Have you ever wanted to know how much body fat has a professional player? How much Endurance he has? How fast he is?
Take a look below where you will find the profile of Slovenian Top-level players:
Body Fat: Skinfold measurements
Muscle: Anthropometric measurements
Endurance: Indirect measurement (Beep Test)
During our pre-season, we’ve played a few high-quality friendly games against teams like Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) and Volyn Lutsk (Ukrainia). Each player had a Polar Team system equipment on during the games in order for us to record the intensity of the physical load.
The data are consistent with the findings mentioned in the article Physiology of Soccer – an update where the authors write that ” the average work intensity, measured as percentage of maximal heart rate, during a 90-minute soccer match is close to the anaerobic threshold (the highest exercise intensity where the production and removal of lactate is equal; normally between 80-90% of HRmax in soccer players).
It is absolutely clear that Soccer is an Endurance based sport with numerous, short bursts of high-intensity actions.
The HRmax of our players was measured during a Shuttle Test (20m) in the first days of pre-season practice.
Looking at the physical demands of Soccer, we need to point out Endurance as one of the key performance factors. It is not unusual for elite players to run over 12 km during a game. For example, Bastian Schweinsteiger covered 11952 meters during the game Germany played against the Netherlands on the Euro 2012.
The fact being established, we can also emphasize the intermittent nature of our sport since it is a constant change of speed going from walking to maximal sprint. In order to train this quality, a serious coach or staff has to evaluate the player’s capacity which will help to implement a training program, control it, and individualize the work.
For a very long time, the beep test was used as a field testing method to determine an athlete’s endurance ability, but the test was limited due to it’s continuous nature. In recent years, a new test called Yo-Yo Intermitent Recovery Test has been developed that has a higher level of correlation to the specificity of soccer demands because it includes a short rest after each shuttle run. Of course, with each level, the running speed required is higher.
The two Yo-Yo intermittent recovery (IR) tests evaluate an individual’s ability to repeatedly perform intense exercise. The Yo-Yo IR level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) test focuses on the capacity to carry out intermittent exercise leading to a maximal activation of the aerobic system, whereas Yo-Yo IR level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) determines an individual’s ability to recover from repeated exercise with a high contribution from the anaerobic system. Evaluations of elite athletes in various sports involving intermittent exercise showed that the higher the level of competition the better an athlete performs in the Yo-Yo IR tests. Performance in the Yo-Yo IR tests for young athletes increases with rising age. The Yo-Yo IR tests have shown to be a more sensitive measure of changes in performance than maximum oxygen uptake. The Yo-Yo IR tests provide a simple and valid way to obtain important information of an individual’s capacity to perform repeated intense exercise and to examine changes in performance.
If you don’t have the resources to conduct a laboratory Vo2max test (where you get direct measurement, opposed to the indirect measurement of the field tests), use the YO-YO IR. It is an easy way to evaluate specific endurance ability…
You can get this test and many others by purchasing this small app for your iphone/ipad. That’s what I use with my team.
You want to be fast? You want to be strong when fighting for the ball? You want an injury-free season? Then you should strongly consider working on your Core muscles. All the muscles in the mid-section of your body are muscles that support other muscles when they are producing force. If your abdomen and your spine are weak, energy is lost. That means you are slower and weaker than you could be, even if you have well-developed legs for example (in terms of running performance).
The other thing that you need to be aware of is the gain in terms of injury prevention. Not only weak core muscles are at danger when you practice, but as they are a kind of ”fixing” point for other muscles, they potentially put your whole body at risk.
To summarize, including a 15 minutes core workout session at least 2 times a week will allow you to perform better and will help you stay away from injuries. During the pre-season period, the focus on this type of training should be even bigger.
Watch the video to see what exercises you can use:
My first training with the TRX system took place when I was in Norway. Like all Nordic teams, they put special attention on the development of the physical abilities of the players. I was used to do all the core workout with a few basic drills, no special equipment. The truth is, basic workout quickly becomes too easy and boring. The TRX suspension system allows a huge variety of exercises and the focus can be put on different elements of the physical training. Easy to use, hundreds of different postures gives you the opportunity to work on strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously. The intensity is higher than usual ”plank” drills and you can train almost every muscle group you need (upper body included).
