OUTSIDER COACH #9 - ALAN COUZENS PART 3

So far in this this series on Aussie but now American performance coach Alan Couzens we have covered lactate, training zones and metabolic fitness and today we look at the aerobic system in a bit more detail.

AEROBIC THRESHOLD

During a Step Test, if your aerobic threshold is 60% or less of your VO2Mmax power, then you need more aerobic work...If it's over 60% then you should introduce a little more zone 4/5 work...The aerobic threshold is the 1st rise in lactate...Estimate VO2Max power by doing a 5 and then 20 minute all out run then get the average of those runs...You can also use the Karvonen formula to estimate 60% of your VO2Max from a known resting heart rate/maximal heart rate...My max heart rate is 180 and my resting heart rate is 57bpm...The formula is ((MHR - RHR) x % intensity) + RHR so ((180 - 57) x .6) + 57 = 131bpm is 60% of my VO2Max

AEROBIC BASE

Those with a strong ability to use fat as substrate spend more time training at a low intensity/less than 70% of their threshold/pace while also tending to train with more volume...Ramping up training from 400hrs to 800hrs/yr resulted in almost 2x the fat oxidation

AEROBIC CAPACITY

For a typically fit, middle aged dude with a threshold of 5min/km then most of your training should be at 50% or less of your threshold meaning 10min/kms meaning walking and that’s how you get your volume

NASAL BREATHING

If you can nasal breath for the entire session (I do), then that's an excellent sign you're training at your aerobic threshold/1st rise in the lactate curve/max fat oxidation...You can do the most work with the less fatigue here and is the 1st deepening of the breath

This the deepening of the breathe/opening of the lungs is generally felt as a need to move more air through the body so you intuitively open the mouth to help out

The point where you want to open your mouth to get enough air in the lungs is a good proxy for aerobic threshold and it’s quite/subtle/not forced and not a competition to see how much air you can move through your nostrils

As exercise intensity increases, we move from nasal breathing to quiet mouth breathing to loud mouth breathing which is right up at your VO2Max where metabolic acidosis is starting to increase and the body’s response to it is to blow off the increasingly carbonic acid in the form of additional carbon dioxide and is visible in the relationship between total CO2 production v O2 being consumed

Ventilation makes a sharp increase but respiratory rate barely moves and in some cases will actually decrease as now the body’s urge is to breathe out deeper to rid the increasingly acidity of the blood in the muscles and this is often wrongly identified as the 1st ventilation threshold...Athletes spend too much time in this acidic/carb costly state when there is significant benefit to be had being far below it at an intensity that allows nasal breathing

Earn the right to be a loud mouth breather 

OUTSIDER COACH #9 - ALAN COUZENS PART 2

Yesterday I introduced Alan Couzens, an Aussie but American-based performance coach who specialises in energy systems.

He has totally transformed how I look at aerobic development and although maybe not applicable for team footy training, it's totally what you should be following for whatever energy system straining you do in your own time.

Yesterday we covered various topics around lactate and training zones and today we look at metabolic fitness which will be new to most, if not all, of you. 

FAT v CARB OXIDATION

If you overdo dietary fat, then power can be compromised as energy per liter of oxygen is less than 6% lower for fat than carbs so a low carb runner will need a 6% higher VO2Max to maintain the same speed.

If you overdo carbs, then you become a sugar burner you can't burn as many calories per minute as the high fat runner and once you've spent all your carb tickets, your body finds it very hard to then move to fat as an energy source, and you teeter out very quickly.

FAT OXIDATION

Someone with a VO2Max 50 or less, fat oxidation peaks at less than a 4mph/brisk walk, is already down to less than 50% at a 5.5mph/jog and down to 0 at a 6.5mph - slow down to use fat for fuel!

FAT BURNING

2 people can have a very good levels of max fat oxidation but they can also achieve max fat oxidation at different heart rates and %’s of heart rate...Both athletes can also breath at different rates and move different amounts of air through the body...Different athletes can burn different amounts of fat at the same % of heart rate max

FAT UTILISATION

A typically unfit individual burns less then 100cals of fat/hr (1pd/35hrs of exercise) v a metabolically fit individual that can burn 6x that (1pd/5 – 6hrs of exercise)...If you’re looking to use fat fuel then you need to have a high ability to use fat as fuel

IMPROVING FAT BURNING

Even the leanest individual has enough fat stored to run 10 marathons back-to-back but the average individual can only access energy from fat at about 3 calories/min but for averaged sized individuals it takes about 6cals/min for your slowest stroll meaning we have great capacity but low fat burning power to even power a walk...For an average sized endurance athlete expending 2500cals/day, only 5% of them will be from fat stores...You want to be a hybrid athlete, being able to switch to whatever energy blend is needed in accordance with output, on demand

BE A FAT BURNER

A study looked at fat oxidation at rest v 25% v 50% v 70% of VO2Max and some were deriving 100% of their resting energy from fat and some just 30%...Those who burn more fat at rest tend to burn more fat all intensity levels...If you simply flood your blood with glucose then it will never learn to use fat as fuel...Cut sugar from your diet when you're not exercising and to a moderate intake overall...Train more in aerobic zones that keep lactate levels low and cut out the hard stuff until you’ve built a metabolic base...The ideal nutritional balance point for serious athletes is 48% carbs, 24% protein and 28% fat regardless of calorie surplus or deficit

