came up with a conditioning session.... how is it??

Other Sports Soccer
1

Well i got bored during the holidays so i came up with this conditioning session that would be placed on a “high cns” day ie on a weight training day…

warm up then do 5x10m sprints with 30 seconds rest between each…

then do some tempos (70-75%) in the following manner:

1 set of: run 50m rest 15 seconds, run 100m rest 25 seconds, run 150 rest 45 seconds, run 200m then rest for 90 seconds.

Now you sprint all out for 300m, and then walk for a minute and repeat the above tempo 2x.

Then go all out for 400m, walk for 90 seconds and then do tempo as follows:
65-70%: run 50m rest 15 secs, run 100 rest 25, run 150, walk 60 seconds… repeat

Then sprint all out for 400m

cool down

The session works on some speed though the 10m, 400 and 300m sprints… but also hits the cardio system hard since 400 and 300s at an all out pace can be very taxing… BUT it allows for full recovery with the tempo sessions in between the long sprint sets, so thus it is not really speed endurance…

What do you guys think?

2

There is little to no speed work except for possibly the 10m sprints (even that is questionable). You should be getting most of your cardio/aerobic work from tempo sessions.

I don’t personally see any redeeming qualities about this workout. You aren’t going to be working really any speed and it is much more intense I am going to guess than most people’s tempo sessions at least from a CNS perspective (esp. if you are really running all out on those 300’s and 400’s).

3

well the main goal for this session is cardiovascular condition without the negative effects of speed endurance, and with the added speed benefit as a secondary benefit… since it is relatively high cns i would treat it like any other speed session with tempos on the following day…

4

but there is no speed work and it is speed endurance work? I don’t understand what you are trying to get at with it.

5

i’m just trying to come up with a cardio conditioning session that is taxing enough to yeild benefits in vO2 max and endurance, without the proposed negative effects of speeed endurance… i know the session isn’t a speed session… i figured that since i’m doing 400 and 300m meter sprints i can get a good cardio workout, and with the long rests and tempos between sets i can make it so that it is not an SE workout…

6

300m and 400m are special endurance… I don’t know if you see that.

Tempo can be very challenging to the aerobic system if the rests are low enough (3 x 10 x 100m at 75% w/ push-ups and crunches as rest is definitely tough, as is a low intensity medball workout of 1000 throws w/ 2 minutes after 500 throws + hurdle mobility-hundreds of reps + core).

7

What are you training for (a certain event)? A sport? General fitness?

8

for soccer

9

for the session you described how long should the “rests” be during which you do push and situps as you describe…

10

It depends on your abilities. To begin, you could probably try 5 push-ups and 20 crunches (you will probably need some rest after this before your next run your first workout–you could eventually get to the point where you do the callisthenics then run). Other callisthenics, like burpees could be used–only your creativity limits you. If you don’t find this low intensity workout challenging physically and aerobically, I’d be very surprised.

11

davAN so what would be the mimimum amount of time i should wait (either rest or do calithenics) between each 100m rep?

Also you said i could do burpees, but i find that doing them often produces lactic acid which i though was not a good thing when doing tempos… could you clarify this a bit?

Also do you think my initial session could have any cardiovascular benfit at all? or should ijust ditch it?

12

Depends on your abilities. You have been confusing here as you are trying to go different from traditional tempo, which is demanding on the aerobic system if done properly, but you are still trying to get an aerobic effect. What were you doing for your tempo in the first place to warrant an intensive tempo session on top of your tempo already?

Also you said i could do burpees, but i find that doing them often produces lactic acid which i though was not a good thing when doing tempos… could you clarify this a bit?

Again, depends on your abilities. It is more strength endurance type work and may generate some lactic, but not as much as a special endurance run or intensive tempo for example, unless of course you are going to failure or something like that. It doesn’t have to be much, 4 or 5 could suffice.

Also do you think my initial session could have any cardiovascular benfit at all? or should ijust ditch it?

Every workout works the cardiovascular system somehow (almost every at least). It depends on your goals. If you are doing tempo 3x a week already w/ significant amounts of work (not just 10x100m and that’s it), I don’t see the need for you to add in an intensive tempo day on top of it all. Extensive tempo can be very challenging if the volumes are high enough and the rest is low enough. A lot of people t-bag the tempo work and don’t get much out of it other than an extended warm-up.

