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Implementing High-Intensity
 (925)Aerobic Energy System
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Conditioning for Field Sports

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Introduction
Field sports are sports such as soccer, rugby union and rugby league, Australian Rules football
(AFL), Gaelic football and field hockey. They are characterized by a somewhat stop-start nature,
varying movement speeds, multiple changes of direction and the execution of decisions and
individual skills under conditions of game pressure and/or fatigue and in the case of some of those
sports, the threat of imminent collisions. The nature of the movements in these sports requires the
utilization, and therefore training, of all three energy systems (ATP-PC, Glycolitic/Lactic acid and
Aerobic systems). However despite the often stop-start nature of these sports, which heralds an
increase in anaerobic energy contributions (10), high-intensity aerobic power and conditioning can
be critical for success in field sports (4).

The purpose of this article is to detail a number of methods to develop high intensity aerobic
conditioning and describe the practical implementation and integration of these methods into the
Preparation Period training for field sport athletes.

Recent applied research in aerobic training for 5eld sports

Much research is now focused on Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS). Research shows that the amount
of time spent at or above the 100% Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) appears to be the critical factor
for improving aerobic power (5-15).

It has been determined that performing a number of short intervals at > 100% MAS was a more
effective method of building aerobic power than the more traditional Long Slow Distance (LSD)
training (14) (i.e. going for long road runs etc) or than attempting to train only one interval
continuously at 100% MAS (13).

Specifically, an intensity of 120% MAS was determined to be the best single speed for short
intervals that are followed by a short respite (passive rest) interval, based upon the fact that this
intensity allowed the greatest supra-maximal training impulse (intensity x volume), in comparison
to 90, 100, and 140% MAS (13). Especially intervals of 120% MAS for 15-30 seconds followed by an
equal respite interval of passive rest and continuing on for 5-10 minutes.

A Japanese researcher called Tabata (14) also found that athletes working at 170% VO2 Max (the %
MAS was not reported) for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds passive rest and continuing on this
manner for 4-minutes produced excellent changes in aerobic and anaerobic power, better than
performing LSD training sessions of 60-minutes at 70% MAS. However, the high intensity group
also improved 28% in anaerobic performance while the low intensity group was unchanged.
Accordingly, given the greater results and less time investment, it was considered that the high
intensity training was much more efficacious than LSD training. This type of training is typically
now known as the Tabata method.

The basis of all this recent research is that high intensity intervals of 15-30+ seconds, interspersed
with 10-30 seconds of either low intensity active recovery (eg. < 40-70% MAS) or passive rest,
continued in this manner for total set times of 4-10 minutes and repeated for 2 or more sets
greatly enhances aerobic power and capacity.

It didn’t matter much if it was 20 seconds work, 10 seconds recovery, 30:15, 15:15, the research has
kept pointing to the fact that training at or above 100% MAS was the key intensity parameter and
how long you spent there was the driving volume parameter under-pinning improvements in
aerobic power.

Consequently high-intensity interval training using intensities of 100% MAS to develop the ability to
sustain high intensity efforts or intervals at 120%+ MAS to develop higher levels of MAS or enhance
the ability to repeat high intensity efforts appear to be increasingly used in the training of field
sport athletes (e.g. 1-15). The practical implementation of a number of these methods will be
detailed below.

But what about the polarity of aerobic training? Isn’t that how the endurance athletes are
training?

While true aerobic endurance athletes (e.g. distance runners, cyclists, triathletes etc) talk about the
effectiveness of the polarity of training (using predominantly LSD < 85% MAS, with a portion, say
20%, of very high intensity training >92% MAS), it must be remembered that for field sport athletes,
practical observation has shown that most of the skill and tactical training undertaken are at LSD
type of speeds and heart rates. Thus, given that skill and tactical training with the sports coach is
the major form of training performed by field sport athletes for most of the season and this
training involves cardio-vascular stimulation at the lower end of the “polarity spectrum”, the role of
the strength and conditioning coach is to provide a high-intensity stimulus to improve aerobic
fitness.

I will give you an example. When I worked in professional rugby league, over the last few years all
the players wore GPS for every field training session and for games. We know that in games the
players, depending upon their position and role, cover about 100-110 m/minute. This is similar in
soccer but AFL football average about 125-145+ m/min because they are allowed over 100
substitutions per game, so they go hard and then get subbed off for a short respite before doing it
again.

But what distances do field sport athletes cover in skill/tactical sessions? Typically from my sport of
NRL rugby league it is about 55-65 m/min (this is lower than soccer and AFL training sessions but in
NRL the nature of the games are collisions etc). Typically performed skill and tactical training does
not improve fitness but in its way it provides the polar opposite to the high intensity aerobic
training I am about to discuss and it constitutes the vast majority of the training week for field
sport athletes. Therefore when a strength & conditioning coach has access to the players for
conditioning, they must utilize high-intensity methods, with relative velocities of 140-160+m/min
(this is inclusive of the rest periods, so for example 15-sec at 5 m/s followed by 15/sec rest x 2 =
150 m/min). This then is the polarity of their training for field sport athletes – mostly the skill and
tactical work is done at low intensity, so the specific conditioning must be done at high intensity.

