Personal Exercise Programme
Personal Exercise Programme
Aim
The aim of this programme is to increase the standard of the sport I have chosen for this programme, which is squash.
Objectives
The objectives of this programme are as follows:
* To improve the general standard of my game in squash.
* To improve my generally fitness, but mainly cardiovascular, agility and flexibility.
* Not only a physical benefit but I hope to achieve mental benefit especially for future training.
Fitness Requirements
* Stamina (cardiovascular fitness) - Continuous running on court and keeping up the same technique of running to the ball i.e. in an arch. To keep up this technique a lot of stamina is required.
* Muscular Endurance - continuous use of arm muscles in hitting the ball and leg muscles for continuous running needs a lot of muscular endurance. Also to prevent injury if you overwork your muscles.
* Power - hitting the ball in power shots e.g. volley kills or kills and also when serving a hard serve (if you want to serve hard). Shots require a lot of speed in arm movement to get power.
* Speed - running to the ball all the time when a shot is played a lot further from where you are in the court. Outbursts of speed are needed when drops are played and also to get you out of bad positioning.
* Flexibility - this is used for most shots especially in the legs for reach and also to keep you balanced. This is also used in the arms when stretching to reach a shot. Many of these shots are 'jerky' stretches and a lot of flexibility is needed to prevent injury.
* Timing - when playing all shots timing is required for accuracy especially in all precision shots and when you need to hit a winner. When playing a precision shot the opponents positioning, your positioning and the balls position needs to be taken into consideration. To do this good timing is required.
* Speed of Reaction - as squash is a very fast game, most shots require a quick speed of reaction so you can play shots the way you want to play them in the short time you have to play it.
* Balance - in all shots you need good balance so you can play them well but also when you are in bad positioning or you need to play an awkward shot better balance is required.
* Coordination - every shot needs good coordination to play however very good coordination is needed when you are playing outright winners to get the accuracy and power you want.
* Agility - need so you can get round an opponent when getting to the ball and also to get back from awkward positioning and shots.
Fitness Components to Work On
I will be working on:
* Cardiovascular Fitness (stamina) - I have chosen this as I think I need to improve it quite a lot. In matches the standard of my game drops significantly in the fourth and fifth game (if the match does go to four or five). Therefore I think I need better stamina so I can keep up the standard of my game after the third game in a match. Also if I have better stamina it will help mentally. It will show the opponent I don't look tired and he/she will be more intimidated than if I looked very tired.
* Flexibility - I have chosen to improve my flexibility as I now it needs a great deal of improving. Whilst stretching in the warm up I can see that I have poor flexibility compared to others. Flexibility is needed a lot to reach for shots but mainly to prevent injury as when you need to reach for a shot you need to do it quickly. This often requires a quick, jerky stretch, which can very easily cause injury. I have had many injuries before so improving my flexibility will be worthwhile.
* Agility - I have ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
* Flexibility - I have chosen to improve my flexibility as I now it needs a great deal of improving. Whilst stretching in the warm up I can see that I have poor flexibility compared to others. Flexibility is needed a lot to reach for shots but mainly to prevent injury as when you need to reach for a shot you need to do it quickly. This often requires a quick, jerky stretch, which can very easily cause injury. I have had many injuries before so improving my flexibility will be worthwhile.
* Agility - I have chosen to improve my agility as this is one of the hardest elements of fitness needed in squash. I sometimes don't bother to try and reach the ball as an opponent is in the way and I rely on lets/strokes to get the points. I really should attempt to get round the opponent to get the ball so I can either get to it and play the shot I want or doing this will also help the marker/referee make a better decision (which would favour me) in a let/stroke case.
WEEK
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
SESSION 3
Bleep Test
+
Cardiovascular Session
Stretch Test
+
Flexibility Session
Illinois Shuttle Run
+
Agility Session
2
Cardiovascular session
Flexibility Session
Agility Session
3
Cardiovascular session
Flexibility Session
Agility Session
4
Cardiovascular session
Flexibility Session
Agility Session
5
Cardiovascular session
Flexibility Session
Agility Session
6
Bleep Test
+
Cardiovascular session
Stretch Test
+
Flexibility Session
Illinois Shuttle Run
+
Agility Session
Outline of Weekly Sessions
Health Questionnaire
* Has your doctor ever diagnosed that
you have heart trouble? YES / NO
* Have you ever experienced any chest
pain when you were not doing any
physical activity? YES / NO
* Do you experience spells of dizziness
or feeling faint? YES / NO
* Do you have high blood pressure? YES / NO
* Are you asthmatic or suffer from
shortness of breath? YES / NO
* Do you have a bone or joint problem
that could worsen by a change in your
physical activity? YES / NO
* Are you on medication? YES / NO
If so, please provide details:
* Have you undergone any surgery in
the past year? YES / NO
If so, please provide details:
Principles of Training
I will be using the principles of training in my personal exercise programme so I can make the programme and activities more specific so I know exactly what I have to do:
* Specificity - I will use specificity to so I know exactly what I need to do in my training activities. In my cardiovascular sessions I will be keeping my session specific to squash. By this I will make there be a lot of interval training which similar to the continuous outburst of speed needed on the squash court. I will also make the session as long as the average time spent on a squash court during a match (45 minutes). Hopefully in doing this the training session will simulate a match and increase my fitness specifically for a squash match. In my Flexibility sessions I will be using and stretching the same muscles and tendons as are used in squash (details later on). Hopefully this will improve my squash game in terms of flexibility for the specific muscles. I will be doing this session for another 45 minutes as this is the average time of a squash match. In my agility sessions I will be concentrating mainly on the quick changes in body positioning required in squash. There is a very varied type of agility required in squash but I will concentrate mainly on the upper body.
