The association between resistance training volume load and session rating of perceived exertion in junior developmental female rugby league athletes.

Field‐based team sports typically perform mixed‐modality training, incorporating both field‐ and resistance‐based sessions. As such, the availability of useful and reliable methods to monitor the internal and external training loads of all modalities is essential for planning effective training. Twenty‐one junior developmental female rugby league athletes (age: 17.5 ± 0.5 years, height: 167.7 ± 4.6 cm, body mass: 71.1 ± 12.9 kg, and training age: 2.3 ± 1.1 year) performed two to three resistance training sessions a week for 20 weeks (9 weeks preseason and 11 weeks in‐season). The volume load method and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) were used to quantify the external and internal load of the resistance training sessions, respectively. Volume load was categorised into either dynamic, plyometric, maximal or repeated efforts. Multiple linear mixed models were performed to determine whether significant relationships were present between the changes in volume load components and sRPE throughout the season. Significant relationships were identified between a decrease in sRPE, with associated increases in absolute and relative overall volume load (T1,725.5 = −2.1, p = 0.04; T1,133.5 = −2.2, p = 0.03), and relative dynamic (T1,24.1 = −8.4, p < 0.01) and lower‐body plyometric efforts (T1,16.8 = −17.2, p < 0.01). Conversely, significant relationships were observed between an increase in sRPE, with associated increases in relative lower‐body (T1,20.3 = 12.9, p < 0.01) and upper‐body repeated efforts (T1,28.5 = 9.7, p = 0.03) as well as relative upper‐body plyometric (T1,71.1 = 2.9, p = 0.01) and maximal efforts (T1,75.3 = 3.4, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the practicality of the volume load method for planning and monitoring resistance training in field‐based team sport athletes, providing useful data for the planning of specific exercises within the in‐season training week. Highlights: The volume load method is a practical tool for monitoring and planning resistance training due to the significant relationships observed between changes in volume load components with alterations in sRPE throughout a competitive season.Increases in absolute and relative overall volume loads, as well as relative dynamic and lower‐body plyometric efforts, were associated with significantly lower perceived difficulty (sRPE).A greater volume of lower‐body and upper‐body repeat efforts as well as upper‐body plyometric and maximal efforts had a significantly higher psychophysiological perception of training intensity.Practitioners should consider implementing the volume load method for monitoring and planning resistance training sessions in field‐based team sports, calculating the associations between resistance training types and perceived difficulty within their cohort, to facilitate better in‐season planning and prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]