Fitness

[knobby26]

Could I please get some thoughts at what age juniors should be getting fitness training and if there is such a thing as speed training?

[Nova]

They should be getting enough "fitness training" from small sided games and match days! As kids get older they will develop the fitness and agility relevent to the game, that's if the coach keeps enough intensity through traing sessions
As for speed, I've heard good things about "Fast Twitch" but most fast kids are just born that way and slower kids only improve marginally!

[hudsona]

My understanding is once they've gone thru puberty...so around 14/15 depending on the individual.
Certainly pre pubescent speed/strength work is pointless apparently because the cardio vascular and muscular & ligaments are not fully developed.

Any exercise science students/graduate forum members care to comment?

[Keren]

When I was coaching a primary school team I noticed an increase in fitness when some of the team started also running in the Corporate Cup (a Life be in it event) 2.5km run once a fortnight.

[Black Hawk]

When I was coaching a primary school team I noticed an increase in fitness when some of the team started also running in the Corporate Cup (a Life be in it event) 2.5km run once a fortnight.

That would be teaching them to run slowly in a straight line, not really football.

Playing one on one gets the heart rate up

[Keren]

That would be teaching them to run slowly in a straight line, not really football.

Maybe so but the fact is that each player needs to be able to move the entire match, running fast and slow. When I was 13/14 and training from middle distance athletics (not football I know) we trained 4 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri) these sessions consisted of a hard long run around the parklands followed by sprint training which was sprint the straight of the track and jog the bends, followed by half an hour of weights and then massage which amounts to more than 2 hours a session. Race day was Saturday and then we did hill training on Sundays.

I have only been involved in two footballs clubs so not sure what others do but from what I see training is two sessions a week for about one hour and a half some of which is warm up and warm down.

All I am saying is if the player is struggling to be fit enough to play a full match or been beaten in the sprint or not explosive enough, in my opinion, something can be done about it with extra general fitness training.

[AlexisAllen]

Physical fitness is the state of the human body when it is in perfect health. Being fit is very important to stay alert both physically and mentally and also to ward off certain diseases that attack as the body ages. Fitness programs are schedules that allow a person to incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Fitness training increases metabolism, strength, flexibility and muscle tone, as well as decreasing stress levels in the body. There are also sports-specific fitness training programs like soccer fitness training, football fitness training, swimming fitness training, golf fitness training and so on.

Best regards
Alexis

[muts]

I'd start with periodization
Also understand the concept of different types of fitness training - endurance (aerobic and anaerobic), strength, power, speed, etc.
Understand the importance of recovery and flexibility
Then research what the practical limits are by sex and age, and try and estimate where your sprog might fit.

start with a few bits of research, and build a structured approach.
A few quick reads:
http://www.tilligerrysoccerclub.com.au/cmr/Tips.pdf
http://www.champions-soccertraining.com ... ation.html
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/so ... ogram.html

In triathlon, precise information is available regarding frequency, duration, intensity and volume from 6 to 21, by 2 year blocks, and for the boys vs girls.
Unfortunately i haven't seen anthing like it in soccer, but it surely must exist.
Whether the likes of Deane Stephens every got around to compiling or publishing something similar would be interesting to know, and the AIS must also have info - but they never like to share, because the info ends up overseas.

[Sanddy]

Fitness is the most important topic in these days. Everyone wants fitness and for fitness regular workout and proper diet plan both are important. Its a nice post about fitness and i have learnt lot of things from this post.

[the fink]

Fitness is the most important topic in these days. Everyone wants fitness and for fitness regular workout and proper diet plan both are important. Its a nice post about fitness and i have learnt lot of things from this post.

we havent learned anything that any dumbass wouldnt already know

[pana1]

Alexis is spot on. Specific training for different sports. Fitness in sport is generally done in 2 modes. Arobic exercise, which works the cardio vascular system and is done with low to medium intensity and is used to improve stamina and the transportation of oxygen to the muscles and anarobic which trains the muscles to accelerate, hence used for building speed, and muscle. In football both are important, and depending on what position one plays, one more important than the other. A mid fielder has to have both of these important qualities as he has to run out a game for 90 minutes and is called upon to make numerous accelerations through out the game. A GK must have speed, even if only over the first 10 meters or so and must have the speed and muscle strength to do so. Another important factor of specific traing is developing a tolerance to latic acid. Every sports person nows the horrible feeling of sprinting to the ball on numerous occasions and having heavy legs. These types of trainings can be implemented with kids at the general age of 14-15, depending on their physical structure. Some even younger as noted in swimmers who start these types of programs at a very early age. I believe it to be very important that coaches be educated in these areas. Physical fitness training is not to be taken lightly as over traing and under training, in sports science also known as over reaching and under reaching, have the same effect, under performing.

