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Transcript of Προπονητικη τησ υδατοσφαιρισησ μπακασ 02 04 2013 αγγλικη...
.
TRAINING
2
copyright © 2011 CHRISTOS BAKAS
ISBN: 978-960-90583-1-5
In accordance with Law No. 2121/1993, it is forbidden to reprint or
reproduce this work, in whole or in part, in any way, without the
publisher’s written permission.
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 5
Energy metabolism I 9
Dehydration 11
Blood tests 13
Enzymes and their importance 13
Physical fitness 15
Circuit training 21
Energy metabolism II 35
Nutrition 44
Interpreting goals and abilities 44
Training zones 48
Isometric training 49
Strength 62
Compensatory acceleration 68
One step … farther 69
Maximizing muscle development 76
Fuels for better developing strength in training 80
Summing up 82
The goalkeeper in water polo 84
Bibliography 107
Curriculum Vitae 108
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5
INTRODUCTION
The practise of true and genuine scientific research, which is
the same as the pursuit and conquest of truth, has an allure and a pull
so appealing the researcher is entertained by working and works by
being entertained.
The whole of the emotional world is revealed to and sensed
only by the person who sincerely practises true research.
6
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
THE METABOLISM … RESPONSIBLE FOR LIFE ITSELF!
Imagine a car, any super car you like, latest technology, all
the comforts, audio systems, GPS, rims, tires, sunroof, leather seats,
anything your heart desires, but which lacks just one thing. It
doesn’t have an engine. Then, next to it is a car that is a wreck to
look at but has a very powerful, fully functioning engine. Which
would you choose?
Metabolism is that engine! As important as life itself from
the beginning of creation. This God-given mechanism has existed
since life first appeared, creating and functioning and evolving
everything around us.
If we understand the mechanics of metabolism, the gates of
all knowledge – what is going on in our bodies, what are our needs,
what fuel we burn, what can we do and what should we avoid – will
open up for us.
At the same time we will be in a position to assist that
remarkable “machine”, the human body, in succeeding in the magic
cycle of preparation and competition that will come…again and
again!
After all ... sport is the struggle, life
Physical education is the preparation, the means.
The first is like a goal.
The second like the path followed.
Good luck !
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ENERGY METABOLISM I
COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE PROCESSES OCCURING IN OUR BODIES
WHEN WE ARE TRAINING OR COMPETING.
Everything starts with energy metabolism.
1. It involves two (2) processes:
Energy storage.
Energy release.
That is all metabolism is. With training we try to save energy
consumption and battle fatigue on a regular basis. The result is
that the normal functions relating to these processes intensify in
such a way, that:
more energy is produced at a faster rate
more work is achieved with less effort.
Energy for muscular activity is stored in the muscles in the
form of conjugated bonds maintaining inorganic phosphate
compounds and other chemical substances.
When neural stimuli are sent by the brain to stimulate muscle
fibres these chemical bonds break releasing energy which can
power mechanical function through muscle contraction.
The most important compounds that contain energy are
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphocreatine (CP), glycogen
and fats. All four of these chemical substances are stored in
muscle cells. Glycogen is also stored in the liver and is transmitted
to the muscles by insulin.
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After all, administering insulin is a contemporary form of doping.
An additional supply of fat has the same affect as fatty tissue on
the body. When necessary it can also be transmitted to the
muscles by the blood.
This is why simple aerobiosis in training is very important,
because one of its benefits is that it increases the capillaries in the
muscles. The blood reaches the muscles, which means they are
fed diversely, by glycogen, etc.
ATTENTION!
Even though all the processes start to release energy the
moment activity begins, many do not contribute because they are
not fast enough.
In 25m to 60m races the ATP-CP reaction is reproduced so
quickly there is absolutely no visible fall in performance. That is
because it is a one-step reaction. There is enough CP in the muscles
for 5”-10” of work at the most. Then glycolysis and lipoid metabolism
kick in as the main sources of supplying ATP. These processes are
fired by reactions made up of multiple steps and therefore they
release energy at a slower rate. They contribute more to slower
exercises with a longer duration but a lower level of intensity.
In the same way a car needs fuel to move, the human body
needs the right provisions to handle the increased demands of the
type of activity it performs (training and matches).
Two-thirds of our bodies is water. The human body stores it
and discards the substances it doesn’t need through sweat and urine.
The rule of thumb is to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day (1-1.5 L.). An
indirect way to replenish the water in your body is through fruit, milk,
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various drinks, juices, etc.
Systematic training (regular or competitive) creates an even
bigger need for liquid replacement. But it should not be done
aggressively a little before training.
When the stomach is full it presses against the diaphragm
making it harder to breathe (the feeling we all know as a stitch in the
side).
A good diet should be rich in carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes,
rice), proteins (legumes, pulses, chicken, fish) and minerals like
calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron. All these assist
athletic activity.
