Analyse and identify in detail the strengths of the player/competitor/participant or self.
My strengths as a player are my speed without the ball, also my ability to do various tackles. My other strength is that I am able to take long throws which go directly wherever the player asks for it. I have got the ability to change direction quickly and control movements of the whole body. This is needed to be able to change direction quickly while dribbling or to collect a loose ball. Also I have the ability to perform a movement in a short period of time. This is essential in football, for example to be able to sprint after a through ball or tackle an opponent who is through on goal.
Analyse and identify in detail the Weakness of the player/competitor/participant or self.
My weakness are my Muscular Endurance this is to keep the muscles contracting for the full length of the match without them becoming tired or weak, I believe that I get tried very easy now is because I do not train as often I can, if I could go training more often I believe that I would become a more fit player. Also other important factor is my Muscular Strength I believe that I will have to work on that because this is an important part of football as it is a contact sport and it is also very physical, players need to be able to guard the ball and hold other players off when they are challenging for the ball.
Suggest what training/practise methods might be used to improve performance. Outline a six week training/practise programme that will be used to improve performance.
What is circuit training?
Circuit training is a method of training. A circuit usually has 8 to 15 stations, where at each station a different exercise is carried out for a certain amount of time. Circuit training can improve muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic fitness, muscular strength, speed and agility.
A circuit-training program may also be designed for a certain sport. Circuits for this purpose will include exercises to improve all the muscles and skills associated with the sport. Example: A circuit training program for basketball should include skill like jumping, catching or throwing.
Station One: On this station you have to start at the line, sprint to the first cone then sprint back to the line then sprint to the second cone, then sprint back to the line then sprint to the third cone, then back to the line. Then sprint to the second cone and back then to the first cone and back to complete the exercise. This will improve your speed, agility and muscular endurance of the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Station Two: This station is a sit up exercise. Perform as many as you can in one minute. These will improve muscular endurance in the abdominal muscles; this comes in handy when a throw-in needs to be thrown over a long distance. This is explosive strength because it is done in one explosive movement.
Station Three: This exercise concentrates on a player’s chipping ability and accuracy, the hoops should be placed 5m apart. Place a ball behind the line and chip it so it bounces in the first hoop, then chip a ball so it bounces in the second hoop. Then chip it so it bounces in the third hoop; next chip it so it bounces in the second hoop, then the first hoop.
Station Four: This is a shooting exercise. Place two cones 5m apart, then line up five balls 10m away from the cones and one cone 2m behind each ball. Strike the first ball then turn around and sprint around the cone and strike the next ball then turn around and sprint to round the cone etc. this will improve muscular strength and accuracy.
Station Five: Use this time (1 minute) to rest and relax. Some light stretching can be done to remove the lactic acid that has built up I from your muscles during the first four exercises.
Station Six: The exercise on this station are burpees, are squat thrusts and star jumps mixed together. Do squat thrusts then stand up and do a star jump and then another squat thrust then stand up and do another star jump. This will improve your agility, cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance and strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Station Seven: Place six cones 1m apart then dribble a ball in and out of them and sprint back to the start, repeat this for 1 minute. This will improve ball skills, speed and agility. Record how many complete runs are done?
Station Eight: The exercise on this station is kick-ups. Do as many as you can in one minute. This will improve ball control, and muscular endurance.
Station Nine: This exercise is passing; make a rectangle with cones 5m by 2m, then pass the ball back and forth using both feet. See how many complete passes are done in 1 minute. This exercise will improve the ability to pass the ball accurately and ball control.
Once the circuit is finished it can be repeated or a warm down will take place, the warm down will consist of gentle jogging and stretching to remove the lactic acid that builds up in muscles while they are being worked. The warm down should help you perform better next time you exercise.
The muscles that were stretched in the warm up should also be stretched in the warm down. The stretches should be held longer then they were in the warm up to prevent stiffness and soreness.
Identify some of the factors which affect performance in both positive and a negative ways.
There are so many factors which would affect the performance for example the surface of the ground and the weather because this might be an advantage or disadvantage to the performer.
After Practising/training for 6 weeks assess how much improvement has been made. (Prediction Only)
Station 1, shuttle runs, this station was very successful by the end of the six week period I had improved my speed as I did more runs in one minute. It also improved my agility and the endurance of my quadriceps and hamstrings. Station 2, sit-up exercise, this station was very tiring, after each time I performed this exercise I could feel my abdominal muscles becoming stronger. I improved throughout the six weeks, there was a slight glitch in the results, which was in week 4 I’d had a bad knee that week and that, was why I was under performing. But as a whole I improved the strength and endurance of my abdominal muscles. Station 3, chipping balls into hoops, I found this exercise very difficult my accuracy and chipping ability improved drastically. Station 4, shooting this station tested my shooting and accuracy ability. This was one of the easier stations as shooting isn’t a very strenuous work out, although I did improve in the six-week period. Station 6, burpees, this I found was the most difficult as it was very tiring and I had already done 4 other stations. This did improve my agility, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance and strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings. Station 7, dribbling, this was a fairly easy exercise I have improved on my speed and ball control, I noticed this in week five when I wasn’t as tired as I was the weeks before. Station 8, kick-ups, I am fairly good at kick-ups already but by the end of the program I was able to keep the ball under control at a lower height than what I started with. Station 9, passing, this station tested my right and left foot, my accuracy and my speed, my left foot has improved a lot by doing this exercise, my right foot has slightly improved.
