JOHAN V5: Working with the JOHAN Sports Live GPS Tracking App

In previous blogs we have already highlighted two features of the new JOHAN sports GPS tracker: LIVE monitoring and heart rate integration. As described in these articles, the JOHAN Sports LIVE GPS Tracking App enables real-time monitoring (during training sessions or match) of both live GPS and heart rate variables. To give a better understanding of the functionalities of the LIVE App, we will discuss this app in this blog.

As a coach, it is beneficial to see the statistics of all your players in the JOHAN Sports LIVE GPS Tracking App in real-time. This enables the coach to check whether the training session comes out as expected during the training itself. However, players also find this information interesting. They come to check how well they are doing and how they are doing compared to their teammates. This way the LIVE App enhances the communication between the staff and players, which will improve the players’ understanding of why they are being monitored.

Furthermore, by using live GPS data you can demonstrate to the players why you make certain adjustments to the training. For example, most players do not like to perform extra sprints after the training. However, with the help of LIVE GPS & Heart Rate data, you can now show why these extra sprints are needed to increase their ability to make sprints at the end of the match. Hence, showing the LIVE data will increase their willingness to perform these extra sprints.

Monitoring live GPS data

The new LIVE functionality enables the live monitoring of GPS and heart rate data during a session in the LIVE App. In this LIVE App, up to 5 variables can be monitored simultaneously. Technically, it is possible to monitor hundreds of parameters during your LIVE event. However, even the most experienced GPS specialists choose to monitor a maximum of 5 parameters simultaneously. The reason for this is that 5 parameters are perfectly able to provide the most important information about the intensity or quality of an exercise/session. Furthermore, monitoring more parameters simultaneously will increase the risk of being overwhelmed by all the data!

Switching between live GPS parameters

To monitor all different aspects of physical training, a coach might choose to monitor the following 5 parameters: total distance, sprint distance, total accelerations, current heart rate, and the time in heart rate zone 5. But for some exercises, the focus might be on one specific physical aspect. In that case, the variables above might not give specific information about the intensity of the exercise that a coach is looking for. To overcome this problem, the LIVE App enables that you can switch between parameters any time you want during the LIVE session!

For example, think of the situation where the coach has planned a 3v3 exercise with small field dimensions. In that case, it is not likely that the players will perform a lot of sprints, rather it is expected that they perform more short explosive actions. Hence, monitoring the sprinting distance of the players will not provide the right information about the intensity of this exercise. Rather, monitoring variables that provide information about the intensity of explosive actions (e.g. the total number of accelerations and/or PlayerLoad3D) are of importance. By being able to switch between variables during the LIVE session, you can choose which variables provide the most important information for each exercise during a LIVE session.

Which live GPS variables to monitor during exercises?

As described above, if you wish to get a good overview of the overall workload of the players, variables that cover all different aspects of physical exercise need to be monitored. As already mentioned, these parameters are total distance, sprint distance, total accelerations, current heart rate, and, time in heart rate zone 5. However, for exercises that focus on one specific physical aspect, other combinations are recommended. Therefore, in table 1 you can find examples of combinations for different types of exercises.

 

Table 1: Examples of combinations of variables for monitoring workload for different exercise formats

Small field	Middle field	Large field	Sprint exercises
Current HR	Current HR	Current HR	Current HR
Time in HR zone 5	Time in HR zone 5	Time in HR zone 5	Current Speed
Total distance	Total distance	Total distance	Sprint distance
#Accelerations	#Accelerations	Sprint distance	#HighAccelerations
PlayerLoad3D	Sprint distance	#Sprints	Relative speed zone 5/6

 

Above, we have already given an example of how you can use the real-time functionality to make sure players perform enough workload. However, the other way around is also true. When a player is returning from an injury, you might want to make sure that the player does not perform too much workload with a speed higher than 20km/h. Hence, one of the variables you select for this session is the sprint distance (i.e. distance covered >20km/h). Now, when you notice that the player has already performed more sprint distance than intended, you can immediately act upon this. Adjustments you could think of are: decreasing the field dimensions of exercises you had in mind for this player or skipping an exercise which you expect to have a higher sprint load. Thus, the LIVE App is not only there to make sure the players do enough, but also to protect the players from doing too much!