Carbs are stored in the muscles in the form of glycogen, which
is used to produce direct energy which will be consumed in breaking
up the ATP compound into ADP + Ρ ~ releasing energy. These
reserves last for 60 to 90 minutes of training or other intense physical
activity. Once these reserves are exhausted the body begins to burn
fat. That is when the pace and intensity begin to fall because fat has
less power per Kcal generated. The intake of carbohydrates must be
regulated according to the specific requirements of the athlete and
the sport (training, matches, etc.)
Iron (Fe) is very important for athletes. Its main role is to assist
in oxygen assimilation. Proteins assist in restructuring the cells that
have deteriorated e.g. muscles, ligaments, skin, etc.
The aim is to use the benefits of nutrition to support the body
so it can bear the rigorous demands of training and playing.
Otherwise it will collapse.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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Dehydration
Contrary to what you may think, we sweat even when we are
in the water. If our body has sufficient water reserves we will be able
to go on with whatever activity we are doing. A loss of between 1%
and 2% of our water reserves and we begin to feel thirsty, followed
by a gradual fall in performance. A loss of 3%-4% and there is an
evident loss of concentration and skill and our performance may fall
up to 20%. With a loss of more than 5% we run the risk of cramping
and we experience dry mouth, dizziness, weakness. Whether in
training or during a game, remember to drink an isotonic mineral
drink every 15' to 20' and always before you feel THIRSTY!
Bottled commercial isotonic drinks contain carbohydrates and
electrolytes. The better ones contain a lower quantity of
carbohydrates which means they can be absorbed by the blood faster
than water. Hypertonic drinks (containing caffeine or taurine, etc.)
cannot be absorbed and should be avoided!
If you like, you can make your own isotonic drinks. For
example, take 50gr brown sugar + 1 gr baking soda (obstructs/delays
the secretion of lactic acid) and the juice of 2-4 freshly squeezed
lemons, for the vitamin C which gives it better taste and better
absorption). Vitamin C multiplies our body’s absorption of iron seven
times.
Calcium should not be ingested in or near food that contains
iron because it reacts against it and obstructs its absorption. Vitamins
Β6 - Β12 support the nervous system, and are necessary to all athletes.
Vitamins C and Ε have primarily an antioxidant effect, necessary
because training on its own creates free radicals in the body which
react with the vitamins and destroy them. Finally, magnesium and
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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zinc are elements that are crucial to the human body’s ability to rest,
to rebuild cells, to proper hormone function, and particularly to the
growth hormone produced in the night in your sleep.
Blood tests
It is good to have your blood tested and monitored for the
following biochemicals every six months: iron, ferritin (where iron is
stored), Ka, Na, Mg, CPK (creatine phosphokinase) which acts as the
athlete’s fatigue indicator, as well as the liver enzymes SGOT, SGPT
(transaminase).
Remember, everything we will discuss about nutrition taxes
the body’s chemistry lab, the liver.
Enzymes and their importance
Enzymes catalyze all chemical reactions in the human body.
Studies have shown that practise sprints of up to 8 seconds can
accelerate enzyme function by 30%. ΑΤΡ is the only chemical
compound that can generate energy for muscle contractions. That is
to say, only the energy released by the breaking of this compound
can be used by the muscle fibres. The energy from the other
compounds is used, as I said above, to replenish the energy lost from
ATP so that the contraction may continue for a longer period of time.
ΑΤΡ = ADENOSINE ~Ρ ~Ρ~Ρ.
The symbol (~Ρ~) indicates energy bonds. When a neural
stimulus excites a muscle fibre then the myosin and actin filaments
form a bond and activate an enzyme: ΑΤΡ(ase) phosphate, which in
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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turn causes one of the phosphate molecules (~Ρ~) to detach from the
ΑΤΡ molecule. The energy of this bond is released during the
detachment process and is used by the muscle fibres to power
contractions.
ΑΤΡ + ΑΤΡ (ASE) = ADP + ~Ρ~ + energy in Kcal
Diphosphate adenosine
Every muscle cell contains enough ΑΤΡ for only 1 or 2
contractions. So in order to continue the contraction after the first
movement ADP must become ATP again so as to acquire more
energy. This is accomplished with the breakdown of CP (creatine
phosphate), which gives a phosphorus molecule (~Ρ~) to ADP, thus
again reconstructing ATP, in a never-ending cycle:
CP= C + ~P~, ADP + ~P~ = ATP
This is followed by glycolysis, which has 2 phases: anaerobic
and aerobic glycolysis.
The final stage is lipoid metabolism, which has to do with the
body’s energy reserves. With regard to physical activity, all of this
concerns the speed with which energy and the phosphorus molecule
(~Ρ~) are produced in ATP.
Water is a foreign element to our bodies. In order to avoid
injury a good warm-up, with rubber bands, plyometric exercises and
weights, is crucial before entering the water.
