Working Out with Football Players: A Reflection

Perhaps, football is one of the most common and played sports across the world, and it has
reached nearly all the countries on earth. The game gained its popularity from features, such as
skill and physical training, simplicity in terms of rules, and cost-effectiveness. However, the
dramatic nature of this game is that it demands the display of the skill and physical components
determined by the level of effort. In the coming fall, I plan to train 18-year-old football players
from the neighborhood that will be graduating from high school. In my training plan, the critical
components of training will include endurance, power, flexibility, and speed.

During the workout program, I will first focus on muscular strength and endurance training. The
focus on muscular strength training will be necessary for the players to develop the ability to
produce maximum force once, which is one repetition maximum. Also, I will employ muscular
endurance exercises by ensuring that the players have the potential to repeat or sustain
contractions over some time against a submaximal load XXX. In this regard, I intend to ensure
that the players benefit from the outcomes of resistance training. The gains that I will be
evaluated to ascertain the players' progression include, increase in ligament and tendon
strength, alteration of body composition, and improved self-image. In implementing the muscle
resistance and endurance exercise programs, I will consider the four R's (repetition, resistance,
rate, and rate) to produce optimal gain among the athletes.

What's more, one repetition will constitute a single, yet the complete range of motion (ROM)
from the starting point and to the middle and then return to the starting point. A series of
repetitions will be combined with a set of activities. However, during the resistance training, I
will consult the repetition continuum. Additionally, I will begin with the resistance that the
players will easily handle and complete with the desired number of repetitions. Given my
comprehension that an excellent resistance can result in injury or muscle soreness, I will wait
until the players master the movements or drills using lower resistances and allow them to
progress to heavier weights. The other components of resistance training will include the
tempo of movement (rate) and rest between sets.

Training the players on flexibility will add another layer of fitness by increasing the ability of
muscles and tendons surrounding the joins to stretch to optimal length. In view that limited
flexibility would lead to restricted movement, my training program for the 18 year-olds will
focus on this element to prevent postural problems and decrease the chances of getting an
injury. However, I will begin by evaluating the players to determine their levels of flexibility and
inform the prescription of appropriate activities. My plan to improve the flexibility of the
players is by using controlled force to lengthen the muscle and tendon tissues surrounding the
joint, and in the process increasing ROM and limiting muscular tension. Thus, the program will
include static and ballistic flexibility approaches. In addition to flexibility, the training program
will consist of training with various loads for the footballers to gain power while increasing
force and velocity capabilities. Equally, speed training will also increase sprint spread,
acceleration, and the overall pace of the players. Together, endurance and resistance training
will promote stamina and progression among the players.
An essential aspect of training the youthful players is by incorporating periodization based on
an organized approach to training that includes progressive cycling of numerous elements of
the program in a specific period. During the first seven days, I will implement the microcycle
segment. In the duration between 2-6 weeks, I will apply the mesocycle phase of training
depending on the objectives of the football game. More significantly, the macrocycle would
form the foundation of our resistance training programs because it would define the annual
plan that works towards peaking for the goal of football competition of the year. In the
microcycle, the preparation phase will be approximately 75% of the macrocycle, which I will
further break down into general and specific preparation.

The pre-competition phase, divided into macrocycle and microcycles, will depend on the
planned peak. It will focus on getting the players into optimum condition so that they are ready
for the main football events. At this point, my focus in training will be power, speed, strength,
endurance, and flexibility. Equally, I will maintain a moderate to a high volume of training while
aiming to increase the intensity. Meanwhile, the competitive phase will incorporate a series of
competitions, which will lead up to the major football tournament in the neighborhood. Here, I
will test the players on their level of performance, new gear, drills, and reducing anxiety before
the event. This phase will end with a taper and the competition. The variables that will
influence the training program include the volume of workload and exercise intensity, among
others.

In conclusion, I feel confident that my preparation for the various components of training and
periodization tactics will provide the best fitness levels and prepare the footballers for
competitive matches across the neighborhood. My intention to focus on a periodized training
approach and components of physical fitness, as well as the inclusion of principles of training
such as progression, adaptation, specificity, overload, and recovery, will constitute the best
program for the athletes.