The Quantification of Internal Training Load for Female Volleyball Players: Utilizing Rpe-based Method

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between RPE-based method and internal training load (%HRavg, Banister's TRIMP, and Edward's TL) among high-level female volleyball players. 31 Chinese youth high-level female volleyball players from 3 high schools participated in the study (mean ±SD: Age 16.52 ± 1.18 years, Height 1.80 ± 0.06 m, Weight 67.26 ± 5.54 kg, BMI 20.76 ± 1.52, Training years 7.13 ± 2.59) . All athletes were trained and tracked for five weeks between July and August 2023, with a total of 29 training and competition records. This study records the RPE, HR of each athlete as an indicator of training load intensity, and then uses session-RPE and HR-based TRIMP method to calculate the training load volume indicator. According to the results, all athletes in the 29 recordings had a statistically significant correlation between RPE and %HRavg, session-RPE and Banister's TRIMP, session-RPE and Edward's TL as a whole ( p < 0.01), and a statistically significant correlation between in skill-training and competition ( p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Performance in strength-training had no significant correlation ( p > 0.05). The results of this study show that the RPE-based method can provide a practical and convenient way of monitoring and evaluating high-level female volleyball athletes in their skill-training.