The connecting tendons-ligaments cannot be worked on in the
same way as the muscles. The muscles are stronger than the
ligaments (this is the reason an accurate knowledge of isometric and
isotonic training is necessary). Inaccurate preparation outside the
water causes frequent damage to the ligaments and, as a result, to
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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the functioning of the muscles, etc.
By and large, it looks simple. Most people will just say, “don’t
worry, coach knows”. But my advice to you is, if you want to be
inspired search for inspired people…
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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Simply ... Physically Fit ! Selecting goals ...
From a different perspective!
Physical fitness is the cornerstone of a successful game. It
enables players to improve their basic mobility skills (speed, agility,
strength, stamina, etc.)
Physical fitness is made up of:
a) General physical fitness
b) Specific physical fitness
a) General physical fitness is the sum of the basic mobility attributes,
b) Specific physical fitness is characterised by a different evaluative
perspective with regard to the basic attributes, which supersedes
their various means of appearing.
Physical fitness attributes are open to improvement and they
depend on the ability of organic systems to adapt and to achieve. It
is also a prerequisite for acquiring technical skills, because they
require a certain level of physical fitness.
Physical fitness in the strictest sense is comprised of three
basic components:
Strength, speed, stamina.
A broader definition of physical fitness may also include
mobility and neuromuscular coordination.
In recent years the significance accorded to cultivating physical
fitness during the preparation period in all sports is enormous, and
this is because everyone realises that if athletes are at a high level of
physical conditioning then they can achieve high levels in all their
other skills and abilities.
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Factors that determine an athlete’s performance:
The main factors that determine an athlete’s optimum
physical performance are:
• strength (absolute, endurance, explosive)
• stamina (aerobic, ability)
• speed
• explosive strength
• speed endurance
• neuromuscular coordination (technique)
• flexibility – agility
Exercise physiologists, in the wake of certain studies have
reassessed many of their views with regard to the form and type of
training necessary for reaching maximal performance levels. In
accomplishing this, a significant part is played by the application of
specialised extra loads during training.
Establishing how often these stresses (extra loads) appear
during a match allows us to plan the training accordingly.
As physical performance increases, it becomes necessary,
particularly for professional athletes, to increase the number of daily
training sessions from one to two, all year round. An essential
prerequisite for the correct division of training units is a good
knowledge and understanding of the effects that the training loads,
the energy requirements and the biological adaptations have on the
body.
For the greatest possible (extra load) improvement of athletic
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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performance, while the loading lasts the athlete must be able to
maintain the glycogen that is gradually diminishing in the muscles at
the right level for as long as possible, with the aim of:
1. Delaying exhausting the reserves
2. Reducing the possibilities of the appearance of premature fatigue.
A premature increase in the quantity of lactic acid (10-12 mmol/l)
causes:
• Diminished neuromuscular coordination (technique) performance
• Diminished ability to accelerate (sprint)
• Increased probability of injury
This occurs because, due to the increased heart rate (above
170 bpm), the lactic acid that is produced does not have time to be
absorbed by the organism through the metabolic process, so it is not
removed from the muscles, resulting in the well-known
consequences (intense burning sensation in the muscles, fatigue and
the points that were just mentioned above).
This can be pre-empted by raising the athlete’s anaerobic
threshold through training, that is the athlete’s limit of endurance in
fast and very fast movement and exercise repetitions to the point
where the heart rate is maintained at the lowest possible rate
(athlete’s heart).
Prompting during training should aim at a heart rate intensity
of 165, or say 160+, when we are going for performance (in a specific
section 50 or 100 meters, for example), which normally the athlete
would do with a heart rate of 170-175!!!!!!
That way we raise the anaerobic threshold, as well as the level of
pain we can endure!
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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Speed endurance
The body’stability to draw large quantities of energy from the
anaerobic mechanism as frequently as possible during a match, thus
maintaining the ability to sprint, even when there is a significant lack
of oxygen (consuming the oxygen debt) and the quantity of lactic acid
ranges between 8 and 10 mmol/lit.
The factors determining speed endurance.
These include:
• Explosive strength
• Neuromuscular coordination
• Internal friction of muscle fibres
• Flexibility, agility
The role of strength in improving a player’s performance
In recent years strength training is increasingly being included
inphysical conditioning programmes. In this type of training we
attempt to strengthen the various muscle groups, so that a player
becomes stronger overall.
When the coach sets up a programme for developing strength
he can follow a different route every time. One day he can try to
build up the players’ overall musculature, while the next he may
include in the programme a session focused on strengthening specific
muscle groups (e.g. strengthening only the legs or the shoulders, etc.)
In any case it is wise in the beginning, and when dealing with
beginning players, for the coach not to use heavy weight training,
because lifting heavy weights requires special technique and
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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experience. The athletes should gain benefit from training, not
trauma and injury.
The type of exercises appropriate in this case are those performed
with medicine balls, small weights, dumbbells, etc.
Strength training must be performed in reasonable proportion
to the rest of the training programme. During the preparation period
the strength development programme is mandatory.