Field testing of MAS – Measuring Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS)

There is some controversy about how to measure MAS for field sports (4). The MAS is
physiologically defined as the lowest speed at which VO2 maximum (VO2 max) has occurred. In a
laboratory this is measured with gas analysis while running on a treadmill, according to a number
of accepted routines. However, some athletes can still run slightly faster than the first speed at
which VO2 maximum has occurred without any change in VO2max ~ so there can be a slight
difference in speeds at which VO2 max is occurring (but physiologically, the lowest speed at which
VO2max occurred is the definition of MAS). This fact is one of the many confounding factors that
sometimes cloud the issue of measuring MAS in athletes for the purpose of diagnosis and training
prescription. Other simple ones include differences between treadmill running and running on a
sports field!

Nonetheless for field sports, MAS should be assessed during running based tests. Over the years a
number of simple running-based field based tests have been developed that correlate with MAS
measured via the treadmill/gas analysis method(s). Some field tests are continuous, some are
intermittent, some are linear running, some are shuttle-based running, some are incremental and
some are steady-paced.

The most common field tests of MAS include the Montreal Beep test, the Multistage Shuttle Beep
test, the YoYo IR1 test, time trials with set times (eg. 5-minutes or 6-minutes) or set distances that
take the athletes between 5- to 7-minutes to complete (eg. 1200-m, 1500m, 2000-m). Some of
these tests have been further modified, such as the Montreal test being altered to include 1-
minute stages, rather than 2-minute stages and so on.

The choice of tests and their merits sometimes cloud the issue of measuring MAS in athletes and
the pro’s and cons of each method is not the scope of this article.

In certain tests, the MAS is simply the speed attained in the final leg of the test eg. Montreal Beep
test or YoYo IR1 test. However if the Multistage Shuttle Beep test is used, then this equation:

(MAS=1.34*MSST final speed – 2.86)

must be used to correct for the fact that the constant decelerations involved with shuttling/change
of directions reduces the true MAS (8).

These tests give results expressed as km/hr, which will then need to be converted to m/s so that
training distances can be easily calculated. For example, Level 12 Multistage Beep, = 14 km/hr *
1.34 = 18.86, minus 2.86 then equals 15.9 km/hr or 4.4m/s.

For a set-time trial MAS test, for example, a 5-min time running trial, determining the average
speed is a simple process (eg. 1320 meters divided by 300 s = 4.4 m/s). The simple 5-minute time
trial has been shown to correlate very highly (r = 0.94) with MAS (7).

If using set distances, the time taken to complete the distance should be between 5- to 7-minutes.
For example, if an athlete ran 1400-m in 318-seconds, then the MAS would be 4.4 m/s.

So once MAS is determined, it is very easy then to prescribe training. An example of a simple 5-
minute field test for a theoretical soccer team with disparate MAS scores is outlined in Table 1.
Training prescription for the following methods will then be illustrated using these theoretical
scores.
 Table 1. Theoretical 5-minute time trial MAS test results for a group of soccer athletes. Th

e athletes are assigned into four groups, based up their test results and their MAS is then
used to the prescribe training that is described in the text, table and figures.

Group 5-min MAS Time Trial 100% MAS 120% MAS

1 1420-1460 m 4.8 m/s 5.75 m/s

2 1360-1400 m 4.6 m/s 5.5 m/s

3 1300-1340 m 4.4 m/s 5.3 m/s

4 1240-1280 m 4.2 m/s 5.1 m/s

Di@erent Methods of High-Intensity Training

Outlined below are a number of different methods that may be applicable to the training of high-
intensity aerobic training for field sport athletes. They are presented in the order that they should
be presented to the athletes.
Long Intervals

Long intervals (LI) of 60-seconds up to 5-minutes can provide a training impulse (volume x
intensity) base before progressing to training of higher intensity. They are best used in the early
Preparation period, because the underlying objective is to increase the volume of work performed
at high intensity (> 92 % MAS) and as such may not integrate well with other training such as skill
and tactical units. The lower the MAS score the athlete possesses, the more beneficial LI are as a
training stimulus. Consequently, elite field sport athletes may spend less time (or even no time)
performing LI as compared to developing or teenage athletes.

Typically these intervals would be completed at an intensity above critical speed (aka “anaerobic
threshold” or about 85% MAS). The longer the interval, the lower the intensity, so 3-minutes @ 90-
100% MAS may be a better upper limit of interval length. When performing multiple repetitions, it
is very difficult to maintain a time limit of 66% of the interval best (ie. If an athlete can hold 100%
MAS for 5-minutes in a one-off maximum effort test, they find it very difficult to perform multiple
repetitions of 3-minute intervals at 100% MAS).

