As the competition intensifies in Ligue 1, clubs are constantly searching for innovative ways to optimise player performance. One club at the forefront of this movement is OGC Nice, which began using the Myocene fatigue assessment device at the start of the 2023-2024 season. This cutting-edge technology has become a key component in the club’s approach to player management, helping them navigate the challenges of a football season with precision and care.
A Game Changer for Player Freshness and Recovery
At the heart of OGC Nice’s adoption of Myocene is the ability to accurately monitor the players’ readiness and recovery. “To my knowledge, Myocene is the only tool that allows us to reliably assess the level of ‘freshness’ and recovery of our players,” says Laurent Bessiere, Head of Performance at OGC Nice. The club leverages this technology to gain crucial insights into the physical condition of their squad, enabling them to make informed decisions about training intensity and match readiness. As Bessiere notes, “Myocene gives us an indicator to help us make the right decision about how to manage a player’s physical condition. It takes just a few minutes per player; very quickly, we can measure the whole team .”
Seamless Integration into Daily Routines
One of the strengths of the Myocene system is its ease of use and adaptability, especially in a fast-paced environment like professional football. Christophe Juras, strength and conditioning coach in reathletisation at OGC Nice, highlights this advantage: “ Myocene allows us to map the player so we can make decisions about training and matches and adapt training loads throughout the week. It’s very easy to use, takes up very little space, and if the team is traveling for several days, it can be transported. ”
The device has been seamlessly integrated into the team’s daily routine, particularly during critical periods such as post-match recovery. According to Sébastien Sangnier, strength and conditioning coach responsible for the pitch, “ We use it 3 days before or after a match, depending on the training sessions and the weeks. The idea is to obtain an assessment of the player’s fatigue level after a match, so we can determine whether they are capable of resuming a week of training at maximum intensity. “
Player Acceptance and Long-Term Benefits
One of the key successes of the Myocene system at OGC Nice has been its acceptance by the players. Juras notes: “ The players are not reluctant to use it. We’ve scheduled it for just before breakfast, at the same time as other monitoring procedures such as weighing and thermography. Myocene is an integral part of this process, and is very well accepted by the players. “.
Beyond immediate feedback, the system has also provided valuable long-term data, allowing the technical staff to better understand and manage individual player fatigue. Sangnier explains “ We now have sufficient hindsight on all the data relating to the players. So we know the fluctuations in individual fatigue. In the event of excessive variation, we can tell the technical staff to slow down or even, in extreme cases, to stop the training plan for the player concerned. ”
Enhancing Performance and Reducing Injury Risks
The Myocene system is especially valuable in a season packed with fixtures, where player fatigue can easily become a critical issue. As Bessiere puts it, “The more competitions there are, the more interesting it is, because it enables us to assess the player’s neuromuscular fatigue and determine whether he has recovered well.” This proactive approach not only helps optimise performance but also reduces the risk of injury, particularly for players returning from setbacks. Sangnier adds, “Another possible application concerns the return from injury, to determine whether or not players are ready to resume their training process.”
The heart of OGC Nice’s adoption of Myocene
OGC Nice’s use of the Myocene fatigue assessment device demonstrates the club’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve performance. By integrating this tool into their daily routines and long-term strategies, they have set a new standard in player management, focusing not only on immediate results but also on lasting success. With the ability to closely monitor player fatigue and recovery, OGC Nice is well placed to compete at the highest level, ensuring its athletes remain at their best throughout the season.