Preseason Training

The spring preseason is a wonderful time of year. We are coming out of the long cold winter indoor sessions and we are excited about playing in the soccer field. The preseason should last between 4-6 weeks of training. We should work in monitoring the fitness training while at the same time brushing up on technique, tactics and psychology of the team. We could divide the preseason training in 4 sections: Aerobic low intensity/endurance training, Aerobic high intensity training, anaerobic training and speed training.

Aerobic Low Intensity Training

In soccer, a player must be capable of performing for long periods of time as well as recover quickly following periods of high intensity activity, e.g., spring. In order to achieve this, players need to have a high endurance capacity. This ability is developed through Aerobic LI training and complimented by Aerobic HI training. The goal is to develop the player’s ability to maintain a high work rate and level of technical performance throughout the game (USSF B License Manual).

During Aerobic LI training the intensity should be such that a player’s heart rate is:

Average: Approximately 80 %
Range: 65% – 90% of MHR

For a player with MHR of 190 bpm this would correspond to the following:

Average: Approximately 150 pdpm
Range: 125-170 bpm

Endurance Training

In soccer, we understand that endurance is the ability to overcome resistance to fatigue. Generally we speak of endurance in two different forms: General Endurance, which is aerobic (with oxygen) and provides the player with long-time endurance and Local Muscle Endurance, which the player with long-time endurance and Local Muscle Endurance, which corresponds to speed training and speed endurance training and is anaerobic (without oxygen) and provides for short-time endurance USSF B License Manual).

Aerobic High intensity

It has been demonstrated that the distance covered by high intensity running during a game is related to the standard of soccer, i.e. top class players cover the most distance. Because of this fact, it is important that players are capable of repeatedly performing at high intensities for prolonged periods of time during the game. The basis for this ability is a well-developed capacity for high maximum oxygen uptake, which can be developed through Aerobic HI training. During this type of training a player exercises intermittently (Interval Training) with an average heart rate of 180 bpm. Aerobic HI training must be organized and conducted through and interval method.

During Aerobic HI training the exercise intensity should be such that a player’s heart rate is:

Average: Approximately 90% of MHR
Range: 80%-100% of MHR

For a player with a MHR of 190 bpm this corresponds to the following:

Average: Approximately 170 bpm
Range: 150 – 190 bpm

There is a relationship between Aerobic HI training and Anaerobic Speed Endurance Training. During Aerobic HI Training the energy producing system for speed endurance (lactate producing energy system) may be highly stimulated for short periods of time, causing training to overlap anaerobic speed endurance training. The coach must ensure that the exercise intensity during Aerobic HI training does not become so high that the training becomes exclusively speed endurance. If the intensity is too high, then the players will be unable to maintain a high enough work rate during subsequent work bouts and the desired effect of the Aerobic HI Training will be lost.

Fixed time interval: The principle of the fixed time intervals is that the duration of the exercise and the rest periods is determined in advance, e.g. alternating between 2 minutes of work and 1 minute of rest. If the exercise periods are longer than 1 minute, the rest periods should be shorter that the exercise periods, otherwise the overall exercise intensity will be too low. The shorter the exercise periods, the higher the exercise intensity should be, according to the principles given for this type of training. Rest periods should include some form of recovery exercise, e.g. jogging. The above principles are valid for training with and without a ball.

Below are examples of paired work and rest periods for Aerobic HI training based on fixed time intervals.

*Alteration of the rules: by changing the rules during a training game the exercise intensity may be varied, e.g. 2 touches on the ball.

Heart Rate

Reference has been made to heart rate in all three aerobic training methods. This is an important measurement for determining the level of effort expended during training. At rest the heart rate beats about 60 times per minute. Well-trained endurance athletes have a lower resting heart rate, which, in extreme cases can be below 30 B.M. During exercise the heart rate rises, which results in an increase in cardiac output. The maximum heart rate for young women and men around 20 years of age is about 200 B.M. However, there is a large range within a given age group. It has been found that boys and girls ages 16 to 19 had a range of 180 -230 B.M. for maximum heart rate. In order to make use of the heart rate measurement it is necessary to determine the maximum heart rate for each player.

There are specific exercises that coaches may use to determine maximum heart rate, however one of the simplest methods to determining a player’s maximum heart rate is to measure it immediately after a bout of presumed maximal intensity exercise during training, i.e. 1v1 or 2v2. In order to endure that the true maximum heart rate has been obtained the measurement should b repeated several times. Since a player’s maximum heart rate will not vary with changes in training status throughout the season, it is necessary to determine a player’s maximum heart rate once a year (USSF B License).