Football Small Sided Fitness Conditioning

Football Small Sided Fitness Conditioning

Football Specific Conditioning Drills Using football drills, small sided games and possession sessions for conditioning has considerable benefits: Passing Dribbling Shooting Movement patterns Technical skills Tactical skills And most importantly Motivation How often do you see clubs carrying out pre-season sessions, in-season sessions and general fitness sessions without a ball? You know yourself that doing continuous running, intervals, circuits can and does get a little boring. The sessions in this item have been designed to improve your players endurance (lactate threshold, VO2 max and anaerobic capacity). Motivating your players by using small sided games is the most effective technique available to improve player s fitness levels for football. Table 1 Shows the advantages/disadvantages of carrying out traditional and football specific training methods. Motivation of a player is improved when football and competition are involved. Also, more similar movement types and patterns in soccer drills may also lead to a greater transfer to match specific fitness. Enhanced movement efficiency is particularly a key for unorthodox forms of locomotion, such as side and backwards movements, which are frequently used in football drills.

Table 1 Advantages and disadvantages of physical training using football drills and traditional running Football Drills Traditional Running Small sided games with specific rules Specific exercise time in a controlled (target players, no. of balls, rules, pitch running session over a specific distance / size) time Advantages Improved motivation (using a ball) Work intensity can be controlled easily Movement specific (tackling, dribbling, Improvements can be monitored heading, jumping) objectively Tactical awareness Comparisons can be made between players (heart rate, speed, time) Improvements in technical skill Gain insight into player character/motivation Potential decrease in injury Disadvantages Difficult to work out and control exact Less movement associated with match intensity play (usually straight line running) Often difficult to organize optimal Players do not practice technical skills training structure Increased risk of contact injuries No game-based tactical elements Need numbers to make up session Players do not like running Certain degree of technical ability May increase risk of some injuries due to required unaccustomed running (tendonitis, lumbopelvic problems) Table 2 shows pitch sizes according to number of players. To increase intensity pitch size can be manipulated and vice versa to decrease the intensity No. of players Small Medium Large 3 a side 12 x 20m 15 x 25m 18 x 30m 4 a side 16 x 24m 20 x 30m 24 x 36m 5 a side 20 x 28m 25 x 35m 30 x 42m 6 a side 24 x 32m 30 x 40m 36 x 48m 1 a side possession 5 x 10m 10 x 15m 15 x 20m 2 a side possession 10 x 15m 15 x 20m 20 x 25m 3 a side possession 15 x 20m 20 x 25m 25 x 30m 4 a side possession 20 x 25m 25 x 30m 30 x 35m 5 a side possession 25 x 30m 30 x 35m 35 x 40m

Training Load/Intensity during football drills Factors that can influence the intensity of football drills include the type of drill, player numbers, player motivation, pitch size, and rule alterations. 8-a-side to 5-a-side drills are appropriate for lactate threshold development (85 90 % MHR), whereas 4-a-side and 3-a-side games produce intensities appropriate for VO2 max development (90 95 % MHR). Blood lactate and perceived exertion responses indicate that 2 v. 2 drills are suited to anaerobic development. All these (Lactate threshold, Vo2 max, Anaerobic) training formats are considered critical in developing football endurance. Table 3 shows the recommended training loads and football drills that produce suitable intensities for the aforementioned endurance training methods. Table 3 Type of endurance training using Football Specific Drills Appropriate training load Soccer Intensity Duration Drill Training Type Lactate threshold Vo. Max 90- %HR RPE Lactate mmol/l Modifying a football drill is often done by adjusting the number of players present. Lower playing numbers result in higher exercise intensities and viceversa. 80-90% Quite Hard Total work, min Rep Duration 3-6 30-60 6-30 min 1-8 <1 min Examples Reps Rest Drill Stressful 6-12 12-35 3-6 min 4-8 0.5-1 95% min Anaerobic >85 Maximal >10 4-16 20s-3 min 2-4 1-4 sets of min 4-8 5v5, 6v6, 7v7, 8v8 3v3, 4v4 2v2, 3v3 %HR = percent heart rate, RPE + rating of perceived exertion; reps = repetitions

Football Specific Drills Small Sided Games

Training Type: Vo2 max 90 95 %HR RPE = Stressful (17 20 points)

Academy Football ing 2v2 +3 Mark out area 20m x 30m with 5m neutral zone. Two GKs in full size goals. Two players in each half of pitch with servers numbered 1 to 3 on the outside of area for each team. dictates which player serves the ball into striker. In neutral area if striker receives ball he should look to let the ball run and shoot or turn and shoot. Encourage players to combine giving good supporting angles/distances, encourage wide players on outside to provide crosses. Whichever side the ball is played into the opposing colour players act as defenders to create a 2 v. 2 Key Factors/ing Points 4 x 1 min 1 minute rest between games

