Power development for our
young players
The Strength and Conditioning
programme for the FAI’s
Emerging Talent
Programme
and
how it can relate to all our young
players
Strength and Conditioning for the
Emerging Talent Programme
The main objectives of the programme
were that the players would become
stronger and quicker.
I was asked in particular to focus on our
players being stronger in possession of
the ball, in holding off players etc
Strength and Conditioning for the
Emerging Talent Programme
There were a number of issues for me to
get around:600+ kids involved
All with different training
schedules/Sporting commitments
Varying in chronological age from 14 to
17 and quite wide differences in
biological age
It would be up to the kids to do the
programme themselves
Strength and Conditioning for the
Emerging Talent Programme
I needed to increase their strength levels,
without using weights, so they could
participate in a plyometric programme.
I introduced a stretching programme, a
body weight training programme, a core
and abdominal/Back exercise programme
and a Plyometric programme.
Strength and Conditioning for the
Emerging Talent Programme
The priority for me was to increase their base
strength and to use this strength to develop
power, using plyometrics.
I used body weight exercises and core work to
increase their strength and mainly low level
plyometrics, to increase their power.
Each player was given an Exercise timetable,
with incremental increases/changes in the
exercises
What is Core Stability and
why use it
Core stability is the
effective use of the
trunk muscles and
shoulder girdle to
help stabilise the spine, allowing the
limbs to move freely.
What is Core Stability and
why use it
Having a strong
Core and
Abdominal/Back
muscles can
improve your power, agility and
balance and as such it is very
important to train these muscles.
Having a strong Core will make your
movements more powerful
Plyometrics and Power
development
What is Power
Power is Speed times
Strength
It is the ability to
generate the highest
possible force in the
shortest period of time.
This has obvious benefits for athletic
development, not least in football.
Plyometrics and
Power development
Plyometric training
is a method of
developing
explosive power and
as such, it was vitally
important that I included it in the
training programme for our young
players.
Plyometrics and
Power development
How does it help develop explosive power?
This type of training centres on the ability of the
strength and elasticity in the muscles to produce
force quickly.
The muscles are first loaded eccentrically and then
the ‘elastic energy’ stored in the muscle is then
released during the following concentric phase of
muscle activity.
This muscle action is known as the StretchShortening Cycle.
Testing
We needed to be able to evaluate the programme
and see if it was having an effect.
To do this, I introduced jump testing, using a
standing long jump and a vertical jump.
Increases in jump distance and jump height are an
indication of increased speed and power.
There were 3 tests done throughout the year.
The players were also issued with a questionnaire, to
gain anecdotal evidence.
Fitness and Conditioning
What could you do
to help with your players
Fitness and Conditioning?
1 – Test your Players
You could introduce some simple tests,
like the vertical jump and long jump
tests and compare them to results at a
later date.
2 - Give Players some
Home Work
Strength is the fundamental underlying component of fitness
that will impact on all aspects of a player’s physical
performance. So:A Home strength programme would be good –
Bodyweight exercises
Simple core and abdominal exercises for home use
Home stretching programme
Flexibility is a fundamental element of a young players training
programme. As the player matures, an age appropriate
stretching and flexibility programme is vital.
3 – Develop
Speed and Power in
Training
Your training sessions should include:
Dynamic and game related warm-up, with plenty of contact with
ball
Simple Plyometric exercises
(Low to moderate intensity)
Current research into the optimal
trainability of young athletes concludes that
the introduction of plyometric movements
from the age of 7 years is essential in order
to maximise a players opportunity for
development.
3 Continued – Develop
Speed and Power in
Training
Your training sessions should include:
ALWAYS include speed work, short sprints with changes
in direction, reaction work.
Speed work should be introduced from the first
session of the season onwards
Speed is an essential component of the game today and
should be developed from an early age.
Simple Running mechanics drills
Footwork drills, Agility drills
4 – Include
Strength work
You could include strength work/games like:
Body weight exercises, Jockey back race, Leap frog,
Player to player resistance (Pushing and pulling
opponent, using strong sticks etc)
Weighted balls(medicine ball) or basketballs can be
used under qualified supervision, to help increase
strength.
Weight training would have to take place under
qualified supervision – Type of weight Training?
5 – Speed Endurance and
Aerobic work
Speed Endurance training helps delay the onset
of fatigue and allows more energy to be produced
quickly. Specific targeting of this system should not
take place until late adolescence, however the
player can be introduced to some progressive work
before this.
Do most of your Speed endurance/aerobic work with
a ball, using timed, small sided games, possession
games, drills
High intensity Interval running can also be used
These sessions should be intense
6 – Skill Development
Don’t forget to work on Skill Development
- nothing to do with Power development,
but a subject close to my heart.
Neurological Development takes a huge jump between
0-9yrs of age
Accelerated adaptation to motor co-ordination’ occurs
during the years from 8 to 12.
Therefore Skill development needs to be worked on from
an early age
Sequence of training
Quality should come first:
Plyometrics
Speed
High Intensity Interval Training/
Speed Endurance
Games/Drills
Before
Aerobic interval
Fartlek
Long Continuous runs
Thank You