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SELECT GROUP REFEREES' PRE-SEASON TRAINING PLAN 1

Part 1 of the recommended Pre-Season training plan

In total it is a 13-week period, which has been divided into 3 separate categories, each with a different aim:

Wb 12th May – Wb 2nd June: 4 weeks of Rest / Active Recovery Training • Either complete rest or non-training modes of activity; whichever you feel is best for you.

• However, I would recommend a minimum of 2-3 weeks of complete rest.

Aims • Psychologically ready to start pre-season training • Physiologically fully regenerated before the start of the pre-season training.

Wb 9th June – Wb 23rd June: 3 weeks of General Preparatory Training • Predominantly Medium intensity training with a structured re-introduction to running.

Aims • A structured reintroduction into regular physical training sessions • Development of aerobic fitness, which will provide sufficient fitness levels to cope with the increases in training intensity that follow during the specific preparation phase • Development of general strength that will help to reduce the incidence of injury and also enable the attainment of greater levels of strength and a transition into power training as the weeks progress.

Wb 30th June – Wb 4th August: 6 weeks of Specific Preparatory Training • A balance of High Intensity, Speed Endurance and Speed training. • Week 2 is the Fitness Camp.

 

Aims • An improved aerobic energy system able to cope with the demands of high intensity exercise along with the ability to recover rapidly during and after training sessions. • An appropriately developed anaerobic energy system able to tolerate fatigue, produce energy rapidly (speed) and frequently (speed endurance). • A good level of overall body strength and core stability that will help to reduce the incidence of injury and also enable the attainment of greater levels of strength and a transition into power training as the weeks progress.

 

TRAINING ADVICE: • Try to perform all runs on a forgiving surface such as grass • Do not underestimate the importance of your stretches during the warm down. Hold each stretch for 25 - 30”, repeating each stretch 3-4x per muscle group • Recent research on soccer players has demonstrated a strong relationship between pre-season range of motion (ROM) in the hip and knee (quadriceps) flexor muscles and incidence of muscle strain injury in these muscle groups. • Specifically, those players who injured the knee or hip flexor muscles during the season had a lower pre-season ROM when compared to the uninjured players. • Similar relationships have been reported for other lower limb muscle groups, i.e., hamstrings • Therefore, place particular emphasis on your stretching during pre-season training in order to minimise the potential risk of soft tissue injury • Try to perform at least one dedicated flexibility and conditioning per week. Most of the conditioning exercises can also be performed either at the end of your warm up or as part of your cool down

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