For LI the work:recovery ratios are typically above 1:1 (eg. 3:2) or, at 1:1. If the ratios go much more
than 3:1, then typically for LI, the % MAS is reduced, to say <90%. As most LI are already just below
the desirable 100% MAS, this is not a preferred prescription.

So 4-6 repetitions of 3-minutes at 95% MAS with a 2-minute recovery (1.5:1) or 90-s at 100% MAS
with a 90-s recovery (1:1) are quite challenging prescriptions in the initial General Preparation
Phase.

There may need to be variation in the length of LI’s and the scope for reducing LI length and
slightly increasing % MAS clearly exists. For example, if LI were performed 3/wk, then one day may
be:

Day 1. (6 x 3-minute intervals at 92% MAS with 2-minute recoveries) x 2-sets,

Day 2. (5 x 2-minute intervals at 96% MAS with 2-minute recoveries) x 2-sets, and
Day 3. (4 x 90-seconds at 100% MAS with 90-second recoveries) x 2-sets, with 3-minute rests
between sets on all days.

Thus the total training time for these three LI sessions (excluding warm-up etc) would be 63-
minutes, 43-minutes and 27-minutes. In this scenario, the Day 1 session is of such magnitude and
effort that realistically no other meaningful training in other units (eg. skill and team tactics) may
be possible. However the Day 2 and 3 sessions, with reduced training impulse and duration, could
involve other units such as skills or tactics as well as speed technique drilling before the start of the
conditioning block. This is why this of type of training is really only recommended in the initial
weeks General Preparation phase (unless the volume is severely curtailed).
Maximal Aerobic “Grids” Method

The Maximum Aerobic Grids Method is also termed the 100% MAS:70% MAS Method. Based upon
French research, coaches have developed a system called (among other names) the Maximal
Aerobic Grids (aka “boxes” or “rectangles” method). This entailed training initially with short
intervals of 15-30 seconds at 100-110% MAS interspersed with 15-30 seconds of active recovery at
50-70% MAS, continuing on for 5-10 or more minutes.

For running training, implementing this method basically entails devising rectangular concentric
grids of various dimensions that equal ~15-s at 100% MAS along the long side of the rectangle and
15-s at 70% MAS along the short side (see Figure 1). The fastest group are on the outside grid or
running channel, with the slowest group along the inside grid. The coach can stand in the middle of
the rectangle, but if two staff are available, one would monitor the finish point of each long side of
the rectangle.

Figure 1. A schematic example of the Maximal Aerobic Grids method consisting of concentric rectangular
grids, with the long side at 100% MAS and the short side at 70% MAS for each running group. Each side
takes 15 seconds to complete, with the full rectangle taking 1-minute. The distances (Long, horizontal
sides: Short vertical sides) for four theoretical groups of footballers are Group 1 = 72m:50m, Group 2 =
69m:48m, Group 3 = 66m:46m, Group 4 = 63m:44m. Groups can start at different corners to allow for
better spacing and less congestion. Nonetheless all athletes hit a corner at the same time, every 15
seconds. A single conditioning coach can stand in the middle to ensure that the athletes make it to their
corners at the same time or with multiple coaches, a coach can be stationed on each corner.

It can be seen from Figure 1 that a theoretical Group 1 runs 72 m in 15-s along the long side of the
rectangle followed by 50 m along the short side and so forth. It takes 1 minute to complete one lap
of the rectangular grid and this is completed without pause for 5-minutes initially and can be done
for 2-4 sets with a 2-3 minute rest in between sets. The key point here is that each group has their
grid based upon their own MAS capabilities ~ however, despite differences in MAS capabilities
among large groups, each group should be at their respective corner of the rectangular grid each
15-s, which makes training compliance easy to monitor. The athletes are not allowed to speed up
during the 70% sides to get a head-start on the harder sides – this just makes the grid an anaerobic
threshold grid, something to avoid! This is enforced by making the athletes momentarily stop and
hold the start position on the start of each long side of the grid.

When performing this drill, it is more practical to build up to 6, then 8-minutes and repeating for 2-
4 sets (or build up to 10 minutes and performing 1-2 sets) rather than increasing the length of each
100% repetition to 30 s or more. It is difficult to do the running grids for 30s each side because you
can physically run out of room to make a rectangle (eg. 30 s x 4.6 m/s means the long, 100% MAS
side would have to be 138 m long, a distance which is hard to find on typical sporting fields).

