Measuring how much and how a player trains is key to improving performance and avoiding injuries. In this article, we explore the differences between external load and internal load — two essential concepts for efficiently planning, monitoring, and adjusting training.
Training load represents the total amount of stimulus a player is exposed to during a session or training cycle. But it’s not just about minutes or kilometers: it’s crucial to understand what was done (external load) and how the body responded (internal load).
Both perspectives offer a complementary view of the training process and its real impact. Monitoring them allows coaches to make smarter decisions, personalize workload, and reduce the risk of injury.
External load refers to the objective stimulus applied to the athlete. These are measurable, quantifiable data that can be tracked externally — without needing to observe the body’s internal responses.
Key indicators include:
Distance covered
Maximum speed
Session intensity
Number of sprints or accelerations
Session duration
Type of task (technical, tactical, physical)
Strength and conditioning coaches use GPS technology to collect these metrics with high precision. Tools like OLIVER PRO allow automatic monitoring of all these variables, generating detailed, personalized reports per player.
It’s also possible to keep track manually using spreadsheets, stopwatches, and qualitative observation of exercises.
Internal load, on the other hand, represents the physiological and subjective response of the athlete to that external load — in other words, how the training affected their body and perceived effort.
This load can vary significantly between players, even if they perform the exact same session. That’s why an individualized approach is so important.
*Image obtained from OLIVER PRO platform.
GPS monitoring plays a crucial role here, enabling personalized tracking per player and making it possible to compare by position, training, and match performance.
It’s also a critical metric during injury recovery to avoid reinjury.
While there’s often a relationship between the two (e.g., more distance usually means higher heart rate), they don’t always behave linearly. A tactical session, for example, might involve high mental and emotional stress (internal load), but low physical output (external load).
Evaluating both dimensions together allows coaches to:
Adjust intensity based on the player’s condition
Avoid overtraining or accumulated fatigue
Detect early signs of injury risk
Optimize recovery and progressive loading
Depending on available resources, there are two main approaches:
Whatever method you use, consistency matters. Define what to measure, establish a routine, and use those insights to inform your training plan.
Understanding the difference between internal and external load is essential for anyone seeking a smarter, more sustainable training process. One tells you what was done; the other, how it was received.
Measuring, comparing, and adjusting based on both makes the difference between training hard and training smart.
If you’re ready to elevate your planning and performance, OLIVER PRO gives you the tools to monitor player performance, control load professionally, and make smarter decisions — all from an easy-to-use, AI-powered platform built for clubs at every level.