The Time Of The Training Programme
The training programme should be completed in pre-season so when it is completed the player is at his or nearly at his peak of fitness ready to play competitive football, the players extra fitness will make him/her a much better player then anyone else who hadn’t been training during the pre-season.
Training Methods
Continuous Training:
Continuous training is a good way to improve the aerobic system. It is also a good way to burn body fat, you can run, swim, cycle or walk for at least 30 minuets at the same pace without rest. The principle of overload can be put into practice by increasing time, distance, speed or all three.
People should start off at around 60% of their maximum heart rate (220 – your age) and work up to 75% of their maximum heart rate. But continuous training can be very boring and contains no skill work and to improve my football game I would also need to include sprint sessions.
Fartlek Training:
Fartlek training was developed in Sweden, the word means speed play, and the method involves many changes of speed. You can use it to improve both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. It can be adapted for running, skiing and other activities. Fartlek training is very good for team games such as football as it has many changes of speed, which simulates a match situation where changes of speed are needed all the time. Again for this type of training motivation is needed and if you are jogging for 5 minuets the athlete decides on the speed. Because how fast is a jog?
Interval Training:
Interval training involves following a fixed pattern of fast work followed by slow work or rests. This methods again needs lots of motivation as it causes pain if you work hard enough, but if done in a group you can clearly see if someone is not working to there maximum potential.
Circuit training:
Circuit training is a good way to simultaneously improve mobility, strength and stamina. Circuit training is a group of 6 to 10 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after another. Each exercise is performed for a certain number of repetitions or for a certain time period before moving on to the next exercise.
The Warm Up & Cool Down
Doing a warm up and cool down are very important as the warm up helps to prevent any pulled muscles and the cool down will help to stop stiff muscles in the hours after the training.
This warm up will be a general warm up and done before every session and will stretch all the major muscle groups before specific stretching on the muscles that are going to be used in that training session. First do 5-10 minuets very slow jogging just to get your body and muscles warmed up. During the warm up I am going to use dynamic stretching as this puts the muscles through their full range of motion and if done slowly should prevent injury’s as they reduce muscle stiffness.
Joint Rotations -
Stand with your arms hanging loosely at you sides, flex, extend, and rotate each of the following joints: Fingers, Wrist, Elbows, Shoulders, Neck, Hips, Knees, Ankles, Feet and Toes
Neck Mobility -
Tuck your chin into your chest, and then lift your chin upward as far as possible. Lower your left ear toward your left shoulder and then your right ear to your right shoulder. Turn your chin toward your left shoulder and then rotate it toward your right shoulder. Hold each of these positions for 8 seconds.
Shoulder Circles –
Stand tall, feet shoulder width apart. Raise your right shoulder towards your right ear, take it backwards, down and then up again to the ear in a smooth action. Repeat with the other shoulder.
Arm Swings -
Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Keep the back straight at all times. Swing your arms from upright down the side of your body and back up so it brushes the ear in a smooth action do 5 repetitions.
Side/Front Crossover –
Swing both arms out to your sides and then cross them in front of your chest. Do 5 repetitions.
Hip circles and twists –
With your hands on your hips and feet spread shoulder width apart, make circles with your hips in a clockwise direction for 5 repetitions. Then repeat in a anti clockwise direction. Extend your arms out to your sides, and twist your torso and hips to the left. Then twist your torso to the right, do 5 repetitions.
Half Squat –
Stand tall, holding your hands out in front of you for balance. Now bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Keep your back straight throughout the movement, and look straight ahead. Make sure that your knees always point in the same direction as your toes. Once at your lowest point, fully straighten your legs to return to your starting position. Repeat the exercise 5 times, making sure its controlled.
Lunges –
Stand tall both feet together (starting position). Keeping the back straight lunge forward with the right leg approx 1 to 1½ metre. The right thigh should be parallel with the ground and the right lower leg vertical. Spring back to the starting position Repeat with the left leg, 5 repetitions on each leg.
During the cool down and doing specific stretches I am going to use static stretches this is because it will help cool down the body and aid in the removal of waste products such as lactic acid. All static stretches should be held for 8 seconds.
Chest Stretch -
Stand up, feet shoulder width apart; hold you arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand facing forward stretch the arms back as far as possible.
Biceps Stretch -
Stand, with your feet shoulder width apart, hold you arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand-facing forward rotate the hands so the palms face to the rear; stretch the arms back as far as possible.
Shoulder Stretch -
Stand tall, with your feet shoulder width apart place your right arm parallel with the ground across the front of your chest bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to you chest repeat with the other arm.
Shoulder and Triceps Stretch -
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Place both hands above your head and then slide both of your hands down the middle of your spine.
Side Bends -
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, hands resting on the hips. Bend slowly to one side; come back to the vertical position and then bend to the other side do not lean forwards or backwards.
Hamstring Stretch -
Sit on the ground with both legs straight out in front of you bend the left leg and place the sole of the left foot alongside the knee of the right leg. Allow the left leg to lie relaxed on the ground bend forward keeping the back straight
You will feel the stretch in the hamstring of the right leg repeat with the other leg
Calf Stretch –
Stand tall with one leg in front of the other bend the leg nearest to your body, hands rested on the bent leg. Sit into the stretch and lift toes away from floor. Repeat with the other leg.
Groin Stretch -
Sit and ease both of your feet up towards your body and place the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to come up and out to the side. Resting your hands on your lower legs or ankles and ease both knees towards the ground
You will feel the stretch along the inside of your thighs and groin. Make sure you do not push too far there should be no pain only a slight discomfort.
Quadriceps Stretch -
Lie face down on the floor, resting your forehead on your right hand.
