Microcycle Planning in Soccer Using Internal Load

Dr James Malone, sports scientist and former Liverpool first-team sports scientist, shows performance staff in professional soccer how to plan each day of the microcycle around internal load, from the matchday +1 top-up to a short matchday -1.

About this webinar

James Malone is a sports scientist and founder of Malone Performance. He spent three seasons as a first-team sports scientist at Liverpool while completing his PhD, then worked for a GPS company and as a senior lecturer. He covers what internal load is, how to set maximum heart rate, which heart rate metrics have research behind them, and why heart rate data from matches is so often missing. He then walks through an ideal one-match week day by day, with Firstbeat examples of aerobic and anaerobic training effect, TRIMP and predicted RPE next to GPS targets. The session runs about 56 minutes and was recorded on 18 Feb 2025.

What you will learn

• Malone’s day-by-day targets for an ideal week: about 6 km on matchday -4, 7–8 km with 500–600 m of high-speed running on matchday -3, about 4 km on matchday -2
• Why a 15–20 minute conditioning run gives non-starters a strong internal response but not match volume
• Why he would not set maximum heart rate from 220 minus age or from preseason friendlies
• Why time above 90% HRmax has more research behind it than heart rate exertion scores
• Why almost 20% of a season’s training heart rate data was removed in one academy study

Practical examples from the recording

1. Matchday +1 for starters and non-starters. Starters come in later in the day, after sleep, for recovery work and food. Non-starters train, often with academy players drafted in: passing drills, positional and medium-sided games at moderate intensity, about 5 km, around 500 m of high-speed running, 100–200 m of sprinting and an RPE of 6–7. Some staff add individualized conditioning runs based on maximal aerobic speed, which take 15–20 minutes. With matchday +2 off, Malone says this closes the loop on the previous week, and the whole squad starts matchday -4 together.

2. Intensive and extensive days. In Malone’s example week, matchday -4 is intensive: small spaces, changes of direction, small-sided games and 1v1s, about 6 km, an RPE of 6–7 and more of an anaerobic hit. Readiness testing decides how much volume a player still recovering can take. Matchday -3 is the extensive day: 10v10 large-sided games and transitions, 7–8 km, around 500–600 m of high-speed running, 100–200 m of sprinting, a higher aerobic training effect and an RPE of 7–8.

3. The taper on matchday -2 and -1. Matchday -2 drops to 50–60 minutes at moderate intensity, quality over quantity: about 4 km, roughly 100–200 m of high-speed running and about 50 m of sprinting, with an RPE of 4–5. Malone cites research suggesting 6–8 exposures above 80% of maximal sprint speed may protect against hamstring injury, while noting it is one piece of evidence. Matchday -1 is short, low and restricted. One study he cites found better match readiness after 45 minutes than after 60 or 75.

4. Who needs a top-up after the match. In a recent Liverpool match against Wolves, six outfield players played the full game, three played about 70% or more, a center back came off at half-time and three subs played the last 20–30 minutes. Some staff use a cut-off of 60 or 75 minutes for top-ups. Malone looks at what comes next: in a congested run, players in the middle group will likely pick up minutes soon, so the top-up matters less. In a one-match week, closing the gap matters more.

Questions answered in the Q&A

How should you set maximum heart rate for soccer players? Not from an equation. Malone would not use 220 minus age. A treadmill test can underestimate because players hold back, and preseason friendlies are less motivating, with fitness still changing afterwards. A field test such as the Yo-Yo test gives similar values to the treadmill, though motivation still matters.

Is time above 90% HRmax a useful training metric? Yes, in Malone’s reading of the research. Time above 90% HRmax has been linked to improvements in aerobic fitness, and excessive time above it in training to match injury. He sees less evidence behind heart rate exertion scores, which GPS companies calculate in different ways.

How reliable is heart rate data in soccer matches? Often not reliable enough, and often missing. In a survey of 82 clubs, heart rate use in matches fell to zero. Chest belts can slip during play, and wrist-based sensors lose accuracy at high intensity. In one academy study, almost 20% of a season’s training data was removed for errors.

Should matchday +2 be a day off? Malone prefers it. Data from one injury database linked a day off on matchday +2 to lower injury risk, which he treats as a single piece of evidence. It also gives players time with family and lets starters and non-starters restart the week together.

Who this webinar is for

Heads of performance, sports scientists and physical coaches in professional and academy soccer who plan training weeks around match schedules and want internal load targets for each day.