Every 3-4 weeks it may be necessary to retest MAS or more simply to advance each group up to the
next grid (which would be about 102-105% of their original or previous MAS). For example, the
group that were running 63 m on their long 100% MAS side are sent up to the 66 m grid and so
forth. This method is now used by many professional footballers in Australia with excellent results.
120% 15:15 EuroBt Method

This method was developed by French researchers and has been validated with professional
soccer players during the pre-season (15), during the in-season (12), with younger school children
(5) and teenagers (6). It is very simple to use. Again, in its simplest form, every athletes 100% MAS is
determined and then increased by 20% (ie. 120% MAS). The athletes are lined up along a line and
then run to the marker cone that represents their 120% MAS distance in 15 seconds. They rest
there for 15 seconds and then run back to the start line. This process is repeated for 5-minutes
initially, building up to 8- or 10-minutes, with only 1-2 sets being performed. Intensity can be
increased up to 125 or 130% MAS after 3-4 weeks. Figure 2 provides a depiction of the simple set-
up. Again, this is easily coached ~ all athletes must get to their cone on the 15 second mark, wait 15
seconds and on the return, they all hit the start line at the same time, despite different distances
being covered.

Figure 2. A schematic example of the Supra-maximal aerobic Eurofit method. Each group runs to their
respective marker cones in 15 s, rests for 15 s, runs back to the line in 15 s, rests 15 s and repeats till the
end of the set, typically 6-10 minutes.

Tabata Method

The original Tabata method is quite exhausting (at 170% VO2 max, % MAS unknown) and is
typically only performed for one 4-minute set (14). As field athletes typically must compete for
longer time durations, the Tabata protocol has been modified by coaches to be performed at an
intensity of ~120% MAS. This allows the set duration to be increased up to 5-, 6- or even 8-minutes
and be performed for 2-5 sets, allowing for more time to be spent above the critical 100% MAS
intensity.

Figures 3 and 4 detail how this modified Tabata method can be implemented in a smaller area by
implementing turns. In this example, the Tabata method is performed as 20 seconds at 120% MAS,
done as 10 seconds out, 10 seconds to return, rest 10 seconds and repeat till 5- or more minutes
are completed (Figure 3). The turn that occurs in the run makes this speed quite difficult to
maintain and more sport specific for field sports. However it may be necessary to use a total
distance that is 19-seconds at 120% MAS ~ reduce the distance by the equivalent of 1-s to allow for
the deceleration and loss of running velocity involved in the turn. A further variation is to perform
the 20-s drill as 5-s out and back, repeated (Figure 4). Turns are thought to increase the anaerobic
energy contribution (10).
There may appear to be little difference between the Eurofit and Tabata methods, but the critical
difference is the Eurofit is based upon a 1:1 (15-s:15-s) work ratio, whereas the Tabata method
utilizes a 2:1 ratio (20s:10s). This apparently minor differential has a pronounced effect upon the
accumulation of fatigue when multiple repetitions or sets are performed.

Figure 3. The out & back Tabata, consisting of 10-s out and back at 120% MAS.

Figure 4. A schematic example of the Modified Out & Back x 2 Tabata protocol with more turns. The
athletes must run 5-s out and back twice to their respective marker cones in each repetition (20 seconds),
rest 10-seconds and then repeat till four or more minutes have elapsed. This method also stresses
anaerobic energy contributions.

Unpredictable Tabata (or 2:1)

Another variation of the Tabata method is to maintain the 2:1 work/rest ratio and > 120 MAS but
alter the length of the intervals to 8:4, 12:6, 16:8 etc.

One of the limitations of all the above conditioning methods is that there are predictable work
periods. Athletes quickly adapt to some sort of pacing strategy or know when they are about to
start their next effort.

With this second Tabata method the coach can set different coloured cones for each time/distance
interval for each group. Upon the “Go” command, the athletes start their effort but not till about 2-
seconds after the start are they given the command which will designate which cone they run to
and return from. They do not know until that point will they be running to the cone designating 6s
out and back, 8s out and back, 16s out and back and so on (see Figure 5). This strategy disrupts
running rhythm and recovery strategies, entails reaction to situational commands and causes
repeat high-intensity efforts to occur at less predictable times more than any of the other above
high-intensity methods.
Figure 5. A schematic example of the Modified Tabata protocol with variable interval lengths using only
GROUP 4 in this schematic demonstration (Group 4’s 120% MAS equals 5m/s). Any interval length can be
used, but a 2:1 ratio should be maintained. The athletes do not know which cone (Y= yellow cone, G =
green cone, R = red cone etc) to run to until after each repetition has started. Set lengths are typically 4-
minutes.

Periodization and progression of training across the Preparation Period

The training methods above have an inbuilt intensity progression as athletes work from < 100%
MAS in LI, to 100% MAS in the Grids method to 120 and 130% MAS in the EuroFit and Tabata
methods. The other variable for difficulty progression is the choice between the active recovery (at
< 40% in LI, to 60-70% MAS in the Grids method) versus the passive rest inherent in the EuroFit and
Tabata methods. Furthermore the Tabata method’s work:rest ratio of 2:1 may prove even more
difficult as compared to the 1:1 EuroFit method. The second Tabata method with variable interval
lengths may prove more even difficult for athletes but this may be due to reasons other than just
physiological reasons. Introducing turns in the Tabata, or any method, will also cause an increase
in difficulty as this increases the anaerobic contribution (10).