Needless to say, the coach must regulate the frequency and
quantity of strength training the players do, since overdoing it will
have negative repercussions.
Explosive strength
Explosive strength is the human ability, the athlete’s ability, to
achieve maximum possible speed in the span of one movement (e.g.
jump, shoot) in the least possible time. Explosive strength is the
aggregate of the following defining elements:
Neuromuscular Speed coordination (technique)
Psychological Maximum
factors strength
For improving explosive strength it is apposite to take into
account the specific demands of the movements (circuit and non-
circuit), performed during every match. It should also be stressed
that in explosive strength exercises these movements should have a
EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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precise, specific character. In order to avoid excessive growth of the
muscle fibres, which negatively affects an athlete’s neuromuscular
coordination, a combination of explosive strength and speed training
is recommended.
Exercises may be executed initially without extra loading, or
with, or a combination of the two (see Table below).
Intensity With extra loading
40-60% of maximum strength
Without weights 90-100% of maximum
effort / strength
Quantity 6-8 repetitions 6-8 repetitions
Break 2-3 min 2 min
Total 5-6 exercises 5 exercises
Quantity 3 sets 3 sets
Pace Explosive - intense Intense
Attention:
Any increase in explosive strength is followed by a quantative
increase of phosphocreatine in the muscles.
Explosive strength maximum stress (without added weight)
exercises of 6-8 sec duration draw 85% energy from ATP and CP
(this is anaerobic work, but alactic anaerobic work).
Between two training units with the same goal there should be an
intervening period of 36-48 hours. In order to achieve effective
adaptations we should include strength exercises and strength-
improving exercises in the daily workout programme, examples of
which are given below.
(These exercises are mentioned here entirely in passing, but may
be successfully applied by the coach after careful selection based
on the goals set for the daily programme).
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CIRCUIT TRAINING
. We start, just as in all other preparation routines for all other
sports, with a 10-stage circuit training session. Breaks and intensity
peaks are set by the coach.
1. Pull ups – dynamic rotations with resistance during the whole
range of movement, starting from behind the back upover the
head and down the front. Use coils, resistance bands.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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2. Abdominal exercises:use hand weights behind the head for
additional resistance.
3. When performed for a specific amount of time and in sets
determined by the coach this exercise improves agility.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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4. Climbing (not jumping) onto the step - simply lift the legs one by
one onto the step then straighten the body into a vertical
position on the step.
5. Elbow extensions – push-ups. Body stretched out facing the floor
and slightly forwards when elbows are extended.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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6. Holding a weight behind your neck execute deep squats rising up
on tiptoe at the end of the upward movement.
7. Exercise for the lower abs. Should be worked on in pairs. Aim is
to touch feet.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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8. Works the knees, bending and stretching, also works the
abdominal muscles. Alternatively, this exercise can be done by
extending the legs and moving them in small cyclical movements.
9. Press the soles of your feet together pushing alternately in a
cycling movement (bicycle).
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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10. Passes with the medicine ball, working the dorsal muscles of
the lower back as well as the rotator cuff muscles.
11. We work the chest muscles pushing the balls towards each
other. Also works the lower back muscles, but to a lesser extent.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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12. Skip-rope! An excellent exercise for coordination, balance,
rhythm and endurance.
13. This exercise is called the “Switch-blade”, for the obvious
reason that the body opens and closes in a movement similar to
that of a switchblade.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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14. Downward presses or lowering, for the triceps.
15. Always use an assistant to execute abdominal exercises.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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16. From a sitting position with the legs extended we lift the legs
and move them to the left and to the right of the ball. Exercise for
the lower abs.
17. Similar exercise for the abs. Leg rotations. Hold on to the
lower stall bar for better balance.
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18. Classic lower back exercise, body lifts. Hitch your legs under
the lowest stall bar.
19. An assistant holds our legs and we execute body lifts with the
added load of a medicine ball.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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20. Torso twists to the right and left transferring a medicine ball
to a co-athlete. Transverse and oblique abdominal exercises.
21. Our assistant throws us the ball and we return it with our
feet. Exercise for the thigh quadriceps muscles.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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22. Deep squats with slight resistance. By working this exercise
in pairs the athlete’s have better balance and can push more.
Exercise for the thigh quadriceps muscles.
23. Variation of the previous exercise. Deep squats. A little
harder than the previous exercise. Exercise for the thigh quadriceps
muscles.
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24. Small jumps onto an adjustable step. We begin with 1or two
sections and move on to 3, etc. For added stress or difficulty.
25. Small jumps to the right and left. They improve one’s leap
and explosiveness, as well as a balanced tread.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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26. Jumping on the spot and marking the height of your jump on
the wall with a piece of chalk held in your hand. This is used in
repetitions as practice and as way to measure one’s jump.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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ENERGY METABOLISM 2
Energy management and water training in water polo
The anaerobic phase of glycolysis is the fastest of all the
glycolytic and lipoid metabolic processes. It releases energy and a
phosphate (~Ρ~) to replace ΑΤΡ in just 11 steps (stages), whereas the
aerobic phase and lipoid metabolism require more reactions.