Academy Football ing 2v2 + 4 switching play Mark out a 30m x 20m area with 4 areas 5m x 5m in each corner. Play 4 teams of 2 players, 2 v 2 in the middle area and 1 player in each corner area. Players in middle area cannot go into corner areas. Play possession and team in possession can play into corner areas to retain possession but cannot play back into the same corner area once it has been passed out. If defenders win possession they play with the men in the corner areas. Key Factors/ing Points 2 x 1.30 min 90 seconds rest between games

Academy Football ing 2v2 narrow possession 50 x 15 yards Team in possession has to make a minimum of three passes in the grid before they can play to the free player on the far side of the second grid They can score again by repeating the feat and returning to the grid, following a pass to the new free player The wide players support the team in possession with one touch passes Key Factors/ing Points 4 x 2 min 2 min rest

Training Type: Anaerobic >85% RPE = Stressful (>15)

Academy Football ing 3 v. 3 Anaerobic Training One goal and GK, full size 18 yard box Key Factors/ing Points 4 x 3 min 1 min recovery

Academy Football ing Set up cones as in diagram (40 yard square), 2 players per cones Players work in the middle of the square Each player performs a left then right foot pass followed by a sprint across to a player without a ball 2 x 3 min 90 seconds rest Key Factors/ing Points

Academy Football ing Pass and sprint 20 x 30m Player A passes ball to player B in middle of grid After pass player A sprints to open corner. Player B turns and passes to player A or plays one touch to player C Key Factors/ing Points 3 x 4 min 3 min active recovery jogging and dribbling with a ball, juggling the ball

Training Type: Lactate Threshold >80 90% RPE = Stressful (>15)

Academy Football ing 4v4 end zone goal 50 x 40m Teams score by dribbling ball over line and stopping ball inside zone at end of field! 5 x 3.30 min! 2 min recovery Key Factors/ing Points

Academy Football ing Move through the thirds 55 x 35m Two teams of 6 players. The field is divided into thirds. The game starts with goalkeeper. Defending team has a 3 v2 situation and tries to get ball into middle third where it becomes a 2 v 2 situation. The 4 players in the middle third attempt to get the ball in the final third where they create a 2 v 2 situation (1 midfield player moves into final third) and they attempt to score on one of the two small goals Key Factors/ing Points 3 x 4 min 3 min active recovery

Academy Football ing 2v2 + flank players 30 x 40 yards 2 v 2. Team in possession can use flank players for wall pass, or flank player can take on defender and cross ball back to 2 team-mates Key Factors/ing Points 3 x 6 min 1.30 min rest

Traditional Running Drills

Academy Football ing Diagonal runs Intensity: High Duration: 10 min % of Max HR: 85-90 Work : Rest: 1 : 3 Total Work: 2360 m Velocity: 5.2 m/s Key Factors/ing Points Perform each run at the appropriate high intensity running speed Each high intensity repetition should be completed in 15 Each recovery run should be completed in 45 Perform 10 running laps. This constitutes 1 SET (10 ) Total high intensity running distance is 780 m Total low intensity running distance is 1580 m (3.5 m/s)

Academy Football ing Session: Anaerobic Interval Running Drill (1) Intensity: High Duration: 11 min % of Max HR: 85-95% Work : Rest: 1 : 3 Total Work: 960 m Velocity: 6 m/s Key Factors/ing Points Perform each run at appropriate high intensity running speed Each high intensity 120m running block should be completed in 20 Each recovery phase should last 60 Perform 8 sets Total high intensity running distance is 960 m Total low intensity running distance is 0m

Academy Football ing Session: Repeated Sprint Drill (1) Intensity: High Duration: 14 min % of Max HR: 85-95 Work : Rest: 1 : 5 Total Work: 800 m Velocity: 5 m/s Key Factors/ing Points Perform each run at the appropriate high intensity running speed Each high intensity 20m running block should start every 30 (1Rep) Each recovery phase should last the remainder of the 30 Perform 10 reps. This constitutes 1 set. Perform 2 sets with 4 min rest in between. Total high intensity running distance is 400m Total low intensity recovery distance is 400m

Academy Football ing Session: Repeated Sprint Drill (2) Intensity: High Duration: 14 min % of Max HR: 85-95 Work : Rest: 1 : 5 Total Work: 2400 m Velocity: 5 m/s Key Factors/ing Points Perform each run at the appropriate high intensity running speed Each high intensity 20m running block should start every 30 (1Rep) Each recovery phase should last the remainder of the 30 = cover 100m Perform 10 reps. This constitutes 1 set. Perform 2 sets with 4 min rest Perform 2 sets with 4 min rest in between. Total high intensity running distance is 400m Total low intensity recovery distance is 2000m

Academy Football ing Session: Run with Speed Variation Drill Intensity: High Duration: 14 min % of Max HR: 85-95 Work : Rest: 1 : 5 Total Work: 2400 m Velocity: 5 m/s Key Factors/ing Points Perform each run at the appropriate high intensity running speed Each high intensity 20m running block should start every 30 Each recovery phase should last the remainder of the 30 and cover 100m Perform 10 reps. This is 1 set. Perform 2 sets with 4 min rest in between Total high intensity running distance is 400m Total low intensity recovery distance is 2000m