ABSTRACT
Small-sided games (SSGs) are commonly used to improve technical and tactical abilities in team sport athletes and have shown to provide a comparable aerobic stimulus to traditional interval training methods. It has been shown that the perceptual (rating of perceived exertion) and physiological load (heart rate, blood lactate) experienced during SSGs can be controlled by manipulating exercise prescription factors such as field size, player number, rule modifications and coach encouragement (Hill-Haas et al., 2011; Kennett et al., 2012). However, it is unclear whether SSGs provide a different training stimulus when completed in a fatigued or non-fatigued state. Acute fatigue has been reported during team sport competition play, typically following brief periods of high-intensity running (HIR) (Bradleyet al., 2009, Mohr et al., 2003), and has been associated with declines in physical performance. While it is established that match-related physical fatigue may reduce exercise intensity during competitive play, further research is required to understand the influence of acute physical fatigue on exercise intensity during SSGs.
