC4 which were higher in M4). However, during the transition from M4 to M5, only ACC4 and DEC4 decreased with all other measures maintained, thus supporting the notion to maintain similar loading patterns during official competition.engjournal article10.1371/journal.pone.0314076