Training Load Parameters: Volume, Intensity, Specificity, Recovery and Density

Training Load Parameters: Volume, Intensity, Specificity, Recovery and Density

font size + –

To be able to make a balanced plan, we must know the parameters that make a session simpler or more complex.

Knowing this, it will be easier to put them in sequence in an efficient and logical way for maximum performance, to avoid training injuries.

The training load can be defined as a set of exercises, that stimulate the organism, causing an alteration to it.

To define a training load, it is necessary to answer the following questions:

How much? At what rate? How? How long is recovery? How often?

For example running 2 kilometres, is a training load. So is doing 2 sets of 3 repetitions lifting 30 kilograms on a quads bench at maximum speed, recovering five minutes between each set, performing 3 multi – hops and stretching the required muscles to finish.

Again I will try to summarize it and write it in the simplest way possible, even at the risk of leaving concepts in the way that would only be important if you are going be professionally dedicated to the sport.

This is one of the most important articles you should know if you want to successfully plan training sessions for your players.

In the case of football, these are training loads: Play Rondo's to keep the ball for 10 minutes, do 4 sets of 10 repetitions of passes with finishing, or have 6 on 6 implementation games.

Volume capacity Parameter: How much?

If we tell a player to perform a set of exercises, such as running, jumping, the first questions we will be: how much, how often should I do an exercise? How many reps? How many miles? For how long? This aspect quantifies the load. it's called VOLUME

Load Intensity Parameter: How? At what rate?

The following questions will be: at what rate, at what speed? Slow or fast? This factor is called INTENSITY and is the qualitative of the load.

Parameter Specificity: Relationship between football and complexity?

We may specify what more should be done during the year: driving the ball, attending to external stimuli (visual, auditory), performing gestures during the execution of the exercises. This value will be the SPECIFICITY of the load.

Load parameter: Recovery. When do you take a break?

Between exercises there will be recovery time. How long? What kind of recovery; active or passive? What do we do during recovery; another exercise, walking or stretching? This measure will be called RECOVERY.

Density Load Parameter: How long should the break last?

Finally, we can specify when we want the same exercise to be repeated after recovery time, making this period to be longer or shorter. How often do we go back to stimulate the body? We will call he result of dividing the repetition of the stimulus between recovery time it DENSITY of the stimulus. In turn, how many hours, days will pass until returning to stimulate the body with the same load.

In short, a training load will be perfectly defined with the volume parameters (4 sets of 6 reps of dribbling and shooting on goal) intensity (maximum speed of execution), specificity (driving through gates made with coloured cones, choose an area for finishing, the door where there is no opposition/defence), recovery (3 minutes between sets doing stretching) and density ((4X6) / 3 --> 4 sets of 6 repetitions with 3 minutes of rest).

I really hope you enjoyed this article that it is of assistance to you. If you liked it and if you know another coach or anyone else who might be interested in this topic please forward this article to that person's email, thanks.

If you want to ask me something, please do so.