Homework Jordan Woodgate 10T 22/11/03
Personal Exercise Programme
My six-week Personal Exercise Programme (PEP) will be specifically designed to improve my performance levels for my chosen sport – Goalkeeping in football. In my opinion, goalkeeping requires a wide range of fitness attributes such as strength, explosive energy, suppleness, speed, to a certain extent; stamina (Cardio-Vascular Fitness), and most importantly, agility.
The task of this programme will be to increase my suppleness/flexibility and agility, because goalkeepers need to have rapid reactions in order to block swift shots form the opposing team and the ball could then be obtained again by the attackers and therefore the keeper needs to react swiftly to save the rebound which often occurs. A goalkeeper needs flexibility for all aspects of the game to reduce the risk of injury and to allow movement to the ball when dealing with ‘hard-to-get’ shots. I will do some aerobic endurance activities to increase my ability of coping with intensely repetitive attacks on the goal. I will do resistance training with low weights but high repetition, concentrating mainly on the legs; my hamstrings and gluteus maximus in order to improve my drop-kicks and goal-kicks and explosive speed for running, diving and jumping. I the upper body, I will be looking to improve my biceps and triceps, my abdominals and deltoids. Explosive leg power is probably more important than upper-body strength, as a goalkeeper often needs to quickly recover to standing position to block oncoming shots, run towards the ball or ball carrier and kick the ball. Upper body strength is required to enable the goalkeeper to muscle through players to get to the ball and arm strength is needed to have strong resistance stopping the oncoming ball. Strong muscles are less prone to injury and increase speed, agility and endurance. Muscular endurance is also needed for repetitive attacks on the goal.
