Jimmy Petruzzi discusses Aerobic Training for Football
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Aerobic Training
Jimmy Petruzzi
Aerobic fitness increases the amount of oxygen that is delivered to your muscles, which allows them to work for longer. Any activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for an extended period of time will improve your aerobic fitness.
Aerobic training will increase the level at which fatigue takes place, and will make your heart and lungs more efficient for exercise. You will be able to run further and faster before getting tired.
One of the best ways to train for aerobic fitness is by playing small sided games. Many of the leading clubs in the world have and are adopting small sided games and activities with great success.
As well as the aerobic fitness benefits, small sided games will also give your players increased motivation and improve the tactical and technical aspects of games.
Aerobic training exercises
Aerobic training exercises should ideally last for 2 to 3 minutes with a rest ratio of 1:1 working at low intensity, or continuous low intensity work over a period of 20 minutes.
Low intensity dribbling circuit
Set up a low intensity circuit with the ball where the player dribbles with the ball through cones and performs turns with the ball for 20 minutes.
Running exercises
The following running exercises add variation and are useful for measuring the progress of the times and distances the players are able to achieve:
1 Over 3000 meters (2 miles) of running at 50-60 percent
2 12 minute continuous run around pitch
3 3 x 4 minute run around pitch with 3 minute rests in between
Alternatively you could play a small sided game like the 4 v 4 shown below, although if you wanted to specifically work on the aerobic system, it would be advisable to play at a low intensity since in small sided games it is likely that players will also perform a certain amount of anaerobic activity.
 | Author: | jimmy (jimmy's profile, jimmy's blog) |
 | Posted On: | Sunday, 14th June '09, 8:18am |
 | Tags: | Football, Physiology and Winning |
 | Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
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