FAT OXIDATION NUTRITION

50g carbs/day is the baseline minimum then add 100g/hr of training for a medium size/medium fitness athlete during low intensity base training...Add 150g for a large and/or high fitness athlete during high intensity phases...Protein x 2g/kg/bodyweight

HOW TO BE A FAT BURNER

Most athletes have a big engine for short duration efforts but have a hard time fuelling longer events and can’t burn fat for very long and chew up carbs…The engine is powerful but the fuel economy is no good so to preserve fuel you need to improve access to another unlimited fuel source by improving fat oxidation – specifically improving fat oxidation at all intensities and also reduce bodyweight…At higher levels of intensity the overall aerobic capacity of the athlete (the ability to hold power at low lactate) becomes more and more important…Aim for 20 – 25hrs of training/week but at very low intensities, capped at the aerobic threshold which is 50 beats below your heart rate max…The key session of the week should be a 4-6hr long flat bike ride followed by a long flat hike x 3 – 4hrs the next day…Combine those 2 workouts with fat oxidation nutrition and your body really no other choice but to adapt

METABOLIC FITNESS

The difference between us and elite runners is not VO2Max but metabolic fitness...Ther average weekend warrior has a  VO2Max of 50ml/kg/min v the elite athlete at 70ml/kg/min = 40% difference...The max fat oxidation for a weekend warrior is 3 – 4cals/min v an elite of 7 – 10cals/min = 150% diff...In practice this is a huge difference in the relative intensity of what easy training needs to be to be sustainable between both athletes and much larger than the difference in hard training

A flattish bike ride of 6hrs on a road bike will use up about 3500cals and close to double your glycogen stores so this is going to require a decent ability to supplement the carbs the athlete brings in by burning fat as a substrate

The best thing you can do is to have 1 day/week devoted to long and easy at your maximal fat burning intensity...90mins to 4hrs...Spend the day teaching your body how to generate energy from fat...To find your maximum fat burning intensity in order from best to worse options, 1 - Do a lactate test, 2 - Train at your minimum lactate level as it tends to correlate with your highest fat oxidation level or, 3 - Profile your fitness and train at a fixed % of your max where novices will be 40% of VO2Max or lower, intermediates at 50% VO2max or less and elite athletes at 60 VO2Max or less at. which point use this equation to estimate the corresponding heart rate...Target Heart Rate = ((Max Heart Rate 180 - Resting Heart Rate 57) x .4) + Resting Heart Rate 57 = ((180-57) x .4 + 57 = 106bpm

CARDIO v METABOLIC FITNESS

They are not the same...So much important stuff come from basic metabolic fitness like conditioning your slow fibers to use fat as their primary fuel...A profession triathlete with a VO2Max of 74ml/kg/min looked like he had super cardio fitness but had fat oxidation levels at low levels of intensity of a measly 2cals/min which is really very low metabolic fitness so he struggled over longer races...Zone 1 is superior to zone 2 for metabolic benefit

CARBS

Don’t burn your jet fuel at rest but that’s what you’ll do if you overeat carbs as the body wants to keep blood glucose in a certain range and will burn them whenever it wants in order to do so which also means you'll want to keep eating them

BURNING 1000 CALORIES

Before doing anything fancy, make sure you’re doing 1000cals of work/day which is about 2hrs of purposeful walking at 3.5mph for an 80kg athlete...1000cals/day for general health, 2000cals/day for an amateur athlete and 300o/day for an elite athlete

You'll typically burn 1 calorie per kg of bodyweight per km travelled…At 80kgs you'll burn 80cals/km so to reach 1000cals you need to cover 12.5kms/day (1000/80) in any way possible…For most people you could do a 5km jog coupled with 2 x 40min walks/easy bike

OUTSIDER COACH #9 - ALAN COUZENS

I have been following Alan Couzens for some time now and it has completely switched my process on aerobic development.

In my teens and early 20’s I used to be able to run but after 3 – 4 years off footy and just doing gym and jump/sprint work, getting heavier (I was 55kgs as an 18yr old!) and just flat out ignoring aerobic training, once I came back to footy I was in my early 30’s and never really gave it a great effort to developing it specifically.

Fast forward to my mid 40’s and still playing open age footy, to be able to have repeated impact on the ground I need to be able to cover it and repeat that throughout a game so I have been trying to improve it as much as I can for the last 3 years or so.

We’ve all had coaches set up running programs for us to do at footy training but they’re usually majorly sub-par and everyone is completely different in how their energy systems contribute to their overall output.

All that happens in these running sessions is that we express whatever “fitness” we have but we are never building it.

High intensity/fatigue-based running can provide sharp improvements in a relative quick amount of time but it’s not aerobic development, and by skipping that part, you’ve skewed even further to the fatigue running side of the continuum, making it even harder to become a true aerobic athlete and severely limiting your running ability.

