2) How will it be developed? 3) How does pre-season training
compare with the rest of the season’s
Some elite players who play netball in the Super
League have highlighted key areas that their coaches
training?
work on. These include netball specific skills with high
intensity practices. For example, “throwing a ball When planning pre –season it is important to be
against a wall and getting the next person in line to familiar with the term PERIODISATION. Periodisation is
catch it”. Speed endurance sessions are delivered the most important concept in training and when
during pre-season training. Some sport specific drills planning to train. The term originates from the word
will work on a work to rest ratio of 1:1. An example of ‘period’, which means a portion of time split into easy-
this would be 40 seconds work 40 seconds rest with to-manage segments called phases. There are three
and without a ball. “Main objective is to increase main sections to each phase and these are called the
speed and more importantly maintain it”. Other key macro cycle, meso cycle and micro cycle. The macro
training components would include cardiovascular, cycle is a period of considerable length aimed at
strength and agility. These key principles need to be achieving peak performance, culminating in competition.
established as netball players have to “become as fit The meso cycle is a subdivision of a macro cycle; the
and strong as possible before starting the technical duration of this is usually 2-6 weeks. Finally the micro
aspect”. cycle is a training period of approximately 7 days. They
contain detail regarding intensity, volume and sequence
of training sessions.
TASK: Would you use any of the fitness and
When analysing the meso – cycle of pre-season
agility drills listed on
training in netball the elite players normally start with
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uczcw11/drills/fitness.htm ?
“lots of strength and cardiovascular work at the
beginning, which will then move onto speed and
agility and then technical”. Furthermore, “The nearer to
TASK: See a netball off-season programme
the first match training is focused to tactics, game play
at
and therefore fitness reduces slightly”. Also, at the
http://welshnetball.co.uk/welsh_netball_associa
start of pre-season elite netball players undertake
tion/homefitness.htm
physiological testing. This usually includes bleep test,
jump, speed and agility tests.
Netball Weblinks:
www.englandnetball.co.uk, www.brunelhurricanes.co.uk, www.teambath.com/?page_id=89, www.lmu.ac.uk/carnegie/sport/9870.htm
“Pre-season training for netball will include the principle components
of strength, speed, power, anaerobic endurance and agility”
Sport IQ : September 2008 11
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