Of course, it doesn’t replace the work with weights. Especially in the pre-season phase, you need to develop your maximal force and ”use” your muscles up to their limit. You can’t achieve that with the TRX. But, the closer you get to the first game and you need to put in some more dynamic training, the suspension system is very good. Don’t forget the ”fun” part of the thing. Use this kind of tool and you’ll see the players get motivated because they can do a different exercise almost every day. Monotony is a ferocious enemy of the coaching process…
Watch the video to get a first idea of the type of training you can get with the TRX suspension system:
Today, we will speak about the testing of physical abilities in professional soccer. I’m posting an interview with Dr. Vedran Hadžić who is a member of the chair of sport medicine, member of the Kinesiology section and associate at the sport-medicine diagnostic and nutrition laboratory at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
1. Doctor, what is the aim of testing the physical capacities in Soccer? What tests bring to coaches?
We have many different testing methods and of course, they deliver different types of information. For example, I’m specialized in Isocinetic testing of the muscular function. When a player goes through the testing process, we can 1) determine the level of his capacities in comparison with what we would expect in professional soccer players and 2) determine if there are any imbalance in agonistic-antagonistic muscles. In less scientific words, this means that we often see players with strong quadriceps, but poor hamstrings which evidently increases the risk of injury. By doing the test, we can then orient the athlete or the coach in order for them to plan a training program that will correct this problem (strengthen the hamstring in this case). Then, in a same aspect, we can help an injured player recover his capacities by controlling the progression and see when he has reached the level he had before the injury. That of course implies that we have a consistent testing program that gives us references throughout the season. My other area of expertise is balance. We have now very precise measurement that can tell us if a player has balance problems. Here again, we will sort out in a team players that present lack of ability in this area and help them get better.
Now I have talked a lot about injury risk but of course, the aim of a test is also to give coaches objective data and tell them where particular players can improve. By implementing specific drills or practice sessions in their standard training program, we will be able to make them better. It’s about knowing where the player starts from and control where he is going. I have seen many coaches (especially in Ex-Yugoslavia countries) unwilling to use scientific testing in their training process but, as far as I can tell, the human eye is quite a subjective tool to determine specific physical abilities. Of course, science doesn’t help you much when you want to determine the soccer specific quality of the player (is he a good player?) but when you have a team of well trained athletes and you are engaged in a top level competition, disregarding the potential improvements that science can bring is quite foolish to me. At the top level, it’s a matter of fine tuning, a 2 or 3% percent improvement on speed is enormous for example. Why not take the advantage that our work can provide?
Nowadays, coaches have at their disposal many equipment that they can bring on the field so they don’t need to send their players to the lab. Determining strength parameters, aerobic/anaerobic capacity, balance,…There is a wide choice of testing methods, which you must choose wisely because they must be close to the physical demands of soccer. Do not forget that players prefer to be tested on the field, where they feel comfortable.
2. Talking about players, do you feel that involving them in the process is important ?
It’s essential. If we do some kind of testing here at the university and we keep it for ourselves without explaining it to the player, what’s the point? We want to have players that understand what we are doing, why we are doing it and what they can get from it in term of improvement. By involving them in the process, you get maximal motivation, which is also an important factor. We must also understand that modern players have more knowledge than before, they get a lot of information from internet and they want to be a part of it, not only a subject in a research.
3. Clubs have the possibility to buy high technology equipment like Polar Team system that allows coaching staff to have a look at the hear rates of all the players. Is this kind of live testing meaningful in term of training intensity analysis?
It is, but only at a consistent basis and within a full testing process. That means that you’ve got to test the maximal capacities of the players at the beginning of the pre-season training because you need references. Without references, it has little meaning. You’ve got to know his Vo2max, his maximal heart rate, the heart rate at the anaerobic threshold,… When you have all the data, then you are able to control the intensity of the training with the live heart rate measurement and tell if the aim of your training was achieved. I repeat, testing one time has little meaning, you want to do it consistently in order to get results that will help.
