How To Maintain & Improve Your Running Fitness During The Season (Hockey, Soccer, AFL)
Running performance is a critical part of many field sports, such as hockey, AFL and soccer. I’ve written about that previously here.
This article is in response to a request I received from some people at my hockey club (Modernians-OGM) about how to build and/or maintain running fitness during the season.
The request was, “Can we have a running program?”. We’ve built up running fitness in the pre-season and players are rightly concerned with maintaining it, and even getting fitter and faster.
Well, I could write a program, but then there’s a fair chance it wouldn’t suit most people. Different people are starting from different fitness levels. Some have years of running experience, others have less. It’s also common to need to make adjustments in the face of injuries.
All of these factors make a one size fits all program tricky to formulate. (But I have provided a bunch of ideas at the end of this article).
Most of all, different people have different amounts of time they can put in to developing their match-specific running prowess.
So, I thought it would be better to outline the principles for HOW you’d do it instead of writing a recipe.
If you want further help, please get in touch (tim@extensionfitness.com.au). I’m happy to help if I can.
THE BIG PICTURE FUNDAMENTALS OF BUILDING MATCH SPECIFIC RUNNING FITNESS
So, how do you do it? How do you get fast and stay fast as a hockey, soccer or AFL player?
Endurance
First of all, you need endurance. A level which matches the needs of your position. Endurance refers to your ability to keep going.
Getting back fast (and consistently) in defence; making prolific leads; tackling tenaciously for the whole match - all these reflect high endurance.
What’s more, players with superior staying power are able to concentrate better for longer. They preserve their decision making ability right to the end - and this can be critical.
So, how do you build endurance?
There are myriad ways to do this.
First of all, playing games will go a long way. If you want to get good at something, then do that thing. (This is the training principle of specificity).
But specific running training will help a great deal. Which is why high level players do specific running fitness.
The sort of running you need to do here is - you guessed it - endurance focussed.
How intense does it need to be?
This can be “easy running” (which is a bit of an oxymoron, really) aka “zone 2” or “long slow distance”. Or it could be more moderate - for example, at a psychological intensity you could sustain for 45 minutes.
(See here for an article on defining exercise intensities).
There should be a mixture of intensities used to develop endurance. Beginners should focus on the slower side to stimulate the development of purely aerobic / long-term energy systems, whereas more advanced runners can spend a greater amount of time at higher speeds, stimulating both aerobic, fat-burning metabolism and anaerobic, glycogen burning metabolism.
Practically, there are different ways to do this sort of training.
It could simply be going for a 5K run at a steady pace. Or it could be done on the field.
Here’s an example of a way to develop endurance which applies to hockey:
one full lap of the perimeter (jogging) then 1 “ladder” at a moderate pace/effort (baseline to 25 yard line and back, baseline to 50 yard line and back, baseline to 75 yard line and back, one full length then back) followed by 2 minutes rest. Repeat 5-10 times.
Importantly, endurance can be developed using some other mode - like an exercise bike. This is called cross training. More on this below.
Speed
Just like with endurance, you need speed to play your position well. Speed requirements vary based on the position, too.
How do you build speed?
Match play certainly contributes a lot but specific speed training is ideal - and essential for high level players.
There are also many ways to build your running speed. You can do it alone (50m sprints at a park) or do it on the field at training (sprint training with your whole squad).
Importantly, the specific training you need depends a lot on where you’re at now. But to give you some ideas, please scroll to the end of this article for some suggested workouts.
THE KEY CHALLENGES OF BUILDING RUNNING FITNESS DURING THE SEASON
Now, field based team sports are not running races. The premiership is not awarded to the team with the fastest runners. Speed and endurance are a means to an end.
What’s more, running training has to fit in around other (usually higher) priorities: games (of course), recovery time, skills training and so on.
This can make it hard to fit in running training which is not game play or scratch matches.
Also, players are often pretty beaten up after games. We don’t want to injure people by getting them to run hard on fatigued legs.
Then, enough recovery has to be factored into the week so players are fresh for their next match.
We have limited time, limited training windows (with fresh legs) and limited energy to be spent on running fitness. Also, many players don’t like running! Motivation can be limited, too.
How do we get around these?
Getting around limited time
Here are some strategies for individual players and teams.
Number 1: Incorporate speed and endurance training into practice where possible.
Players can be given a standard running routine to be completed prior to skills and tactical practice.
For example, it may be: 2K steady run then 5 x 100m at 800m race pace with 90s rest between reps.
