Because i want to get fitter generally the next couple of weeks.
Once i am reasonably fit, when i do my sprints, i will have a long recovery rest to ensure maximun SPEED development.
Is that ok, to do sprints, at 100% effort to get fitter [will have long rest latter for speed development but thats not the focus now] and do tempo the day after?
To get fit generally -I suppose you mean conditioned enough to increase your capacity- you should continue doing your tempo with abs/medicine ball etc.
To get faster you should provide all the right conditions for full development of your speed; I would start with around 95% intensity and recoveries long enough to prevent your from any lactate accumulation and with quality staying there from the start to the finish; as soon as the latter drops, stop the session. As you say, as you are getting more and more able to tax your system and achieve higher speeds, recoveries should be longer.
Your general pattern of speed/tempo is fine!
Hope it helps!
Good im glad the general pattern of speed/tempo is fine!!
Continue doing tempo with abs medicine ball? Does that just mean in between sets do stomach crunches or explosive medicine ball throws? My understanding of tempo from what i have gathered on this site is that there should be no lactate accumulation? So basically tempo shouldn’t feel too hard?
I don’t really understand what your saying about speedwork… My understanding of speedwork is that there should be a long rest between sprints, and quality should be maintained [if any fatigue end the session]. All sprints should be performed 100%. Is this correct for speedwork?
With my high intensity/speedwork days, i am keeping recovery short to improve general fitness [work capacity as you put it] and of course the tempo session. After four weeks the rest periods on my speed days will be long, for maximal speed development, and i will cut the speed sessions down to about 2 per week.
I should be getting the gpp dvd in the next day or two!! Thanks for your help, and hopefully in the near future you wont have to explain such elementary things to me!
Many thanks!
During running (10m), long jump, agility your propulsive force(s) are generated as a interaction of your legs on the ground so this is basicaly called close kinetic chain action.
During step over, as you call it, your leg is in the air (over the ball) and makes couple of movements (frequency of movements) so this is basicaly called open kinetic chain action.
Improving one type of kinetic chain will not improve other type (or the transfer will be small). So you have to introduce that kind of exercises that make you faster in that regime - open kinetic chain (for that kind of dribling you want). I supose carioca, skips, butt-kicks can be used (over a ladder but with more ephasis on frequency not the speed you finish the drill). Try skipping in place in front of a cone and make fast movement with leg over it, back and forth… try over the ball in place, over the ball moving, when you are moving backward, forward, side… Use your imagination!
Technique is a MUST! So you have to practice all the time but in a random manner (if you are advenced) - random practice (Schmidt, 2004; Motor learning and performance, great read, get it). On the other hand doing agility work (SAQ) will improve your starting, braking, cutting ability wich is a must in soccer!
If you want to improve speed (SAQ) be rested and motivated, that means you should do every rep and set completely recovered… For endurance do tempo (100-200m)! After you becamed fast, then and only then, shorten the rests! (You can see this rule in prnciples in the model I presented)
I hope I helped a bit!
Yes, I meant abs etc; all this low intensity work won’t affect your speed/high intensity days.
I understand your progression; if you are confused about the recovery I suggested, I meant that the latter should be long enough to prevent any lactate accumulation. And I specified this because you are planning to have relatively short recoveries to start with.
No problem!
duxx:
With stepover my foot isn’t that high of the ground. But with some forms of stepover, yes my foot is higher of the ground…
Are you basically saying as i progress increase rest time for my sprints? And as i become faster decrease rest time in tempo?
In your opinion would it be more beneficial to just keep practising the stepover movement instead of carrioca etc?
Nikoluski:
Ok cool, next week i will add core work and med ball work into my tempo sessions.
With regard to recovery on speed days, should i ensure maximal recovery? At the moment i am just having a walk back recovery… My thinking was to increase rest as my work capacity increases for optimal speed development. I was thinking having a shorter recovery would benefit me more at this period. Some lactate build up does occur but it is not major, and i do ensure quality remains at least 95%
Thanks very much duxx and Nikoluski for your time.
As you progres in your speed and endurance you should decrease your resting time… This is for soccer, not for sprinting!
You can also decrease rest time in tempo, but I think that this could induce more stress, so keep tempo normal… just (as you become more fit ) decrease the resting time between SAQ reps and sets…
Maybe both… but put more emphasis on the real thing - ball (step over) but try it in diferent variations (ball still, moving, forward, backward, side etc…)
BTW Dont try to imitate other players, build your own style… maybe you are better at other qualities (not just srtep-over)… Soccer is a complex sport and succes in him depends on lot of factors…
Really? I thought, for maximun speed development, rest periods should be quite long?
