SUMMER CONDITIONING FOR FOOTBALL.

Building the Foundation

Football coaches know that the foundation for the off-season strength and conditioning program is constructed in the winter and spring.

At Michigan State, we begin a three-day-a-week strength-training program in early January and complement it with speed training (refer to the February issue) twice per week on non-lifting days.

This format continues until the week after the signing of the national letters of intent in early February. We then begin a four-day-a-week running program, consisting of two speed training days and two agility days.

Spring football commences in mid-March with 15 practices over a four-week period, during which the players are required to schedule two lifts per week.

Upon completion of final exams in early May, the players are given a two-week respite before beginning the most critical phase of the training calendar, the summer program.

Metabolic Conditioning

Let's say your team is involved in a 12-play drive at 3-6 seconds per play, with approximately 30 seconds between plays. Very obviously, you're going to need a high level of conditioning to perform at an optimum level for this drive -- and for every drive that will follow.

Since at the high-school level, many players are required to go both ways and participate on special teams, it is not uncommon for some kids to be involved in over 50 plays during a game. At the college level, a player may have to go as high as 90 plays.

Conclusion: You must gear your summer conditioning program to the energy systems that will enable your players to be at their best late in every game.

The summer program should rely primarily on the high-intensity, short duration work intervals (with limited relief periods) within the anaerobic energy system.

Coaches must have a basic understanding of the physiology of the energy system and how it is manipulated in training. It is made up of two sub-systems: the ATPPC (adenosine triphosphate-phosphocreatine) system and the LA (lactic acid) system.

The essential energy for explosive football movements is derived from the ATP-PC system. Unfortunately, the total muscular stores of ATP and PC are small, limiting the obtainable energy. The rapid availability of this energy thus becomes the hub of this system's usefulness.

The ATP-PC system's ability to produce high-intensity efforts up to around 30 seconds in duration make it the predominate energy source of the system.

As the duration of effort exceeds 30 seconds and continues up to 90 seconds, the LA system assumes the role of energy production. The carbohydrate (glucose) breakdown will supply the needed energy to this system.

The O2 (aerobic) system governs runs over three minutes and plays a minimal role early in the training sequence for improving (1) the body's ability to utilize oxygen, (2) removing waste products, and (3) preparing soft tissues for the more intense training which follows.

When carbohydrate is only partially broken down, the end product will be lactic acid -- a metabolic waste produced by glucose metabolism. When the lactic acid accumulates to the point where the blood cannot carry it away quickly enough, fatigue may force the cessation of exercise.

We also use O2 runs (primarily 1,600 meters) in early May to determine target times for our intermediate runs, as we'll explain later.

From mid-May to mid-June, we perform 800 and 400-meter runs twice per week in interval fashion on either treadmills or the track. The relief: work ratio is usually 2:1; that is, the athlete receives a recovery period twice as long as it took him to complete the run.

This is an excellent time to coach the running mechanics described in the February issue -- especially when utilizing treadmills -- as we are able to stand next to the athletes and coach the speed vocabulary while they view their mechanics in the mirror out front.

Interval Training Principles

The most efficacious method for improving anaerobic capacity is interval training (IT). The combination of interval training and sound nutrition will improve the muscle's ability to store more ATP and glycogen for energy production. The post-exercise restoration of these energy compounds will also be more efficient.

As described in our (mid) May/June running program, interval training is a protocol that involves intermittent runs at various intensities with designated relief periods. All of our summer conditioning procedures are performed in interval fashion.

sIT is much like strength-training in that it has established guidelines for appropriate progression. Anaerobic capacity can be heightened significantly when the sets, reps, and relief periods are manipulated to procure a gradual overload.

The following guidelines represent the magnificent seven of interval training:

1. REPS -- the predetermined number of repetitions in the workout. Example: 8 x 400's.

2. Distance -- the distance of each rep (e.g., 400 meters in the above example).

3. Work Interval Time -- the assigned time for each rep.

4. Relief Interval -- the time allotted for recovery between reps. While it is important to allow sufficient relief for the next rep, it is important to maintain the intensity of the workout for metabolic adaptations. This can be accomplished by beginning the next rep when the heart rate drops 60-70% of the age-predicted heart rate maximum (220-age=APHRM). Though very effective, this method isn't always practical when training large groups of athletes -- unless all of your players are equipped with heart rate monitors. A timed relief (described below) is a much more easily administered technique.

5. Relief: Work Ratio -- the relief interval is determined by the time required for the work interval. As a general rule, the shorter the duration of the work interval -- and the higher the intensity -- the longer the relief:work ratio. Work intervals up to 30 seconds receive a 4:1 to 3:1 relief:work ratio.

