Personal Exercise Program (PEP).
Personal Exercise Program (PEP)
It's a new football season and the first few games have indicated that a long summer of eating and drinking, and a general lack of exercise due to the heat have taken there toll. This has become quite evident, as it no longer possible to run around a football pitch for 90 minutes without feeling fatigued. However, by constructing a personal exercise program, with a bit of work I should be able to return to my previous fitness levels and much higher.
Why use a training program?
People undertake training programs to prepare their bodies, so they are able to tolerate the changes that occur in the stress of exercise. They are used as a way of targeting specific sporting principles, and improving on them in order to improve an individuals overall performance. In order for a training program to be a success, certain guidelines and principles have to be followed;
* Decide on fitness components to be improved, from weaknesses shown in your sport.
* Find out your current levels of fitness using recognized tests.
* Select appropriate and specific training methods and principles in order to effectively improve current levels of fitness.
* Carry out training program, changing to accommodate increasing levels of fitness.
* Retest regularly to ensure fitness is improving.
Components Of Fitness
As you may have gathered, I am a footballer. Football is played in two main forms, firstly as a 90-minute game with a 15-minute halftime rest period, or a more explosive 5-aside game. Being a very demanding sport, it is very important to have a good fitness and strength level as part of your game, along with a high skill level on the ball and a good knowledge of the overall game.
Football is a sport that requires a multitude of athletic abilities, and to improve your overall performance, the following components of fitness should be improved;
* Good flexibility in order to prevent injury.
* Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed.
* Proprioception and agility, so you have the ability to know where your body is, and you're able to effectively move it.
* Endurance - both cardio-vascular (CV) and muscular.
* Muscular balance and neuro-muscular coordination.
My position in football is centre midfield, which is possibly the most physically demanding position on the pitch. If your side is attacking - you have to be up there assisting the attack, and if your side is defending you have to be back assisting the defense. Consequently, you have to do lots of running so endurance is vital. You are also relied upon to win a lot of the balls in midfield, to protect the defense and start attacks. This tackling requires you to be very strong, so you can win balls and hold players off.
In my recent games it has become apparent to me that I am fatiguing towards the end of games, as my legs become tired and my heart rate becomes high indicating that I am struggling to get a sufficient oxygen supply around the body. Considering this, I have decided to make muscular and cardio-vascular endurance my main fitness aspect to improve, in my PEP. This is so I will be able to perform at a high intensity for a full 90 minutes without feeling fatigued.
Also, playing in men's football you often come up against fairly large players who use their body weight to their advantage when making challenges. As a result of this, I have made the decision to aim to improve the strength in my legs and upper-body. In my legs, so that I can make hard, strong challenges and also it will enable me to make better challenges in the air as my jumping will be subsequently improved. My upper-body so I have the ability to hold players off and protect the ball.
So in my PEP the three components of fitness I will be aiming to improve are;
. Muscular Endurance
2. Cardio-vascular/ aerobic Endurance
3. Upper and lower-body strength
I will now go in to a bit of detail about my chosen components of fitness and related topics around them.
Muscular and Cardio-vascular Endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance for an extended period of time, without fatigue.
Cardio-vascular endurance is the ability of the CVR system, to transport and utilise oxygen and other nutrients to the working muscles during sustained exercise.
Muscular endurance is different to CV endurance as it involves muscles fatiguing rather than a limitation in the amount of oxygen being supplied or utilized by the muscles. However they are closely linked as slow twitch muscle fibres will ensure muscles receive a rich supply of blood to enable the most efficient production of aerobic energy.
When creating a program to enhance certain aspects of fitness, I believe it is important to consider the adaptations to the body, which occur as a result of training.
Physiological adaptations
Adaptations to CVR, muscular and energy systems, as a result of muscular and aerobic endurance training;
* Decrease in resting blood pressure
* Increase in red blood cell volume and haemoglobin content.
* Blood plasma increase, decreasing blood viscosity, making the blood easier to be distributed around the body.
* Improvements in vasculature efficiency, especially in arteries to distribute blood ...
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When creating a program to enhance certain aspects of fitness, I believe it is important to consider the adaptations to the body, which occur as a result of training.
Physiological adaptations
Adaptations to CVR, muscular and energy systems, as a result of muscular and aerobic endurance training;
* Decrease in resting blood pressure
* Increase in red blood cell volume and haemoglobin content.
* Blood plasma increase, decreasing blood viscosity, making the blood easier to be distributed around the body.
* Improvements in vasculature efficiency, especially in arteries to distribute blood to working muscles.
* Increased capillarisation of muscles so more oxygen can reach the muscle tissue.
* Increased lung volumes.
* Cardiac hypertrophy - heart pumps more blood around body per beat hence lower heart rate (HR).