There’s a lot to cover here as this is 30 pages of Twitter posts and articles from Alan so it might jump around a little bit but I’ll try make it as simple as possible but it will consist of 4 posts!

He has a community forum that I am a part of where he will personally answer questions and there are plenty of helpers in there as well.

LACTATE TESTING

It all starts with lactate testing which isn’t feasible for a lot of us as his recommended lactate testers (no affiliation though) are $300+ and apparently testing strips are pretty hard to come by.

A few years back I was part of a university study that tested my VO2Max and lactate so I have some very basic numbers – albeit pretty old one’s that will have changed for the better or for the bad in that time.

Even though it’s hard to get lactate tested, it’s still crucial to know the thought process behind it which will help going forward.

FIRST RISE IN LACTATE

If your 1st rise in lactate occurs at less than 60% of max pace/power then you’re aerobically deficient so most of your training should be focused on easy work. Max pace being the max level of pace/power achieved at the end of the lactate step test

LACTATE LEVELS

1mmol/l is the aim but initially you might only be able to get as low as 1.5 – 2 but that’s fine, just hang out at whatever your lowest point is and watch it drop over time as you develop more mitochondria in your slow twitch muscle fibers.

To get it down, walk further than normal and possibly up to 60mins or more.

Blood lactate follows blood glucose so decrease glucose spikes, only putting in what you’re taking out.

2mmol/l is a horrible place to hang out so keep most work under 1.5 with a little bit in the 3 – 4 range and avoid the grindy range

LACTATE DURING ACTIVITY

If you’re running a 10min mile pace (2.66m/s) and it feels easy or you have a goal to run a faster time but you’re already @ 2mmol/L then you’re base is weak and you need to slow down...My 2mmol/L that feels easy could be 3mmol/L for some and 5 – 6 for others but 10min miles @ 2mmol/L is a poor aerobic base irrespective of the max

LACTATE CLEARANCE

Training for lactate clearance and lactate production are 2 different things...To maximise clearance, get aerobically fit as the body loves to use lactate as fuel but in order to do so it needs mitochondria which uses lactate as a substrate

LACTATE AT IT’S LOWEST

Does not come sitting on the couch...Suring easy movement our slow fibers take up lactate to use as fuel, blood glucose decreases and fat oxidation increases and this is what bottoms out lactate...For this I start the day on my pedal trainer for 30 – 60mins on my sprint and aerobic running days

LACTATE AND FAT BURNING

As lactate goes up, fat oxidation comes down and vice versa...The % of fat oxidation will tend to fall as blood glucose goes up except for well-trained athletes with a very strong metabolic base (more on that later)…Your highest % of fat oxidation will occur at your lowest lactate number though it might not be the highest power at that number e.g. 1 athletes lactate didn’t start to rise until he went beyond 250w but fat oxidation peaked at 175w...Your maximal % of fat oxidation will almost certainly occur somewhere within zone 0 and zone 1

MY EXPERIENCE

In the university study I took part in, I did multiple bike tests that spat out heart rate and corresponding lactate data at increasing levels of wattage and from that I was to at least see where my 1^st rise in lactate was and what happened after that.

The study wasn’t set up for lactate testing, it was just a par of the data they took, not was the training program but I did see some progress from it in a lactate sense regardless.

TRAINING ZONES

Experienced runners will have heard, and trained by, zones so this is nothing new but once you have some personal lactate readings then you can go about determining your specific zones to really nail your programming. If you can't test lactate, and that's highly probable then there's other but les pinpoint ways to get your training zones.

ZONE 0

Is 15 beats or more below your 1st rise, but not spike, in lactate...Training in this zone is more beneficial for high fitness athletes v low/moderate fitness athletes but volume is volume and volume is the key that unlocks a lot of what I’ll post in this series.

Generally – active recovery, basic consistent movement throughout the day, can do as much of it as you like with zero implications

ZONE 1

Is the zone just before the 1^st rise in lactate...Width of 10 – 15bpm…Will push the entire curve to the right and is the only zone that affects the entire curve...Coincides with max diastolic volume which is where the heart fills up to its maximum and is fully stretched on each heart beat that increases heart size and cardiac output/VO2Max

FAVORS FAT OXIDATION

It’s normal to struggle to run in zone 1...A general fit athlete with a 50 VO2Ma and an aerobic threshold of 60% VO2Max will perform zone 1 flat terrain at a pace at 2.22ms or a 7:31min km at the upper end so you have to psychologically deal with how slow it might have to be for you...Mechanically, for running take very small steps and keep your cadence up – very tiny strides – and your stride length will open up as your fitness grows over time

The general population average VO2Max is 35 – 40ml/kg/min with aerobic threshold of 50% of heart rate max...Zone 1 will be 40 – 50% of VO2Max (15 – 20ml/kg/km)...The typical economy when walking is 240ml/kg/km or less...15 – 20ml/kg/min means the person is moving at (240/15) = 16min/km = 2.3mph which is just a simple walk (more on this later)

Generally – 1.5mmol/L lactate or less, 60 – 72% of heart rate max, 55 – 60% of VO2Max, 9 – 12 RPE scale, unlimited time to fatigue, builds us up, easy warm up, easy conversation, easy effort, comfortable

MY EXPERIENCE

I couldn’t even slow jog and stay in zone 1 initially so I had to walk (treadmill, slight incline, slow pace) and jog/rest (jog then rest until heart rate gets back to 107bpm then jog again). I started jogging 37m then resting and slowly worked that up to 200m over 3 months or so for memory but I wasn’t staying fully in zone 1 at the top end but my heart rate was drastically lower during it though. I’ll probably never be able to run continuously for time and stay in zone 1 but there’s other ways to do it.