Number 2: Commute to work.
A great way to build your endurance engine is riding your bike to work. You can even add little sprints in - utilising hills - to build up your leg speed and acclimatise your body to the demands of sprinting.
Number 3: Incorporate some non-running fitness work into any gym sessions.
If you’re already in the habit of lifting weights in the gym, you can utilise that time investment to conveniently build running fitness. You could possibly add on some easy treadmill running (which is softer on your body than running on pavement or grass) after your workout. Or some other way of cross training.
You can also build up sprinting fitness/speed in the gym if your gym has a weighted sled. Sled sprints are a good addition to your gym work, building leg strength and training your body to move fast (without the impact that actual sprinting can involve).
Getting around limited training windows (due to post match soreness and/or needing to have fresh legs for game day)
This is probably the major barrier for most players.
You may wonder, “where in the week can I schedule a running session without undermining recovery or leaving myself too tired for games?”.
This may be a familiar thought process:
On Sunday your smashed after your Saturday game. You have training on Tuesday night and want to feel fresh for that, which makes a Monday run out of the question. You don’t want to tax your legs too much on Friday before your Saturday game. So you’re left Wednesday and Thursday to get some running in. But you probably have Thursday training, too, so all you have to work with is Wednesday!!
Here are some solutions to that conundrum!
Number 1: Harden up!
Ask yourself, am I honestly too sore and tired? The answer may be “yes! for sure!” and don’t get me wrong, you definitely can overdo it and injure yourself. But it may also be that you’re being lazy. These things are figured out through trial and error. Knowing yourself is not easy, but it’s one of the things that separates successful players from the pack.
Number 2: For many players, easy running can be done on tired legs (and won’t undermine recovery or match freshness). This is especially true for younger and/or more advanced players.
Personally, I know that as a 46 year old social hockey player (and highly experienced recreational runner) I’m good to run easy the day after a hockey match. (Granted, my matches are not at the same intensity as younger, more serious players).
As of today, I run 5K in about 20:30 (4:08/K) and a half marathon in about 1:33:30 (4:26/K) and I’ve comfortably gone for 5-10K easy runs the day after hockey games.
The trick is to keep it easy. How do you do that?
Well, you can go by your breathing. If you can carry on a conversation (“talk but not sing”) that’s a good sign it is easy enough. Err on the side of caution, though.
You could also use your heart rate (if you have a smart watch which can show you that). As a general rule, if you took your average heart rate from a hard 5K (which your Garmin - or other - app should tell you) and then subtracted 25 beats, that should be the maximum you want your heart rate to be on your easy runs.
E.g. 5K average heart rate = 190 beats per minute, then try to stay under 165 beats per minute during your easy runs. If your heart rate creeps up, take a walk break.
Number 3: Use cross training
No doubt abut it; running is hard on your body. But we can still build fitness which transfers to running without actually running.
See here for ways to cross train to boost your running fitness at a lower fatigue cost and with reduced injury potential.
Number 4: Incorporate running fitness into team practice where possible
I think this one is the gold standard, ideal way for most serious (but not professional) players to progress their running fitness.
Running fitness (both speed and endurance) can be incorporated into team practice. The upsides are huge:
it is guaranteed to get done;
players will most probably have pretty fresh legs for practice so it makes sense to get the running done on the same day to limit impacts on recovery time (both after and prior to games);
Differing fitness levels can be accommodated in a squad of varied speed and endurance capabilities (by varying distances covered in a set time period)
There are downsides, however:
training takes longer;
it’s possible that whole-of-team practice sessions can have too many different priorities (so that nothing ends up being done well, or thoroughly)
Getting around limited motivation
It is tempting for people like me (who love running) to simply say “just do it” to those who express negativity about dedicating time and energy to running fitness.
But it is undoubtable that some people find it really, really tiresome to run alone. We are all wired differently and, in my opinion, the people that don’t love to run alone are often better players. They are wired for intense competition - for the contest - whereas the sort of temperament suited to distance running is more contemplative and less hungry for victory.
Here are some strategies that can be employed by people who need to get fitter but - frankly - dislike running training.
Train in a group (ideally, with your team as part of your scheduled practice sessions).
Train with a partner (joining forces with another person can provide a nice amount of accountability).
Utilise an online coach (purchasing a customised online program is a way to gain some expert support and accountability)
WHAT ABOUT AGILITY?
Agility is definitely an important part of performance in field sports which needs practice to be developed.