After the first 5" and 10" of a prolonged sprint ATP is replaced
almost exclusively by energy generated in the anaerobic phase of
glycolysis. This lasts until 40"-50", when the by-product of anaerobic
glycolysis, lactic acid, kicks in, causing fatigue.
In the following two processes the energy and the phosphate
are generated more slowly. Anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis
contribute to the replenishment of ATP through longer routes and
lengthier workouts. Lipoid metabolism also contributes a little.
Neither of the two processes mentioned above can, on its own,
generate enough energy to support an athlete; they are, however,
important factors in training.
The two processes mentioned above are valued more for
what they contribute during training than what they do during a
match. Energy generated through lipoid metabolism reduces the rate
(percentage) at which glycogen breaks down and allows a swimmer
to train for many hours a day, for a period of many days, without
undue fatigue, as long as the repetitions are performed at a
reasonable intensity and volume.
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Knowledge of each of the metabolic processes that have to
do with the ATP reaction is essential for understanding the training
process.
ATP-CP
When CP breaks up it releases energy and a phosphorus molecule
(~Ρ~), which are necessary for the conversion of ΑΤΡ to ADP. This
reaction is catalysed by the enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CPK).
How CP replenishes ATP:
The reaction ΑΤΡ-CP is illustrated as follows:
CP+CPK = C+-P- +free energy
-Ρ- +free energy+ADP=ΑΤΡ
This process, which replaces ΑΤΡ as fast as it is broken down,
reinforces the muscles’ ability to contract at top speed. This depends
on the supply of CP that reaches the muscle cells. After about 5"-10"
of maximal effort CP will have almost entirely been depleted
(dePrampero 1971). And so we pass on to the glycolytic process,
which now becomes the primary source of replacing ATP for muscle
contraction (Gollnick & Hermansen 1973, Danforth 1965)
Glycolysis
The first stage of glycolysis is the conversion of glycogen into
glucose. Since glycogen is nothing more than a long chain of glucose
molecules this is a simple process, and it is catalysed by the enzyme
phosphorylase.
Once the glucose has been produced it is broken down in 10
additional sub-steps, which along with the first step comprise the
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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anaerobic process. For these metabolic processes to take place Ο2
must be present in the mitochondria. This is why the metabolism that
occurs in the mitochondria is called aerobic; it is a reference to the
Ο2. Pyruvic acid exists inside the muscle cells much like an enzyme
and is one of the regulators of the citric acid cycle.
Lactic acid
The mitochondrian enzyme NADH, reacts with pyruvic acid
and the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase M-LDH, giving us:
Pyruvic acid + NADH + M-LDH = Lactic acid + NAD.
All this takes place in the presence of Ο2 which oxidises the
pyruvic acid with the phosphate and hydrogen via the citric acid
cycle, with the help of a chain of electrons. This is what causes
fatigue… When there is not enough oxygen some of the pyruvic acid
and NADH are obstructed from entering the mitochondria.
Using energy generated by the anaerobic phase of glycolysis is
considered less desirable than using energy generated from the
aerobic phase. This is because the aerobic phase produces 36 ATP
molecules compared to just 2 molecules produced by the anaerobic
phase.
Furthermore, the anaerobic process stops the production of
lactic acid. On the other hand, aerobic glycolysis is perhaps not as
effective with regard to the replacement of ATP because the fact that
it has so many stages means it develops too slowly to supply energy
at the rate it is needed during a water polo match.
Consequently, the preferred way is the anaerobic process,
which may produce less replacement ATP but is a lot faster.
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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DISCUSSING SPEED(S) IN WATER POLO!!!!
It has become common practice to refer to the breakdown of
glycogen into lactic acid as anaerobic glycolysis and the breakdown of
glycogen into CO2 and Η2Ο as aerobic glycolysis. Even if the second is
no more than acontinuation of the first with the exception of the
step where lactic acid is produced. Glycolysis is anaerobic until the
formation of pyruvate in the mitochondria and NADH. This produces
lactic acid with the presence of Ο2 and Η2Ο through the citric acid
cycle and the electron transport chain. This also produces energy.
The table below depicts the contribution of ATP to generating
energy and the different glycolytic phases in relation to the distance
we swim.
DURATION DISTANCE ATP-CP Anaerobic Aerobic.
10-20sec 25-40m 78 molecules 20 molecules 2 molecules
40-60 sec 100m 25 molecules 65 molecules 10 molecules
1.30-2 min 200m 10 molecules 60 molecules 25 molecules
2-3 min 300m 10 molecules 50 molecules 30 molecules
5 -6 min 400-500m 7 molecules 38 molecules 55 molecules
7-10min 800-1000m 5 molecules 30 molecules 65 molecules
10-12min 1000m 4 molecules 25 molecules 70 molecules
14- 18 min 1500-1700m 3 molecules 20 molecules 77 molecules
For these reasons, in water polo, the body should depend on
the ATP – CP reaction, anaerobic glycolysis and an extensive
aerobiosis base, on which these anaerobic adaptations may be
implemented. However, the above order of priority should be
maintained.