Press your hips firmly into the floor and bring your left foot up towards your buttocks
Take hold of the left foot with the left hand and ease the foot closer to you buttocks
Repeat with the right leg.
Circuit Training
This circuit is to be completed each week in addition to another training session; I am going to make each week progressively harder by increasing the time spent doing each activity.
For the first week each activity will be done for 30 seconds and each week 10 seconds should be added to the activity.
I am going to put a activity were you have to work hard followed by a activity that allows for the oxygen debt to be paid back and target another group of muscles to avoid local muscle fatigue. I am aiming to increase Dynamic strength by using isotonic training as it strengthens the muscle throughout its range of movement
Warm Up: A slow jog for 2 minuets and go through all the dynamic stretches. Use specific stretches to stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf’s, biceps, shoulder and triceps and groin stretch.
- Press-ups
- Wall sit – sit against a wall with your legs in a 45 degree position. Do not use hands to support your body. This is isometric training and increases static strength. Do not do this exercise if you have heart problems as blood flow to the muscle is reduced during this exercise so the blood pressure rises, putting more strain on the heart.
- Burpees – Squat thrusts with a jump at the each
- Star Jumps
- Shuttle runs between 3 lines each 5 meters apart
- Bicep curls with 3kg weights and each week 1kg should be added and the time not extended bicep curls should always be 30 seconds.
- Tuck jumps
- Sit-ups
- Single leg squat thrust
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Week 1
In the first week the training should not be to intense, as this could cause injury and this would mean I could not complete the next 4 weeks. Also in the first few weeks I am not going to use any weight training as if I go straight into heavy weights it could cause injury and I need to use the principle of progression and build up from very light weights. In the first week I am going to concentrate on building up the Heart/Lung strength and aerobic system. I am going to do this by using Fartlek training; this is so it includes different changes in speed as it does in real football matches, for the second session I am going to use interval training. The training schedule for the first week is:
Warm up: Do a slow jog for 2 minuets then go through the dynamic stretches. Now stretch the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Groin and Calf using static stretches.
- 10 minute jog
- 30 seconds medium pace
- 30 seconds sprint
- Walk for 3 minutes
- Medium pace for 5 minuets
- Jog for 5 minutes with 50 metre sprints every 30 seconds.
- Walk for 1 minute
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Week Two
I am going to use Fartlek training, this particular programme is called Gerschler Fartlek and it very good at increasing fitness quickly again as it simulates a match situation better then any other training method I am using.
Warm-up: 2 minute jog and work through all the dynamic stretches. Then use static stretches to stretch off the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Groin and Calf stretches.
- 10 minutes continuous medium paced jog.
- Repeat 3 times - Stride hard for 30 seconds, jog 90 seconds. Repeat with 15 second decreases in recovery jog e.g. 30-90, 30-75, 30-60, 30-45, 30-30, 30-15
- 10 minute continuous medium paced jog
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Week Three
Warm up: Do the same warm up as for session 2, remembering the specific stretching on the muscles of the legs after the dynamic stretching.
Session 2:
- Set up some cones, or markers in a shape like a square make sure they are about 10 metres apart. They should be set up like this:
- Jog very slowly, but do not walk from point 1 to point 4. Then sprint from point 4 to point 1
- Jog very slowly from point 1 to 3 and sprint from point 3 to 1
- Jog slowly from points 1 to 2 then sprint round past 3 and 4 back to 1.
- Now sprint the whole way round the circuit.
- Walk the complete circuit.
- Complete the above steps again.
During the slow jogging and the walk you should try to take in as much oxygen as possible to repay the oxygen debt.
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Week Four
This week I am going to use Fartlek training again as has different changes in speed to stop the participant from getting bored, by just continually running.
Warm-up: 2 minute jog. Work through all the dynamic stretches and use static stretches to
- Run at a medium pace for 5 minuets
- Sprint every 30 seconds for 5 minuets
- Walk at a brisk pace for 3 minuets
- Run at a medium pace for 10 minuets every 30 seconds sprint in a different direction from that which you are running for 10 yards.
- Run slowly for 3 minuets.
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Week Five
This week I am going to use Fartlek training again as it simulates a match situation the best and combines interval training and continuous training.
Warm-up: Work through all the dynamic stretching, then use static stretching to stretch off the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Groin and Calf’s.
- 15 minutes continuous medium paced jog.
- Repeat 3 times - Maximum effort for 75 seconds, 150 seconds jog run, maximum effort for 75 seconds, 150 seconds jog run.
- 10 minutes continuous medium paced jog.
Cool-Down: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk. Work through all static stretches that are listed in the warm up and cool down.
Evaluation
I think that doing this programme has made me fitter in all of the areas in which I set out to improve.
To test my Heart/Lung strength I am going to complete test. Before I started the training programme I completed the beep test, I got onto level 9.3 so that would make my VO2 max level (Maximal Oxygen Consumption) 44.1 mls/kg/min, after the training programme I completed the test again and got 10.4 this would make my VO2 max level 47.8 mls/kg/min.
This would mean that I have increased my VO2 max level by 3.7 mls/kg/min and so have increased my Aerobic fitness and my Heart/Lung strength.
My sprints have got quicker but only marginally if I was to do the training programme again I would have put in more shuttle runs to increase this although the Fartlek training did help. I don’t think it increased too much because I am already quite fast and improving would be hard.
My strength and specifically dynamic strength have improved as well. I think that the circuit training did this; my strength is a lot better then before the training programme.
In my opinion the training programme has increased my aerobic fitness the most and as I am still young this is probably one of the best things that I could have improved as when I am older it will help to have a strong heart and lungs to stop heart attacks and other problems that can be triggered by being unfit.
Go to this site Charlie if u need anything else its where I copyed most of it from, so u can add what u want to it