A lot of players will think that they need to train at the same volume as they do in the pre-season which will set you back more then it will push you forward. As much as we try to, the intensity of a game cannot be replicated during training and even practice matches don't quite reach that level either.
As stated in yesterday's post, your main goals for the in season is to maintain your strength, speed and endurance. Early in the season you'll hear how coaches in the AFL manage game time for players at certain points of the year. This mainly occurs at the start of the year when a player has come off a short pre-season and needs extra work during a game, and at the end of the year when an older player might be rested for the finals.
Also stated yesterday;s post was that once you have gained that new level of a particular fitness component, then it's not too hard to maintain it with lower volume during the season to ensure you are at your freshest for actual games.
Here are some possible schedules that you could follow during the season to maintain these fitness qualities:
Option 1
Saturday - Game
Sunday am - recovery session
Monday am - main full body weights session
Tuesday pm - football training
Wednesday pm - moderate intensity full body weights session
Thursday pm - football training
Friday am - low intensity full body weights session
This schedule is ideal for someone who can train everyday. There is at least 24hrs between each session so it spreads the volume out throughout the week so with an adequate nutrition and restoration plan, this could easily be done during the season.
Option 2
Saturday - Game
Sunday am - recovery session
Monday - off
Tuesday am - main weights session
Tuesday pm - football training
Wednesday - off
Thursday am - moderate weights session
Thursday pm - football training
Friday - off
This schedule s ideal for those who cannot train everyday so what we do is put a lot of stress on our training days with 2 sessions a day (sessions to be at least 6hrs apart) but it also gives you 3 full days off a week so it allows for plenty of rest after the high stress days.
Tomorrow we'll discuss how we can maintain our off and pre season gains during the season.
Hi Michael, find your blog very interesting. I'm a Gaelic Football & S&C Coach from Ireland who has played AFL recently as i'm in OZ. I have created many programs for Gaelic, Rugby, Boxers & Soccer players. I am interested though in what you say above and some of your general ideas. i Personally would never have a Gaelic player lifting weights on a friday before a game or indeed have them in the gym 3 days of the week in-season. I'm just wondering, what does this Friday session involve?
ReplyDeleteI would have players do "something" on a friday, but it would be some mobility and flexibilty work, and pretty short and light at that.
We have a major issue with scheduling as many games are played on sundays in Ireland, so sometimes doing the main weights session on a monday isn't on, with team sessions on tuesday, especially for older players. Sometimes i will split the session between Monday & wednesday. But very often (depending on work, college type of person) i would only have one maintainance session per week "in-season". Our season isn't as streamlined as yours and we will have large gaps between games sometimes, which allows for extra training days.
Just interested in your views. Enjoy the site and have picked up one or two things, thanks.
shit i really dropped the ball on this one, just saw it now so i hope you see it!! nationally football games and training are on the same days in Oz (tue/thu + sat)...if you're schedule is different then i'd prioritise what you want to the players to do, pop that in first then add the other stuff around it...there's nothing to say you can't work off an 8, 9 or even 10 day schedule either...personally i lobe a heavy session on a friday before playing on sat...if i could bothered i'd do something in the morning of a game
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