At this point, let us examine the abilities that require more
Christos Bakas Water Polo Training
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extensive training in this exceptional, tough and exhausting sport. We
will also be explaining what exactly goes on in the human body
during a match.
VO2max
An athlete’s capacity of consuming Ο2 is a very important
ability, which we should aim at developing.
The athlete who consumes more Ο2 during a game is in a
position to oxidise more pyruvate and NADH in the mitochondria and
his dependence on anaerobic glycolysis will lessen. Therefore he will
also produce less lactic acid and less lactic acid means less fatigue.
Mobility effectiveness, both in and out of the water, should be
practised as much as possible in conditions duplicating game
situations.
Using fewer strokes to cover a distance (correct
technique)means less effort and therefore a lower heart rate. This
reduces the contribution of anaerobic glycolysis (therefore less lactic
acid). A slower and more effective stroke in the water would enable
slow contraction muscle fibres to participate. High frequency
contractions (Ft) have a higher capacity for anaerobic glycolysis.
Under normal conditions the muscle cells have sufficient glycogen to
replace ATP for more than 1 hour.
Glycogen reserves exist in the liver and are transferred to the
muscles by the blood when required.
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TRAINING SHOULD IMPROVE ATHLETES’ OXYGEN CONSUMPTION
CAPACITY AND THE INDIVIDUAL USE OF MUSCLE FIBRES.
All of the above allow the aerobic process to produce more energy
during the game. When this is achieved, fatigue may be significantly
delayed.
WHY DO WE GET TIRED?
Not by the secretion of lactic acid!
Water poloists and swimmers in general experience fatigue,
which is evidenced as a loss of speed in moving through the water.
After the first 3’-4' sprints the overall movement will be slower than
it was in the first 20".
This is explained by pretty much everything that has already
been said. The gradual depletion of CP (creatine phosphate) imposes
greater dependence on glycolysis for the replacement of ATP, which,
as we have said, is a slow process. Training, particularly in the 170-
180-185 bpm zone, that is to say, from the anaerobic threshold,
primarily in the maximal oxygen consumption zone (VO2 max) and
less in the match rate zone, lactic tolerance level, can reduce the
effects of fatigue caused by CP depletion.
Quality sport-specific training can also affect enzyme function,
causing enzymes to function up to 30% faster. The aim in water polo
training therefore should be to increase the level of CP and ΑΤΡ
supply to the muscles as well as to increase the activity of the
enzymes that regulate the reconstruction and decomposition of ΑΤΡ.
With regard to the ΑΤΡ-CP reaction everything is decided by:
1. the concentrations of these two chemical substances in the
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muscles.
2. the activity of the following enzymes:
ATPase
Myokinase
CPK-creatine phosphokinase
But, are there ways to increase enzyme activity?
Yes! Short-Sprint exercises are the best way to train for a more
effective ATP – CP reaction.
For example:
With 10 sets of 5” - 8”of full sprint ATPase will function up to
30% faster, myokinase up to 20% faster and CPK up to 36% faster.
Part of this research also focused on studying the effects that
long-term endurance training with an aerobic intensity lower than
75% would have on enzyme function. The effect was an increase in
enzyme function, but only of 10%.
There are also enzymes that affect anaerobic metabolism and
with regard to these we observed the following results:
An 8% increase of phosphorylase function after 30’’ full sprint
training. A 7% increase of phosphofructokinase function after 6'' full
sprint training. Finally, the function of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
diminishes with endurance training and increases with strength
training.
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ATTENTION!
Any type of training that increases O2 consumption and
reduces the production of lactic acid will increase the quantity of
pyruvate in the ALANINE pathway and not in the lactic acid pathway.
In simple terms, in the presence of ammonia and pyruvate, rather
than lactic acid, an amino acid called alanine is produced via the
alanine transaminase enzyme, which forces the lactic acid to pass
into the blood and from there to the liver where it can be
transformed into glycogen.
As we said, a large part of training should be focused on
expanding our pain endurance threshold !!
All of the above may be considered the fundamental principles of our training and may be used to guide us in the number of metres we swim as well as in leg training on dry land, bicycles, etc.
Field players and goalies should customise their training by adding extra loading or resistance to the legs; the goalies in 50m swims mostly in the goal area, and the field players in 50m swims and 30m static training (defence, offense, player less, extra player, etc.), as long as they all follow the basic training norms (loading, replenishment - breaks, intensity peaks, duration, etc.)
That is, we must work on mobility, with the legs in the basic position and the body leaning slightly forward or lying with the legs out in front, rising to the block, etc., so legwork and swimming are always being worked on at the same time.
