Australian Football

Future

•Knowledge + •Attitude + •Knowledge

and/or Ability +
•Ability + •Knowledge or
Ability -/- •Attitude -/-
•Attitude +
 Football Conditioning

No waste of precious football training time! Conditioning

The Objective
 FFA Curriculum Framework

The total STRUCTURE OF FOOTBALL is always

the starting point

The main moments of football are:

1. Ball posession
 building up, attacking and scoring (team tasks)
2. Transition
 BP to BPO (team tasks)
3. Ball possession opponent (BPO)
 disturbing and defending (team tasks)
4. Transition
 BPO to BP (team tasks)

A game of football is a constant repetition of these 4 main moments, each

with its characteristic team tasks.
 FFA Curriculum Framework

Traditional approach to football …

FOOTBALL

Technical Tactical Physical Mental

Passing Controlling
 FFA Curriculum Framework

Modern approach (action theory) to football …

See what
FOOTBALL you see

Attacking Defending
Objectives
Transition Transition

eg. passing

Position Moment Direction Speed Actions

 Is Mourinho Dutch?
“Everything is related to the way in which we
practice. We don’t have room for physical training;
for traditional endurance, strength or speed
training. It’s really all about behavior! We work
on our playing model, we work on our playing
principles and playing sub-principles, we ensure
that the players adapt to ideas that are common to
all, as a means of establishing the same
behavioral language. We work exclusively on
the match situations that interest me, we plan
the week according to our thinking on recovery
time, training and matches, progressiveness
and alternation. We create habits with the aim of
maintaining the team’s fitness, which manifests
itself in ensuring we are frequently “playing well”.
Jose Mourinho
 The Objective

In every training session the following questions should be

answered with YES:
1. Is football being played?

2. Is football being learned (and therefore taught)?

3. Is football being experienced (and enjoyed)?

4. Do the players understand the football purpose of the exercise?

5. Do the players recognize the game related intention?

6. Are the players challenged to improve both individually and as a team?

 The Objective
The National Curriculum philosophy is that the most appropriate way for
teaching and learning football is to:

Leave the football context as much as possible intact and therefore the relation to the
game should always be recognisable for players in all training situations and exercises.

The game is complex and unpredictable (not one situation or action is the same).

Every football action in the game is defined by various factors such as:

The ball, the rules, opponents and teammates, space, time, direction, score, etc;

By isolating parts from this total context they lose their significance, in other words, the
football structure is lost.

This is the essence of ‘unorganized’ street / park football where the foundations of
every top player can be found.
 “No waste of precious FOOTBALL training time!”

• As a consequence of the philosophy, physical fitness is also an inseparable

(conditional) part of football‟s structure which leads to the proposition:

• Conditioning is football training,

• Football training is conditioning.

Analysis of football conditioning by Raymond Verheijen (Ph.D. sports science, creator of

“Football Conditioning” and the “Periodisation Model”) shows:

 Football is becoming more and more compact: less space on the pitch / time on the
ball;
 Because of this the number of explosive football actions („football‟ sprints / duels etc.)
in professional football has increased by 40% over the last 8 to 10 years;
 The total running distance is not a decisive factor.
 Football Performance

 A gradual dropping of football actions …

100% 90% 80% 70%

X…..20‟…...X………………..X…………………………X

 Ideal game performance

X…10‟…X……..X………X.........X……… X…10‟…X
 Conditioning for football? or Football for Conditioning?

Is football and intensity sport or an endurance sport?

 How does an 800m runner train to get better?

 Can we learn from that?
 Should we do the same?

 How does a basketballer train for agility?

 Can we learn from that?
 Should we do the same?

 Is Australia regarded as a world leader in Strength and Conditioning?

 Can we improve?

Athletics
Management

Psychology Other sports

Football

Strength &
Conditioning
 We play football so lets speak football language!

 Anaerobic fitness? Aerobic fitness? Aerobic capacity? Phosphate system? ATP?

