[0001] The present invention relates to a method for the sport performance analysis for quantifying and qualifying the workload of one or more athletes based on Key Performance Indicators. Description of the Related Art

[0002] A wide range of tools are known at the state of the art to allow sport scientists to evaluate athletes' performances.

[0003] To this end, it is well understood that all said tools need to be suitable for dealing with a huge amount of data from different sources.

[0004] As an example, the main tools that nowadays are used for implementing the performance monitoring are heart rate monitors, tracking systems (e.g. GPS, video analysis), inertial sensors (accelerometers, magnetometer and gyroscope), RFID and basic questionnaires for effort perception.

[0005] Each of said tools is capable of collecting a plurality of different kinds of data that, however, only provide partial information about athletes' performances.

[0006] Thus, crossing and analyzing the collected data becomes very difficult since the classical analysis techniques are not capable of providing actionable insights to plan or modify the training process.

[0007] As an example, with reference to team sports (e.g., Football, Rugby, American football, Gaelic football, Lacrosse, Tennis etc.), sport scientists need to monitor dozens of players almost every day, thus collecting millions of data without having proper tools to effectively analyze the same. Consequently, no useful impact on the daily training process operations can be provided. Furthermore, most of the field base training in team sports consists in technical-tactical drills, which are very difficult to evaluate on the basis of merely physical information. [0008] Currently, one of the most common tools that are used in the evaluation of sport performances consists in applying a color-coded threshold set on maximum values of performance, in order to get a meaningful feedback about the training session. An example of this known technique is shown in Fig. 1, which is an illustration of an application of the color-coded threshold technique for single metrics in a football team training session.

[0009] However, it may be noted that said technique results to be very limited, especially due to the fact that the single metrics are not capable of interacting one with the other, this resulting in a complex watertight compartments analysis that may provide misleading feedback to the coaches or trainers.

[0010] Nowadays, the range of Key Performance Indicators (hereinafter referred to as KPIs) is quite broad, each of them providing different information about athletic performances. An example of available KPIs is schematically illustrated in Fig. 2. Problem to be solved

[0011] Starting from the aforementioned drawbacks of the available prior art, the present inventions aims at providing a method for the sport performance analysis for quantifying and qualifying the workload of one or more athletes based on Key Performance Indicators which is capable of reliably providing actionable insights to plan or modify the training process, even in the case of team sports

Brief description of the Drawings [0012] Fig. 1 schematically shows an application of the color-coded threshold technique for single metrics in a football team training session, according to the available prior art.

[0013] Fig. 2 schematically shows an example of available KPIs, for providing different information about athletic performances, according to the available prior art.

[0014] Fig. 3 schematically shows an example of KPIs classification according to an embodiment of the method for the sport performance analysis for quantifying and qualifying the workload of one or more athletes based on Key Performance Indicators of the present invention.

[0015] Fig. 4 is a graphic representation of the implementation of the method according to the present embodiment.

[0016] Fig. 5 is a graphic representation of the workload score calculation according to the present embodiment.

[0017] Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method according to the present embodiment.

[0018] Fig. 7A is a combined chart comparing in a unique view the training workload between athletes according to the present invention, wherein the columns represent the single workload categories, light dots represent the workload score and dark dots represent the intensity.

[0019] Fig. 7B is a combined chart similar to the one of Fig. 7a, but wherein one workload category (cardiovascular) is omitted.

[0020] Fig. 8 is an example of a visual feedback showing the volume of the athletes' workload, calculated according to the method of the present embodiment.

Summary of Invention [0021] The present invention is a method for the sport performance analysis for quantifying and qualifying the workload of one or more athletes based on Key Performance Indicators, including:

- selecting a plurality of Key Performance Indicators;

- classifying each of said Key Performance Indicators into corresponding workload categories on the basis of the information provided by the same;

- setting up an individual maximal threshold for each of the plurality of Key Performance Indicators on the basis of predefined values detected while monitoring one or more competition performances of said one or more athletes;

- normalizing and converting the plurality of Key Performance Indicators into a corresponding relative percentage;

- calculating the Root Mean Square (RMS) for each workload category; - calculating the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS);

- converting the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS) into a corresponding workload score; and

- providing a feedback of the overall training conditions of said one or more athletes.

[0022] In this way, the method allows to integrate different kinds of sports data sources and produce a unique score in order to quantify and qualify the athletes' performance workload, thus helping sports professionals (e.g., coaches, trainers or the like) to understand and improve sports performances in a very simple manner.

[0023] Furthermore, the method represents a flexible sports performance analysis tool that may be applicable to several different sports disciplines, in particular with reference to situational team sports or, more generally, to sports in which the performance is intermittent and acyclic. Detailed description

[0024] A detailed description of the method for the sport performance analysis for quantifying and qualifying the workload of one or more athletes based on Key Performance Indicators according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided in the following with reference to Figs. 4 to 6.

[0025] Specifically, the method includes:

- selecting a plurality of Key Performance Indicators;

- classifying each of said Key Performance Indicators into corresponding workload categories on the basis of the information provided by the same;

- setting up an individual maximal threshold for each of the plurality of Key

Performance Indicators on the basis on predefined values detected while monitoring one or more competition performances of said one or more athletes;

- normalizing and converting the plurality of Key Performance Indicators into a corresponding relative percentage;

- calculating the Root Mean Square (RMS) for each workload category;

- calculating the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS); - converting the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS) into a corresponding workload score; and

- providing a feedback of the overall training conditions of said one or more athletes.