Training can be progressed via the systematic use of all of these different methods, starting with
the 3-minute LI’s and reducing LI length to 60-s, then the 100%:70% grids method, moving to the
EuroFit 120% MAS method and finishing with the Japanese Tabata methods within a training cycle.
Each method can be implemented for 1-3 weeks before progressing to the next method or a
weekly cycle can involve a number of methods (see Tables 1 and 2).

Within each 2-3 week mini-cycle, the typical volume progressions would also occur (5-minute sets
building up to 8- or even 10-minute sets and/or 2 sets building up to 3 or 4 sets). Consequently
when a progression to the new method occurs there is a marked decrease in volume, but an
increase in intensity ~ this week serves as a “volume un-load” week (see weeks 4 & 7 in Table 2).
Therefore as intensity initially increases with the introduction of the new method, volume is lowest,
but builds up over time before implementing the next intensity progression, again with a lower
volume.

Once an athlete has attained some training experience with these methods, weekly undulating
periodization is also possible with one aerobic training day emphasizing increasing the time spent
at ~100% MAS (and possibly also the time of each repetition spent at 100% MAS) via the grids
method and the other training day spent emphasizing the time spent well above 100% MAS (ie. The
Eurofit or Tabata methods) (See Table 2, Day 1 versus Day 3). This methodology is based around
the Supramax methods DEVELOPING new aerobic power and improving the ability to repeat high-
intensity efforts and the Maximal method, conditioning the body to SUSTAIN the current 100%
MAS for longer periods. This within-week alternation of methods allows the athlete to toggle
between milder active recovery (eg. 15 s @ 70% MAS or 90-s @ 40% MAS) and passive recovery (15-
s rest).

An example of these progressions appropriate to the General Preparation phase is depicted in

Table 2. If the GP phase is only 4-weeks long, then this might be modified such that LI, Grids,
EuroFit and then Tabata methods are the predominant (but not only) drill for each week.
 Table 2. An example of the progression and possible weekly variation of methods, approp
riate to the General Preparation Phase.

Day 1 – Volume Emphasis Day 2 – Mixed Emphasis Day 3 – Intensity Emphasis

Test MAS – 5min time trial

We LI – 2-min @ 93% MAS:2-min LI – 90-s @ 96% MAS:90-s @
LI – 3-min @ 90% MAS:2-min
ek @40% x 5-reps x 2-sets. 40% x 5-reps x 2-sets.
@40% x 4-reps x 2-sets.
1 Rest 3-mins between sets. Rest 2-mins between sets.
Rest 4-mins between sets.

We LI – 3-min @ 92% MAS:2-min LI – 90-s @ 98% MAS:90-s @ 4 Grids 100%:70% x 15:15 x

ek @40% x 5-reps x 2-sets. 0% x 5-reps x 2-sets. 5-mins x 4-sets.

2 Rest 4-mins between sets. Rest 2-mins between sets. Rest 3-mins between sets.

We LI – 3-min @ 94% MAS:2-min LI – 90-s @ 100% MAS:90-s @ Grids 102%:70% x 15:15 x 6-

ek @40% x 5-reps x 2-sets. 40% x 5-reps x 3-sets. mins x 3-sets.

3 Rest 4-mins between sets. Rest 2-mins between sets. Rest 3-mins between sets.

Retest MAS. Rest 5-mins, then

We : Grids 104%:70% x 15:15 EuroFit 120% MAS 15:15
ek LI – 60-s @ 100% MAS:60-s @4 x 6-mins x 3-sets. x 12-reps (6-mins) x 2-sets.

4 0% x 4-reps x 2-sets. Rest 3-mins between sets. Rest 3-mins between sets.
Rest 2-mins between sets.

Grids 104%:70% x 15:15

EuroFit x 1-set (7-mins)
We x 8-mins x 2-sets. Tabata x 120% MAS x 20:10
Grids x 1-set (7-mins)
ek EuroFit 120% MAS 15:15 x 10-reps x 3-sets.
LI – 60-s:60-s x 4 (8-mins)
5 x 14-reps (7-mins) x 2-sets. Rest 3-mins between sets.
Rest 3-mins between sets.
Rest 3-mins between sets.

Grids 105%:70% x 15:15 x 8-m Tabata x 120% MAS x 20:10 x Tabata 125% 20:10 x 10 x 1-
We ins x 2-sets. 8-reps x 2-sets set

ek EuroFit 125% MAS 15:15 EuroFit x 120% MAS x 20:20 x Unpredictable Tabata
6 x 16-reps (8-mins) x 2-sets. 8-reps x 2-sets 5- to 6-min set x 2-sets.
Rest 3-mins between sets. Rest 3-mins between sets. Rest 3-mins between sets.

