Supplementary Materials

 
Supplementary Table S4. Training load data.
Study Sport Sets/ Bouts Reps Intensity Description
Serpell et al. 2011 Rugby NA 10 NA Each reactive agility training session involved participants completing 10 perception action guided discovery reactive agility drills per session
Chaouachi et al. 2014 Soccer COD:2 2-4 Session-RPE Detailed in Table 1 and Table 2 of the article
Zwierko et al. 2023 EG = 25CG = 25 SSG:1-2 30s-2min Volleyball National level
Young & Rogers 2014 AFL COD:4 36-48 NA COD: 4 activities per session to provide variety. The number of changes of direction per session progressed from 36 at the start of the programme to 48 by the end.
Lee et al. 2024 EG = 9CG = 10 SSG:3-4 30-45s Soccer SSG:All games were 30–45 s bouts with four sessions in first and second games and three sessions in last game.
Born et al. 2016 Soccer 4 5 NA 4 sets of 5 sprints, which were separated by 5 min of active rest.
Chaalali et al. 2016 Soccer 2-3 1 NA Detailed in Table 1 of the article
Engelbrecht et al. 2016 Rugby 3-4 NA NA Detailed in Table 3 of the article without exact number of repetitions. Intensity was only suggested qualitatively (e.g. low-moderate intensity)
Trecroci et al. 2016 Soccer 4 120s NA Detailed in Table 1 and Table 2 of the article
Zago et al. 2016 Soccer 8-20 4-15s NA Detailed in Table 2 with qualitatively suggested intensity (maximal or almost maximal)
Vogt et al. 2018 Soccer 4 4min 90-95%HR 4 intervals of 4min in the course with 3min of active recovery between intervals. Heart rates (HR) were consistently monitored and recorded after each in terval. Monitoring HR served as a control to target 90 to 95% of the maximum HR (HRmax) in accordance with previ ously measured HR during the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test
Zouhal et al. 2019 Soccer NA NA NA Training sessions varied greatly within study, intensity was only qualitatively stated (light plyometric intensity initially; progressed gradually; exercises performed at maximal effort during COD drills)
Dunton et al. 2020 Soccer 4 15 passes NA The 60 passes were divided in to four blocks of 15 passes.
Hicheur et al. 2020 Soccer 1 32 passes NA During each training session, players of the AF group and the NF group also performed 32 passes. Intensity was mentioned qualitatively ("pass the ball as accurately and as quickly as possible")
Arede et al. 2021 Soccer/ Basketball/ Handball 2-3 4-5 NA The training protocol consisted of 20 minutes sessions, 2–3 sets of 4–5 exercises using touch-board and LED lighting equipment
Ehmann et al. 2022 Soccer 3 6 min NA Each training session was divided into three 6-min training blocks with a 1-min break between each block. Only “adaptive speed adjustment” was suggested for intensity
Hassan et al. 2022 Basketball 2-3 2-8 NA The researchers used load intensity (less than maximum intensity–maximum intensity). The training method used over the period was high intensity. The number of duplicates was 2–8. The number of groups was 2–3.
Bekris et al. 2023 Soccer 6 5 min NA Detailed in Table 1 of the article
Gonzalo-Skok et al. 2023 soccer 1 4 NA Both UTG and PTG consisted of 1 set of 4 unilateral exercises: front step, backward lunges, defensive-like shuffling steps, and lateral crossover cutting
Lucia et al. 2023 Basketball 4 1 NA Two 30-min sessions per week, consisting of four exercise circuits repeated once each. Intensity was manipulated by task difficulty.
Zwierko et al. 2023 Volleyball NA NA NA Volume was only provided in minutes per session. Intensity was implied (stroboscopic protocols were restricted to 2.5 min with a 2.5-min break interval)
Friebe et al. 2024 Soccer NA NA Borg scale Only training hours per week is provided
Lee et al. 2024 Soccer NA NA NA Only session duration is provided. Intensity was monitored but not recorded ("However, we did not document these records as they were not within the scope of the study.")
Lucia et al. 2024 Basketball 4 1 NA Four circuits repeated once with two exercises, one on skills and the other on stability
Mancini et al. 2024 Volleyball NA NA NA Only duration was provided in Table 2 of the article. Intensity was qualitatively stated (",efforts were made to ensure that there was no overall difference in the training volume between the EG and CG")
Steff et al. 2024 Basketball NA NA NA Training sessions varied greatly within study, intensity was only qualitatively stated ("players performed all exercises at maximal speed and with rapid reaction to light cues.")
Zwierko et al., 2024 (a Volleyball NA NA NA Volume was only provided in minutes per session. Intensity manipulated only by visual difficulty (strobe flicker rate and duty cycle), not by physiological exertion.
Zwierko et al., 2024 (b Soccer NA NA 17.0 ± 2.0 (RPE) Training sessions varied greatly within study.
Klatt et al. 2025 Soccer NA NA NA Only session duration is provided. Intensity was manipulated through task difficulty ("Visual training can lead to mental fatigue as higher perceptual loads affect information processing and may hinder effectiveness")
Neag et al. 2025 Soccer 1-2 4-6 NA Intensity was stated qualitatively (e.g. dribbling at maximum speed)
Reps: Repetitions performed in a training session; COD: Change-of-direction; RPE: Rating of Perceived Exertion; AFL: Australian rule football; NA: Not applicable; HR: Heart rate; SSG: Small-sided games; EG: Experimental group; CG: Control group