Trainingswissenschaft

Trainingswissenschaft, or training science, is a branch of sport science that investigates how training processes lead to performance, health, and skill development. It seeks to understand the relationships between training load, recovery, and adaptation in individuals and teams, with the aim of designing effective and safe training programs.

Core topics encompass the design of training programs (periodization, progression, tapering), load management (volume, intensity, density), recovery strategies, and how physiological and psychological adaptation occurs. It draws on physiology, biomechanics, psychology, pedagogy, and nutrition and uses methods from experiments, field studies, and data analytics.

Subfields include training theory and practice, performance diagnostics, youth and elite development, talent identification and development, injury prevention and rehabilitation, and sport-specific training. It also overlaps with athletic coaching sciences and education.

Historically, trainingswissenschaft developed within sport science in German-speaking regions and is now applied worldwide, with emphasis on evidence-based practice and individualized planning.

Applications include helping coaches and practitioners design training plans for performance and health, optimize schedules, and monitor progress using metrics such as heart rate, VO2max, lactate, performance tests, and well-being measures.