I won’t go too much into specific agility exercises and drills in this article but I’ll suggest some practical ways that dedicated agility training (in addition to skills practice) can be incorporated into individual and team training.
Ideas for incorporation into solo training:
Throw in some pogo hopping and plyometric lunges at the end of a steady training run.
Throw in some rapid direction changes (forwards to backwards, side to side, cutting on an angle) into steady runs - for example, on a sporting field near your home.
As part of your gym session, do some single leg bounding or lateral squat jumps.
As part of your warmup prior to a training run, do some fast feet.
Ideas for incorporation into team training:
Whole-of-squad endurance training can include some agility (for example, if players are completing a moderate intensity loop of the field, make them zig zag through cones during one length)
When transitioning from one skills activity to another, players can be made to do some agility drills on the spot (all together). For example:
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
Ok, we’ve talked about how to build match specific speed and endurance. We’ve discussed how to get around common obstacles. We’ve touched on agility.
Now let’s look at some practical examples for how this can fit in your life.
These case studies show how fitness (endurance & speed) can be included in a typical week for different types of players.
Example 1: Jill - a 22 year old uni student who plays high level, local hockey
Details about Jill:
Full time, demanding uni course
Jill works 1-2 shifts a week as a barista
She has a match most Saturdays and trains with her team on Tuesday and Thursday nights for 90 minutes
Long standing patellofemoral (kneecap) pain issue that flares up with too much running volume
Jill’s example schedule:
Game on Saturday
Rest on Sunday (plus assignments and barista shift)
Gym session Monday morning (including bike intervals: 30s HARD, 30s easy - 8 reps. 2 rounds of this) plus skills practice (solo) then uni
Practice Tuesday night (including - at the end of the session - laps around the perimeter at a moderate pace. 2 x 8 minutes with 2 minutes rest)
Barista shift plus walk 90 minutes total to & from work (and solo skills practice)
Practice Thursday night (including - at start of session after warmup - 8 x 50m sprints with a 25m “flying start” then walk back recovery)
Friday morning 30 minute treadmill run (easy/steady pace) or elliptical or stepper plus upper body and core strength weights session and solo skills practice
Example 2: Jim - 41 year old father, 2 young kids, full-time office job, semi-serious social soccer player (ex-state rep when younger)
Details about Jim:
full time sedentary work in the CBD
can commute to work (ride or run)
Match most Saturdays
Gets to training when possible (i.e. rarely) on a Wednesday night
Jim’s sample schedule
Saturday match
Sunday: odd jobs, plus something active with kids
Monday: commute to work by bike (30 mins each way) plus short, home based strength training when returns home
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: goes to training in the evening (tries his best to get there early or stay a bit later to do 15 minutes steady running around perimeter of field)
Thursday: uses gym at work to do some weights and 10 minutes on the bike (20s HARD, 40s easy - 10 rounds)
Friday: run/walk commute to and from work
SAMPLE WORKOUT PLANS (all of which are hockey specific to meets the needs of Mods-OGM players - but can be easily adapted to suit other sports)
Plan 1: Speed Session 1 (on hockey field)
Warmup
10 reps 50 yard sprint with 25 yard flying start
Each rep goes like this
Start at baseline
Build up speed until you hit the 25 yard
Sprint between 25 and 75 yard line
Jog to end of field (100 yards)
Walk or jog back recovery
Reps occur on 2:00 interval for a total time of 20 mins
Plan 2: Speed Session 2 (on any medium hill)
Warmup
8 reps of ~100m up moderate incline hill
Each rep goes like this
Start out quick but controlled.
Build pace if you can to a sprint (NB: if you’re unaccustomed to sprinting, exercise caution).
Maintain long, powerful strides. If you get tired, decrease step rate not length.
Jog back recovery.
Reps occur on 2:00 interval for a total of 16 minutes.
Note: hill sprints are an excellent way to develop and reinforce good running technique
Plan 3: Endurance session 1 (on hockey field)
“Fartlek intervals” (fartlek simply means alternating between hard and easy)
Run around the outside of one quarter of the field
30s hard (8/10 effort) then 30s easy jog - 10 reps
3 minutes rest then repeat
Plan 4: Endurance session 2 (on hockey field)
“Mixed intervals”
Run hard (8/10) to and from half way then run a full length of the pitch and back with a moderate effort (5-6/10).
Take 30-45s rest
Repeat 10-20 times depending on ability