ZONE 2

Often, the relationship between zone 2 loading 3 months pre-test has a negative effect on aerobic fitness, the opposite of zone 1...When you rack up zone 2 load it’s because you’ve gone too long and it’s gotten too hard, and you’ve drifted from your optimal zone (1) where blood volume drops and the heart no longer fully stretches per heartbeat, type 1 muscle fibers are fatigued and you recruit less type 2, the more economical ones

Generally – 1.5 – 2.5mmol/L lactate, 73 – 82% HRM, 70 – 79% of VO2Max, 14 – 16 RPE, 2hrs time to fatigue, steady tempo, heavy breathing while talking, comfortable

MY EXPERIENCE

I’ve fallen victim to going too long and/or hard at times and there is a marketed difference between how you pull up from a 60min running session in zone 1 v zone 2.

I mentioned volume is the key to all of this and to be able to deliver high volume then you need to train daily and to train daily then you can’t be destroying yourself day after day. We’re looking for to bank day after day, week after week, month after month and hopefully year after year of consistent training so getting head around easy effort activity is a must.

My off-season started back on August 11, 2025 after footy finished and I have trained 159 out of 161 days in that time with an average of 162mins/day and how I do that will be detailed later.

ZONE 3

Generally - 2.5 – 4mmpol/L lactate, 83 – 87% HRM, 80 – 84VO2Max, 14 – 16 RPE, 1hr time to fatigue, moderate to hard tempo, talking is too much effort, somewhat uncomfortable

ZONE 4

Generally - 4 – 8mmol/L lactate, 88 – 92% HRM 85 – 89VO2Max, 16 – 18 RPE, 30minS time to fatigue, hard/threshold, talk in single words only, uncomfortable

ZONE 5

Generally - 8 – 12mmol/L lactate, 93+% HRM, 90 – 99 VO2MAX, 18 – 20 RPE, 15mins time to fatigue, very hard/at VO2Max, unable to talk, very uncomfortable

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Looking at those zones, where does footy training running programs fit in here do you reckon?

OUTSIDER COACH #8 - OSKU PARTONEN

Osku Partonen is another soccer coach and educator based in Finland who I've only came across recently, but I like how he's constantly connecting his content to how he sees the game that allows the reader to do the same and then replicate with their own philosophy.

TEAM

Stay brave...Show personality...Take responsibility every time...Play with courage when it’s hard...Solve problems under pressure...Recover fast when things go wrong...Step up in big moments without fear...Lead with energy, confidence and clarity...Never stop until the final whistle blows

SIMPLE COACHING

Pick 3 clear principles and commit to them x 4 – 6 weeks...#1 x Forward Mentality x attack with intent with speed x small sided games scoring within 6secs = 2 goals...#2 x Active Defending x press/recover/react by all players x small sided games counting counter attack goals only...#3 x Transition Awareness x win possession/attack v loss possession/defend x small sided games getting ball in forward half or score within 3secs

COACHING PRINCIPLES

2 – 3 at a time…Principles need repetition, time and focus so work in phases…Phase 1 x 4 – 6 weeks x build the foundation x forward mentality, active defending, transition awareness shaping behaviour when we win/lose possession…Phase 2 x 4 – 6 weeks x add more ball responsibility x bravery on the ball, technique at speed, off the ball movement to challenge technique at game speed, demand movement after the pass, rewarding brave decisions, making mistakes…Phase 3 x 4 – 6 weeks x balance of individual/team, courage/competition edge, clear desire to score/win to teach taking responsibility, when to serve the team, how to compete properly and how to play to win

CREATING VISION via KPI's

Pick 1 principle then build 2 – 3 KPI’s to track it in games...Transition Awareness x opposition shots within 8secs of regaining possession, number of forward possession when we regain possession, total number of forward runs even if not used...Active Defending x numbers of pressures after lost ball, how many players react immediately, clean touches under pressure

COACHING

Be honest/demanding...Explain the why behind everything...Representing learning design...Decision making not just drills...Feedback that actually helps...Challenge players to solve problems...Stay calm when others lose control...Coach people, not just footballers

ACTIVE DEFENDING

Increases session intensity, tempo, intent...Ball carrier has less time  = improved control, quicker decision making + teammates must respond/react/support faster...Everyone is active all the time...You’ll spot technical weakness faster as cognitive load/dual tasking becomes a factor...Pressure moments, reactions under stress, competition repetitions, game tempo

OUTCOMES OVER EFFORT

Under 9 – 13...Development happens when players learn to create outcomes with the ball...Use principles over rigid instructions to guide behaviour x look to play forward 1^st, take risks in 1v1’s or press as soon as we lose the ball...The principle gives the direction, the outcome is the target and the player chooses the tool...You want players who can problem solve in different ways and confidence to try again after mistakes

