INTERVAL TRAINING FOR CENTRE COURT PLAYERS

Now that it's off season, and the majority of my players are in the midst of their exams, I've now got a bit of time to put together training programmes and sessions ready for the pre-season starting in July.

The first of these programmes I'd like to share with you is a really simple interval training programme which is ideal for all players, but specifically hits the needs of centre court players.

Centre court players are having to do most of the running, and are required to be explosive, fast, and in the right place at the right time. In order to be effective and successful, they need to keep up a high level of intensity for an entire game.

Interval training mirrors exactly the type of energy, activity, and intensity required in the game of netball, whereby activities or exercises are completed over a long period of time, but the intensity of which they are completed can change. A simple example of this is completing a 15 minute run on the treadmill, but every two minutes increasing the intensity to a sprint for one minute, followed by a 30 second jog, before returning to a steady pace. This is repeated until the 15 minutes are up.

In any programme or session I do, working athletes constantly for 15 minutes is crucial due to the fact a quarter of a netball game lasts 15 minutes. If a player can not sustain a certain level of effort for that duration they will not be able to do their job on court effectively.

What follows are three basic practices, with 4 variations per practice. Mix and match the variations to make up an entire hour of interval training, working in 15 minute blocks- so 3 variations per block. These practices can be used to develop a whole array of things; i.e. change of direction, a change of pace, turning in the air, driving hard on to the ball; so please feel free to use these practices to achieve different objectives. But for the purpose of this, I have used these exercises because they are netball specific, but can be altered for interval training as well. As a coach, I love to kill two birds with one stone!

Exercise one: The Clock

Using 8 cones/spots set up a circle, with a centre point.

Option 1:
Body and hips are always facing the direction of travel. Working clockwise, start on a spot round the outside of the circle. Run into the middle, plant foot and turn quickly, getting head and hips round before driving to the next spot on the outside. Continue working round the circle in this way, driving in, then back out again. Foot work should be quick with small steps- no lunging to the spots!
Timings: Repetitions (reps): 30 seconds steady jog, 30 seconds fast run. Repeat this 4 more times making a total of 5 minutes work.

Option 2:
As above with this change to the timings:
Reps: 40 seconds work (sprinting!), 20 seconds rest. Repeat this 4 more times to total 5 minutes work.

Option 3:
This time the player should imagine a feeder is at the front of the circle, and should also keep their head and eyes up, facing forward. This should promote the use of backpedalling on the backwards drives. Player works her way round the circle as above.
Timings: 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds jog. Repeat 4 more times, therefore the player is working continuously for 5 minutes.

Option 4:
Again the player is imagining a feeder at the front of the circle, therefore their body is always open to the front of the circle. Head and eyes up at all times! Player works her way round the circle as above, adding a jump upon reaching the middle spot.
Timings: 40 seconds fast run/sprint, 20 seconds rest.
Repeat this 4 more times, totalling 5 minutes work.


Exercise two: The Box

Not quite The Cube but players will be challenged by this all the same!

 
 Using 4 spots or cones, set up a square as shown. The square should be a minimum of 3 metres.

For all of the options players complete the following pattern: start at the bottom left cone, driving straight up to the back left cone (movement 1). Turn and drive diagonally to the front right cone (movement 2). Turn and drive straight up to the back right cone (movement 3) before turning and completing the pattern by driving to the front left cone (movement 4). Turns should be quick with a strong push off from the outside foot. Head and hips turn quickly, use arms to drive.

Option 1:
Timings: reps: 40 seconds fast, 20 seconds rest. Repeat this 4 more times to make a total of 5 minutes.

Option 2:
Complete the pattern with diagional drives being sprints, and the straight drives being recovery runs.
Timings: reps 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest.

Option 3: 
Timings: reps 30 seconds sprints, 30 seconds jog. Repeat this 4 more times so that the player is working continuously for 5 minutes.  

Option 4:

As above with the diagional drives being recovery jogs, and the straight drives being sprints.

Timings: reps: 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest. Repeat this 4 more times to make up to 5 minutes.

Exercise three: Straight Line Drives

 Set up as shown using 4 spots 3 metres apart. For each option complete the following pattern: start at spot 1. Drive to spot 3. Turn quickly, drive back to cone 2. Turn quickly, drive to cone 4. Turn to drive back to cone 3. Turn, drive back to spot 4. Turn, drive back to spot 2. Turn, drive to spot 3. Turn, drive back to spot 1. Start pattern again. Essentially, you're driving forward two cones, back one.

Option 1:

Timings: Reps: 40 seconds sprints, 20 seconds rest. Repeat 4 times.

Option 2:

Completing the pattern with the long drives being sprints, and the short drives being recovery jogs.

Timings: Reps: 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest. Repeat 4 more times.

Option 3:

Complete the pattern, adding a jump and turn in the air upon reaching every cone.

Timings: Reps: 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest. Repeat 4 more times.

Option 4:

Complete the pattern, working continuously for five minutes.

Timings: Reps: 30 second sprints, 30 seconds jog.  

These exercises really do tick the boxes for developing fast feet, turning in the air, changing direction, a change of pace- as well as working at intervals- mirroring the nature of netball.

With any exercise, practice or drill, ensure the quality is right. Demand high quality and high intensity from the outset. If the players cannot train at a high intensity and with quality, how do they expect to perform like that in a game, when it really counts?!