* Increase in size of slow twitch fibres.
* Increase in number and size of mitochondria meaning greater aerobic energy production.
* Increase in number of oxidative enzymes, therefore increased activity of the Kreb's cycle.
* Increased stores of glycogen, triglyceride and myoglobin in muscles.
* Increase in ability to work at higher V02 max without reaching lactate threshold.
These adaptations generally show that with aerobic training, your body will change physiologically to increase oxygen delivery to muscles and increase energy production in order to give athlete the capacity to work at a higher intensity for a longer period of time.
Adaptations to the body as a result of anaerobic strength training;
* Muscle hypertrophy, mainly in fast twitch fibres.
* Increase in size and number of fast twitch cells.
* Increase in creatine phosphate stores giving extra duration of high intensity energy.
* Increase in glycogen stores giving greater anaerobic energy production.
* Increase in ability to recruit more motor units, producing more forceful muscle contractions.
* Increase in strength of connective tissues.
* Muscle fibres enlarge up to 22%.
* Ability to cope with higher levels of lactate due to H+ ions being buffered.
Principles Of Training
Training has certain principles which must be taken into consideration in order to successfully improve fitness:
* Specificity - the fitness training has to be specific to the sport you are training for and specific to the fitness components you are aiming to improve.
* Progressive overload - Gradual increase in the workload that leads to physical adaptations according to intensity and type of exercise.
* Recovery - gains in fitness are not only gained in training, but during subsequent rest intervals prior to next training session, is where the body adapts to the training. The more intense the exercise, the longer the rest periods needed for body to fully recover.
* Reversibility and moderation - reversibility concerns the effects of detraining. If you take long between rest intervals the physiological adaptations that your body has made will be lost. Moderation concerns training and rest intervals being balanced so body has time to recover from training without losing physiological adaptations.
* Overtraining - this is when your body is not given sufficient time to recover after intense training. It can lead to physiological damage and illness.
Methods Of Training
Before I go into the methods I have chosen to train with, I will just state that it is important before training to warm up and cool down.
Warm up:
A warm up should make the body ready for exercise. It can prevent injury and muscle soreness and has many physiological affects such as release of adrenaline, warms up muscles, increases elasticity and extensibility of muscle fibres and makes us more alert due to an increase in the speed of nerve impulse conduction. Warm ups also should be specific to the sports or training that follows and should be in three sections;
* Gross motor activity: this is designed to mobilize the joints and warm the muscles. This should be started at a low intensity (e.g. Fast walk) and then gradually increase to a medium intensity (e.g. medium jog). This is to initially stimulate the increase of oxygen delivery to muscles and raise body temp slightly.
* Stretching: this is the process of increasing the length and flexibility of the soft tissues after being initially warmed up. All of these stretches for my running would obviously be aimed at all my leg muscles and with my strength training at the specific muscles that I am using. I will do stretches in order of;
Static stretching - involves gradual stretching of muscles holding them in positions for 10-30 seconds with proper alignment to just stretch the main groups of muscles first.
PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) - this involves muscle contraction before the stretch in order to achieve maximum relaxation. This again would be focused on my legs muscles and is very affective.
* Sports Specific Exercise - the final stage of a warm up should involve skill related component where the neuromuscular mechanisms related to the following activity are worked.
Cool Down:
After exercise a similar process should be followed to return the body to its normal resting state. It should consist of low intensity exercise to slowly decrease CVR rates, remove lactic acid to avoid DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and prevention of muscle soreness caused by spasms/involuntary contraction. Cool downs must include stretching and low intensity aerobic activity.
Training Methods
I will now go into to the methods of training I have chosen in order to enhance my specific components of fitness. A combination of training methods has an effect on a range of body systems, but specific training methods should be adopted to focus on the main component of fitness to be conditioned. The main methods of training are;
* Continuous Training
* Interval Training
* Sprint Training
* Circuit Training (form of interval)
* Fartlek (form of continuous)
* Plyometrics
* Skill training
I will explain some of the methods above when I incorporate them into my training programs. As well as using the methods of training I will also be using the principles of training in my workouts.
CVR and Muscular endurance
This is my endurance circuit which is to be used once a week, around a football pitch.
Distance
Speed
Notes
3 x Laps
Light Jog
Stop at corners to stretch
3 x Laps
Medium Jog
Pace Yourself
2 x Laps
Medium Jog
Do drill with football
x Laps
Fast Jog
x Laps
Sprinting
Jog On Widths
x Laps
Walking
Rest Period
4 x 1/2 Laps
Fast Jog
2 x 1/2 Laps
Fast Jog
Do drill with football
4 x Laps
Sprint / Jog
Sprint one side, jog other
2 x Laps
Jog / Light Jog
Jog one side, light jog other
2 x Laps
Light Jog / Walk
Cool down and stretch
Between laps I will aim to have a 10 - 30 second break where I can either walk or stretch. I have also included a football in some of the drills as it doesn't hurt to incorporate a bit of skill training whilst endurance training.
