Everything is not equal – comparisons in sessional training and game loads between main and bench players in a female basketball team

Training load data should be provided to address various contextual factors such as player role; however, limited research has specifically quantified training and game demands based on player roles in female basketball players. Consequently, this study aimed to compare sessional training and game loads across a season between main (>25 min playing time in games) and bench (<25 min playing time in games), semi-professional, female basketball players (n = 12). Across all on-court team training sessions and games, players had external load measured with microsensors (PlayerLoad and inertial movement analysis variables) and internal load measured using heart rate and session-rating of perceived exertion monitoring methods. Linear mixed models revealed games imposed higher external and internal loads than training for all variables in main players (p <0.001). In contrast, training sessions induced greater external and internal intensities than games (p <0.01), while games imposed higher perceptual demands than training (p <0.01) in bench players. Main players exhibited greater external loads and heart rate demands in games than both games and training in bench players (p <0.01). The lower demands in bench players suggest they may be inadequately prepared to cope with increased loads if required to take on a main role.