 We use ATP for energy, we need oxygen only to convert what we eat (energy) to ATP
(muscle energy)
 Oxygen (breathing simply restores energy (ATP) for explosive actions
 Therefore when players look tired it‟s not because they aren‟t fit, its because they
aren‟t able to reproduce explosive actions
 Long duration running will NOT fix this, you must overload short, football specific
actions
 The body will and does adapt
 Need to avoid fatigue
 Players need to be fresh
 If players are fatigued?
1) Actions less than 100%
2) Body fails to repair itself
3) Injury
 The Traditional Approach to Fitness

 When we refer to „football actions‟ in terms of fitness …

 The traditional approach is to look at football from a
general fitness perspective;

Football Fitness (Traditional)

 Position (Starting block)

 Moment (Start signal)
 Direction (Sprint lane)
 Speed (Maximum sprinting)
 Movement
 The Modern Approach to Fitness

 When we look at fitness from a football perspective …

Fitness Football

 Position – moment – movement – direction

 There is no starting block (cone)
 There is no predetermined moment to start the action (no
starting gun)
 There is no designated direction (no sprint lane, no set
direction, cone to cone)
 There is constant movement
 Speed is the only variable

Football Actions Physical (Football) Characteristics

 The Objective

As a result the essence of teaching (training) is to always think of the actual game
situation as the starting point and then simplify / modify the game situation for
training. This is achieved by reducing the game specific resistances until the
obtained training aim can be realised by the players.

Therefore a coach must be able to:

• analyse football;
• define the „football problems‟ of the team and/or the individual players in
football language;
• design and implement exercises to realise the training aims.
 Analysing Football

“In the last 15 minutes of a game the players look tired”!

 Physical coach (of swimming, running, cycling, traditional football coach)

would say they „lack endurance‟ and „aerobic capacity‟

 A football coach would (should) say …

„the players lack the ability to maintain playing football‟ … „the ability to
maintain frequent transition‟
 What does a coach want?

In football language …
age
More frequent Maintain To maintain
Better Actions
9 actions frequent actions good actions

Football characteristics
 Position?
 Moment?
 Direction?
 Speed?
 Movement?

Quicker To maintain To maintain

More explosive recovery quick recovery maximum
actions between between explosive
actions actions actions
 How?

In football language …
To enable a player to perform
age 100% „football‟ sprints … to train
Better Actions start / acceleration speed
9
Football characteristics X
 Position?
 Moment? To continue to perform maximum
 Direction? explosive actions
 Speed?
 Movement?
X
 6 to 10 x 5 metre sprints with 30
seconds rest (maximum rest)
 4 to 8 x 15 metre with 45
seconds rest
More explosive
 2 to 6 x 25 metre sprints with 60
actions
seconds rest
 More Explosive Actions - X 100%

Football Sprints - large recovery

6*5m (30‟‟R)/4*15m(45‟‟R)/ 2*25m(60‟‟R)-4‟RS
7*5m/4*15m/ 2*25m
7*5m/5*15m/ 2*25m
7*5m/5*15m/ 3*25m
8*5m/5*15m/ 3*25m
8*5m/6*15m/ 3*25m
8*5m/6*15m/ 4*25m
9 *5m/6*15m/ 4*25m
9 *5m/7*15m/ 4*25m
9 *5m/7*15m/ 5*25m
10*5m/7*15m/ 5*25m
10*5m/8*15m/ 5*25m
10*5m/8*15m/ 6*25m
 qHow?

In football language …
age
More frequent
actions9
Football characteristics Without conditioning …
 Position?
 Moment? X…….40‟…….X…....40‟…...X
 Direction?
 Speed? With conditioning …
 Movement?
X…20‟…X…20‟…X...20…X
 Trained with 4 v 4 / 3 v 3
Quicker
recovery
between
actions
 Quicker Recovery Between Actions

4v4 / 3v3
•2*6-8 games / 1-3‟work / 3-1‟R / 4‟RS
•2*6*1‟w/3‟R
•2*6*1‟w/2.5‟R (reduce recovery for overload)
•2*6*1‟w/2‟R
•2*6*1‟w/1.5‟R
•2*6*1‟w/1‟R
•2*6*1.5‟w/1.0‟R (increase work for overload)
•2*6*2‟w/1.0‟R
•2*6*2.5‟w/1.0‟R
•2*6*3‟w/1.0‟R
•2*7*3‟w/1.0‟R (increase sets for overload)
•2*8*3‟w/1.0‟R
•2* 9 *3‟w/1.0‟R
•2*10*3‟w/1.0‟R
 How?