EuroFit x 120% MAS x 20:20 x

Grids 103%:70% x 15:15 x 8-m
We
ins x 2-sets.
ek
EuroFit 125% MAS 15:15
7 8-reps
x 16-reps (8-mins) x 2-sets.
Tabata x 1 (5-mins)
8-reps
SSG x 1 (5-mins)
SSG x 1 (8-mins)
Unpredictable Tabata (5-min
EuroFit x 120% MAS x 20:20 x
s)
SSG x 1 (5-mins)
SSG x 1 (8-mins)
Rest 2-mins between sets.
Rest 2-mins between sets.

We
Tetest MAS
ek
End of General Preparation
8

Integrating high-intensity aerobic training with sports training and small-sided games (SSG)

The limitation of the above methods is that there is still some ‘predictability” about them. Field
sports often require intense efforts at unpredictable times and hence some researchers and
coaches have advocated small sided games as a better alternative to traditional conditioning due
to the “unpredictability” of games and the fact that games also develop sports skills and game
sense. However the overload delivered by games by themselves is also unpredictable and depends
upon the structure and rules of the games etc. I have data from that shows the athletes with the
highest MAS covered the most meters in each SSG and had the most winning outcomes, so how
would SSG improve those athletes with lower MAS scores?

My recommendation is that almost all athletes below the elite or professional level are better
suited to using traditional conditioning methods as described above to develop greater MAS and
fitness levels in the General Preparation phase, rather than relying on small sided games to
develop aerobic fitness.

So what role do SSG play? For the elite performer, with GPS technology to monitor running
workloads in real-time, plenty of assistant coaches watching, high motivation levels etc, SSG are
great. But athletes below that elite level?

My experience has shown that conditioning-oriented SSG become more effective after the GP
phase, once fitness levels have been established. Once a field sport athlete has attained an
adequate MAS and is in the Specific Preparation phase or Competitive Periods of the sport season,
then skill and tactical training must takes precedence. It is during the Specific Preparation phase
that the alternating of 4-8 minute sets of the above conditioning drills with 3-8 mins of small-sided
games is an effective conditioning/maintenance and sports skill development tool for field sport
athletes.

As mentioned earlier typically skills are coached in relatively low stress situations (low heart rate,
minimal fatigue, less than full speed or full-force opposition) which are fine for the initial skill
development and tactical learning situations – the polarity of training readily suitable for GP
training. But does this type of training enhance the skill or tactical sports performance of advanced
athletes or mimic the game situations?

I find it akin to a fighter only hitting the heavy bag or the trainer’s pads and expecting to fight well
in competition. Everyone looks good hitting the pads, but in real life competitive fighting situations,
getting punched in the face alters everything, so sparring must be done in training! And must be
done in a fatigued state on occasions.

So my recommendation is to utilize the above conditioning drills, conditioning-oriented SSG or

game-scenario simulation SSG and lower intensity skills together in the SP phase and In-season
periods. The authors’ experience is that the fatigue resulting from the performance of the above
conditioning drills allows the head skill/sports coach to see fatigue related breakdowns in 1)
individual skill technique, 2) decision-making or 3) inability to match the game speed, resulting in
the effective dismantling of the teams’ defensive or offensive structure/patterns/formation the
during ensuing skill- and small-sided games.

Typically these three types of “breakdown” occur in the most fatiguing parts of real competition
games but are not so well illuminated to the athlete or coach during “normal” lower intensity skill
or tactical training sessions which are practiced in less fatiguing or stressful situations. Thus the
head skill/sports coach can develop and implement intense small-sided games that challenge or
illustrate which of these types of breakdowns occur (and to which athletes) for different critical
game scenario situations.

So the S & C coach pre-fatigues the athletes so the coach can implement game situation simulation
drills or SSG’s to see if there are any of the three “break-downs” and to whom.

It has been the author’s experience that the following combination of a 6-minute supra-maximal
120% MAS drill (e.g. Tabta or EuroFit), followed by a 6-minute SSG and a 3-minute semi-passive
recovery (eg. stationary passing and catching of balls) without rest is very challenging to the
athlete’s fitness and individual skill levels. When this is again followed by another 5 to 8-minute
conditioning set and another SSG not only is the athlete’s aerobic and anaerobic conditioning and
skill levels challenged but it may also display the athlete’s ability to maintain appropriate decision
making and team structure during the second small sided game. An example of the Specific
Preparation phase integration of conditioning sets, SSG, skill and tactical training is displayed in
Table 3. In this training session, the goal would be for 30% of the total distance covered (excluding
warm-up) to be performed at a speed above 4 m/s.

Table 3. An example of the integration of high-intensity conditioning with small-sided ga

mes, skills and tactical training during the Specific Preparation Phase for field sports.
Time
Alloca Drill Objective

tion

Movement p
0-6 m
reparation d Prepare the body for training.
ins
rills.

Running tec
7-15 Reinforce running mechanics and increase the intensity of the latter warm-u
hnique drills
mins p period.
.

15-17 Drink break

mins & rest.

Skills & smal Breaking into smaller groups, familiarization with the skills, tactics and drills
17-27
l group tacti that are the focus of the session, in a non-fatigued state before the main po
mins
cs. rtion of the session.