13

i know you said that it depends on my abilities but could you just give me a rough guideline as to how long the rests between the sets and reps of a 3x10x100m tempo session should be to ensure that they are “low enough” to get a good cardio benefit without experiencing the negative effects of lactic acid buildup? do you think that 3 sets of 10x100 at 75% with 20-30 second “rests” (done with calisthenics) between reps and about 1min rests (total or done with calisthenic?) betweem sets be ok?

To answer you question, my routine only has 2 tempo days, and 2 speed/agilty days… the speed days go on the same days as the weights… so i was thinking of adding the session i described to my third weights day for extra conditioning and take advantage of the fact that it is a “high cns” day to make the cardio session more intense:

Mon- weights/conditioning session described initially (separated by at atleast 4 hours)

Tues- tempo

wed-wieghts/sprints

Thurs-tempo

Fri-weights/sprints

sat/sun-off

… do you still think i should ditch the initial session and jsut add a third tempo day?

14

I still don’t understand what the point is? Doing another w/o “for extra conditioning” isn’t clear at all. Conditioning for what?

Frankly, unless you have to accustom your body to something it will have to endure, like a special ops guy or something, I think “conditioning” is an outmoded concept. It’s even more vague than “fitness”. Conditioned for what? Fitness for what? Do a w/o program that advances your goals. Putting in extra work that isn’t for a purpose will only sap your reserves for the purposeful work.

15

well i thought the extra intense cardio workout would help my vO2 max for soccer…

16

If your tempo isn’t challenging already, then start there.

17

Agreed w/ the above, plus how will extra work affect the other elements you need (quick accel, speed, etc.)?

18

ok i guess i’ll drop the session for now… but then what do you guys think i should i do on that day instead:

Mon -weights am
pm- ??? -----> should i just leave it empty, add a tempo workout, or another speed day??

Tues-tempo

Wed-weights am/
sprints/agiltiy pm

Thursday-tempo

Friday-weights am
speed/plyo pm

sat/sun off (or i could add another tempo day here depending on how i feel)

also here are my current tempo sessions that i alternate through… are these good conditioning tempo sessions?

Tempo 1 75%: 3 sets of 10x100m with 20-25 seconds of calisthenics in between in rep, and 1min total rest between sets

Tempo 2: (70-75%): 6 sets of (50+100+150+200 meters)
rest between sets of 1 mins
rest between reps will be 10 seconds for the 50, 20 seconds for the 100, 30 -40 seconds for the 150

Tempo 3:Tempo 2 (70-75%) - run 30, do burpees for 10 seconds, jumping jacks for 10 seconds, then run 30 again… repeat for 10 sets then rest for 1 min

Run 50, burpees for 10secs, split jumps for 10 secs, run 50… rest 10 secs, then repeat for 4 sets then rest for 1 min

run 100 m, walk 50m, repeat 10x then rest 1min

run 60m, walk 30m, repeat 10x

run 150 rest 25 seconds, then run 150 again

19

what do guys think of replacing my initial sessions with this farltek session?
ii)farltek session
Warm up with a steady jog for 10 minutes
Jog for 60 seconds
Run hard (3/4 pace) for 90 seconds
Jog for 45 seconds
Sprint for 10 seconds
Jog for 30 seconds
Run backwards for 30 seconds
Walk for 30 seconds
Run hard for 60 seconds
Repeat 3-4 times
Cool down at a steady pace for 10 minutes

20

I’ll answer the email that you sent me in depth when I get finished entertaining the family for the holidays - but for now, ask yourself the question 'Why is having a high VO2 max important for for a soccer player" and then ask yourself “Am I a distance runner/cross-country skier or a soccer player?” Ponder the differences between the sports until I can get back to you.

I know you are: (a) young (b) have unfortunately had the ‘endurance is important for soccer’ mantra pounded into your head by your coaches and © don’t have a good grasp of the science behind training and adaptation. Until then, try to look up as much about muscle fibre types and adaptation to training as you can - even the basics.

The people on this board have given you incredibly good information, and I will try to clarify it for you as soon as I get the chance.