In football language …
age
Maintain
frequent actions
9 To enable a player to re-produce
football sprints
Football characteristics
 Position?  Without conditioning …
 Moment?
 Direction?
 Speed? X…X….X……X……..X
 Movement?
 With conditioning …

To maintain
X...X...X…X...X…X
quick recovery
 11 v 11, 8 v 8, 7 v 7, 5 v 5
between
actions
 To maintain quick recovery between actions

11v11, 8v8
•2-6 games * 10-15‟ / 2‟R
•2*10‟*2‟R (start off basic and analyse how they are)
•2*11
•2*12
•2*13
•2*14
•2*15
•3*11  3*15
•4*12  4*15
•5*13  5*15
•6*13  6*15
 Maintain Quicker Recovery / More Actions

7v7, 6v6, 5v5

•4-6 games * 4-8 minutes‟ / 2‟R
•4*4.0‟*2‟R (start off basic and analyse how they are)
•4*4.5
•4*5.0
•4*5.5
•4*6.0
•4*6.5
•4*7.0
•4*7.5
•4*8.0
•5*7.0  5*8
•6*7.0  6*8
 How?

In football language …
age
To maintain
good actions
9
Without conditioning …
Football characteristics
 Position? X…20‟…X…...30‟…….X……..40‟…….X
 Moment?
 Direction? With conditioning …
 Speed?
 Movement? X...20‟…X…20‟...X...20‟…X…20‟…X
 Repetitive sprints with short rest
To maintain
maximum
explosive
actions
 Maintain Explosive Actions

Football
age
Sprints - little rest
•2 sets
9 * 6 reps * 15m (10‟R – 4‟RS)
•2*7*15
•2*8*15
•2* 9 *15
•2*10*15 (never more than 10 in a set)
•3*7*15 (21 sprints-previous set was 20)
•3*8*15
•3* 9 *15
•3*10*15
•4*8*15 (32 sprints-previous set was 30)
•4* 9 *15
•4*10*15
•4*10*20m (maybe reduce sets here because 40 is a lot)
•4*10*25m
 Analysing football

 A coach notices that the team can only maintain the playing style intensity for
60 minutes.
 What does the coach want?

 The coach wants higher intensity that will be able to be maintained for 90
minutes.
 How?

To train for duration: 11 v 11 / 8 v 8 (Oxygen transfer system)

To train for intensity: 4 v 4 / 3 v 3 (restore phosphate system)

Quantity – 11 v 11/ 8 v 8
Quality – 4 v 4 / 3 v 3
 Football Periodisation

„Football Conditioning‟ is all about:

1) Increase of explosive power in football actions;

2) Increase of explosive power stamina (explosive capacity);

3) Decrease of recovery time between two explosive actions;

4) Increase of recovery stamina (recovery capacity).

The Objective
 Football Periodisation

The “Periodisation” model:

The 4 key indicators are trained in 6 week cycles;

Overload principle: increasing time / series, decreasing rest / intervals per 6 weeks;

Only game related football exercises;

Football conditioning continues the whole season;

Apart from core stability, no „football conditioning‟ (or conditioning whatsoever) until
after growth spurt.
 Basic 6 Week Periodisation

Week 1 and 2 Week 3 and 4 Week 5 and 6

Explosivity Preparation Football Sprints (FS) with Football Sprints with long
Exercises (EPE) short rests (Quantity) rests (Quality)

