Managing Workload In-Season
The absolute last thing any coach wants is, at the end of the season, their team declining physically and/or technically. Now, I am not a volleyball coach and can’t provide much insight on technical components declining through a season. However, I can speak confidently as to how to maintain and even improve, physically, through the course of a season. I have been fortunate to be a part of some very successful teams. Let me be clear and say that we have had good teams because we had the best players and the best coaching. But, I firmly believe that what separated us from other teams with the other best players was our physicality and ability to play a high level late in to the season.
Common questions I get are: how do you guys maintain in season? How are you so fresh late in the season? And the answer is simple: we don’t maintain - we push. Let me define what I mean by “push.” Push does not mean we are always taking our athletes to the edge and push doesn’t mean we are trying to empty the tank. Simply put, “push” means that we are intentional with when and how much work we exposure our athletes too. We are always consistent with how and when we apply higher workloads.
Imagine two cars driving down the road, both at 80mph. Car 1 has a max speed of 100mph and Car 2 has a max speed 200mph. Which car is working harder relative to their max speed? If both cars were racing, which one has an easier time finding more speed before hitting their upper limit? Our goal - be Car 2.
We obtain our goal by the aforementioned method of strategically adding in workload on a weekly basis. We have found really good success by employing somewhat of a high-low model. Utilizing a version of this model, we have a weekly cadence that consists of daily workload fluctuations that gives us the flexibility to add in workload and not have any fear of residual fatigue come match day. As the season progresses, we keep on our same weekly cadence.
Small snapshot our of “high-low” model.
We have seen some really great advantages throughout the last couple of years when we having been using this type of practice structure:
We are able to practice at match-like volumes and intensities on a regular basis.
Keeps our athletes fit all season long
Exposing athletes to these intensities is extremely important for long-term health and performance. Imagine having to run a mile as fast as you can, but the only way you train is by walking a mile. When you have to really get on it and run that mile, its going to be pretty tough. It’s not a perfect metaphor, but the same concept can be applied to volleyball. During matches, our athletes have to start, stop, jump, land, swing, dive, etc. If they aren’t exposed to those movements at the intensity at which they will have to perform them in a match, how can we expect them to be 1) successful at performing a movement 2) not get hurt by overloading the system during that movement and 3) repeatedly perform these movements at a high intensity and stay healthy?
We are able to “grease the groove” and keep neurological pathways running smooth and efficient.
As the season progresses, we are slowly adding in workload. As the season is coming to an end we have created an advantage in 2 ways
If we were to decide to taper (which we usually don’t do), we would be tapering from a higher chronic workload. This creates a larger “slingshot” effect and will result in a crisper performance.
Having a higher chronic workload typically means that our athletes have a higher work capacity. This takes us back to our original metaphor of trying to become Car 2. Assuming that a volleyball match is “the same” amount of work for both teams, I want my team to have the higher ceiling.
I must take a moment and note that, while I believe that this type of practice planning is easily transferable from team to team. there are a variety of other components that go in to making this model more successful than others. If one were to try to “copy and paste” this model to their own program there could be some shortcomings or lack of success. I highly recommend at stakeholders in your program/organization are involved in this planning process as to fully experience the benefits.