* Progression - in my session I will use progression so I can definitely see whether I am improving in my sessions or not. In my cardiovascular sessions I will be progressing the sessions by increasing the amount of work I am doing which will be explained later. I will be progressing in the flexibility sessions by overloading which should help a great deal, and I will be progressing in my agility sessions by using other fitness types and also increasing the difficulty of scenario (also explained later).
* Overload - I will mainly by using the overload principle in my flexibility sessions as I believe my flexibility will benefit from overload the best. I will stretch and work my body to the max making easier tasks seem even easier after using the overload principle.
* Tedium - I will need this principle in all my sessions to keep me going and make me want to work. I will be working to better targets set by myself whilst evaluating the first session and also be using items for the agility session to make it more enjoyable. In the cardiovascular sessions I will be working with my training partner to make the session competitive and hopefully that will make me want to work harder.
* Regularity - Each session will be 45 minutes, which is the average match time in a squash match and each session will take place once a week for six weeks. Therefore there will be one cardiovascular, one flexibility and one agility session each week for 6 weeks.
FITT Principles
* Frequency - Same as Regularity (above).
* Intensity - I will be able to tell if the training is too intense if injuries or extreme exhaustion occurs. If this happens then the training will change and become less intense. If however the opposite happens then the Overload principle will be used.
* Time - 45 minutes for each session
* Training activity - all activities will be squash-related.
Test Results and Evaluation
Test
Result Before 6 Weeks
Results After 6 Weeks
Evaluation
Cardiovascular Test
Flexibility Test
Agility Test
Personal Exercise Programme Session Plan
Week (circle) 1 2 3 4 5 6
Day
Activity
Session Content
Evaluation
Parent/Guardian Sign to confirm above has been completed _____________ Parent's/Guardian's signature
20 meter Shuttle Run Test (Cardio Vascular Test)
(Multistage Fitness Test)
The multistage fitness test, also known as the 20 meter shuttle run test, beep or bleep test among others, is nowadays a very common test of aerobic fitness.
* Diagram:
* Description: This test involves continuous running between two lines 20m apart in time to recorded beeps. For this reason the test if also often called the 'beep' or 'bleep' test. The time between recorded beeps decrease each minute (level). There are several versions of the test, but one commonly used version has an initial running velocity of 8.5 km/hr, which increases by 0.5 km/hr each minute.
* Scoring: The athletes score is the level and number of shuttles reached before they were unable to keep up with the tape recording.
* Equipment required: Flat, non-slip surface, marking cones, 20m measuring tape, pre-recorded audio tape, tape recorder, recording sheets.
* Target population: Suitable for sports teams and school groups, but not for populations in which a maximal exercise test would be contraindicated.
* Reliability: Reliability would depend on how strictly the test is run, and the practice allowed for the subjects.
* Advantages: Large groups can perform this test all at once for minimal costs. Also, the test continues to maximum effort unlike many other tests of endurance capacity.
* Disadvantages: Practice and motivation levels can influence the score attained, and the scoring can be subjective. As the test is usually conducted outside, the environmental conditions can be often affect the results.
* Other considerations:
o As the audio-tapes may stretch over time, the tapes need to be calibrated which involves timing a one-minute interval and making adjustment to the distance between markers. The recording is also available on compact disc, which does not require such a stringent calibration, but should also be checked occasionally.
o This test goes by many names, though you need to be careful as the different names also may signify that these are different versions of the test. Therefore you need to be wary when comparing results or comparing to norms.
Illinois Agility Test (Agility Test)
* Diagram:
* Description: The length of the course is 10 meters and the width (distance between the start and finish points) is 5 meters. 4 cones are used to mark the start, finish and the two turning points. Another four cones are placed down the centre an equal distance apart. Each cone in the centre is spaced 3.3 meters apart.
* Procedure: Subjects should lie on their front (head to the start line) and hands by their shoulders. On the 'Go' command the stopwatch is started, and the athlete gets up as quickly as possible and runs around the course in the direction indicated, without knocking the cones over, to the finish line, at which the timing is stopped.
Agility Run Ratings (seconds)
Rating
Males
Females
Excellent
<15.2
<17.0
Good
6.1-15.2
7.9-17.0
Average
8.1-16.2
21.7-18.0
Fair
8.3-18.2
23.0-21.8
Poor
>18.3
>23.0
* Equipment required: flat non-slip surface, cones, stopwatch, measuring tape.
* Results: The table right gives some rating scores for the test:
* Advantages: This is a simple test to administer, requiring little equipment. Can test players ability to turn in different directions, and different angles.
* Disadvantages: Choice of footwear and surface of area can effect times greatly. Results can be subject to timing inconsistencies, which may be overcome by using timing gates. Cannot distinguish between left and right turning ability.
Ghosting (Flexibility Test)
* Description: This test involves running to a part of the squash court and stretching low down for the shot using the right technique you would use in a match. There are six points (shown on diagram) and there is a set pattern for running to the points and back to the centre. This pattern goes: 1-6 (going to the centre between each point and repeating this 10 times.
* Scoring: This test is measured by time however, my squash coach will be assessing whether I am stretching properly and carrying out the test the best I can. Time is added on for any unfair mistakes.
* Equipment required: squash court, stop watch, judge
* Validity: Not only does this test measure your flexibility bout also your agility, speed and cardiovascular fitness.
* Reliability: This test is not that reliable at all as most of it depends on whether the person is making sure it is carried out fairly. It also does not give an accurate result of what your flexibility really is, just a rough estimate.
* Advantages: it is quite an easy test to carry out and it is also squash specific which is important.
* Disadvantages: The test isn't that reliable and also one of the ways to fail this test would be to pick up an injury through over stretching a muscle.
* Diagram:
