This exercise programme is designed specifically for me as an individual. It is designed to improve my health and fitness and specific fitness levels for my sporting activity, which is Hockey. I currently play at District level for my local town. My main position is GoalKeeper but I also play in defence. The specific fitness levels that I would like to improve and concentrate on are muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, power and flexibility.
Fitness requirements
Muscular endurance is required for Hockey. Due to playing in defence and having to do alot of sprinting I often find that my muscles in my upper legs become fatigue towards the end of the match. This needs to be worked on and I will do this by carrying out weight training sessions as well as including specific stations in my circuit training. Aerobic capacity also links in with playing in defence. A lot of sprinting is involved including long distance and short distance. I seem to struggle more on my long distance sprinting; therefore I need to adapt my circuit to concentrate on this. I will also concentrate on my aerobic capacity during my training session with my Hockey team.
Flexibility is required with playing Goalkeeper and in defence. When playing in goal, being able to stretch for the ball with the legs and to reach high with the arms for the ball when flicked up is a necessity. When playing in defence, flexibility is mainly needed in the arms when reaching for the ball. The training methods that I am going to be using are Circuit Maximums, Gym sessions-weights, and team Hockey training. I have decided to use circuit maximums because it is challenging and highly competitive. I can also adapt the circuit and change the layout of the stations included.
I will be taking part in Gym sessions at the local Leisure Centre to help improve muscular endurance and power in the main muscle groups used in Hockey which are hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, biceps and triceps. I will be doing mainly weight training in the Gym but also concentration on my aerobic capacity by going on the treadmill. My training sessions with my Hockey team will mainly consist of skills training, however fitness training will also be included during the warm up and the cool down. In order to carry out this training programme correctly, I need to consider the four main principles of training which are: Specificity is where the training must be suitable and specific to the 4 main components of fitness that I have chosen to work on. This means that when I set up my circuit, I need specific stations that will concentrate on flexibility, aerobic capacity, power and muscular endurance. Also at the Gym, I need to choose exercises that will improve the power and endurance in my arms and legs.
Progression means that the overload of the training must be increased steadily. If the training is not increased then I will stay at the same level and improvement will not continue. While performing my circuit maximum, progression will occur week after week. Progression will occur in the Gym by working for longer on each exercise and increasing the number of repetitions performed. Reversibility is the opposite of progression. If you stop or decrease the training, you go into reverse and lose the effect. Also if you get injured during the training programme for example you pull a muscle in your leg, then this will prevent you from working on flexibility in the legs. This is an example of the effect of reversibility.
Overload means to make the body or certain body areas work harder in order to improve it. This could be by grouping leg exercises and arm exercises together during my circuit and gym sessions. Fitness can also be improved in the following ways: Frequency- this could be starting off with 2 training sessions per week but then this could be increased to 3 sessions per week. Intensity- this is simply working harder at the training method that you are using, for example working for longer in the gym. Time- this could refer to the length of each training session in the gym. You may start off with 40-50 mins each session, and then this could be increased to 60-70 minutes each session.
I have decided to carry out each of my three different training sessions once per week for nine weeks. I will perform my circuit maximum on a Monday after school, my Hockey training will be on a Wednesday evening and I shall go to the gym on a Friday afternoon which will be followed by a league Hockey match on Saturday afternoon. However, in order for me to be able to do this personal exercise programme on these days I have to be well motivated. If I am not very motivated and I do not put maximum effort into the training then there will be no improvement-taking place and the training programme will not be of any use.