6) Programme Justification

Exercise Selection:

For the athletes strength and conditioning programme there is a variety of freeweight exercises for the core and assistance exercises, with a range of push and pull exercises due to the athletes history of using freeweights. Hoff & Helgerud (2004) using freeweights recruits more muscle fibres and correct technique is imperative for optimal gains. The exercises will work all the body which is required in football (Rahnama, Lees & Bambaecichi, 2005). Exercises such as the deadlift will improve the deep squat which the athlete performed poorly (Wright, Delong & Gehlsen, 1999). The switch lunge, knees to chest (tuck) and lateral lunge will improve flexibility which may be hampering the squat (Gleim & McHugh, 1997). Dupont, Akakpo & Borthoi, (2003) pre-hab exercises reduce the risk of injury, particularly keeping the anterior cruciate ligament active and flexible, preventing it re-spraining (Shelbourne & Nitz, 1990). Once the athlete can deep squat correctly there is an opportunity to move on to technical power exercises such as the bulgarian squat, one leg squat, snatch and clean and jerk.

The athlete showed poor core stability in the screening tests which is a crucial factor in football, core stability assists in power production, injury prevention, changing direction at speed and positive posture (Nesser, Huxel, Tincher & Okada, 2008). Basic exercises such as the plank have been chosen as they are relatively simple to perform. Supermans, leg raises and hamstring leg raises increase proprioception and muscular strength in the leg. Supine hip raises will strengthen other core muscles so that no muscle has to be compensated for; which could lead to injury (Akuthota & Nadler, 2004). Flexibility exercises such as trunk rotations and extension in lying stretch the core as flexibility in the region may be minimal due to minimal previous activity (Hibbs, Thompson, French, Wrigley & Spears, 2008).

Training Frequency:

Due to the athlete being in-season, they are competing on a weekly basis. Dupont, Akakpo & Berthoin (2004) tactical and skills training are the most important attributors to improving performance and occupy a lot of the athletes programme. The exercise programme does not cause the athlete to become over-trained; athletes in competition should partake in 1-2 days of resistance training a week (Baechle & Earle, 2008). Therefore the athlete will only take part in 2 days of resistance exercise a week which will be aimed at maintaining muscular strength, core strength and pre-hab exercises to help reduce the likelihood of an injury occuring (Baker, 1998). Rest periods between the resistance exercise days allows for the muscle fibres to repair (Hoffman & Kang, 2003). When in the off-season the athlete's training regime will be intensified up to 4-7 days per week and the sessions will be aimed at increasing muscle hypertrophy (Moore, Hickey & Reiser, 2005).

Exercise Order:

Core exercises and multi-joint exercises will be performed first as they will usually have a primary muscle interaction with a secondary muscle involvement (i.e. Bench press = Primary muscle – Pectorals, Secondary muscle – Tricep Brachii). This leads to the secondary muscles becoming fatigued during these exercises, so assistance exercise are participated in secondly. If they were participated in first then optimal performance on core exercises would not be achieved (Myer & Wall, 2006).

Training Load and Repetitions:

Core exercises will be performed at 85% of 1RM which is the most effective ratio to increase muscular strength (Poliquin, 1988). Assistance exercises will be performed at 70% of 1RM to effectively increase strength (Ronnestad, Kvamme, Sunde & Raastad, 2008). In the off season repetitions and sets can be increased to cause muscle hypertrophy (Dupont, Akakpo & Berthoin, 2004).

Volume:

Training volume is decreased the longer the season goes on to prevent fatigue and overtraining which will decrease performance (Dupont, Akakpo & Berthoin, 2004). Training volume is also decreased in 'rest' weeks prior to monitoring and evaluation as the athlete needs to be fresh to give true testing results (Viru & Viru, 2001). Training intensity and quality will increase physiological adaptions the most compared to volume which is therefore reduced (Pollock, Graves, Bamman & Leggett. 1993).

Rest and unloading weeks:

Rest and unloading periods will be every 5 weeks to allow for recovery and a reduction in volume by 40-60% (Neary, Martin & Quinney, 2003). This also allows for greater physiological adaptations as these adaptions occur at greater rates during the rest week, the body is allowed time to synthesise new proteins and respond to the strain placed on it from the training load (Drust, Reilly & Cable, 2000). Stone, Keith, Kearney, Fleck & Wilson, et al. (1991) the rest week helps to prevent overtraining, this is achieved by breaking up the training programme and stopping it becoming monotonous and tedious (Bosquet, Montpetit, Arvisais & Mujika, 2007). Overtraining and fatigue will firstly lead to decreased performance and then results in burnout (Meeusen, Duclos, Gleeson, Rietjens & Steinacker, et al, 2006)

Periodisation and peaking:

The training programmes will lasts 12 weeks each with evaluation testing at the end of each 12 week period and reporting every 6 weeks (Das & Banerjee, 1992). This 12 week period has been proven long enough to allow for physiological gains (Viru, 1995). The rest period before each testing set ensures the athlete completes testing without being fatigued giving true values to analyse (Viru & Viru, 2001). The aim is for the athlete to peak every 6 weeks, allowing for progression and tapering before evaluation (Bosquet, Montpetit, Arvisais & Mujika, 2007). Peaking is planned to last for longer in the latter stages of the season, providing increased performance in crucial matches. Volume is reduced to allow for longer peaks in performance due to extra recovery preventing fatigue (Das & Banerjee, 1992). Reporting will occur every 6 weeks with in-depth reports after screening and evaluations. Reports during and after the programmes make sure the athlete is improving and informs coaches, managers and player about any adaptations that have occurred (Massey, Schwind, Andrews & Maneval, 2009).