Conditioning for Football (Soccer)

[Ashley781993]

Hi,

I am trying to do a 16-week periodised programme for a Football player.

It will be made up of follows blocks; Foundation, General, Specific, Taper.

They will roughly consist of following:

Foundation (4 weeks)
Long-Steady Duration (LSD) x 3 (per week)

This will begin for 30 minutes and I will be using a 3:1 step loading (30,35,40,30)

I know there is some controversey with regard to LSD and sport training and whether its specific but I believe HIIT can / should only be used if the individual has a good level of VO2 Max.


General (5 weeks)
LSD x 2
Tempo x 1

Tempo Runs going to be over 250m+ to train aerobic system but at higher intensity than could be achieved through LSD.

I have decreased LSD to 2 x per week as to decreased volume in combination with increase in intensity.

Specific (5 weeks)
Tempo x 2
ATP-PC x 1

LSD has been removed all together and been replaced with an additional Tempo Run and ATP-PC system training.

This is where I need help, to train ATP-PC I need to work for around 4-20 seconds. So I am thinking of 10:10 seconds work:rest ratio with decent 2 minute recovery and playing with sets and number of runs to add overload?

It be good to get some feedback?

This is for a case study I am doing not for myself.

I like to integrate training, I think if do a block of LSD, then Tempo, etc. you loose the adaptations rendering those blocks near pointless, so feel there should be some overload and steeping down distances and increasing intensity as per above.

[DCSpartan]

250m isnt a tempo run, its an interval.

30 minutes can definitely be a tempo run, not neccessarily LSD.

You arent wrong in the fact that rugby and soccer players in particular have to build up a base on their legs, but I think you need to do more research.

[Ashley781993]

Oops I mean 0.25km not 250m - don't know what I was thinking.

[krakkerz]

Oops I mean 0.25km not 250m - don't know what I was thinking.

250m is 0.25km. I still don't think you know what you're thinking

[Ashley781993]

Oh god Its been a long week already :P Haha

How far should Tempo Runs be for a Footballer?

I'm thinking of doing Intermittent Tempo Runs - so they should be much shorter anyway than bog standard Tempo Runs.

So something like 0.5 km x 6 with a 1:1 W:R?

[krakkerz]

Foundation (4 weeks)
Long-Steady Duration (LSD) x 3 (per week)

This will begin for 30 minutes and I will be using a 3:1 step loading (30,35,40,30)

I know there is some controversey with regard to LSD and sport training and whether its specific but I believe HIIT can / should only be used if the individual has a good level of VO2 Max.

No problem here. However, steady state cardio doesn't build VO2Max particularly well compared to other interval training systems. Not that I would change this from what you have.

General (5 weeks)
LSD x 2
Tempo x 1

Tempo Runs going to be over 250m+ to train aerobic system but at higher intensity than could be achieved through LSD.

I have decreased LSD to 2 x per week as to decreased volume in combination with increase in intensity.

Your adaptation to steady state cardio is fast. You don't need to keep training it for improvement here. Use the rule of thumb that says 1/3 of the volume to improve is used for maintenance. Cut it back to one per week, IMO.

You are correct to add what you are referring to as tempo work here. Longer intervals will improve VO2Max very well and this point is a good place to do it. The top routine on this page is a favourite.

http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...-rugby-player/

You can also find a bunch of excellent routines at Brian MacKenzie's page (http://brianmac.co.uk) in the VO2Max section. John Berardi has a good routine he calls "Mad Max", as well.

One Steady State and two interval sessions would probably be more productive.[/QUOTE]

Specific (5 weeks)
Tempo x 2
ATP-PC x 1

LSD has been removed all together and been replaced with an additional Tempo Run and ATP-PC system training.

This is where I need help, to train ATP-PC I need to work for around 4-20 seconds. So I am thinking of 10:10 seconds work:rest ratio with decent 2 minute recovery and playing with sets and number of runs to add overload?

Again, There is little you will achieve from one session per week in ATP/CP zone. Aside from that, I think you might be a little confused in your reasoning to include this. Training the ATP/CP energy system requires short exertions and longer rest periods. Without the longer rest period, the body can't replenish ATP stores and the session becomes glycolytic very quickly. At that point, you are not training the glycolytic pathway particularly well because the intervals aren't long enough.

This routine may be something like what you were trying to come up with in the first place and may be useful.
http://www.xlathlete.com/xl/export/d...5091241089.pdf

This one is something that is more glycolytic in nature.
http://www.trainforstrength.com/Endurance1.shtml

I like to integrate training, I think if do a block of LSD, then Tempo, etc. you loose the adaptations rendering those blocks near pointless, so feel there should be some overload and steeping down distances and increasing intensity as per above.

That's not strictly true. If you program correctly, you can take advantage of the Long Term Delayed Training Effect (LTDTE). It's a complex operation, but if you do some reading on it, you'll understand.

[Ashley781993]

I am just about to go out so will look at some of stuff you flagged up in more depth later, but I thought PC store was restored after 2 or 3 minutes? Interesting point though if thats not case about turning glycolytic.

[Ashley781993]

Oh I see you mean longer intervals of rest per set!