5 W's of ACTIVITY DESIGN

Until you name it, you can't address it...What goes wrong x we lose the ball under pressure and players don’t offer support with no runs from behind...Where does it happen x pinpoint where on the ground and train it there as context shapes decision making...Who is involved x which line/s + design the player roles for that situation...When does it occur x which phase of play where timing shapes the constraints of the drill...Which elements are missing x which behaviours are we not seeing (forward mentality, transition awareness, off ball movement)

YOUTH COACHING

Short term wins can come from short cuts x relying on 1 fast player, outmuscling opposition etc and doesn't prepare them for the level up in most cases...Coach habits that will transfer to the next level x forward mentality, bravery on the ball, active defending, technique at speed, transition awareness of ball changes, balance of individual/team, courage/competition edge, off ball movement, desire to score/win

BUILD DEFENSE 1st

Where you win the ball decides where your next chance comes from

PLAYERS

If they don’t recognise patterns/triggers then scanning is head movement with no purpose

SESSION DESIGN

Don’t change the training activity, use progressions…1 activity set up/multiple challenges…Don’t change the training activity, raise the demand…Same exercise/higher standards…You’re not chasing new, you’re chasing faster decision making, cleaner execution and stronger reaction…Space x smaller/quicker decision making + bigger/more running…Numbers x add/remove a defender/support…Time x touch limits/defender starting position/s…Coaching language stays the same – new demands/same cues…Avoid random tweaks that confuse learning

MOVING DURING GAMES

Moving without intention doesn’t help anyone so simply shouting it from the sidelines needs to go…Good football isn’t about constant movement, it’s about timed/purposeful movement…When players move all the time then they often drift into bad spaces, move away from the ball at the wrong time, clog passing lanes, arrive too early or lose their positional advantage…They’re active but not effective…Movement only has value if it creates space for teammate, opens passing lanes, drags a defender, attacks space at the right time or supports the ball with correct distance…Sometimes the smartest movement is no movement as staying still can hold a defender, keep a passing lane open, invite pressure, create space somewhere else or prepare a better next action…Move to create space/stay to hold it, move when the ball arrives etc > keep moving…Football rewards timing, not mileage so teach players why to move, when to move and when not to move

PRINCIPLES

A principle represents how you want your players to consistently behave…Tactical/opposition/formations change every week but principles remain stable when everything else moves providing direction throughout chaos…They guide session design, shape coaching language, help players decision making and keeps teams aligned…Forward mentality, bravery on the ball, active defending, technique at speed, transition awareness, balance of individual/team, courage/competition edge, off ball movement and clear desire to score/win…They’re all behaviours…They turn chaos into clarity…Help answer what do we stand for, what do we repeat, want do we accept and what we don't

YOUTH

Don’t need any tactics prior to 14yrs old…Master the ball/technique via lots of touches, both feet, confidence to receive/drib/pass/finish…Learn the basics such as simple decisions, 1v1/2v1/2v2, when to pass/dribble/shoot…Movement coordination x running, stopping, turning, change of direction, using the body x balance, speed, confidence in movement, injury resistance…Character development via try again after mistakes, compete properly, respect teammates/opposition, take responsibility

DECISION MAKING

Comes from clear tactics/principles, not telling them what to do…Define the tactic (build from the back, press high, attack with width) to give a clear direction…Every situation is different and a tactic alone can’t tell players what to do in every moment so then you need principles so they can read the situation, make decisions and act without waiting for instructions…Tactic x where we want to go + principles x how players behave on the way…Tactic x build from the back using forward mentality where they need to stay brave, scan forward, try to break lines, avoid hiding or only playing safe passes…Ask questions such as can you go forward here, what do you see next and then the player decides

OUTSIDER COACH #7 - GARY PIGGOT

Gary Piggot is yet another coach and coach educator based in soccer from England who I've referenced before in my content (as with all of these outsider coaches).

As with all these coaches I'm posting notes from, chuck them a follow and expand your coaching practices with what you can learn from them.

PLANNING

What are you trying to do?...How are you going to do it?...Why are you doing it?...Challenge/Motivation...Player Ownership...Simplicity...Core Coaching Skills

TYPES OF PRACTICE

Constant x technique, predicable, unopposed, zero/limited pressure, initial learning, builds confidence/competence, lots of touches, narrow focus, grooving technique, starting scaffold for more complex work, controlled physical outcome, low social aspects...Variable x skill, refining/maintaining current skill level, wider/less controlled physical returns, wider perceptual returns, some tactical elements, still lots of touches, wider social aspects...Random x game, unpredictable, opposed, long term learning, very wide practice of perception skills, wider tactical development, success not guaranteed initially, wide social aspects

SESSION DESIGN

Football is made up of small sided game’s all over the ground so do we spend enough time putting players into situations relevant to the position they play?...Slices of the game...For footy, a center bounce clearance is 4v4...Around the ground ball ups are 6v6 to 8v8...Defensive/forward 50 play is 3v3 to 6v6...Do players have the technical ability to carry out what we want to do tactically in and out of possession?...What attributes are needed to play their position on and off the ball?...What can they already do?...How can we help them improve in and out of possession?