BTW im only building up a bit of endurance [work capacity] so i can train more, and longer, all round [skills etc]. My biggest goal is to get FAST. Fitness is only important to me, so i can get benfit out of my sprints and football technical training - better work capacity.
Having said this, wouldn’t it be better to have a longer recovery time with my sprinting a few weeks down the track to ensure maximun speed development [once i am reasonably fit]?
Yeah many players do stepovers so im not imitating this guy he just happens to be the best at them. Having magicaly fast and efficient stepovers [i work on other tricks too but they are dependent purely on skill so the only thing for them is practise] will do wonders for my confidence… Being able to do the fastest stepovers in the world would give me so much confidence… It seems impossible but i have to give it my best shot.
BTW im not questioning you, im just explaining my needs and wants clearly. Thanks so much for having the patience to help me i appreciate it so much.
Training Phase General preperation Goal Increased work capacity.
Session 1 – 10m sprint x 5 with 1 min rest between each one.
1 min rest.
20m sprint with walk back recovery x 5.
Session 2 – 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 20 sit-ups x 4.
Session 3 – Split squat 20kg – 10x3 with 3 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Military press – 20kg 10 x 2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest
Chin ups – bodyweight 10x2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest
Bench press – 25 kg 10 x 2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest
Bent over row – 15kg 10x2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
Session 4 – 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 20 sit-ups x 4.
Session 5 – 10m sprint x 5 with 1 min rest between each one.
3 min rest.
Dead lift – 30 kg 10 x 3 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Military press - 20kg 10 x 2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest
Chin ups - bodyweight 10x2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
Session 6 - 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 20 sit-ups x 4.
Next weeks conditioning plan, I hope its ok. Unfortunatly i haven’t been able to buy the DvD yet… 
But hopefully I will be able to get it soon.
Added in some general strength work, since i haven’t done any weights for a good month and i dont want to lose to much strength. Also it should help me maximise my speed development for next season I would imagine… Upped the tempo and sprints also, I think I should be able to cope with it. Depending on how sore/fatigued I am skillwork will be done each day for 90 mins possibly less.
I hope to continue a similar program to this for another 3-4 weeks getting slighlty harder each week.
Thanks, and i hope its ok! 
EDIT: So the GPP essentials is deffinatly the best one for my needs?
That looks like a good start. Removing the Lat pulldown from session 3 (as you are doing chins in the same session) and replacing it with some sort of horizontal rows would be good. I might want to change up the volume/intensity of the lifting a bit… (Especially with the deadlift, as i have never been able to rep out with them well).
Ok cool. I only have lat pulldown and barbell and dumbell [with a bench].
Is dumbell bent over row a good idea?
If I can cope with the Deads, is it ok? Thanks alot for replying.
Bent over rows are fine. Just make sure you keep good form.
Deadlifting like that is probably fine for GPP. I would change the variation every few weeks or so (Snatch grip etc.) to prevent stagnation. Eventually you want to lower the volume and work on strength.
Looks like you have a good weekly schedule, now comes the hard part, the long term plan. Cf’s books help a lot with this (not really trying to plug it, but it does help with this) also searching through some of the journals (not mine, as it includes some haphazardly shifted goals). Just don’t forget when looking at the journals to build the plan based on YOU, not someone else.
Thanks alot for the advice.
No problem.
Week 2 went well!!
Im now about to start week 3 of increased work capacity. I think i will continue building my work capacity for another 2-3 weeks.
I edited my first post with how my training ACTUALLY went. Main differences being 2000m of tempo instead of 3000m in my tempo sessions and 2 sets instead of 3 sets for my upper body weight.
Here is this weeks plan:
Session 1 – 10m sprint x 5 with 1 min rest between each one.
1 min rest.
30m sprint with walk back recovery x 5.
2 min rest.
Vertical jumps 10x3 with 1 min recoveries.
5 min rest.
Back Squat – 30kg 10x3 with 3 min recoveries.
2 min rest.
WG lat pull down – 30kg 10x3 with 2 min recoveries.
2 min rest.
BB incline bench press - 20kg 10x3 with 2 min recoveries.
Session 2 – 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 30 sit-ups x 4.
Session 3 – 10m sprint x 5 with 1 min rest between each one.
1 min rest.
Lateral jump over cone 10x2 with 1 min rest between each one.
5 min rest.
Split squat 20kg – 10x3 with 3 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Military press – 20kg 10x3 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Chin ups – bodyweight 10x3 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Session 4 – 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 30 sit-ups x 4.
Session 5 – 20m sprint x 5 with walk back recovery.
3 min rest.
