Athlete description
The athlete is a 21-year-old male basketball player. The regularity of the current training is about 4 to 6 times per week. It is also important to note that, at present, consistent training is primarily related to basketball. On an almost daily basis, it includes shooting and dribbling training, as well as other exercises mainly intended to increase basketball playing skills.
Another important aspect is that the athlete also actively plays basketball regularly. The athlete is playing for the university and local basketball teams, alongside his regular training. The current training program does not involve any particular free weight training or training with weights. However, on the other hand, the athlete had the experience of weight training and weight lifting 1 year ago.
The athlete is fully healthy in all aspects. However, it is also important to note that he just had a long season of basketball, which was very demanding in terms of energy for playing. Hence, there should be a special consideration regarding exercise and rest balance in the process of planning the training program and schedules. On one hand, it is important to maintain some of the skills that the athlete has developed during the season.
However, on the other hand, the rhythm of the exercises should be less demanding for the athlete to have time to recover and regain energy after the season. For that reason, the intensity of training is no less important than the nature of the particular activities during 12 weeks of the plan, and it should be carefully considered and calculated. The training plan should incorporate the tensions and challenges of the process very gradually. Significantly, the athlete can adapt to the training program without either physical or psychological stress.
Another factor important for the athlete is that it would be effective generally for basketball playing to resume training activities with weights. Since he admits that his physical strength has slightly reduced over the last year, it would be beneficial to add some elements for increasing the athlete’s strength to the training plan. In such a way, it would be possible to achieve better results and a longer carrier position in basketball. It would also have positive effects on the athlete’s speed and would improve his overall performance when he is in the position of a guard during the play. Lastly, another priority is to enhance flexibility.
Thus, there are no specific medical considerations for the design of the program apart from the need to reduce additional psychical and psychological stress on the athlete after the active season. The major objectives, as well as training preferences of the athlete, should be focused on the overall improvement of aerobic fitness, strength, speed, and flexibility.
Details and analysis of the performance tests
In the process of preparation for developing a new 12-week training plan, it was important to take several performance tests. Athlete completed 5 different tests related to those components he wants to improve. The objective of taking the tests was to find the details about the current level of the current performance, as well as to estimate which aspects require the most careful consideration. The tests will also allow conducting further analysis of the results after finishing the training program.
The current results are to be compared with the results of the same tests that will be taken after 12 weeks of training. The following table represents the major results of the tests in flexibility, aerobic fitness, speed, and strength.
Figure 1. Results of the tests in flexibility, aerobic fitness, speed, and strength.
After the analysis, it is clear that such results suggest that although flexibility was not the first of the athlete’s priorities, it is important to pay special attention to it, considering that the results of the sit and reach test indicate performance rendered as below average. Despite flexibility not being the most widely recognized feature of the basketball players, there are still reasons to improve it.
Two tests (vertical jumps and push-ups) were used to define the athlete’s strengths. The result in vertical jumps was 32 cm while the athlete managed to perform 56 push-ups. Both results can be considered average. Given the fact that the athlete admits a slight decrease in strength over the last year because of giving up weight training, it is important to resume some exercises that would enhance the performance in terms of strength.
To test aerobic fitness, the beep test was used. The athlete showed the result of 8/3, which is rendered as fair performance. However, given the demand for endurance and aerobic fitness during the season of playing basketball, there is room for improving the current result during a 12-week training program. A 35-meter sprint was used as a test to measure the athlete’s speed. The result of 5.34 seconds is rendered as fair. Given the fact that, in many ways, it corresponds to the aerobic fitness and strength, a similar result was expected. The athlete, however, finds that some additional training in improving those components could also increase his performance in terms of speed.
Outline of a 12-week training program
One of the significant aspects of planning a training program is to divide the process into manageable periods with particular priorities for each of them (Baechle & Earle 2008). Thus, the macrocycle 12-week training plan should have 3 mesocycle (each 4 weeks long), divided into microcycles (one week long each). The detailed outline of the goals and key features of the program is in the following table.
Figure 2. Outline of training goals.
There is a strong assumption that flexibility in-game sports are often related to the rate of injuries. Given the fact that reducing the number of basketball-related injuries is one of the athlete’s objectives, it is important to prioritize some of the exercises for enhancing overall body flexibility at least during the first mesocycle of training, namely the first 4 weeks. However, it should not be disregarded in the process of further training as well.