3. Does the university cooperate with professional soccer teams?
Recently, we organized a large scale isocinetic knee testing program for all the youth national teams of Slovenia (from U16 to U21). We also tested some professional teams in our professional league. From all the collected data, there is one evidence: hamstring muscles are under developed for a huge majority of players. In the meantime, they have normally developed quadriceps strength (at the level we expect when comparing to international data). Therefore, we have an imbalance that is a problem not only from the point of injury risk, but also from the point of speed production.
But I must say that the level of cooperation with clubs is still unsatisfying.
Find out more about the University of Ljubljana, faculty of sport.
I like Science in general, and I enjoy the fact that it has found a place in the professional soccer world. The era of omnipotent coaches is way over and there is not one single coach at the top level that doesn’t use the objective data that sport science provides.
So I went through a review article published a few years ago in the Journal of Sports Medicine and I would like to share with you some quotes that I find rather interesting. All the informations that you can collect from scientific articles is often very useful when planning a training program and you should use them, but only if you are able to implement them in a soccer specific program. You should always keep in mind the nature of Soccer and the fact that physical demands are only one part of the training process.
”During a 90-minute game, elite-level players run about 10-12km at an average intensity close to the anaerobic threshold (80-90% of maximal heart rate)”
”Midflied players run the longest distances” – ” fullbacks sprint more than twice as much as the central defender”
”5-10% less dsitance covered in second half”
”… superior technical and individual (and team) tactical ability can only be demonstrated by players with high endurance capacity and strength”
” Vo2max ranges from 60 to 75 mL/kg/min for elite players”
” Energy expenditure during a game: 1500 to 1800 kcal”
”An exercice intensity of about 70% of HRmax removes blood lactate most-efficiently”
”…a combination of maximum strength training with emphasis on high velocity and high mobilisation of power, and training the fast movement in the same period of time, gave a substantially higher increase in movement velocity”
”It would be reasonable to expect, for a 75kg male soccer player, squat-values>200kg”
”…vertical jump height values close to 60cm”
”Interval training at an exercice intensity corresponding to 90-95% of HRmax, lasting 3-8 minutes, separated by 2-3 minutes of active recovery at about 70% of HRmax, is an extremely effective training for increased stroke volume and VO2max”
”4×4 minutes at 90-95% HRmax separated by 3 minutes active recovery at 60-70% of HRmax increased VO2max about 0,5% each training session”
”…running with the ball increased the energy cost 8% compared to purely runing”
”…players with VO2max>60mL/kg/min require one interval training per week to maintain VO2, whilst players with VO2max>70 mL/kg/min require two interval trainings for maintenance”
”We suggest that soccer teams with high ambitions should perform one or two short periods of VO2 cures in the preparation for the season, and one in between the two halves of the season”
”Thus, it may be necessary to differentiate the training plan between the regular non-starters and starters during the soccer season”
”For many soccer players, increased bodyweight as a result of hypertrophy in not desirable because the player will have to transport a higher mass”
”Maximal strength and rate of force development are important factors…both should therefore be systematically worked on within a weekly schedule using few repetitions with high loads and high velocity of contraction”
”…fastest players are on average 1m ahead of the slowest ones after only 10m of sprint”
”…correaltion exists between maximal strength, sprinting and jumping performance in elite soccer…also correaltions between maximal strength and the 30m sprint test”
”Several well controlled studies suggest that power enhancement might improve work economy in the order of 5-15%”
”96% of sprint busts are shorter than 30m, 49% shorter than 10m”
You will find the complete article here.
If you have a question about anything, feel free to contact me at prosoccerway@gmx.com !
A few days ago, I talked about the basics of post-game recovery and I mentioned that there are many additional methods that can be used in the recovery process. One of these methods is using Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to improve vascular dilation which means that more blood circulates through the muscles. Waste is removed and fresh nourishment is brought. I will present you one product that is available and very effective: the Marc Pro™. The benefits of a consistent use of the this product are 1) fast recovery 2) full recovery and 3) improved conditioning and performance.
The best way to present you the Marc Pro™ is to let Mr. Ryan Heaney, president of the company, explain us through a short interview the practical applications of the product.
1. For a soccer player, being able to recover fast from practice sessions and more importantly from games is essential. Yet, the science of recovery is still a little unclear. Tell us why is the MARC PRO™ Electrical Muscle Stimulation effective? Does it have a scientific background?
