The validity and reliability of 5-Hz global positioning system units to measure team sport movement demands

J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Mar;26(3):758-65. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318225f161.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the validity and the reliability of 5-Hz MinimaxX global positioning system (GPS) units measuring athlete movement demands. A team sport simulation circuit (files collected from each unit = 12) and flying 50-m sprints (files collected from each unit = 34) were undertaken, during which the total distance covered; peak speed; player load; the distance covered; time spent and number of efforts performed walking, jogging, running, high-speed running, and sprinting were examined. Movement demands were also separately categorized into low-intensity activity, high-intensity running, and very high-intensity running. The results revealed that GPS was a valid and reliable measure of total distance covered (p > 0.05, percentage typical error of measurement [%TEM] < 5%) and peak speed (p > 0.05, %TEM 5-10%). Further, GPS was found to be a reliable measure of player load (%TEM 4.9%) and the distance covered, time spent, and number of efforts performed at certain velocity zones (%TEM <5% to >10%). The level of GPS error was found to increase along with the velocity of exercise. The findings demonstrated that GPS is capable of measuring movement demands performed at velocities <20 km·h(-1), whereas more caution is to be exercised when analyzing movement demands collected by using GPS velocities >20 km·h(-1).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Geographic Information Systems* / instrumentation
  • Geographic Information Systems* / standards
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Movement* / physiology
  • Physical Exertion / physiology
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Running / physiology
  • Running / standards
  • Sports* / physiology
  • Sports* / standards
  • Walking / physiology
  • Walking / standards