Fundamentals

The following is from the Houston Texans Strength and Conditioning player manual. I have found it extremely informative.

Conditioning is the second of seven components making up your fitness profile. The energy used to play the game of football is provided by two predominant energy systems. They are the aerobic system and the anaerobic system.

The term aerobic means with oxygen and the term anaerobic means without oxygen. The aerobic system draws its energy from oxygen in the air you breathe. Aerobic exercise improves the ability of the cardio-respiratory system to transport oxygen (fuel) to the working muscles. Anding/Riley/Wright 18 The anaerobic system draws its energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and glycogen. Both are stored within the muscles.

The body uses the food you eat and converts it to ATP and glycogen. Your car engine uses gasoline. Your muscles use ATP and glycogen. The amount of ATP and glycogen your muscles can store is limited. Interval training, strength training, and proper diet, improves the muscle’s ability to store more ATP and glycogen. It also improves the efficiency of the anaerobic system to replenish these energy stores. The actual act of lifting a weight (I bench pressed 300 pounds) is meaningless to a football player.

The process of depleting ATP and glycogen from the muscles during the lifting process is the goal of a football player. This will allow the muscles to store more energy for a practical application (playing the game for four quarters). Gearing the strength program for heavy one max reps may be best suited for a competitive lifter. However, this training protocol isn’t designed to best prepare the energy systems used to play the game of football. The aerobic system is called the O2 System. The anaerobic system has two separate energy systems. They are called the ATP-PC System and the LA (lactic acid) System. The ATP-PC and the LA system have a limited supply of energy. For example, try sprinting up a 400-yard steep incline as fast as you can. You will fatigue rapidly and won’t make it very far. After running a short distance your legs will buckle, and you’ll be gasping for air. You’ve just exhausted most of the ATP and glycogen available.

Rest and your body immediately begins to replenish ATP and glycogen. Wait long enough and you can perform the same activity again. A properly organized interval running program will increase your muscles’ ability to store more energy. Interval training will also improve the muscles’ ability to recover more quickly. On a different day instead of sprinting up the hill as fast as you can, jog slowly all the way to the top. You can make it to the top because the exercise intensity is lower and the majority of the fuel is coming from the aerobic energy system (oxygen). Your ability to utilize oxygen can be increased with aerobic training. Below is a chart that illustrates approximately how long each system can provide this specific energy at high levels of intensity.

System Energy Available Distance ATP-PC 0 to 10 seconds 0 - 100 yards LA 11 to 60 seconds 100 - 400 yards O2 (aerobic) 12 minutes to unlimited 1 1/2 miles to ?

A specific running (exercise) regimen utilizing appropriate exercise time, intensity, and rest intervals is required to effectively develop each of these systems. Too often athletes pay little attention to appropriate exercise intensity and rest intervals. Specific guidelines have been established to ensure maximum benefits from your aerobic and anaerobic workouts. Anding/Riley/Wright 19 Our Texans conditioning program is organized to develop the appropriate energy systems used to play the game. Our emphasis early in the off-season is the aerobic system. We make the transition to the anaerobic system in March. The energy used to play the game of football comes primarily from the ATP-PC system and the LA system. For this reason our running intervals never exceed 60 seconds, and continue to decrease in length as the off-season progresses. There are literally hundreds of running programs that will adequately prepare you for the season. We have modified our program through the years to best meet your needs. AEROBIC EXERCISE The aerobic system is developed most effectively when the following criteria are met:

1. The activity is continuous and rhythmical in nature (running, jogging, rowing, life stepping, bicycling).

2. The activity involves larger muscle groups.

3. The activity is sustained for a minimum duration of 12 minutes.

4. The activity is performed at a level of intensity between 70% & 85% of your maximum heart rate. Heart rate is the key to aerobic training regardless of the activity you select. It can be running outside or on a treadmill, riding a bike, life stepping, rowing, or an aerobics class. If your heart rate is too low, little or no aerobic benefits will be obtained. If it’s too high a different energy system is used. Heart rate is determined by the intensity and pace of exercise, whether you are running, life stepping or biking. To derive benefits aerobically, you must elevate your heart rate between 70% and 85% of its capacity. We call this your “aerobic training zone.” To maximize your aerobic workouts you must know the range of your aerobic training zone. You will need the following information to calculate it:

• Age

• Maximum heart rate or predicted maximum heart rate

• 70% of your maximum heart rate

• 85% of your maximum heart rate How to Predict Your Maximum Heart Rate Your maximum heart rate (MHR) is the highest number of times your heart can beat per minute under the most stressful conditions. The only safe and accurate method to determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) is to take a graded stress test in a hospital or clinical setting. Instead of a graded stress test you can use one of several formulas to predict your maximum heart rate (PMHR). There are several formulas you can use to predict how fast your heart is capable of beating. Formula # 1: 220 – age (Dr. William Haskell & Dr. Samuel Fox 1970)

Example: 220 -25 = age 195 = Predicted maximum times heart will beat/minute. Anding/Riley/Wright 20 X .85 = level of exercise intensity = 85% 166 = number of beats per minute to maintain 85% of PMHR 220 -25 = age 195 X.70 = level of exercise intensity = 70% 136 = number of beats per minute to maintain 70% of PMHR

From the above formula we have calculated the aerobic training zone for a 25- year old Texan football player. While exercising aerobically his heart rate should be kept between a low of 136 beats per minute and no higher than 166 beats per minute. Better aerobic results will be obtained by keeping the heart rate closer to 166 beats per minute. Formula # 2: 208 - .7 times age (Dr. Douglas Seals 2001)

Example: Age = 25 25 = age 208 X .7 -17.5 = .7 x age 17.5 190.5 = Predicted maximum heart rate X .85 = 85% of PMHR 162 = # of beats/minute to maintain 85% of maximum heart rate Formula #3: Talk test. Example: Can you carry on a conversation while you walk/jog/run? • Walk = 1 mph to 5 mph (5 mph = 12 minute/mile pace). • Jog = 5 mph to 7.5 mph (7.5 mph = 8 minute mile pace). • Run = 7.5 mph to 10 mph (10 mph = 6 minute mile pace). • Sprint = 10 mph and above

INTERVAL TRAINING: The anaerobic system is most effectively developed when the following criteria are met:

1. The duration of exercise is from 1 - 60 seconds

2. The rest between each interval is adequate to allow the heart rate to drop and replenish the supply of ATP and glycogen A. When using time to recover: use 2 1/2 to 4 times the running time to rest between intervals B. When using recovery heart rate you must allow enough time for the heart rate to drop before running the next interval: a. age: 20 - 29 yrs. old = 150 heartbeats b. age: 30 - 39 yrs. old = 140 heartbeats

3. The exercise performed is intense enough to elevate the heart rate to 90% - 100% of your maximum Anding/Riley/Wright 21

Interval work is the most effective exercise to develop the anaerobic system. The exercise prescription for an interval workout must include the following: Time to complete interval. Rest between intervals. Number of reps performed.