Assuming the athlete is adequately nourished, rested and hydrated, muscle recovery is an automatic, biological response centered around the delivery of nourishment to and removal of waste from the area. The MARC PRO™ creates an ideal type of muscle activation to improve the delivery of supplies to the area and prevent or remove congestion without any additional fatigue or side effects.
The MARC PRO™ does have a scientific background and the mechanisms of action have been studied in controlled clinical research. As a recently published article from the Journal of Exercise Physiology online (Oct. 2011) reported the MARC PRO™ was shown to create a Nitric Oxide dependent vasodilatory response, which resulted in significant increases in blood flow to the area. In addition repeated use was shown to create angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) in the region. These mechanisms represent the foundation of MARC PRO ’s ability to help recovery and improve conditioning and performance.
2. For you, what would be the ideal recovery program for a soccer player after an exhausting game? Should he use the MARC PRO™ directly after the game? Should he combine the MARC PRO™ with other recovery methods?
Second question first. Recovery is a complex process that includes; nourishment, rest, hydration and … the biological process noted above. Thus, MARC PRO™ is not a standalone product. It is instead, a scientifically-based, invaluable and essential link in a well-designed comprehensive recovery program.
Regarding an ideal recovery program … again, assuming the athlete is adequately nourished, rested and hydrated he/she should begin a well-timed, targeted MARC PRO™ muscle activation regime as soon as possible. NOTE: Don’t wait until the area is unnecessarily sore, tight and congested.
3. If we look at the information provided by the website, we can see that the MARC PRO™ can improve muscle performance if used consistently. Does that mean that professional teams could use it in a strengthening and conditioning program along the usual workout?
Yes. We strongly recommend that athletes use the MARC PRO™ device in conjunction with their sport-specific and general strengthening and conditioning programs. Athletes from numerous sports have reported to us that, because their muscles are “decongested” when they consistently use the MARC PRO™ device they are able to; train harder and more often … with less “feelings-of-fatigue” between workouts.
4. Do you already work with US soccer teams and players? What feedback do you get?
Not Yet, but we’re working on that. That said, MARC PRO™ is being used by approximately 30 teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL including the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Mavericks, LA Lakers, Philadelphia Flyers and NY Yankees.
Get more informations on www.marcpro.com or check the Facebook page !
The season has been long and now you got a few weeks off. Today, I will give some tips on what to do during this period. It shouldn’t be a complete rest because 1) you don’t want to loose all the improvement you’ve got during the year and 2) you want to start the pre-season practice fresh and prepared to work. Let’s go:
If you have any questions, feel free to send an email at prosoccerway@gmx.com
I’m not especially a fan of the guy. That said, I must admit that I admire the soccer player. He’s the best example of what a modern player is. Exceptional speed and strength qualities supported by a great endurance, perfect technique and top scoring abilities, that’s why CR7 is among the best players in the world. And he provides entertainment !
Now, with C.Ronaldo’s sponsor Castrol, Sky Sports produced a great documentary where specialists analyzed four components of the performance: body strength, mental ability, technique and skill. I went through the whole thing and it confirmed some of the basic principles of top level soccer:
- The modern player is an athlete. He’s tall and he has tremendous muscular strength allowing him to be explosive and fast in all his actions, from running, changing directions, jumping to shooting the ball.
- However, soccer isn’t athletics. It’s not just running straight. It’s about being able to run fast and suddenly change direction. It’s about taking decisions, picking up and analyzing informations from the environment and anticipating. It’s also about developing your skills to the level where most of your actions become automatic, for example controlling the ball without looking at it.
- So coaches should elaborate exercises that are combining those elements, because in a soccer game, you rarely find an action where only one physical ability is used. It’s always a combination of motor skills and cognitive processes and that’s why, when you practice, you should always use drills that make your brain work too. For example, you can work on offense with a 2 on 1 situation (2 attackers, 1 defender) where the attacker with the ball have to make a decision whether to finish alone or pass the ball. Try to prepare exercises where players has decisions to make, because they will have to do it all the time during the game !
Check out the videos to get more informations !
