The document discusses using metabolic power (MP) levels to analyze player performance in football matches and design targeted training. It presents 5 areas of increasing MP intensity and percentages of distance run by different player positions within each MP level. Video analysis is used to create individualized player models and ensure training replicates the MP distribution and intensities seen in actual games. Exercises are color-coded based on how they compare to a player's in-game MP levels to optimize training specificity.

1. For many years, but even still, athletic training has evolved thinking that the player was a
middle-distance runner or a marathon runner. Football is a not game of constant running
or metabolic power as was considered but a game where power varies and where
accelerations and sprints play a crucial role in players’ performances.
The concept of power is rarely used; it has been brought in football by Professor Di
Prampero.
The power is the product of speed by the function of the acceleration; in other words it’s
the summary that takes account of both parameters.
If we analise the sprints of Barcelona players during a match, we will conclude that
sprints are not that many, because their game focuses much more on acceleration
(calculated on 3/5 meters), as they usually play on short distances; they rarely touch the
19.44 km/h speed, which is the limit to indicate the sprint for distances of 15/20 meters.
Conversely, for a team that plays on counterattack, sprints will be many and just few
accelerations.
There are 5 areas of Metabolic Power:
1) MP1= 0-10 Watt/kg
2) MP2= 10-20 Watt/kg
3) MP3= 20-35 Watt/kg
4) MP4= 35-55 Watt/kg
5) MP5= >55 Watt/kg
-MPHI = MP3 + MP4 + MP5 is the work of High Intensity
-MP2 is equivalent to 16 km / h and is considered the aerobic limit.
Thanks to the video analysis we implemented a performance model for each player based
on his tactical position on the pitch.
In the following scheme I show some data with the percentage of distance run during the
first half of many Serie A teams (I report only a few parameters)
Ruolo Distanza Dist/rel Pmed
(mt) (mt/min) (W/kg) %MP1 %MP2 %Mp3 %MP4 %MP5 %MPHI
Dif centrale 5039,19 111,78 9,90 50,1 31,2 12,8 4 1,9 18,7
Dif esterno 5531,19 122,71 10,90 43,4 32,9 15,5 5,4 2,7 23,6
Centr Estermo 5857,12 129,93 11,58 41,3 33,3 17,3 5,8 2,3 25,4
Centr centrale 6020,45 133,55 11,80 36,9 38,3 17,1 5,8 1,9 24,8
Att centrale 5211,68 115,61 10,40 48,3 30,4 12,1 5,1 4,1 21,3

2. We are now able to target trainings, trying to respect the percentage of the values based
on the distance run and on the work with the ball (working on the rules, spaces, number
of players and time); this great job aims to create specific workouts that are optimal and
highly bespoke for each player.
Some examples of exercise:
Legend:
Green  similar to the game
Rose  higher than the game
Red  much higher than the game
Yellow  lower than the game
Orange  much lower than the game

3. From the table you can see how the first exercise is based on low intensity, while the
tactic is highly specific; athletic work is due to increase working on high intensity (MP4,
MP5).
This valuation method abandons the concept of heart beat and all kinds of tests that have
no relation with football; it also allows you to schedule specific jobs based on what the
athlete actually produces during the match.
Let’s stop making runs of x4 1000mts, which are not only have nothing to do with
football, but could also compromise players’ performance!
Simone Lucchesi