The Reliability of the Titan 1+ 10 Hz Global Positioning System for Measures of Distance and Distance within Speed Zones

Abstract

Introduction: This experiment was designed to investigate the inter and intra-unit reliability of the Titan 1+ 10 Hz global positioning system (GPS) for measures of distance and distance within speed zones during straight-line and change of direction running at varying distances and speeds, as well as during a team-sport simulated circuit.  

Methods and Materials: 16 male NCAA collegiate soccer players completed running protocols of varying distances and speeds, including long and short duration straight-line running (100m Run and SLR), tight and gradual change of direction running (COD T and COD G), and a team-sport simulated circuit (TSSC).

Results: Between Titan 1+ devices, good to moderate interunit reliability was established for distance measures during the 100m run (%CV = 1.31). Moderate to high-speed movements for 20m SLR (5.2 – 7.4%), and all movements speed across the 40m SLR (3.5 – 4.5%). Good interunit reliability for distance measures was also established during both COD courses (2.04 – 3.6%). Good to moderate interunit reliability for distance within speed zones was established for COD G speed zone 4 (%CV = 6.8%) and COD T in speed band 3 (%CV = 7.1%). Moderate to excellent intraunit reliability was reported for distance within speed zones 2 and 3 during SLR (p < 0.05), with moderate intraunit reliability for 10m (.605 ICC, p = .004) and 40m (.620 ICC, p = .007). During the COD G, distance intraunit reliability was moderate for jogging and sprinting (.649 ICC, p = .004; .649 ICC, p = .002, respectively). Distances within speed zones 2 and 3 during COD G intraunit reliability was excellent for zone 2 (.956 ICC, p < .001) and zone 3 (.905, p < .001). During the TSSC, intraunit reliability was good for lap distance (.805 ICC, p < .001). Good intraunit reliability was reported for distance in speed zone 2 (.840 ICC, p < .001) and excellent for zone 3 (.919 ICC, p < .001) and zone 4 (.901 ICC, p < .001).

Conclusions: The present study is known to be the first to investigate the intra-unit reliability of distance measures during a team-sport simulated circuit. The findings suggest that the Titan 1+ provides good intraunit reliability for measures of distance and good to excellent intraunit reliability for measures of distance within speed zones during the TSSC. Further, the Titan 1+ produced reliable distance measures across all running protocols both within and between devices.