G.R.O.W MODEL

Goal x what do you want to achieve, what might you be looking to change?...Reality x at what stage do you feel you are at now, what have you do so far?...Options x what can you try to improve/achieve, what might you try to do differently?...Way Forward x what are the next steps, what will you do, how will you do it, why will you do it?

SESSION PLAN

Focus x passing/receiving technique...Principles of Play in possession x penetrate, create space, movement, support, creativity + out of possession x press, delay, cover/balance, compactness, control/restraint...Technical Components in possession x passing, receiving, turning, dribbling, finishing + out of possession x interceptions, pressing, marking, covering...Tactical/Technical x receiving skills, pass accuracy, weight of pass, timing of pass, disguise of pass...Psychological x decision making, concentration, confidence, perceptual skills...Physical x movement skills, football functional skills, speed of movement, timing of movement...Social x communication with teammates non/verbally...Session Objectives x passing success over increasing pressure...Key Points x observe/ensure players are prepared to receive correctly, managing once in possession then decision making/execution...Individual x think of the position you play and can you work on/improve at this within this session...Units x not a focus here as there’s enough to think about already...Team – all players to work on the points above with little concern to actual team play

SIMPLIFIED PLANNING/ANALYSIS

Planning x what do we want to happen, where do we want it to happen, when do we want it to happen, who do we want to do it, how do we want them to be able to do it, why do we want them to be able to do it...Analysing x what happened, where did it happen, where didn’t it happen, how did it happen, who did it happen to, why did it happen

OBSERVATION

What do they before receiving (movement)?...What technique is/isn’t performed correctly while in possession?...What do they do after they’ve passed off?...What is happening on/around/away from the ball?

SKILL VIA TACTICS

Starts with decision making…Technique + Intelligent Choices = Skill…You make 100’s of decisions/game so the better those decisions are, the more effective technique becomes and these decisions are their individual tactics…In Possession x am I quicker/stronger than them, what’s their strongest side, when shall I act, where shall I go, where are my teammates – these will all help your attacking choices…Out of Possession x are they quicker/stronger than me, are they left/right footed, where are their mates, what might they do next, how can I stop it…Behind every tactical action is a decision x searching, recognising, planning, assessing, adapting and predicting so training needs to reflect that x adding real pressure, let them solve problems, ask questions over giving orders, reward bravery/decision making, encourage 1v1 moments in both directions

THE GAME 

In Possession x penetration - delay - create space - movement - support - creativity...Out of Possession x compactness - cover/balance - pressing - control/restraint...Key Capabilities x scanning - positioning - technique - movement - deception - timing...Actions x before - during - after...Observations x on the ball - around the ball - away from the ball...Score Goals - Do You Have Possession? Yes - Spread Out - Play Direct? Yes - Teammate Assistance? Yes - Combine...Score Goals - Do You Have Possession? Yes - Spread Out - Play Direct? Yes - Teammate Assistance? No - Individual Skill/Creativity...Score Goals - Do You Have Possession? Yes - Spread Out - Play Direct? No - Be Patient/Individual Skill/Creativity/Combine With Teammates...Stop Goals - Do You Have Possession? No - Can You Regain Immediately? Yes - Regain and Attack...Stop Goals - Do You Have Possession? No - Can You Regain Immediately? No - Be Patient/Get Ready to Intercept or Tackle/Get into Ball and/or Goal Side Position/Team Compactness...In Possession x create options for ball carrier, create space as a team/individual, width/height/depth...Play Direct x scanning, perceptual skills, predictive skills, execution of action + move with the ball, protect the ball, manipulate the ball, finish...Teammate Assistance x over/underlap, wall pass, positioning, timing/angle/speed of movement, communication...Out of Possession x can engage the ball carrier, angle of support, speed of approach, pressure 1st touch if possible, shut down quickly, decelerate at appropriate distance, stop the ball being played forward, can you help your teammates...Can't Regain Immediately x control/restraint, scanning/timing/movement/predictive skills/deception, compactness/cover and balance, positioning/timing/movement

OUTSIDER COACH #6 - KEVIN MIDDLETON

Kevin Middleton is another soccer coach and coach educator out of Scotland who has his fingers in a lot of pies if you look at his Twitter bio which enables him to provide wide-sweeping insights into soccer and team sport in general.

