Validity and Interunit Reliability of 10 Hz and 15 Hz GPS Units for Assessing Athlete Movement Demands

Abstract Johnston, RJ, Watsford, ML, Kelly, SJ, Pine, MJ, and Spurrs, RW. Validity and interunit reliability of 10 Hz and 15 Hz GPS units for assessing athlete movement demands. J Strength Cond Res 28(6): 1649–1655, 2014—The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and interunit reliability of 10 Hz (Catapult) and 15 Hz (GPSports) Global Positioning System (GPS) units and investigate the differences between these units as measures of team sport athlete movement demands. A team sport simulation circuit was completed by 8 trained male participants. The movement demands examined included: total distance covered (TD), average peak speed, and the distance covered, time spent, and the number of efforts performed low-speed running (0.00–13.99 km·h−1), high-speed running (14.00–19.99 km·h−1), and very high-speed running (>20.00 km·h−1). The degree of difference between the 10 Hz and the 15 Hz GPS units and validity was assessed using a paired samples t-test. Pearson's correlations were also used for validity assessment. Interunit reliability was established using percentage typical error of measurement (%TEM) and intraclass correlations. The findings revealed that 10 Hz GPS units were a valid (p > 0.05) and reliable (%TEM = 1.3%) measure of TD. In contrast, the 15 Hz GPS units exhibited lower validity for TD and average peak speed. Further, as the speed of movement increased the level of error for the 10 Hz and 15 Hz GPS units increased (%TEM = 0.8–19.9). The findings from this study suggest that comparisons should not be undertaken between 10 Hz and 15 Hz GPS units. In general, the 10 Hz GPS units measured movement demands with greater validity and interunit reliability than the 15 Hz units, however, both 10 Hz and 15 Hz units provided the improved measures of movement demands in comparison to 1 Hz and 5 Hz GPS units.