Speed: the difference between Pro and Semi-Pro players
Research shows that soccer players spend more time walking and jogging in matches than in high-speed, high-intensity maneuvers, but it is recognized that these high-speed actions contribute significantly to match success.
Being able to accelerate quickly to get ahead or surpass an opponent is the key to gaining and maintaining possession of the ball, but what are the physical qualities to optimize your speed of acceleration?
Studies show that elite players cover distances between 9km and 14km in a 90-minute match, and that only 8-12% of the total distance includes high-speed or high-intensity action.
These bursts of speed or activity will occur every 70 seconds on average, and noticeable differences in sprint speed between elite and sub-elite players have been seen.
In the 5-meter linear (straight-line) sprints, elite players were found to be 0.03 seconds faster than sub-elite players and 0.12 seconds faster over 15 meters.
In a 40-meter sprint test incorporating pre-planned turns and direction changes, the difference between elite and sub-elite players was found to be 1.75 seconds.
Now you can see how small the gap between elite and semi-pro players really is in terms of speed – which is often considered the most valuable asset a player can have.
Despite their small gaps, such differences add up throughout the game, making them important to coaches and scouts in terms of their ability to influence play.
Understanding which physical qualities have the greatest influence on your linear and multidirectional acceleration rate will help you ensure that your workout is designed to optimize your performance in the field.
* Key point: you don’t know what you don’t know. The professional players of the best clubs have all the training designed around scientific principles. They don’t need to spend years finding out on their own, they are 100% focused on performance and trust the pros to show them what they need to do to keep improving. This is probably the way for them since the age of 10 . This is mainly why they are able to stay at this level and semi-professional players usually find it difficult to take the plunge. With each optimized session they complete, the gap between the semi-pro and the pros widens.
The latest football-specific research
A group of 26 professional footballers (all players from senior English Premier League teams throughout the 2015/2016 season), were chosen as subjects in a study to identify which commonly used football fitness assessments could provide a means to predict linear and multidirectional speed performance. .
The evaluations included:
IMTP tests (isometric mid-thigh pull)
CMY test (countermotion jump)
Multidirectional acceleration test
The following tests were performed in the same order by each player – CMY (two-legged then one-leg), DJ (two-legged then one-leg), IMTP, linear acceleration (20 meters in a straight line from a standing start with intermediate times of 5 and 10 meters), then multidirectional acceleration (pre-planned turns then reactive changes of direction).
IMTP or isometric mid-thigh pull:
Used as a measure of maximum strength, this test was performed with players standing on a portable strength platform positioned centrally on the floor under a power support bar.
Assuming a similar body position to performing the second pull of a power clean (knees bent, trunk flat and shoulders aligned with the bar), each player was instructed to pull as hard and as fast as possible. for about 5 seconds.
CMY jump or countermovement test:
Using a portable force platform, bilateral (two-legged) and unilateral (one-leg) CMJs were performed separately. Keeping the hands on the hips, players were to jump as high as possible after falling to an agreed countermove or pre-stretch depth by bending the knees.
DJs are commonly used to measure leg power and reactive strength. Using a 40cm plyometric box for bilateral jumps and a 20cm plyometric box for unilateral jumps, the RSI (Reactive Force Index) was measured on a portable force platform.
Players had to get off the box, land, then jump as high as possible before landing on the force platform. Arm swing was minimized by keeping the hands on the hips during the jump, and players were encouraged to minimize ground contact time and maximize the height of the jump.
Linear acceleration test:
From a hover start in a 2-point squat position, the players were timed a straight-line distance of 20 meters, with split times recorded at 5 and 10 meters. Each player was encouraged to run as fast as possible over the 20 meters aiming for a cone 2 meters beyond the finish line.
Multidirectional acceleration test:
A Y-shaped agility test was used to assess multidirectional acceleration. From a standing start, the players accelerated in a straight 7.5 meter sprint before cutting left or right to sprint an additional 7.5 meters to the finish line.
Planned turns, where players knew in advance which direction to run, were followed by responsive turns in which players had to respond to a light once the test was underway.
Findings of the evaluation
The peak power measurement recorded during the two-sided CMY test was found to be the only marker that could predict a player’s speed performance over distances of 5, 10, and 20 meters.
The maximum force measurement recorded in the IMTP test significantly predicted 20-meter sprint speed performance, but only in a straight line.
None of the benchmarks (IMTP, CMY, or DJ) predicted multi-directional speed performance.
The measurements recorded in the DJ test were found to be insignificant in terms of speed performance prediction.
Applying the results to your training
The results indicate that the CMY and IMTP tests provide the best way to predict your linear sprint speed, suggesting that improvements in these tests through proper training could lead to improvements in your acceleration speed in the field.
As it is known that there are differences in acceleration speed between elite and sub-elite football players, the results of the IMTP assessment suggest that the development of maximum strength could lead to potential improvements in your soccer performance.
However, none of the above evaluations (IMTP, CMJ, DJ) were found to be helpful in terms of predicting multidirectional sprint speeds.
Other studies have noted that while sprint speeds can be similar in elite and amateur athletes when direction changes are pre-planned, switching to reactive changes results in lower performance levels.
This suggests that cognitive rather than physical qualities may turn out to be better predictors of reactive change in steering speeds (and that more research is needed).
The results suggest that IMTP tests and CMY tests are the best predictors of acceleration speed in elite footballers.
Obviously, you may not have access to the equipment for these tests, but the important thing is to understand the training to be followed throughout your career in order to continue to progress in a straight line and in multidirectional speed.
The researchers’ conclusion was that training for maximum strength and lower body power has the potential to improve linear sprint performance and lead to better results in key tests used in professional clubs. such as IMTP and CMY tests.
However, the Multidirectional acceleration speed improvements can come down to cognitive rather than physical qualities.
We’re talking about the tiny differences between players who are already very conditioned … understanding details like this can set you apart from the rest of the pack.