In this circuit I have used a method of training called fartlek training. This is a form of continuous training, where by throughout the duration of the exercise the speed and intensity of activity is varied, so both aerobic and anaerobic systems are stressed. It works at muscular endurance mainly with some CVR. I have developed it to be beneficial to me as a footballer as it contains a balance of short sprints with aerobic jogging. As I physiologically adapt with respect to this circuit I can combat this with progressive overloading. This can be done by increasing the intensity or frequency of the individual drills (i.e. I could after a while sprint 2 whole laps instead of one).
Heart rate has a linear relationship to oxygen consumed with increasing rates of work. Intensities to train out can be calculated as a percentage of your HRmax (maximum heart rate). This can be calculated by the formula;
HRmax. = 220 - age
So my maximum HR is;
HRmax. = 220 - 17
HRmax. = 203 bpm
From this using the Karvonen method I can work out what heart rate I should be operating at for different intensity exercise.
* 30 - 49% = light intensity
* 50 - 69% = moderate intensity
* 70 - 84% = hard intensity
* >85% = maximum intensity
As well as this circuit I will aim to go out once a week on a straight forward cardio vascular endurance session, in which I will go for a long run (40 min) at a low intensity. Again, as I progress in my exercise program I could increase the duration or intensity in order to progressively overload.
Strength
How do we get stronger?
A muscle will only strengthen when forced to operate beyond its customary intensity (overload). Overload can be progressed by increasing the:
* Resistance e.g. increasing weight
* Number of repetitions performed
* Number of sets of exercise
* Intensity i.e. reducing recovery periods
Which weight training exercises?
I have just joined one of the best gyms in the area so have the opportunity to work with a range of weight machines. When doing strength training sessions it is important to remember some simple points;
* Avoid adaptation, don't get use to your workout routines.
* Give ample rest between sessions - don't train sore muscles.
* Fuel your body in order to build muscle tissue.
* Be consistent with sessions.
Upper-body workout:
This is designed to work the chest, biceps, triceps, back and shoulders. I will do repetitions on the following;
* Bench press
* Pectoral deck
* Seated cable curl
* Dumbbell curls
* Cable pull down
* Lateral pull down
* Press ups
Lower- body workout:
This is designed to work the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf's, hips and abdominal muscles. I will do repetitions on the following;
* Seated squat machine
* Calf squat machine
* Hamstring curl
* Leg extension
* Adductor
* Abductor
* Press-ups
Both of my strength workouts fall under circuit training, which is a form of interval training. This is where workstations are visited in between rest/recovery periods. These stations each work different parts of the body and FITT principles are easily varied and changed.
Load And How Many Repetitions?
RM = 1 repetition maximum
For maximum strength the loading should be high (85% - 100%) of 1RM, with few repetitions. Percentage loads of 1RM and repetitions to do at that given weight can be expressed as follows;
* 100% = 1 rep
* 95% = 3 rep
* 90% = 5 rep
* 85% = 6 rep
* 80% = 8 rep
* 75% = 10 rep
* 70% = 12 rep
* 65% = 14 rep
* 60% = 17 rep
Also depending on how many reps you do in one set will determine how many sets are performed in one training session. I'm looking to gain elastic strength so I will be aiming to work at 85% - 75% of my 1RM doing 6 - 10 repetitions of each weight. With this I will be looking at doing around three sets of weights in a training session for substantial gains.
Again I will have to stick to the training principles by using progressive overloading and recovery between sets. I can increase repetitions, resistance (add more weight), or even increase number of sets I do in a training sessions in order to adapt and improve my fitness. I will use a recovery time of around 3 - 5 minutes which will give my body time for almost complete restoration of ATP/PC stores before my next set.
Weekly Training Schedule
Now that you have seen my fitness component specific workouts, I will now show you how this fits in to my weekly schedule.
Monday -
Tuesday - Football training with CVR endurance
Wednesday -
Thursday - Endurance Circuit
Friday -
Saturday - Football Match
Sunday - Upper-body and Lower-body Circuits
This is how my week will be laid out with respect to my training program and football. My training week starts on Tuesday with my football training and low intensity aerobic jog. I then use Wednesday as a recovery day for my main training session which is the endurance circuit on Thursday. I then have another recovery day on Friday in preparation for my football match on Saturday. Then on Sunday I do my strength training at the gym with a recovery day on Monday after my weekend. This schedule is based around the training principles. It puts the training sessions in moderation with adequate recovery periods in order to avoid overtraining. The individual sessions are easy to adapt and improve through the FITT principles, as the whole exercise program progresses. I will make changes to it in order to progressively overload. These changes will be noted in my training diary.
