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Topic: training program for a footballer position defence2014-2015 Freshman Football Periodization Training Program

Dec-Jan: No formal football training conducted (mandatory activity 3 times per wk).

This would be a 6 week period aligned to post season. This is to increase body strength and power giving one the competitive edge on the field.

The main goal is to increase body strength and power

Work out scope will include exercise for the whole body

Exercise will take place three days per week

The training will involve use of; barbells, dumbbells, machines and cables.

The working out should not be too intense but should involve low reps, heavy weights and requires one to rest in between two days of working out; for example, one may choose to do it on Monday rest on Tuesday resume on Wednesday, rest on Thursday and resume back again on Friday.

The table below will act as a timetable, inclusive of the body part involved, the type of exercise and the number of sets.

Monday: shall involve the chest, triceps, calves and Abs

Chest Sets reps

Exercise Barbell bench press 5 8-10

Dumbbell fly 5 8-10

Triceps Exercise Skull crusher 5 8-10

Calves and Abs Exercise Seated calf raise 4 20, 15, 10, 5

Decline sit ups 4 Max

Wednesday shall involve: legs back and triceps

Legs Sets Reps

Exercise Squat 5 8-10

45 degree leg press 4 8-10

Back Exercise Lat pull down and bent over row 5 8-10

Biceps Exercise Preacher curl 3 6

Friday: shall involve chest, triceps, calves and Abs.

Chest Sets Reps

Exercise Barbell bench press 5 8-10

Dumbbell fly 5 8-10

Triceps Exercise Skull crusher 5 8-10

Calves and Abs Exercise Seated calf raise 4 20, 15, 10, 5

Decline sit ups 4 Max

Post season refers to when the athlete is not participating in any football matches, hence no football training is required but the main form of training involves making the body grow bigger and strengthening body muscles. Full body workout is required so as to ensure every muscle in the body is strong enough and ready to face the next season. The exercise done on the following body parts has great significance to the player.

Chest: through bench pressing and dumbbell fly, the body is able to eliminate fat in the chest area giving room for muscle build up. The chest is usually important in the field as it is required to provide the upper body with stability as the player is being pushed around in the field (Flecks, 1999).

Back: through lat pull down and bent over row, the back is strengthened and increasing the strength of back muscles aids in improving body balance while playing

Abdominals (Abs): they are the core of the body, seated calf raise and decline sit ups helps in strengthening abdominal muscles and giving the body endurance. This is the most important parts in the body of a football player.

Legs and calves: for a football player, leg muscle is the most required part for it provides the player with speed, flexibility and endurance as the player spends most of his time running around the field. Squats and seated calf raise help build strength in the leg muscles and also help in increasing flexibility and endurance

Biceps and triceps: triceps and biceps are not really important for a football player, through bench pressing and preacher curl, an athlete is able to build strength in the two muscles which are at times used while throwing the ball and are also required for body balance and protection of the upper body (Flecks, 1999).

At the end of the sixth week after the post season, a pre test assessment is usually carried out by the trainer so as to assess the body strength, agility and flexibility. This would be around mid January before pre season training commences. The trainer will carry out the following tests on the athlete: first measure height, weight, body fat, the standing vertical, standing long jump and three separate flexibility tests. The flexibility tests will consist of the sit and reach, trunk rotation and groin flexibility tests. Then move on to two agility tests: the T-test and the Illinois test. Following this, a maximum strength test will be conducted. These tests consist of free weight bench press and 3/4 standing squat. After a thirty minute break, the 40 yard dash would be conducted and recorded. The final pre-test assessment would be the shuttle endurance test (Wigin, 1957). Through these tests the trainer will be able to establish the body strength and power to endure.

Feb-Aug: Strength training, Speed and agility training, Flexibility training (M-F, min 3 hrs per day)

This is an eight month training that involves maximizing on strength, agility and flexibility as the main objective. The performance of a player is built and assessed during this stage and much emphasis is placed on the three body requirements stated above. This form of training will not involve the subject player alone but the whole team.

Training will involve full body

Exercise and practice will be form Monday to Friday three hours a day preferably in the morning or evening.

The first week of the season from Monday to Friday, the players are given the chance to warm up and the time allocated for this should be longer than the allocated time. 10- 15 minutes of jogging would be appropriate to kick off the training, followed by static body stretches for the arms, back, and legs so as to reduce muscle tension. Repetition of the jogging exercise 10-15 minutes would be the next thing before starting on the dynamic stretches which would involve using of speed, momentum and flexibility; the best exercise for this would be short sprints across the field (Spackman, 1968).

After the dynamic stretches which are also appropriate for reducing muscle tension and allowing the body to build momentum and speed, players should spread evenly around the field forming a circle where they pass on the ball to each other and also the players are given the chance to catch up with fellow team mates. In the same position players are supposed to dribble the ball to one another. This form of training helps in ball and body balance; speed is also involved in this stage of training.