It would be good if all this was done as much as possible in alternate 20m and 30m bursts.
Players require constant guidance with regard to intensity (heart rate) and the stretching exercises that they tend to neglect.
Training sessions should have a specific goal and programming that should be explained to the players before they begin, (lactic acid tolerance, maximum oxygen intake, oxygen consumption, anaerobic
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threshold, game pace, enzyme function acceleration, etc). The key is to adapt the programme to the athlete rather than vice-versa. The purpose is to work on each person’s abilities.
For example, there is no point in asking 15 different athletes to swim 20X100m in 1’20’’ combined, when one athlete will finish with a heart rate of 160 bpm at 1’12’’ and will rest for 8’’ and another will finish with a heart rate of 180 bpm in the same time and will be obliged to rest for the same amount of time because that is what was requested. In this case they have been working on different aspects and of course the same thing will happen with the other 13 athletes in the team.
It is better to request two 10’ swims at 160 bpm and to check in passing (at every 100m or 50m) whether each athlete’s time corresponds to 60% of his performance for that distance (100mor 50m).
We must know their stats in order to check their training at 100m, 75m, 50m, 25m. It is also useful to have a table with their 5” performance percentages, at 60% , 70%, 80% and 90%. Starting from 20’’ record times to 4’, this will solve all our problems whether we are working with professional (Α1 division) athletes or academy youngsters.
Our training sessions should focus on lactic acid tolerance, on increasing oxygen intake and improving oxygen consumption capacity, and on increasing strength in all its forms (absolute, endurance and explosive strength, but not speed strength), so as to be able to generate strength in the water from training on land.
It is essential that every day we do between 30’ and70’ of aerobiosis training in 15’ sets with progressive intensity loading in three aerobiosis zones, at 140, 150 and 160 bpm (either swimming or in combination exercises with or without a ball). Furthermore, when we do double training sessions it is better to work on aerobiosis in the morning and focus on anaerobic adaptations in the evening session.
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Divide the training sessions according to the period you are in, but always give priority to anaerobic threshold and VO2max training.
With resistance on the arms and 1Kg wrist-weights you can move strength training into the water in 100m sets, varying the intensity and distance. For example: 4><500m: every 500m : 5 >< 100 (continuously):
25m at 180 bpm. - 75m at 160 bpm
50m >>>> - 50m >>>>
75m >>>> - 25m >>>>
100m >>>> - 100m >>>> OR 4 >< 500m: every 500m: 50m at 180 bpm - 50m at 160 bpm. OR 4><500m: every 500m: 25m at 180 bpm – 25m at 160 bpm. And to supplement the enzymes: 2 >< 8 >< 10m all-out 100% intensity apnea sprint.
All this can be done with resistance bands and hand weights! In general, disregard combined times and work with duration
(time) and intensity (heart rate). This enables you to reduce the amount of training and increase the quality of your training sessions as your athletes develop. After all, water polo may be a team sport but it is played by individuals. And though the players may develop individually the result is collective: a well-developed team!
Nutrition
In intense training carbohydrates should make up more than
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45%-50% of the average diet.
Your nutrition 24 hours before a game should contain:
70% carbohydrates, in order to create a stock of muscle
glycogen.
65% to 83% of muscle glycogen is depleted within 6' to 30' of
maximum exercise.
After 6X100m with a 6'break after each 100m, glycogen levels
will have depleted 67% and the depletion would be greater if the
work had been continuous.
Specifically, the glycogen reserves in the high frequency (ft)
muscle contraction fibres are the first to run out.
Interpreting goals and abilities
The goal of swimming practice is to determine which training
systems include the right combination of aerobic endurance, aerobic
ability, lactic acid tolerance and speed ability so that with more
training we achieve less fatigue and higher performance. Each type
of training presented below requires different intensities, different
degrees of repetition and different rest breaks.
Speed ability
Speed ability has to do with: the maximum speed a swimmer
can achieve, the function of phosphocreatine in the muscles (a
function of the fast muscle fibres), the maximum strength and force
the muscles can produce and neuromuscular coordination.
A swimmer must develop the ability to reach maximum speed
in the least possible time, to maintain maximum speed for the
longest possible time and to develop the ability to maintain
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maximum speed even at the end of the longest exercises (> 30
seconds).
Lactic acid tolerance
When the muscles contract rapidly they produce lactic acid
due to the lack of oxidisation of the carbohydrate being used as fuel.
During the formation of lactic acid, hydrogen ions (Η+) are also
produced. These ions change the acidity of the blood, lowering the
pH value in direct correlation to their concentration. When there is a
large concentration of ions the pH falls, which means that the acidity
of the muscle environment increases.
A normal pH level is around 7.0. During very intensive activity
that requires the use of anaerobic energy sources, the pH level may
fall to 6.3. Changes in the levels of acidity make the muscles weaker,
tenser, and reduces their ability to contract. As the level of acidity in
the blood and muscles increases, so does our feeling of fatigue.
