my soccer program... comments please..

Omyss, I think that 20-30sec is a little too short for rest pause between reps! The ratio should be 3-4, thus if you run 100m at 20sec, then the rest should be 60-80sec, and that is the time used to walk 50m easily…
BTW, this is the progression of tempo work for soccer Scott Vass done last year:
wk1
100+100+100
100+100+100
100+100+100
100+100+100
Total = 1200m

wk2
100+100+100
100+200+100
100+200+100
100+100+100
Total = 1400m

wk3
100+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+100+100
Total = 1600m

wk4
100+100+100
100+200+200+100
100+200+200+100
100+100+100
Total = 1800m

wk5
100+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+200+200+100
100+200+100+100
100+100+100
Total = 2200m

wk6 & 7
4 sets of (100+300+200)
Total = 2400m

wk8
5 sets of (200+300+100)
Total = 3000m

etc…

  • represent walking 50m, and between sets walk 100m
    Keep tempo same int (<75%) and DONT play with rest pauses, but increase volume over time during GPP, and during SPP reduce it to 2400m and keep it during whole season (you can actually reduce number of tempo session in week during comp phase to 1-2, but keep 2400m (or reduce it))
    When you calculate distance covered in tempo sum up walking + running parts, for example 5 sets of (200+300+100), 5x600+5x150+4x100 = 4150m.
    You can increase tempo to 5000m, but only if you can tolerate it and if doesnt affect your speed sessions (recovery). After entering SPP, reduce tempo volume, just to maintain aerobic capacity and not to develop it, use this phase t o develop something else…

the thing is if i do a 3-4 rest-run ratio for tempos i can do the workout at 75% fairly easily and i don’t feel like i’m getting that good of cardio workout (which is my goal for the tempos)… Also if i’m not mistaken Davan said in my other thread that if the rest are kept low enough and the volume high enough at 75% then the tempo could be used a cardio workout… and that inspired the 3x10x100m at 75 % with 20-30 secs rest in between…

Do you still think that say 30 secs is too short??

What is your time during 100 (75%)?
Too short pauses can cause bLA build up… Not sure if this happens with your method! 30sec with 60sec work cause bLA to rise (Astrand study), and again, I am not sure about your regime!
Cardio workout? What is that? Just kiddin’… what goals you consider with cardio workout?

Just improve the perforrmance… cardio workout will come itself! No need to pursuit it as a separate goal…
Your goal is to increase RSA (repeat sprint ability) with tempo which is used as a recovery ability in short sprints during a game… This is my opinion…

I use 30 sec btwn reps. 60 sec btwn sets.

Actually my goal has always been to work on cardio (ie tax the cardio system) with a tempo session… recovery is secondary.

Would it be ok to do a 3200m run like maybe once every 1-2weeks in place of a tempo session?? I know its continuous running, but its not for very long, so would it have any effect of my speed?

I ask this mainly because i want to try out for the university team next year and one of the conditioning tests is the “12minute run” where you have to run3200m in 12mins.

If you are doing high volume tempo regularly (3000m x 3 a week all reps well faster than 12 minute 3200m pace), I don’t see why that would be especially hard. If you must do it and you are having a hard time, then go for it.

well people have been advocating the use of higher volume tempos to develop cardio fitness, so i have removed all my other cardio forms and replaced them with 3000m volume tempos at 75%. Unfortuntely after about 2 months i retested my 3200m run and my time actually got a little worse… this kind of confirms the earlier doubts i had about tempos not being “intense enough” to develope cardio fitness…

So what do you guys think about this?