Training
Training is an essential part of any referees preparation to be "match fit". There is an old saying that: "A fit referee is not always good. But, a good referee is always fit!"
With this in mind the North East Wales Football Association (NEWFA, to whom we are affiliated) organise and pay for
Training at the Queensway Sports Centre each Wednesday at 7pm
This is open to all registered referees within NEWFA and is an opportunity to improve fitness as well as a great chance to socialise with other referees and discuss incidents that have occurred in matches or seek advice on issues.
Why Train?
Tiredness is proven to have a negative effect on decision making. Therefore a referee who is tired is more likely to make mistakes. By improving fitness referees can be closer to the action as well as being less tired and able to think straight during games.
Also in order to gain promotions to level 5 or above referees also need to be fit enough to pass a fitness test.
Fitness Tests
Within NEWFA the main test used is the "Cooper Test" which involves running continaully for 12 minutes. Within this time referees are required to cover a minimum distance of 2,200 metres. Following this the referee has to complete 2 x 50m sprints each in under 7.5 secs then 2 x 200m sprints each in under 32 secs.
For the Welsh Premier League referees and assistant referees are required to complete the FIFA fitness test which involves 6 * 40m sprints each in under 6.2 secs (6 secs for assistants) followed by 10 laps of a track consisting of 2 runs of 150m's in 30 secs each followed by a 50m walk in 40 secs (45 secs for assistants)
What to Bear in Mind When Training
Follow these simple Training Guidelines to improve your fitness and remain free from injury.
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Don’t work too hard too soon. Improvements in fitness take time. If you rush your progression you may injure yourself. The primary objective is that you stay injury free, so don’t overtrain.
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Try to vary your training so you alternate hard and easy days.
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All sessions should start and finish with a warm up/down followed by stretching.
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Always train within your training zone (i.e. 70% - 90% of maximum heart rate).
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Do not train if you are ill.
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If you are injured try and substitute training for activities such as cycling or swimming to help you maintain your fitness.
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Invest in decent clothing and footwear. It is important to wear good shoes especially when training on hard surfaces.
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Don’t jog in fog!
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If you go jogging in the dark always wear light coloured clothing so you can be seen easily. Better still, wear a reflective jacket.
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Don’t eat, drink caffeine or use tobacco products within 2 hours of a game or training session.
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Regularly consume water before, during and after training and matches
WARM UP PRIOR TO A MATCH
Along with an increase in muscle and core temperature, a warm up serves to improve performance in many different ways:
An increase in the amount of oxygen (which is used for energy production and regeneration)
delivered to the working muscles as a warm up increases heart rate which in turn increases the amount of blood pumped to the working muscles.
An increase in the amount of oxygen that is extracted from the blood at working muscles.
All muscle contractions are initiated via nerve messages and these messages travel faster at higher temperatures.
Muscle contractions are more forceful and rapid following a warm up.
The stiffness of the synovial fluid around a joint has been demonstrated to decrease following a rise in body and muscle temperature following a warm up thus enabling joints to
move more freely during matches.
warm up (15-20 minute period
TWO LAPS OF THE PITCH PROGRESSIVELY BUILDING HEART RATE
UPTO 80%HRMAX
COURSE FROM GOAL LINE TO 18YD BOX with SEGMENTS OF:
BUM KICKS
HIGH KNEES (driving of the balls of the feet)
GRAPEVINE (lead 2x with left leg & 2x with right)
LATERAL RUNNING (lead 2x with left leg & 2x with right)
BACKWARDS JOGGING
HAMSTRINGWALK
HURDLE WALK (IN & OUT)
3 - 4x FOR EACH EXERCISE, JOG BACK TO GOAL LINE IN BETWEEN –
EMPHASIS ON QUALITY, LOW – MEDIUM INTENSITY MOVEMENTS OVER
18YD COURSE
2 - 3 SPRINTS AT 50% MAX SPEED FROM GOAL LINE TO 6YD BOX
2 - 3 SPRINTS AT 50% MAX SPEED FROM GOAL LINE TO PENALTY
SPOT
2 - 3 SPRINTS AT 75% MAX SPEED FROM GOAL LINE TO 6YD BOX
2 - 3 SPRINTS AT 100% MAX SPEED FROM GOAL LINE TO PENALTY
SPOT
JOG BACK TO GOAL LINE VERY SLOWLY IN BETWEEN FOR RECOVERY
NB - IT IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT THE WARM UP PRIOR TO EXERCISE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO RAISE TEMPERATURES AND INCREASE BLOOD FLOW WITHOUT DEPLETING ENERGY STORES AND CAUSING FATIGUE. EXERCISE SHOULD THEN COMMENCE as soon as possible after the end of the warm up in order to gain the full rewards of the warm up. It is also important to emphasise the need for a thorough and comprehensive warm up when exercising in a cold environment.
HYDRATION
You can lose 500 - 1500ml per hour during exercise.
600 - 800ml is the maximum you can replace.
Dehydration causes your blood volume to go down resulting in less oxygen getting to the muscles.
Water suppresses thirst and contains no electrolytes.
Check the colour of your urine for state of hydration. a pale colour is better.
SPORTS DRINKS
Sports drinks contain glucose and sodium. These increase the rate of transfer from the stomach to the bloodstream. The combination of 6% carbohydrate and electrolytes aids quick fluid transfer.
Do-it-yourself drinks
20ml concentrated juice + 1 litre water + salt OR 1 litre unsweetened juice + 1 litre water + salt.
Hypotonic
Carbohydrate content of 3-4% + sodium --- Lucozade Hydroactive; Liquid Energy
Before, during and after sport.
Isotoniic
Carbohydrate content 5-7% + sodium --- Powerade; Lucozade Sport; Isostar
Before, during and after exercise.
Hypertonic
Carbohydrate content 10% + --- Fanta; Cola; Lucozade
ONLY for recovery after exercise.
WEIGHT LOSS TIPS
Stretch your meals to 20 minutes.
Water is necessary for the metabolism for stored fat. Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Be confident about yourself.
Hot & Spicy foods can increase your metabolism by 40%.
Negative emotions interfere with weight loss.
Caffine leads to an increase in insulin in your body and this retards the burning of stored fat.
Exercise. You burn more stored fat in the evening than in the early morning on an empty stomach.
Metabolism slows down after 8 hours so exercising before dinner will increase metabolism for another 3 hours.
Don't skip breakfast because then your metabolism will not start until lunchtime, losing a few hours of fat burning time.
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Training