Reference guide for coaches covering all 12 metrics: 5 Volume and 7 Intensity.
Volume Metrics
Intensity Metrics
Volume Metrics
Volume metrics capture how much work was done.
Distance
Units: Metres (m), Kilometres (km), Yards (yds), Miles
Total distance provides a good global representation of the volume of exercise (walking, running) and is also a simple way to assess an individual’s contribution relative to a team effort.
Sprint Distance
Unit: Metres (m), Yards (yds)
In Catapult One, by default sprinting is defined as running at speeds above 5 metres per second.
Sprint distance is the sum of the distance covered when in speed zones 4 and 5.
Power Plays
Unit: A simple count
A power play is defined as a significant action (such as acceleration or a high speed running event) in which your power output is above 20 watts per kilogram for more than one second.
Counting power plays gives you an indication of the number of intense actions you were involved in, which are more physically demanding.
Energy
Unit: Calories (Kcal)
A measure of how much energy is expended during a game or training session. The calculation is based on the player’s weight.
Impacts
Unit: A simple count
Accelerometer data measured at 400 times per second in each of the three-axis is used to
detect impacts that rate above 5g (49 m/s2). As such, impacts are considered significant
events that exclude footsteps during walking and running.
This impact count usually correlates to the number of large hits a player experiences during a contact game (typically collisions and tackles in rugby).
Intensity Metrics
Intensity metrics capture how hard the work was.
Top Speed
Unit: Metres per second (m/s), Kilometres per hour (km/h), Miles per hour (mph), Yards per minute (yd/min)
Catapult One measures top speed as the maximum speed sustained for at least half a second.
For most players, 8.5 m/s (30.6 km/h) is considered fast. However, Arjen Robben
has exceeded 9.5 m/s while Usain Bolt regularly exceeds 11 m/s.
Distance per Minute
Unit: Metres per minute (m/min), Miles per minute (miles/min), Yards per minute (yd/min)
Meters per minute give an overall good representation of how hard and intensely you have worked.
Professional players will reach between 100-120 m/min in a typical game.
Power Score
Unit: Watts per kilogram (w/kg)
Power score measures the power output used per kilogram of your weight. It is a useful tool to gauge the intensity of training drills where a high work rate within a small area is evident.
Small-sided games (SSG) are considered intense when the Power Score is above 10 w/kg. In amateur football, values of 7 to 8 are more normal.
Work Ratio
Unit: Percentage (%)
This is defined as the percentage of total time during which the player was performing some work. Work is defined as walking or running at speeds higher than 1.5 m/s (that’s a moderate to slow walk for most of us).
The work ratio, therefore, indicates the amount of time a player is working compared to resting. For example, if we compare a Standard Football Game to a Small Sided Football Game, we would likely see a higher Work Ratio in the Small Sided Football Games. This is due to the demand to work at a higher level continuously in the smaller area rather than have more time and space for resting periods.
Player Load
Player Load measures the total load on a player’s body in a session or game. It is a total of the load through running activity and high-impact activity.
Max Acceleration
Unit: Meters per second per second (m/s/s)
Max Accelerations are the rate that tracks how quickly an athlete can accelerate greater than the acceleration threshold for at least 1 second.
Max Deceleration
Unit: Meters per second per second (m/s/s)
Max Decelerations are the rate that tracks how quickly an athlete can decelerate greater than the acceleration threshold for at least 1 second.