To finish the first weeks training for the player, involve him plus his team players in a short game so as to recollect on the basic rules and ways of the game.

After the warm up the next three weeks of the month the following will be the schedule for training and once you get to the fourth week the cycle start again for the 32 weeks of the eight months.

Week two:

The training involves the use of the football pitch and a stop watch, timing helps to motivate the trainee to work harder or work towards a certain standard (Dorrance, 1996). For the three hours in the pitch:

Start with a 10- 15 minute jog which helps build leg muscle strength hence enabling the muscles to be strong and flexible.

After jogging, stretching for 5 min is required to reduce muscle tension and prevent cases of muscle pull

Using a timer the trainee should run one lap around the football pitch, this is exercise both the legs and whole body in general, helps one build speed, and strength enabling the player to endure long hour of running during matches and also helps increase body balance.

The next lap should involve kicking the ball hence besides building body strength; the player is able to know how to control the ball as they run.

Repetition of the fast laps and the one using the ball would be required and should be done at least four more times for each

To round it up a jog home would help in muscle build and gaining speed.

Week 3:

A 10- 15 minute jog on the spot to warm up followed by stretching the legs and arms to increase flexibility and reduce muscle tension

One fast lap around the pitch to increase body pace and agility, as well as strength of the leg muscles. This helps to improve and increase the pace built last week

One lap while jogging with the ball, so as to increase body speed and balance.

Repeating the previous two steps four times helps the trainee to gain speed, strength and balance.

2 sets of the following exercises would be appropriate to enhance flexibility, speed and strength which involve all body parts. Wide arm press ups twenty times to build arm strength, two footed squats twenty times to build calf strength hence improving on agility and strength plus flexibility of leg muscles. Twenty lunges which help in building the speed of the body, twenty sit ups which would help in strengthening the abdominal muscles which are required for flexibility and improving body strength.

After all that to round up the training a jog home to help the body relax would be appropriate (Dorrance, 1996).

Week four:

This week will involve use of the ball most of the times and running around the pitch to improve on body speed and strength.

Dribble the ball through cones and stop the ball while timing oneself.

Sprinting between half the pitch to the goal post

Sprinting towards the ball and coming back with it while dribbling through cones.

Two sets of: wide arm press up twenty times, twenty squat thrusts and twenty sit ups, this help in strength, agility, and flexibility.

Towards the end of the fourth week the trainee should be placed in a game so as to enable him to implement all that he has gained through the exercise. A cycle of the three weeks above should be repeated throughout the eight months.

Between the pre season and in season a post test similar to the pre test assessment is done to evaluate the athlete.

Sep-Nov: Maintenance of strength, speed and agility, and flexibility program (3 times per wk)

This stage of training involves exercise to maintain the body strength, agility and flexibility, the exercise is not as intense as that in pre season training and the duration is 3 days in one week and will involve 12 weeks, it will involve the whole body. In season states that the player is currently taking part in matches, not much stress on exercise is exerted.

days 1-Monday 2-wednesday 3-Thursday

weeks 1 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*20

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

2 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*15

Pull ups1*25

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

3 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*30

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

4 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

5 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*30

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

6 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*10

Pull ups1*20

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

7 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*30

8 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*30

9 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

10 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*20

Pull ups1*10

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*10

bent over row 2*20

11 Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*10

Pull ups1*20

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*10

Sit ups max

bench press 2*10

bent over row 2*20

12

Jump on to form 2*30

Press ups2*10

Pull ups1*20

Thrust squats2*30 Sprints across half the field.

A fast lap around the field twice but a 5 minute jog in between

A slow lap while dribbling the ball two times Sit ups max

bench press 2*20

bent over row 2*20

The training schedule above is divided in such a way that the first day involves the chest and back which are used for body balance and stability as well as strength. The 2nd day involves the legs and calves which is used to improve flexibility and strength maintenance while the final day involves the abs and mid section of the body which is appropriate for body endurance (Pauletto, 1993).

Throughout the 12 months training the athlete is provided with full body exercise that helps him be able to perform efficiently while in the field giving him strength, agility and flexibility. The program above which involves the three seasons will enable trainers to know what to do and what form of exercise is appropriate for the trainee.

References:

Fleck, S. J. (1999). Periodized strength training: A critical review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 13, 82-89.

Spackman, R.R. (1968). Conditional football; pre season, regular season, and off season. Springfield, III: Thomas.

Wiggin, P., Peters, F. ( 1967). Off- season foot training. Cleveland: world Pub. Co..Dorrance, A. (1996). Training soccer champions. Cary , NC: JTC Sports

Pauletto, B. (1993). Strengthening training for football. Champaign, IL: Human kinetics.