[Coach_Mulatinho]

Alexis is spot on. Specific training for different sports. Fitness in sport is generally done in 2 modes. Arobic exercise, which works the cardio vascular system and is done with low to medium intensity and is used to improve stamina and the transportation of oxygen to the muscles and anarobic which trains the muscles to accelerate, hence used for building speed, and muscle. In football both are important, and depending on what position one plays, one more important than the other. A mid fielder has to have both of these important qualities as he has to run out a game for 90 minutes and is called upon to make numerous accelerations through out the game. A GK must have speed, even if only over the first 10 meters or so and must have the speed and muscle strength to do so. Another important factor of specific traing is developing a tolerance to latic acid. Every sports person nows the horrible feeling of sprinting to the ball on numerous occasions and having heavy legs. These types of trainings can be implemented with kids at the general age of 14-15, depending on their physical structure. Some even younger as noted in swimmers who start these types of programs at a very early age. I believe it to be very important that coaches be educated in these areas. Physical fitness training is not to be taken lightly as over traing and under training, in sports science also known as over reaching and under reaching, have the same effect, under performing.

Is this junior football or epl forum? Maybe AFL forum

[pana1]

The topic was on fitness. Just an insight for those interested.

[Coach_Mulatinho]

The topic was on fitness. Just an insight for those interested.

Fitness shouldn't be part of football junior development

[rabbit]

Absolute garbage.

[Coach_Mulatinho]

Absolute garbage.

Australian National Squad, Socceroos, is one of the fittest team, still very limited skill and tactical awareness.

What's absolute rubbish then?

[Željko Jurin]

Absolute garbage.

Australian National Squad, Socceroos, is one of the fittest team, still very limited skill and tactical awareness.

What's absolute rubbish then?

I remember reading a 2010 WC Technical report .... I'm pretty sure Australia ran the most, and Spain the least ...

And coaches here in Australia still go to the beach and do 10km beach runs, and snakepit runs for pre-season

[Ricky Tan]

I've never understood the purpose of doing the snake pit during pre season...

[Major Tom]

I remember reading a 2010 WC Technical report .... I'm pretty sure Australia ran the most, and Spain the least ...

And coaches here in Australia still go to the beach and do 10km beach runs, and snakepit runs for pre-season

Richie and Ayrton use it in their presentations don't they?

[rabbit]

Absolute garbage.

Australian National Squad, Socceroos, is one of the fittest team, still very limited skill and tactical awareness.

What's absolute rubbish then?

Wasn't talking about this current National squad or any squad.
Managing physical fitness in Junior Development is key. If you are physically fit you are more likely to be tougher mentally.....a great attribute for any athlete. However, and yes I agree, it's not everything and should never get in the way of technical development.

[Željko Jurin]

.......... it's not everything and should never get in the way of technical development.

If coaches start training minimum 3x a week, they wouldn't feel the need to do all that AFL style fitness triathlon stuff without the ball ....

[Faith No More]

Australian National Squad, Socceroos, is one of the fittest team, still very limited skill and tactical awareness.


I remember reading a 2010 WC Technical report .... I'm pretty sure Australia ran the most, and Spain the least ...

And coaches here in Australia still go to the beach and do 10km beach runs, and snakepit runs for pre-season[/quote]

No snake pits run here or beach runs, they are banned at our club, and when we lose they tell me the players can't run out a game, when we win, nothing said !
need game fitness, but far more importance is ball mastery & game 'awareness', if you use the ball properly, then you run less anyway !

[Željko Jurin]

........... if you use the ball properly, then you run less anyway !

(eg) Spain

[Nova]

We had a GPS on a couple of players a few years ago and in a game they ran between 10 - 12 km!
So if you train (with a ball and game related) for 90 mins with high intensity you should be able to achieve 70 -80% of that x 2 or 3 times a week!

[rabbit]

Reckon those km's were chasing our players

[Nova]

Reckon those km's were chasing our players