Adapted slides from my presentation at the Special Olympics of BC Coaching Summit on April 25th, 2015. This presentation was aimed at educating their volunteer coaches on basic concepts around training program design and application.

1. Paper to Podium:
The Process of Training
Planning and Application
John Abreu, CSCS
April 25th, 2015
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

2. TODAY
1. Working Concepts
2. Year to Unit Planning
3. Peaking
4. Testing, Monitoring, and Evaluation
5. Injury Prevention and Management
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

3. WORKING CONCEPTS
• Volume: Amount of Work
• Intensity: Degree of Demand
• General Adaptation Syndrome (G.A.S.)
Derek M. Hansen (2014)
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

4. WORKING CONCEPTS
How does it all fit in? Your management of intensity
and volume ultimately determines the response of the
organism.
Derek M. Hansen (2014)
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

5. WORKING CONCEPTS
How does G.A.S. fit in? The summation
of the application of stress determines
the long term improvement.
Derek M. Hansen (2014)
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

6. WORKING CONCEPTS
How do I apply it?
Think back to high-school…
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

7. MACROCYCLE
• What is the goal? (Medal, development)
• Who is our athlete? (Strengths,
weaknesses)
Coach? (Philosophy, style)
• Where? (Facilities, training camps)
• When? (Landmarks, distribution of work)
• Why? (Assessment – Qualitative or
quantitative)
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

8. MACROCYCLE
Training lessons from
- Know where you’re going
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

9. SAMPLE MACROCYCLE
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

10. MACROCYCLE
Key Point #1:
Don’t lose sight of the main goal
when planning and applying your
program.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

11. MONTH (MESOCYCLE)
More susceptible to perturbations
• What – Focus of phase
• Where – Facilities
• Why, Who, When – Do you need to adapt from
the main plan? Incorporate other modalities?
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

12. MONTH (MESOCYCLE)
Key Point #2:
Be aware of the importance of
incorporating recovery and
regeneration into your planning.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

13. SAMPLE MONTH
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

14. WEEK (MICROCYCLE)
• What – Distribution of work
• Why, Who, When, Where – Much more
sensitive
• Deviations do not have as much of an
impact on the plan
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

15. WEEK (MICROCYCLE)
Key Point #3:
Be flexible – Don’t be afraid to
deviate from the plan when needed.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

16. SAMPLE MICROCYCLE
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

17. DAY (SESSION)
Organization of Session Elements
1. Warm-Up
2. Technical Emphasis
3. Speed/Power
4. Strength
5. Strength Endurance
6. Aerobic Emphasis
7. Recovery
8. Flexibility
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

18. DAY (SESSION)
Key Point #4:
Put your athletes in situations that
emphasize quality of execution over
total work.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

19. UNIT
Same Progression Principles
• General to Specific
• Simple to Complex
• Low to High Intensity
• Less to More Recovery
• Order may be reversed
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

20. SOCCER TRAINING DAY
WARM-UP
(Increasing
intensity)
• Jogging
• Static Flexibility
• Dynamic Flexibility
• Accelerations
• Partner Passing Drills
• Team Passing Drills
SESSION
(Technical work,
followed bydecreasing
intensity)
• Warm-Up
• Passing
• Defense/Offense Tactics
• Weightroom Session
– Plyometrics
– Weights
– Circuits
• Team Stretch
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

21. PEAKING
W.I.N. (What’s Important Now?) – Competition
over training
• I.D. Important competition(s)
• Same intensity, frequency (Situation?)
• Decrease volume 40-60%
• Taper 4-28 DAYS (10-14 in my experience)
• Recovery determines training
• Less to more recovery
*plenty of individual variability, must get to know
your athletes
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

22. PEAKING
KEY POINT #5:
Talk to, observe, and get to know
your athletes.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

23. MONITORING
• QUALITATIVE
– General movement
– Sport skills
• QUANTITATIVE
– Training intensity
– Training load
– Wellness Questionnaires
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

24. TESTING
• Guide by 5 W’s
• Too much structured testing?
• No testing for the sake of testing
• What are you doing with the data?
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

25. INJURY PREVENTION
• They happen – How do you minimize
chance?
• More does not always equal better
(excessive volume is a driver of injuries in
training)
• Use appropriate complexity and
progression
• Monitor your athletes
• Recognize that recovery is just as
important
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

26. INJURY PREVENTION
If it happens…
• What can you still do?
– Upper vs. Lower Body
– Recovery?
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

27. HOW?
• Rely on your 5 W’s
• Recognize that planning and
application is both an art and a science
• “Many roads lead to Rome”
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

28. HOW?
KEY POINT #6:
Don’t get hung up on exercises –
Focus on progress and desired
adaptation.
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca

29. THANK YOU!
j.abreu@live.ca
www.strengthpowerspeed.com
@realcoachjohn
2015-04-25
Paper to Podium - John Abreu -
j.abreu@live.ca