Jamie Mackay 🚢

Intensity is probably the most important metric in your program.

It refers to the amount of resistance being lifted, aka the weight on the bar. Essentially the higher the intensity the more force is required for the lift and the stronger you will get. If the intensity is too low you, the stimulus will not be great enough and you will not adapt (get stronger).

Here are 3 different methods you can use to prescribe intensity.

Method 1 - % 1 Rep Max

The first method is percentage of 1 rep max (RM).

This is by far the most accurate method of using intensity in your program as it is based off the maximum you can lift. Loads between 60-90% 1RM are typically used. To maintain strength in season intensities of around 80% 1RM should be used.

The downside of this method is that it requires regular 1RM testing.

Method 2 - Repetition Max

The repetition max (RM) method allows load to be prescribed using a rep range.

This method allows you to adjust the intensity based on the goal of the session. It is typically understood that a 1-6RM range has the greatest effect on maximal strength and power, a 7-12RM range enhances muscle hypertrophy and 12+RMs improve muscular endurance. Using a RM range ensures you are not lifting to failure as you do not have a specific number of reps to hit at a certain intensity.

Load can be progressively increased as you get stronger to ensure you stay within a chosen RM range.

Method 3 - RPE

The third method is Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).

This is a subjective measure of intensity measured using a 1-10 range with and 10 being maximal intensity. This method allows you to individualise the load based on how you are feeling that specific day. It does however require you to pay close attention to your form, how the weights feel and how many reps you have in the tank.

The RPE method is the easiest method to use.

Speed is king especially in the modern game. Players are getting faster and faster with no signs of slowing down.

If you feel that your speed, or lack of it, is impacting your game or preventing you from getting to the next level then here are 3 components which you can improve!

1. Technique

I am going to guess that you've done very little work dedicated to speed technique. Technical drills allow you to explore the positions you find yourself in and the movement patterns you should be using in a controlled environment.

2. Force

Speed is ultimately dictated by how much force you can produce into the ground. By improving the maximum amount of force you can produce theoretically can improve your capacity to sprint faster. There is a caveat here however as force produced during sprinting occurs in less than 0.2 seconds. Therefore you need to be able to produced force quickly!

3. Practice

Sprinting is a skill and like any skill, it requires regular practice. You will be exposed to sprinting during football training and games however it is unlikely that these will be maximal due to the constraints and chaotic nature of the game. Therefore the addition of one to two speed sessions throughout the week where you can practice in a controlled environment will allow you to maximise your sprinting capability.

The short answer is yes, you and every other footballer should be lifting weights in-season.

Now that is out the way, I think the question we should be asking is "how should you lift weights in-season?"

I believe strength training sits somewhere on the scale of performance enhancement and injury prevention.

Sometimes sessions are going to be more geared towards performance enhancement, typically sessions that are furthest away from the game, when there is more time to recover. Other times they are going to be done more as an injury prevention stimulus, most likely during congested periods with lots of games.

When training for performance enhancement you are typically going to be working at a higher intensity for more reps and sets (volume). This is because to improve performance you need to provide the body with a stress that is great enough to actually drive an adaptation. This obviously comes at a cost as you need typically between 48-72 hours to recover from a strength stimulus (I'm sure you are aware of what DOMS feels like!).

On the other hand training for injury prevention is typically going to involve a micro-dose of strength work. The intensity can remain relatively high but you should drop the volume right down, 1 set might even be enough. Due to the lower volume the fatigue and recovery time associated with these micro-dose strength sessions is going to be much lower which make them a great option when there is only a few days between games.

It is worth noting that it's never either-or. All strength training is for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sometimes however, the focus is on one more than the other.

With the number of videos on instagram and tik-tok claiming 'do these exercises to get faster' then prescribing a load of very high intensity plyometrics I thought it would be wise to lay out the framework from which I view plyometrics.

The three levels I use when I think about plyometrics are:

Level 1: Extensive Plyos

Extensive plyos are submaximal continuous jumps. The goal when performing these is fluidity of movement, each jump should smoothly transition into the next.

Level 2: Intensive Plyos

Intensive plyos are maximal jumps performed individually. The goal here is pretty straight forward; jump as high or as far as you can.

Level 3: Shock Plyos

Shock plyos involve a sharp landing prior to a jump e.g. a drop jump or continuous hurdle jumps. The goal with these jumps is to minimize ground contact time and maximise jump height.

This framework follows a simple progression from low intensity to high intensity. By gradually progressing through each level you will not only improve your ability to jump through how you interact with the ground (specifically through the use of the stretch shortening cycle) but also reduce your risk of injury by increasing the capacity of your body to handle progressively higher forces.