The work endurance recovery method for quantifying training loads in Judo

Purpose: To adapt the work endurance recovery (WER) method based on randori maximal time to exhaustion (RMTE) for combat situations in judo. Methods: Eleven international-standard judo athletes (7 men and 4 women; mean age 20.73 ± 2.49 y, height 1.72 ± 0.11 m, body mass 67.36 ± 10.67 kg) were recruited to take part in the study. All participants performed a maximal incremental test (MIT), a Wingate test (WIN), a Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT), and 2 RMTE tests. They then took part in a session at an international training camp in Barcelona, Spain, in which 4 methods of load quantifcation were implemented: the WER method, the Stagno method, the Lucia method, and the session rating of perceived exertion (RPE_session). Results: RMTE demonstrated a very high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coeffcient =.91), and correlations of the performance tests ranged from moderate to high: RMTE and MIT (r =.66), RMTE and WIN variables (r =.38-.53), RMTE and SJFT variables (r =.74-.77). The correlation between the WER method, which considers time to exhaustion, and the other systems for quantifying training load was high: WER and RPE_session (r =.87), WER and Stagno (r =.77), WER and Lucia (r =.73). A comparative repeated-measures analysis of variance of the normalized values of the quantifcation did not yield statistically signifcant differences. Conclusions: The WER method using RMTE is highly adaptable to quantify randori judo sessions and enables one to plan a priori individualized training loads.