Example: If the work interval is completed in 20 seconds, there will be either 80 or 60 seconds of relief before the start of the next work interval.

Work intervals greater than 30 seconds and up to 90 seconds receive a 3:1 to 2:1 relief:work ratio. Work intervals higher than 90 seconds receive a 2:1 or 1:1 relief:work ratio.

Note: You will find that the athletes need the longer relief period in the early stages of the conditioning process and, as their systems adapt, will be able to handle the shorter relief period.

6. Workout Distance -- the total distance of the workout. Work intervals in the 30-90 second time frame usually cover a total distance of 1.5 to 2 miles.

7. Workout Frequency -- the number of times the workouts are performed each week. The intensity of these workouts dictates their use twice per week initially and progress to no more than three times per week. This is especially true since the athletes are required to perform strength-training and agility work in conjunction with the interval running.

We assign individually based target times for the work intervals. Table 1 gives the formulas for the various work interval distances.

Agility Training

The multi-directional aspect of football requires the liberal use of agility drills. The best agility drills are those that are position-specific. Each position coach should formulate a battery of agility drills that integrate his preferred techniques and instruct the players to execute them utilizing interval principles. Whenever possible, the appropriate visual and verbal cues should also be evident.

Some of our favorite agility drills are shown in the diagrams. Players start Drills 1-3 in a 3-point stance and Diag. 4 in a 2-point stance.

1. Three-Cone Drill (Diag. 1) -- Place cones 5 yards apart in various directions. Sprint to Cone 2 and perform a right-hand touch on the yard line. Sprint back to Cone 1 and perform another right-hand touch on the yard line. After the second touch, sprint around the outside of Cone 2, inside Cone 3, and finish with a hard sprint around the outside of all three cones to the finish. Now a part of the NFL Combine testing, this is an excellent, short agility drill requiring precision and quick cuts.

2. Four-Cone Drill (Diag. 2) -- Place the cones 10 yards apart as shown. Sprint to Cone 2, shuffle to Cone 3, backpedal to Cone 4, and shuffle back to Cone 1.

3. Six-Cone Drill (Diag. 3) -- Place the cones 5 yards apart in all directions. Backpedal to the top of Cone 2, sprint to the bottom of Cone 3, and repeat the sequence until finished.

4. Figure 8 (Diag. 4) -- With the use of two large plastic hoops (approximately 10 feet in diameter), the players sprint around the perimeter in a figure 8 pattern. To gain momentum, the players should lean in to the hoops as they sprint.

Note: Where applicable, be sure to alternate the start of agility drills from right to left.

Final Rep

In Table 2, we've outlined a sample 7-week program that illustrates how you can organize your conditioning and agility activities for the summer. (Note: Keep in mind that a M-W-F lifting program is also in effect. Check the August and September 2000 issues.)

As you can see, we use the "funnel" approach in our conditioning; i.e., we start with the longer runs (LA-O2 system) and gradually progress to the shorter, higher intensity runs (ATP-PC system) as the summer progresses.

Determining Target Times

i800's -- take best 1,600-meter time and divide by 4. Multiply that quotient by 2 and add 8 seconds. Example: 1,600-meter time=6 minutes/4=90 seconds x 2=180+8=188 seconds (3 minutes, 8 seconds). The target time for each 800 is 3 minutes, 8 seconds.

i400's -- take best 1,600-meter time and divide by 4. Subtract 4 seconds from the quotient. In the above example, the athletes target time for each 400 is 86 seconds (90-4).

i20's, 40's, 50's, and 110's -- for each of these runs, allow the athlete a 5-yard "running start" and add 1-1.5 seconds to that time. Example: If the time in a running start 110 is 15 seconds, the target time for each 110 is 16-16.5 seconds.

Sample Seven-Week Summer Program

(Note: We will lift M-W-F every week)

* Week 1 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 4 x 800's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 3 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 2 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 2 x 800's (3 minute recovery after second run), 4 x 400's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 4 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 3 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 6 x 400's (3 minute recovery after last run), 4 x 200's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 5 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 4 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 4 x 200's (3 minute recovery after last run), 8 x 110's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 6 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 5 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 6 x 100's (3 minute recovery after last run), 6 x 50's (2 minute recovery after last run), 6 x 20's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 7 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 6 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 8 x 110's (3 minute recovery after last run), 8 x 50's, (2 minute recovery after last run), 8 x 20's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 8 agility drills, perform each one twice.

* Week 7 -- Tuesday/Thursday: 10 x 110's (3 minute recovery after last run, 10 x 50's (2 minute recovery after last run), 10 x 20's.

Monday/Friday: Choose 8 agility drills, perform each one twice.