[0026] According to the present embodiment, each KPI is classified in a specific workload category depending on which kind of information it provides.

[0027] Making reference to Fig. 3, each KPI may be classified into the following categories:

"Perceived" including the indicators of perceived load, referring to the assessment of the subjective physical effort;

"Cardiovascular" including the indicators of cardiovascular load, referring to the assessment of the athlete heartbeat during performance;

"Kinematic" including the indicators of kinematic load, referring to the quantitative evaluation of the subject movement;

"Metabolic" including the indicators of metabolic load, referring to the energetic expenditure assessment of the athlete; and

"Mechanical" including the indicators of mechanical load, referring to the assessment of the musculoskeletal apparatus stress.

[0028] The classification of the KPI into workload categories allows a fast-qualitative analysis that helps understanding, in particular, the nature of the performance (e.g., cardiovascular, perceived, kinematic, metabolic, mechanical).

[0029] As an example, according to the present embodiment, the individual maximal threshold for each of the plurality of Key Performance Indicators, may be set up using the rolling average of the last four games (or more). It is intended that also different suitable parameters can also be used to this end, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0030] According to the present embodiment, the normalization and conversion of the plurality of Key Performance Indicators into a corresponding relative percentage is performed according to the following expression:

x 100 = π where:

a = session value of KPI;

b = max threshold;

n = relative % (KPI normalized).

[0031] According to the present embodiment, the calculation of the Root Mean Sq for each workload category is performed according to the following expression:

xrms ~ ( i + ^x 2 " ' + ^x n)

where

x _rms = root mean square of KPI normalized in each category

n = number of KPIs in each workload category

x„= square of KPIs normalized.

[0032] According to the present embodiment, the calculation of the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS) is performed according to the following expression:

where

Xrms = RMS of a single category

n = number of categories

Xn = square of categories.

[0033] According to the present embodiment, the conversion of the workload categories Root Mean Square (RMS) into a corresponding workload score includes performing the conversion into a corresponding workload score having ranges from 1 to 5, according to the following expression: x 5 = x

100

where

x _rms = RMS of categories (Workload in percentage score)

x = Workload Score.

[0034] According to the present embodiment, a label is assigned for each workload score range.

[0035] Advantageously, each workload score range may be assigned with a respective of the following labels:

0 - 1.0 = 0 - 20% = low

1.1 - 2 = 21 - 40% = medium

2.1 - 3 = 41 - 60% = high

3.1 - 4 = 61 - 80% = very high

4.1 - 5 = 81 - 100% = maximal

> 5 = > 100% = supramaximal

[0036] It has to be noted that, though with a lower accuracy level - but still providing a single score to effectively understand athletes' performance in a global view - the calculation of the workload score may also be implemented omitting one or more of the

Key Performance Indicators, respectively omitting one or more workload categories.

[0037] According to the present embodiment, the overall training conditions may shown by means of a combined chart allowing to compare in a unique view the training workload between different athletes.

[0038] Fig. 7A is a combined chart comparing in a unique view the training workload between a plurality of athletes, wherein the horizontal axis includes the athletes' names, the primary vertical axis includes the percentage score of the single workload categories (from 0 to 100), and the secondary vertical axis includes the workload score (from 0 to 5).

[0039] Specifically, referring to Fig. 7A, the columns represent the single workload categories (qualitative analysis: what kind of performance), the light dots represent the workload score (quantitative analysis: how much has been done) and dark dots represent the intensity.

[0040] It has to be noted that intensity is not properly involved in the workload score calculation, but results from the RMS of intensity metrics (e.g., meters per minute, average metabolic power, work ratio) that consider the "time" variable.

[0041] On the other hand, Fig. 7B is a combined chart comparing in a unique view the training workload between a plurality of athletes similar to the one of Fig. 7A, but wherein a one workload category (in this case, "cardiovascular") is omitted.

[0042] The presently claimed method is further capable of providing the involved subjects with a quick and intuitive feedback regarding the overall training conditions - as illustrated, by way of an example, in Fig. 8 - such that even those who are somehow unfamiliar with the topic are in the conditions to fully and properly understand, in a very simple way, which is the overall volume of the athletes' workload.

[0043] It may be noted that the present invention allows coaches, trainers and other involved subjects to better plan the distribution of the workload in training microcycles and macrocycles. Therefore, the claimed method significantly improves the decisionmaking process as regards planning the right work/recovery ratio with the intention of optimizing the performance, also by means of real time correction of the current training for the case in which one or more athletes does not meet the training targets.

[0044] As an example, if one or more athletes in training does not reach the workload target, coaches can increase the volume of the current or subsequent training. On the other hand, for the opposite case in which one or more athletes goes beyond the workload target, coaches can decrease the volume of the current or subsequent training session or enhance recovery strategies. Moreover, if one or more athletes does not follow the theme session target (i.e. kinematic work instead of mechanical), coaches can adjust the current or subsequent training sessions in order to hit the originally-set theme.

[0045] Furthermore, the present invention helps coaches and other involved subjects in programming the single training sessions, based on single drills contents. Especially with reference to team sports, the method allows to easily weight and profile the technical-tactical drills in the team sport practice.