MIDFIELD PLAYER PERSONALITIES

The Energiser x motor/ball pressure...The Passer x skilful/break opposition lines...The Magician x great in tight...The Spider x detect game flow/connect defense to attack/plays deeper...The Destroyer x def midfielder/stop opposition attacks

UNOPPOSED v OPPOSED TRAINING

Unopposed training can be used to provide a less messy visual representation of how a situation would look on the field making it easy to do reps of it and also to embed the language you want to build around it but it’s 1 problem solved just the 1 way so you then need take it into an opposed situation as soon as you can...Unopposed training can also introduce bad habits too such as standing to receive and ball watching but is low taxing so it can be used during recovery/low days

BALL MASTERY

Is building a relationship with the ball, touching it with all parts of the feet and being able to manipulate it to escape pressure and outplay the opposition...For footy we're talking dominant foot, opposite foot, low/hard pass, high/penetrating pass, weighted pass, inside foot, outside foot turning left, turning right, balanced, imbalanced, close/body pressure...Has to be intentional and based on what problems players will face in games and what do they need to solve them

2 GOALS PER END GAMES

1v1, get past opposition and score, winner stays on...2v2 + 1n wing/side, 2min games, rotate teams...2v2+1n, if defensive teams are simply guarding the goal then add a possession count score for the offense...4v4 + 1n wing/side...5v5 + 1n def between the 2 end goals...6v6, goals in corners, 2 goals/team or last goal locked out...7v7 + 1n playing in defense so switches/team...8v8v + 2 horizontal midline pivot players

CONSTRAINTS BEAT COMMANDS

Setting out mini-goals can coach for you where if you want your team to counter press after losing possession in final 3rd then it lets the opposition score in mini-goals so the consequence is clear if they don't...Red work the ball from 1 end to the other with a +3 or so trying to score at the other end and mini goals are set up ¾’s of the way down the ground for the red team to score when regaining possession...If red regain possession before then then they can go straight back at their own goal and all of the green/offensive players in front of the ball can’t go in and defend

BALL MASTERY

Stage 1 early development 0 - 7 years old x ball control. touches, love of the ball + introduction to basic attacking/defensive principles in 1v1 + small-sided games to reinforce mastery of the ball + practice without overcoaching...Stage 2 intermediate development 7 - 12 years old x more complex ball control via turns and dribble techniques + 1v1 with more advanced attacking/defensive strategies and decision making + small-sided games with increased complexity and some basic tactical elements...Stage 3 x advanced development 12+ years old x advanced ball control, dribble at speed, creative skills and execution under pressure + 1v1 x high level attacking/defensive techniques, understanding spatial awareness, develop tactical intelligence + small-sided games x intense small-sided games to simulated game situations with a team context

BALL MASTERY

Must come before everything else...Without it you’ll always be fighting with the ball rather than using it...Even if they tactically know what to do, their ball handling will let them down...Is not about tricks but about creating players who rarely panic, can escape pressure, can turn the defense inside out when needed and can think about the next action without fighting the ball...Players need to be able to perform different kicks (non/dominant foot, in/outside edge etc) under different conditions (no/under pressure, at pace, in tight/space, un/balanced, open/being tackled)

LOSING TEAMS

Stop measuring by the scoreline alone...Reframe game success in games x scoring shots, inside 50’s, restricting opposition scoring, win the quarter etc...Reframe season success x won head to head v 1 – 3 teams, score a goal every game, no loss by more than 25pts etc...Make the first goal easy so they meet it which increases intrinsic motivation and then they’ll strive for the next one...Get back to the basics at training but link your activities to your game day goals...Stay consistent, don’t change it up as soon as you fail...Keep player expectations/standards high for effort/attitude/body language/support...Identify/praise effort/small wins

ATTACKING 1v1 to 4v4

1v1 own the duel x break the line/penetration, shift the tempo/change of pace, master their touch/close control, explode away/change of direction, sell the lie/disguise, see the problem early/head up, draw don't chase/commit defender...2v1 create the prob x stretch the picture/width, force the decision/penetration, offer the out ball/support, choose the moment/decision making, be the threat/dribble, pass with purpose/timing, angle, speed, direction...2v2 play between the lines x draw defender 1/commit, drive with threat/dribble, pass with purpose/pass, time the overlap/communication, pass, disguise the intention/delay...3v2 overload with purpose x move the ball/no aimless passes, try to manufacture a 1v1/isolate, draw the defender/commit, connect with quality/pass technique, support at angles/give options...3v3 master the triad x widen the wall/create width, support/outnumber, around, away, attack the line/penetrate, choose smart/decision making, isolate the duel/create 1v1’s, combine with clarity/passing...4v3 exploit the edge x speed the circulation/quick ball movement, no aimless passes, create 2v1 or 1v1/manipulate defenders with movement, commit with intent/1^st attacker draws pressure, pass to penetrate/use passing to break shape, support with shape/angles to give clarity and options...4v4 control the chaos x play forward fast/get ball forward quickly, arrive in support/support ball urgently, move to offer/create angles to receive, pass with purpose/secure possession through shape and detail...principles that stick from all games x stretch the space/width unlocks overloads, commit before you combine/draw the pressure then release, shape to support/good angles turn options into outcomes, pass to create not escape/possession must have purpose, speed kills stagnation/play fast but not rushed

COACHING

During the initial session of introducing a new concept players won’t grasp it immediately as they focus on learning the activity rather than the intended outcome of it and this can be part of the problem sometimes...Work in 16 week blocks that repeat training activities with a different focus with each session building on the previous one and each 16 week block introducing/revisiting essential topics...Repetition can be boring but it’s where learning lives...Repeat sessions/topics later in the 16 week block where the players will have better understanding and it will look closer to the desired outcome...Once mastery levels are grasped then level up