Nutritional Program
Alongside my training program I will be changing my diet in order to aid my training program. Ergogenic aids can be incorporated into a training program in order to enhance physical improvements. Both strength and endurance can be enhanced by eating a high carbohydrate diet whilst doing suitable training. Increasing carbohydrates in your diet increases glycogen/glucose stores giving athletes a higher energy supply before physical activity. As an athlete doing both strength training and endurance training, I will be aiming to consume 1.2-1.7g/kg/day depending on which training sessions I am doing.
Fitness Testing
Fitness testing is a very important part of a training program. It's a way of gathering information, or monitoring components of fitness. The key element for an athlete monitoring his/her fitness is to enable structured, measurable and progressive training programs to be developed.
Reasons for testing (Wilkinson and Moore, 1995);
* To highlight component strengths and weaknesses.
* To evaluate training programs.
* To assist in goal setting and encourage adherence to training.
* To determine health status.
* To determine components that may limit performance.
* Provide feedback for performers about effects of training.
As with everything testing has certain principles, which if taken into consideration allows performers to carry out successful, reliable and useful tests. The principles of fitness testing are;
* Test Specificity - tests must be designed to asses an individuals specific component of fitness in question.
* Test Validity - test must be valid and adhere to correct procedures, as many tests are affected by other things.
* Test Objectivity - factors that may influence or distort results must be taken into account. Human error and influence should not be allowed to affect results.
* Test Reliability - this considers whether or not a range of internal and external factors can influence the results.
All these principles must be considered before testing to maintain accurate results and clearly show improvements of specific fitness components.
Endurance Testing
VO2max - this is the maximal oxygen uptake which indicates aerobic fitness - the ability to sustain work for prolonged periods. It essentially shows the efficiency of the CVR system. There are two types - relative and absolute. Relative VO2max is more helpful to us as it considers body weight. It is expressed in millimeters (ml) of oxygen per body weight (kg) per minute (min) - ml/kg/min. I will be using VO2max as a test of my aerobic power and will be trying to improve it by the end of my program.
I have chosen two main tests for endurance. Both are good tests because they both rely upon aerobic and muscular endurance.
Multistage Fitness Test (Bleep Test):
Aim is to reach the highest level possible. You run till you can't take any more so it is a real test of your maximum oxygen in take. You run forwards and backwards between two points, 20m apart in time to bleeps which get quicker as the levels increase.
This is very good for team sport players as it is the right length to test aerobic and muscular endurance, also containing short turns which could benefit a footballer and would not suit a straight forward endurance athlete. It is also very useful as a accurate value for VO2max can be calculated, corresponding to which level you reached;
Level 8 = 40 ml/kg/min
Level 10 = 47 ml/kg/min
Level 12 = 54 ml/kg/min
Level 14 = 61 ml/kg/min
Level 16 = 68 ml/kg/min
These VO2max scores can be calculated precisely, to which part of the level you reached, on a level converter on the website www.topendsports.com.
Cooper Test (12 Minute Run)
This is an alternative test for endurance fitness and it is simply the maximum distance run in 12 minutes. This again gives a good VO2max value and also tests muscular endurance. VO2max for this test can be calculated using the formula;
d = distance (km)
VO2max = (22.351 X d) - 11.288 (ml/kg/min)
An elite VO2max score for a footballer would be around 60-65 ml/kg/min. Baring this in mind I am going to aim to get a VO2max of around 55 ml/kg/min.
Strength Testing
Upper body strength tests:
Press Up max - this is a test of upper-body strength. It is a test of how many press ups you can do in one minute. It must be monitored carefully to make sure the press ups are correctly carried out and counted. An excellent score for men would be anything greater than 45, so by the end of my training program I am going to aim to be able to do around 50 in a minute.
RM Bench Press - this is the maximum upper body strength test. It is a test of the maximum weight you can lift and do one repetition of.
Both of these upper body strength tests will indicate to me, if my upper body strength is improving as a result of my training program.
Lower body strength tests:
Sergeant Jump - this is a test of maximum anaerobic leg power. This relates to jumping in football in order to win a header and in general strength of tackles. You basically make a mark at the highest point you can reach standing, then crouch and jump up as high as you can, making a mark at the highest point reached. The difference between the marks will be your score. A good score will be anything between 55 - 70 cm, so I will aim to get a in the top half of that range.
RM Squat - this is the maximum leg strength test. This is considered to be the most functional of leg strength tests. It is a test of the maximum weight that you can only do one repetition on.
Both of these lower body strength tests will give me clear indications in any improvement in the strength of my lower body as a result of my training program.