27-30 Drink break

mins & rest.

Tabata 120
30-35
% MAS x 20: Induce fatigue and maintain MAS fitness levels.
mins
10 x 10.

Small-sided
35-42 Reinforce the skills and tactics that are the focus of the session in fatigued, c
conditioning
mins ompetitive situations.
game.

42-45 Stationary s Practice basic stationary skills (eg. passing, catching, kicking etc) proficiency i
mins kills. n a fatigued state.

45-48 Drink break

mins & rest.

Eurofit @12
48-55
0% x 15:15 x Induce fatigue and maintain MAS fitness levels.
mins
14.

Small-sided
55-62 Reinforce the skills and tactics that are the focus of the session in fatigued, c
conditioning
mins ompetitive situations.
game.

62-65 Stationary s Practice basic stationary skills (eg. passing, catching, kicking etc) proficiency i

mins kill. n a fatigued state.

65-68 Drink break

mins & rest.

Practice broader team tactics with attention to the skills and small group tac
68-83 Team tactica
tics reinforced earlier. Look for fatigue related break-downs in team structur
mins l training.
e of individual skill levels.

Warm-down
83-90
and de-brief
mins
.

General Preparation versus Specific Preparation and high-intensity conditioning

General Preparation versus Specific Preparation and high-intensity conditioning

By analysing Tables 2, it can clearly seen that the early General Preparation phase has more time
devoted to basic training of energy system fitness. In comparison, Table 3, which outlines a Specific
Preparation phase training session has only 1 x 5-minute set and 1 x 7-minute set specifically
devoted to the above conditioning drills out of a total of 90-minutes.

So the basic summary is, in the GP spend more time improving MAS and allied energy system
fitness with the above mentioned drills while the skill and tactical training is done at low intensity
to ensure good learning. As fitness improves across the weeks, the amount of time spent
performing conditioning decreases but the intensity of the conditioning drills and the skill/tactical
training increases. By the time of SP, only a short amount of time needs to be spent performing
specific high-intensity drills and they should be integrated with SSG and skill/tactical training.

Accordingly, in the SP or In-season, high-intensity aerobic conditioning drills can be seen as part of
an integrated and coherent sports performance enhancement program that aids in the
development or display of skills under challenging game simulation situations.

Conclusions
Experienced field sport athletes gain little in terms of enhancing their aerobic power from LSD
training such as road runs at < 80% MAS etc. Training at or above 100% MAS has been shown to be
more effective. The methods presented can be implemented in a progressive manner across a
General Preparation Period.

The LI’s and Grids maximal methods outlined are thought to best condition athletes to be able to
sustain high-intensity aerobic power for longer periods, which can occur with many field sports.
The two supra-maximal methods are believed to be best for developing new levels of high-intensity
aerobic power or to be able to repeat their high-intensity efforts.

Once an athlete is in the Specific Preparation Phase or In-season Period, total training duration
devoted to high-intensity conditioning can be quite short ~ (eg. 1-3 sets of 4-10-minutes duration)
and combined and integrated with small-sided games or skill and tactical training. This integration
of training is highly recommended for field sport athletes to develop skill and tactical nous under
fatigue and stressful situations akin to the real competitive environment.

Since you’re here…

…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week
we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are
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if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References
1. Baker, D. Recent trends in high-intensity aerobic training for field sports. Professional Strength &
Conditioning. 22 (Summer): 3-8. 2011.

2. Baker, D. Cross-training workout: using high-intensity energy system conditioning for injured
athletes. Professional Strength & Conditioning. 27 (Winter): 4-8. 2012.

3. Baker D. Non-running, high-intensity energy-system conditioning cross-training workouts for

injured athletes. Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning 21(4)5-13. 2013.

4. Baker, D. & N. Heaney. Some Normative Data for Maximal Aerobic Speed for Field Sport
Athletes: A Brief Review. Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning (in review).

5. Baquet, G, Berthoin S, Gerbeaux M and Van Praagh E. High-intensity aerobic training during a 10-
week one-hour physical education cycle: Effects on physical fitness of adolescents aged 11 to 16.
International Journal of Sports Medicne. 22:295–300. 2001.

6. Berthoin S, Manteca F, Gerbeaux M and Lensel-Corbeil G. Effect of a 12-week training program

on maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and running time to exhaustion at 100 percent of MAS for
students aged 14 to 17 years. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. 35:251–256. 1995.

7. Berthon, P., Fellmann, N. Bedu, M., Beaune, B., Dabonneville, M., Coudert , J., and A. Chamoux. A
7. Berthon, P., Fellmann, N. Bedu, M., Beaune, B., Dabonneville, M., Coudert , J., and A. Chamoux. A
5-min running field test as a measurement of maximal aerobic velocity. European journal of
Applied Physiology. 75: 233–238. 1997.