11v11 / 8v8 7v7 / 5v5 4v4 / 3v3

• Blocks of 2 weeks
• Generally at the start of pre-season if you try to play with a high intensity
you can‟t maintain for very long
• So we start with high volume (11v11/8v8) and move to high intensity
(4v4,3v3)
• We go from quantity to quality
• We must complete EPE‟s in the first two weeks of every cycle in order to
prepare the body for the explosive actions to follow
 Explosivity Preparation
Exercises (EPE‟s)
• Acceleration run through‟s
• Usually part of a warm up
• 6*60m @ 60% 60‟‟R
• 7*50m @ 75% 50‟‟R
• 8*40m @ 80% 40‟‟R
• 9*30m @ 90% 30‟‟R
• 10*20m @ 100% 20‟‟R
 Periodisation of CONDITIONING ONLY
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Explosivity Prep Exercises Football Sprints with little rest Football Sprints with much rest
Cycle 1
8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

3 * 12' 3 * 13' 4 * 5' 4 * 5.5' 2*6*1' (3'R) 2*6*1' (2.5'R)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Cycle 2 8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

3 * 13' 3 * 14' 4 * 5.5' 4 * 6' 2*6*1' (2.5'R) 2*6*1' (2'R)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Cycle 3 8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

3 * 14' 3 * 15' 4 * 6' 4 * 6.5' 2*6*1' (2'R) 2*6*1' (1.5'R)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Cycle 4 8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

3 * 15' 4 * 12' 4 * 6.5' 4 * 7' 2*6*1' (1.5'R) 2*6*1' (1'R)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Cycle 5 8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

4 * 12' 4 * 13' 4 * 7' 4 * 7.5' 2*6*1' (1'R) 2*6*1' (0.45"R)

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Cycle 6 8v8 - 11v11 7v7 - 5v5 4v4 - 3v3

4 * 13' 4 * 14' 4 * 7.5' 4 * 8' 2*6*1' (0.45"R) 2*6*1' (0.30"R)

 Field Sizes

*11 v 11: 10 outfield players, field size approx. 100 metres x 60 metres

Players Outfield Formula Filed

numbers players dimensions
11 v 11 10 10m x 6m 100m x 60m
10 v 10 9 9m x 6m 90m x 54m
9v 9 8 8m x 6m 80m x 48m
8v8 7 7m x 6m 70m x 42m
7v7 6 6m x 6m 60m x 36m
6v6 5 5m x 6m 50m x 30m
5v5 4 4m x 6m 40m x 24m
4v4 3 3m x 6m 30m x 18m
3v3 2 2m x 6m 20m x 12m
2v2 1 1m x 6m 10m x 6m
1v1 1 1m x 6m 10m x 6m
 Fitness Level

Start of pre-season End of season

 Number of Injuries

Start of season End of season

FIFA Coach of the Century
 Final Reflections

Football = Conditioning
Conditioning = Football
 Football Physiology Summary

Football is an EXPLOSIVE sport, not endurance

We use ATP for energy, we need oxygen only to convert
what we eat (energy) to ATP (muscle energy)
Oxygen (breathing) simply restores energy (ATP) for
explosive actions
Therefore when players look tired its NOT because they
aren‟t aerobically fit, its because they aren‟t able to
reproduce explosive actions
Long duration running will NOT fix this, you must overload
short, football specific actions.
The body WILL adapt
 Summary

1. Better Actions 3. Greater Number of Actions

• More explosive actions • Quicker recovery between actions
X100% = football sprints with max rest •X----X to X--X--X
X100% = starting and acceleration speeds •4v4, 3v3
• Training effect is a bigger chunk of ATP •Extensive interval training
used per action •Training effect is a quicker refilling of tank

2. Maintain Good Actions 4.Maintain Greater Number of Actions

• Maintain max explosive actions • Maintain quicker recovery
•X100%---X90%---X80%---X70% to X100%---X100%---X90%---X80% •X--X---X----X to X--X--X--X
•Football sprints with small rest •11v11, 8v8 or 7v7, 5v5 on big pitch
•Repeated short sprinting •Extensive or Intensive endurance training
•Training effect is a bigger total pool of •Training effect is maintaining a quicker
ATP or bigger tank refilling of tank