Certificate in Physical Training and Soccer Methodology

Physical development in any sport is of huge importance and soccer-specific training methodologies are vital to the team’s success. This bespoke course will raise your level of understanding and provide further knowledge of how these enhancements can benefit you and your role within the sporting environment. During this course, you will learn scientific viewpoints and justifications that will aid your understanding of when, where, and how periodisation, training, tapering, and methodologies can be used to maximise the preparation of your players and lead the coaching process. With course materials led by world-class soccer practitioners and academics, you will learn the fundamental components of coaching and conditioning your players.

Course Content

Module 1 Soccer specific conditioning: the appliance of science – tapering and periodisation

• Led by Dr. Adam Owen.
• Tapering and periodisation in team sports.
• Periodisation models and theoretical basis.
• Traditional versus contemporary concepts.
• Tapering strategies and managing the training week.
• Pitch-based content – preparing and conditioning.
• Off to on-pitch links – conditioning philosophy.

Module 2 Soccer specific monitoring: weekly microcycle, planning and performance

• Led by Dr. Dawid Golinski.
• Load monitoring methods used functionally within the game.
• Weekly training microcycles.
• Specific soccer strategies for planning and performance and how we can maximise this in our work with teams.

Module 3 Game model building and development: reinterpreting tactical periodisation

• Led by Dr. Alejandro Romero-Caballero.
• Reinterpreting tactical periodisation.
• Tactical periodisation background, implications and considerations of training methodology.
• Developing a game model and structuring the microcycle.

Module 4 Individualised periodisation in a soccer team: a working model

• Led by Jarred Marsh.
• Individualised periodisation in a soccer team.
• Periodisation models and defining training load.
• Player load and training load response.
• Sport specific training games – practical problems.
• Individual based programming and training tapering.

Module 5 An integrated approach to soccer training: developing a working model

• Led by Dr. Efthymios Kyprianou.
• Developing a working model.
• Soccer-specific profiling – player evolution.
• Structural organisation within soccer.
• Planning and periodisation – specificity of the game.
• Training session content – drill design.
• Targeting physical outcomes with soccer training.

Module 6 Carbohydrate requirements for soccer players: implications for periodisation

• Led by Dr. Liam Anderson.
• Carbohydrate requirements of soccer players.
• Activity profiles and metabolic demands of play.
• Meal types and nutrition for performance.
• Fuel for the work you do – understanding what’s needed.
• Nutritional periodisation.

Module 7 Integrating physical and tactical periodisation in soccer: senior and youth levels

• Led by Hamish Munro.
• Integrating physical and tactical periodisation in soccer.
• Tactical periodisation overview – recap.
• Building a game model – holistic approach.
• Integrating physical periodisation into tactical periodisation.
• Considerations of tactical periodisation in youth soccer.

Module 8 Maximal intensity conditioning periods in soccer: physical versus tactical strategies

• Led by Dr. Miguel Angel Campos Vazquez.
• Game demands and understanding the training requirements.
• Training game formats and physical responses.
• Physical versus tactical strategy – preparing for the demands of the game.
• Drill design and justifications to compete.

Module 9 Preparing the modern soccer player – training session design

• Led by Dr. Adam Owen.
• Selective principles.
• Training guidelines – balancing work and recovery principles.
• Pre-training preparation.
• Pitch-based content – training session design.
• Sport-specific strength and power development.

Module 10 Competitive microcycle, structure and justification in soccer

• Led by Dr. Manuel Lopez Segovia.
• Evolution of competitive soccer demands.
• An example of a weekly training structure – working microcycle.
• Training session examples and specific content.
• Opposition analysis and game plan development.
• Technical-tactical-conditioning implications of the microcycle.