1v1

Players need to read the defender, not just execute moves...Are they off balance?...Which foot is forward?...Where’s the space?...Do I go alone or combine?...The best 1v1 players decide faster than they move...Train the eyes, not just the feet

GAME MODEL

Offense x pass, build, circulate, create final 3^rd actions...Transition Defense x anticipate turnover, counter press, block passing lanes, delay, recovery runs, organise...Defense x set the block, control the middle, make it predictable, defend deep, suffer stress, regain possession...Transition Offense x create width/depth, quick pass to exit pressure, forward pass, forward runs, start gain, re-establish positions

CONSTRAINTS

Technique x maximum/minimum touches allowed, weak foot only, must beat player before passing, all goals must be 1^st time…Tactics x can’t score until all players are in the forward half, must make 5 passes before shooting, goals from crosses count as double, offside line at halfway…Physical x pitch size, time limits per attacking play, sprint recovery after goals, continue play without breaks…Psychological x silent no talking, play with +/- numbers, multiple balls in play, surprise rule changes

GAME MODEL

Players understanding why execute better than those who just copy so don’t just show the movement, explain the mechanics, connect to game situations and make it relevant to their position...Defending in defensive 50 x work as a unit/compress corridor...Defending in mid 50 x rest defender/defend corridor...Defending in forward 50 x high press/triggers/counter press...Attacking from defensive 50 x find free player/break lines...Attacking from mid 50 x stretch/switch/penetrate/circulate...Attacking from forward 50 x cross and finish/finishing zones

ONLINE KICKING COACHES

 ***NOTE*** - To start with I’ve written about kicking technique in the past here and here and today will go over some of this in a far more condensed fashion.

Yesterday I came across 1 neutral football coach comparing the methods of 2 other football coaches that both focus on kicking technique with 1 of them using the other as an example of what they don't teach which is a weird move for mine and as I constantly tell my players, concentrate on you.

Going back to the link the post/s todays they don't seem to be there so maybe it was taken down or I just can't find it again!

I’ve seen and watched clips from both of these coaches over the years and know that they indirectly reference each other in some of their clips which I’ve no problem with.

Tim opts for the out and in cue for ball drop and likes to keep it at that where Ben likes to roll with the lift up cue and also get ultra internal and give further cues on fingers, arms, ball position and the like.

What do I prefer? I’m glad nobody asked…

It doesn’t really matter because both coachers get results with their clients, just maybe not for the reasons they think though.

If I had to choose, I’d go with Tim as the lesser cues based on his cue simplicity and the 80/20 rule.

I’ll personally grade myself as a very good to excellent kick + I’ve played so much footy that my decision making is better than most in the few times that I can actually get the ball these days.

Now that my credentials are more than verified with 2 kicks from 6 years ago, a trip down memory lane.

When I was a youngster in the 80’s I used to hold the ball in 2 hands and slam the ball down on my foot.

I don’t why I did it, but knowing what I do about constraints and self-organisation, I suspect it was my own technical concoction of working around the constraints I had the time of being a tiny kid with tiny hands and not being able to hold a full sized footy properly – no one else was doing it so it wasn’t a learnt action and I came up with all on my lonesome.

I started playing u14’s at aged 8 and at some stage between 5 – say 10 years old, I grew out of the foot-slam technique for something more traditional – but how?

I cannot tell you what I did exactly to change technique, but I can tell you what I didn’t do and that’s 1v1 coaching on every finite detail of kicking.

I did a lot of kick to kick with mates at and after school, I played footy with older neighbourhood kids and my older brothers as well as games on the weekend, but I was never taught explicitly how to kick, or to how to correct my kicking style as a kid.

Getting back to Tim and Ben, the differences between them are minute to me. What possibly gets lost in it all of it is that the type of kick you’re doing will dictate what technique you use.

A kick off a step or 2 will not require a higher ball lift like Ben, but it will use a more compact out and in style like Tim subscribes to.

Kicking on the run and/or a highish kick has you perform a longer penultimate step, where the body self-organises itself around that longer step which needs different timing between the upper and lower body to perform the kick.

Lifting the ball up higher occurs at the same time as this longer step because as the legs go, the arms go and vice versa.

The level of ball lift will also dictate what the arm and wrist will do.

In the end I don’t think any of those particulars really need to be taught unless they’re absolute performance limiters – which they usually aren’t.

The top kinogram is a long/high kick on the run and the bottom kinogram is a short/low kick off a few steps – notice the ball/hand/arm position from the 1^st image of both kicks that also backs up what I talk about in each of the videos above:

Deconstruction isn’t the best option for skill acquisition and overly internal cures aren’t either, and in a game, under pressure and thinking totally unconsciously when kicking the football, those cues will never enter your mind even once and if they do, then while they’re popping up in the old brain box, you’re being tackled from having to process too much information in not enough time.

My last point is that every kick is context dependent (opposition, pressure, time, space and consequence) making every kick you have in a game a 1 time only affair so do all those unpressured kicking drills carryover to real games?

In the end you I don’t think you can replace the hours and hours of unstructured play and practice that worked for me but on the other hand, that’s not really a thing now and is probably the biggest reason my teenager, and plenty of others, doesn’t play anymore, but that’s a topic for another day.