The athlete’s results in terms of testing strength were at an average level. Thus, considering his experience in weight training, there are all the reasons to resume it. As for the periodization of the training activities included in the plan, due to average results, strength-related training will be prioritized during the second mesocycle, and it will constitute an important supplement to other exercises throughout the training program (Issurin 2010).
One of the most important nuances of developing a training plan is to take into consideration the experiences of athletes during their play (Pfeiffer et al. 2014). In this case, the athlete admits that one of the main challenges for him, during the season, was to maintain a breathing rhythm after a long game and intensive activities. Although it is a reasonable reaction of the body to be out of breath after such physically demanding playing, the 12-week training program is a perfect opportunity to improve the level of the athlete’s endurance. Thus, one of the priorities for the athlete is to include some of the aerobic fitness activities and cardio exercises that prove to be effective for enhancing endurance.
As for the results in aerobic fitness and speeds, they were above average. Thus, those components should not be the priorities, at least, during the first stages of training. For that reason, major activities for improving aerobic fitness, apart from a set of regular cardio exercises, should only be a priority at the end of the training. In such a way, it is reasonable to suggest that, in terms of training breakdown structure, training related to improving the results in aerobic fitness and speed should be distributed throughout the program, but also should be more of the complementary components to other exercises.
Cardio exercises would be an important element of the program throughout 12 weeks of training. However, more intensified exercises aimed at enhancing aerobic fitness and speed would be prioritized during the last mesocycle, namely in weeks 9 – 12.
Based on the considerations and analysis above, the following table outlines, the particular priorities of the training program.
Figure 3. A detailed plan for training.
Plans for three individual training sessions
A typical training session from the first mesocycle should consist of 25-30 minutes of fitness aerobics to warm up, 50-60 minutes of stretching exercises, including plyometric training helping to avoid further injuries (Chappell & Limpisvasti 2008), and 15 minutes of less intensive stretching to cool down. Individuals that are more flexible show fewer injuries in intensive training programs (Myer et al. 2006). For that reason, it is a priority during the first mesocycle.
A training session from the second mesocycle should include 10-15 minutes of fitness aerobics to warm up, 30 minutes for repetitive bench press, bend-over row, and 30 repeats of dumbbell press, followed by 30 minutes of weight-lifting, and 30 minutes of stretching to cool down. The repetitive sets proved to be more effective than single sets of exercises (Berger 2013).
Finally, a training session from the third mesocycle involves 10-15 minutes of fitness aerobics to warm up, 15 minutes for repetitive back squat and dumbbell press, 45 minutes cardio training (cycling or rowing), followed by 20 minutes of stretching to cool down. Combinations of back squat and cardio training improve endurance (Chelly et al. 2009), which is one of the priorities for this cycle. Due to developed flexibility, by this point, the athlete should experience fewer risks connected to injuries and should be able to improve in the future by increasing the number of repeats.
Reference List
Baechle, TR & Earle, R 2008, Essentials of strength training and conditioning, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Berger, R 2013, ‘Effect of varied weight training programs on strength’, Research Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 2, pp.168-181.
Chappell, JD & Limpisvasti, O 2008, ‘Effect of a neuromuscular training program on the kinetics and kinematics of jumping tasks’, The American Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 36, no. 6, pp.1081-1086.
Chelly, M, Fathloun, M, Cherif, N, Amar, MB, Tabka, Z & Van Praagh, E 2009, ‘Effects of a back squat training program on leg power, jump, and sprint performances in junior soccer players’, The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, vol. 23, no. 8, pp. 2241-2249.
Issurin, VB 2010, ‘New horizons for the methodology and physiology of training periodization’, Sports Medicine, vol. 40, no. 3, pp.189-206.
Myer GD, Ford KR, Brent JL & Hewett TE 2006, ‘The Effects of plyometric vs. dynamic stabilization and balance training on power, balance, and landing force in female athletes’, The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 345-353.
Pfeiffer, R, Mangus, BC, Edd, A, Mangus, B, & Trowbridge, C 2014, Concepts of Athletic Training, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, New York.