ABSTRACT
To get a correct impression of the physiological load imposed on soccer players during competitive soccer, the observations have to be made during real match-play. According to Reilly and Thomas (1976) the total distance covered gives a general idea of the physiological load associated with soccer match-play. Published results vary from 3360 m (Winterbottom, 1954), over 4834 m (Knowles and Brooke, 1974), over 8680 m (Reilly and Thomas, 1976), 9790 m (Winkler 1983), 10112 m (Whitehead, 1975), 10332 m (Van Meerbeek et al., 1983), 10631 m (Van Cauter and Vrijens, 1984), 11527 (Withers et al., 1982) to 13260 m (Ohashi, 1979). More information is available when the intensity of the movement activities is taken into account. Until now the division of the total distance into discrete movement activities is mostly based on subjective feelings of the observer (Van Cauter and Vrijens, 1984).