Dead lift – 35 kg 10 x 3 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Close grip chin ups - bodyweight 10x2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
2 min rest.
Bench press – 25 kg 10 x 2 with 2 min recovery between sets.
Session 6 - 2000m tempo @ 60%. Run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m, walk 100m, run 100m 30 sit-ups x 4.
I basically increased my overall volume of sprints, added in a few basic plyos and changed my lifting a bit.
I kept tempo the same just with an extra 10 situps, as is helped me recover from the high intensity work the day before well, and helped rid me of soreness. It was perfect.
Hope this weeks plan is ok.
I have two questions on top of the previous:
BTW considering i have around 4 months before the season, how should I stagnate my conditioning [with SAQ, being the priority]?
I was thinking to keep the goal as increased work capacity for probably another 2-4 weeks depending how i progress, and then moving onto the primary goal being SAQ for around 8 weeks. Then closer to the season spending a short period on overall fitness say 2-4 weeks alternating some high intensity work with tempo. [ This will be enough fitness work for me as i seem to get fit just from my skills training…]
Im not sure if it would be beneficial to do another strength phase like max strength as part of the SAQ section… My only PROPER conditioning prior, to this increased work capacity goal, was an 8 week max strength phase about 6 weeks ago. [I did a limited amount of silly speed work between then and now]. I mean im not sure if it would be beneficial to make weights a priority during SAQ. My guess was no, and focus of sprint and agility work, with some plyos and a small amount of strength maintenance. Sorry for my stupidity, im sure my question will be answered once i have the gpp DvD.
Ie keep my tempo pattern the same it is now, but do the 100m 60% running with the ball? [Obviously during the walk i would just carry the ball]
Thanks SOOOO much if anyway bothers to read through that long post and respond with any advice!
Thanks. 
Week 3 went well. I have a sore hip flexor and my HR is up though. I think i will use the 3 weeks hard to 1 week easy, principle and have next week realtively easy.
I cannot buy the DvD for a while as it is to expensive, so i am unsure what i should do for my needs.
Here is my situation: I have november, december, january and february before the season starts.
I have done 3 weeks with my goals as increased work capacity. I plan to do another 1 week of that. Should i then switch to pure speed work [SAQ] for around 3 months? [three sessions per week or whatever is suitable]
I was thinking to do that, and then for the last 3-4 weeks before the season starts, do lactate threshold type training altenated with tempo [the same way i am doing high intenisity one day with sprints, weights etc and tempo and abs the next day 6 days per week.] to get my ability to recover after sprints in games to a good level. At the moment on my high intensity days i am ensuring quality remains 95% but it is still fatiguing. For the 3 months i will rest between sets until i am 100% recovered for maximun SAQ development. IE instead of squat 10x3 with 2 min rest I might do squat 5x5 with 4 min rest. [is that correct for speed development?] And for the last 3-4 weeks before the season, i will do shuttle sprints in the soft sand at the beach [pain!] for some HIT work. EG 30m shuttle sprints with 30 secs rest at 80%. Do the last lot to failure. I would alternate that with tempo just for a few weeks say 3 weeks and the 1 week before the season i will have no conditioing or just some tempo recovery.
My reasoning behind carrying the plan out that way, is i don’t want to get superfit 2 months before the season, and be stale by the time it starts. Also SAQ development is MUCH more important then fitness for me.
I haven’t even mentionted strength training because i assumed weights would be incluided with the SAQ… I mean i would do my SAQ work first such as sprint agilty drill and plyos, and then i would do weights. The main focus being lowerbody strength and upper body maintenance work.
BTW SAQ work for the 3 months, will include 1 week recovery periods from sprints, to ensure quality and prevent overtraining.
Also for the past 2 weeks of training i have done 2 sessions every day excpet sunday with COMPLETE rest.[1 session conditioning 1 session skill work]. I believe i have reached my training threshold and overtraining is starting to set in. But just to let you know, once this increased work capacity phase is over i will be doing skill work EVERY day for hours and hours [i now can monitor if i am overtraining so i know when to back off] And unless i am WAY off with my plan, SAQ work 2-3 session a week, with perhaps the odd tempo for recovery. [or to replace a SAQ session.]
I don’t have a plan for next week, as i will plan each day according to how i feel. I will take tommorrow of conditioning also, and then i will have a tempo session on tuesday. Then i will do some high intensity work, with more focus on upperbody weights then lower this week, and not to many sprints. But again, will do according to how i feel.
So a summary.
4 weeks increased work capacity.
3 months SAQ.
3-4 weeks lactate threshold.
So am I an idiot?
Thanks if anyone helps me.