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Pre Season Training Ideas

November 20, 2008

Pre Season Training Session

Training especially prior to Christmas must be fun and include variation. It is always easier in terms of motivation and also for the best results to train with a mate or a group of mates. Although at your footy club you will most likely be training twice a week leading up to Christmas, it is important that you are doing extra training sessions.

There is always an expectation that you have a sound fitness base when you return in Jan/Feb, so that you can cope with the demands expected of you at training. Be mindful of training hard but also training smart.

Your aim prior to Christmas should be working on and building a solid fitness base. This can be achieved through various activities.

Always remember to record what training you are doing, keeping a record of times and results that you are achieving.

Record:

  • Distance and times
  • Weight at the start of your training
  • Heart rate (pulse) before and after training, monitoring your recovery rate

Keeping these records will show how you are improving your fitness, great to look at after a serious session.

The following will provide you with ideas in formulating a training program for you or the team.

Running

  • Short and long distance
  • Aiming for quality (technique) not plodding for 5 — 8 km
  • Sprint work such as 5 x 50m, 5 x 75m, 5 x 100m in a session
  • Fartlek running is beneficial especially running a distance 5/8 km
  • Agility running and changing direction
  • Shuttle runs
  • Run a golf course tee to green (recover) tee to green
  • Hill running
  • Try to run on grass as much as possible, (oval golf course, running track)

Weights

  • Work on leg strength as a priority
  • Work on upper body
  • Work to tone your body
  • Train with a partner

Circuit Training

  • A great method of working on your strength, endurance and power
  • Stations could include chin ups, squats, medicine ball, punching bag,step ups various weight exercises, shuttle runs. etc
  • Include one minute ball drills (refer to shortball drills)

Swimming

  • Takes pressure off legs
  • Water running (with belt) for fitness 30secs on 30 secs off
  • Swimming for upper body fitness (cardiovascular)
  • Great for relaxation and recovery

Bike Riding

  • Great for the legs
  • Takes the stress off the body as you wont be pounding the hard roads
  • Create course with hills and flat roads (Safety is a priority)
  • Bike and run (partner) one rides, one runs, rider completes certain distance then runs, runner keeps a watchful eye for his partners bike, then rides. Players continue to swap with one another.

Skills

It is important to handle the ball as much as possible

  • Basic skill work with a mate.
  • Short kicking (to a target)
  • Handball drills
  • Marking (focus)
  • Working and concentrating with a focus on Technique

Continue to work on your strengths, your weakness, your discipline, making your actions a natural part of your football  life.



Written by John Northey · Filed Under Coaching Theory, Senior Coaching 
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