8. Berthoin S, Gerbeaux, M, Geurruin F, Lensel-Corbeil G and Vandendorpe F. Estimation of

maximal aerobic speed. Science & Sport 7(2), 85-91. 1992.

9. Billat, V and Koralsztein. JP. Significance of the velocity at O2max and time to exhaustion at this
velocity. Sports Medicine. 22:90–108. 1996.

10. Buchheit, M. The 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test: Accuracy for individualizing interval training of
young intermittent sport players. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 22(2):365-374. 2008.

11. Castagna, C., Barbero Á. and J. Carlos. Physiological demands of an intermittent Futsal-oriented
high-intensity test. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 24(9):2322-2329. 2010.

12. Dupont, G., K. Akakpo, and S. Berthoin. The effect of in-season, high-intensity interval training
in soccer players. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 18(3):584–589. 2004.

13. Dupont, G., N. Blondel, G. Lensel, and S. Berthoin. Critical velocity and time spent at a high level
of O2 for short intermittent runs at supramaximal velocities. Canadian Journal of Applied
Physiology. 27:103–115. 2002.

14. Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki, M, Hirai Y, Ogita, F, Miyachi M and Yamamoto K. Effects of
moderate-intensity endurance and high intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and
VO2 max. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 28:1327–1330. 1996.

15. Wong, P-L, Chaouachi, A, Chamari, K, Dellal, A, and Wisloff, U. Effect of preseason concurrent
muscular strength and high-intensity interval training in professional soccer players. Journal of
Strength & Conditioning Research. 24(3): 653-660. 2010.
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 Dan Baker
Brisbane Broncos Rugby league team
 strength and power training coach
since 1995 with title winners in 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2006. Former
champion powerlifter and powerlifting coach.
 Strength and Conditioning
Coach to elite national and international level athletes in rugby,
powerlifting, diving, soccer, track & field, netball, mixed martial arts. Level
3 Strength and Conditioning Coach and Master Coach of Strength and
Conditioning as recognized by the Australian Strength and Conditioning
Association. National President of the Australian Strength & Conditioning
Association (ASCA), a not-for-profit organization recognized by the
Australian Federal Government with the goal to educate and accredit
strength & conditioning coaches in Australia. Lecturer to all levels of ASCA
coaches, from Level 1 beginner Coaches through Level 3 Elite Athlete
Coaches. Educator of Strength & Conditioning Coaches making the science
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Comments

Rich Barkey

FEBRUARY 16, 2017 AT 7:10 AM (HTTPS://SIMPLIFASTER.COM/ARTICLES/IMPLEMENTING-

HIGH-INTENSITY-AEROBIC-ENERGY-SYSTEM-CONDITIONING-FIELD-SPORTS/#COMMENT-348)

great article

REPLY

Will

MARCH 28, 2017 AT 4:27 PM (HTTPS://SIMPLIFASTER.COM/ARTICLES/IMPLEMENTING-HIGH-

INTENSITY-AEROBIC-ENERGY-SYSTEM-CONDITIONING-FIELD-SPORTS/#COMMENT-349)

To whom it may concern:

I just finished reading the article and thought it was great and wanted to implement some forms of
this type of training for my on athletes at the university which I am a strength coach.

One of my main questions with the long intervals (LI) training, it never lists where the training
should be performed i.e., on a track, grass field.

Thank you to whoever answers my question.

REPLY

Barry

DECEMBER 31, 2017 AT 4:29 PM (HTTPS://SIMPLIFASTER.COM/ARTICLES/IMPLEMENTING-

HIGH-INTENSITY-AEROBIC-ENERGY-SYSTEM-CONDITIONING-FIELD-SPORTS/#COMMENT-350)
Really Insightful Article. Well presented, easy to understand with great graphics. The sample
 Really Insightful Article. Well presented, easy to understand with great graphics. The sample
programs are also really helpful.

REPLY

kelvin

DECEMBER 1, 2018 AT 7:16 AM (HTTPS://SIMPLIFASTER.COM/ARTICLES/IMPLEMENTING-

HIGH-INTENSITY-AEROBIC-ENERGY-SYSTEM-CONDITIONING-FIELD-SPORTS/#COMMENT-351)

TOP ARTICLE!!!!!!! WITH ALL THIS LOAD HOW CAN ONE INTERGRATE IT WITH STRENGTH TRAINING
WITHOUT INDUCING TOO MUCH STRESS THAT MAY RESULT IN INJURIES RELATED TO
OVERTRAINING?

REPLY

Kate Burns

MAY 1, 2020 AT 10:24 PM (HTTPS://SIMPLIFASTER.COM/ARTICLES/IMPLEMENTING-HIGH-

INTENSITY-AEROBIC-ENERGY-SYSTEM-CONDITIONING-FIELD-SPORTS/#COMMENT-40104)

Thank you for this informative, easy to follow article with specific examples of each type of training
using MAS, as well as when and how often to use them. I have found this extremely helpful and will
be sharing with my team. Thanks again, Kate

REPLY

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