The final piece of my periodization process is to get down to the daily session level, discussing with the technical staff the various details of the training session. The head coach and high-performance director tend to lead this step as we assess all the training variables and deliver the most optimal session for that day. For example, I will utilize the TUESDAY session outlined in my last blog, “The Technical & Tactical Document.”
Below, I will break down some of the most common variables to discuss, but keep in mind that in every setting, a team and staff will have different variables to consider.
- Session Overview: Confirming the overall outline of the day, total number of segments in the planned training, and total time based on the expected length of each drill and breaks in between. In this case, we have four total segments: a warm-up plus three training segments for a total of 60 minutes. Here, we are also locking in the team meeting timing, the low-minute players’ extra work, the team lift, and any other logistics affecting the staff and players.
- Session Focus and Loading: Finalizing physical targets for the day. In this case, we aim for a strength session – characterized by small to medium grids, greater player density within drills, and high but short bouts of intensity over smaller spaces. It is not necessary, but perhaps helpful, to set some loading targets to serve as a guide for each session. We may use total distance metrics if GPS is available, but if not, utilizing session RPE and total time can help us track and re-assess our session. In this case, we aim for an average team RPE of around 5/10.
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