At low or moderate exercise intensities, at the anaerobic
threshold, for instance, the percentage at which lactic acid is
produced is balanced by the percentage to which it can be removed
from the muscles and the blood. However, as the swimmer’s speed
increases so does the number of carbohydrates used for fuel and the
lactic acid that is produced is more than the removal mechanisms can
cope with. In conclusion, working at a certain level of intensity (or
above) causes the concentration of lactic acid in our body to grow
and the pH level to fall.
However, intense exercise may also increase the production of
lactic acid 3-5 times above normal levels without any significant
change in the pH of a muscle. This happens because the body has
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regulatory mechanisms that cooperate with the ions to remove them
from the blood and muscles.
The better trained these regulatory mechanisms are, the
greater the intensity of the exercise allowed before a concentration
of hydrogen ions appears and causes the pH in the blood to fall.
A muscle’s biochemical and contraction capacity is what
determine its ability to tolerate lactic acid before the pH begins to
fall. The fast-contracting muscle fibres (FT) have a greater regulatory
ability than the slow-contraction fibres (ST). This regulatory ability
can be increased through training.
It is very useful to evaluate a swimmer’s capacity to tolerate
lactic acid and its concentration, as this will show the percentage of
anaerobic work he can do.
Aerobic capacity
An individual’s aerobic capacity relates to oxygen consumption
(V02) and is measured in (I/min). This is the maximum capacity of a
swimmer to use the oxygen he inhales. It is also the highest limit for
aerobic endurance.
Endurance athletes have a higher aerobic capacity. The
measurement of V02 is also considered to be the best measurement
for cardiopulmonary function and therefore of an individual’s aerobic
capacity.
As the workload increases so does oxygen consumption.
Cardiac frequency and workout intensity appear in linear correlation
to each other. In this phase the main source of energy is fat.
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Aerobic endurance
This is a way of measuring an athlete’s capacity to execute
extended, continuous exercise and it depends on physiological,
biochemical, dietary and psychological factors.
The best means of measuring it available today is the
anaerobic threshold. It determines the maximum speed that
someone can swim without the progressive concentration of lactic
acid in the blood.
Aerobic endurance training has a variety of applications. It
contributes to accelerated rehabilitation and increases one’s ability
to bear the demands on lactic acid tolerance created by aerobic
capacity and speed training. This type of training may be the easiest
and the most effective, since by improving swimming economy
athlete’s can swim at faster speeds before reaching their lactic acid
tolerance thresholds mentioned earlier.
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Training zones:
ENERGY ZONES SET
DISTANCE (METRES)
SET DURATION (MINUTES)
HEART RATE
REST TYPICAL SETS
(mainly for crawl)
AEROBIC ZONE 1 VARIABLE VARIABLE <140 Negligible 1-3 x 10’ slow
swimming
AEROBIC ZONE2 1500-4000m > 15’ 140-150 10’’-30’’ 1-6 x 10’
AEROBIC ZONE 3 + Anaerobic threshold
800-2000m 10’-40’ 160-170 15’’-30’’ 3-4 x 10’
AEROBIC ANAEROBIC (V02 max)
600-2000m 8’-30’ 180-max 30’’-60’’
REST 4-5
3’-4’
ANAEROBIC SPRINT
200-600m 2’-15’ max 2:1-1:1 3x8x30’’ 4x8x12”
ANAEROBIC/ AEROBIC ZONE1 (MAX lactic acid tolerance)
100-200m 1’-3’ max 1: 4 -1: 5 4-6x1’ 3-4x2’
ANAEROBIC/ AEROBICZONE 2 (lactic acid tolerance)
200-600m 4’-12’ max 1:2-1:4 4x45” (3- 4 sets)
SPEED-sprint 25-100m 1’ – 2’ max 1:3-1:4 6X8x15”
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ISOMETRIC TRAINING
We know that training with weights (isotonic training) mainly
exercises the muscles through the repeated performance of certain
movements. However, different training conditions are required to
exercise the ligaments. The best type of training for the ligaments is
isometric training.
Isometric training is good as a warm up, for the joints, after
muscle contraction or simply when the muscles are cold, for
increased blood flow or in order to feel better after overtraining.
The exercises presented here are exercises that Joe Nazario
first recommended many years ago and the only equipment they
require is a towel! These are exercises you can do anytime anywhere:
before or after practice, at the office, at home, on vacation, and so
on.
Personally, I prefer these exercises for warming up before
training (dry or wet)because I believe that the warm up stage should
be calmer and more static than the way it is commonly practised. My
reasoning is to save on fuel during warm up so as to have more fuel
to burn during training or during a game.
Since the only equipment you will be using is a towel and your
body there is no possibility of injury.
The length of time that we press or pull in any of the exercises
below is 10 sec. The number of sets depends on each athlete’s needs.
Work on these exercises and you will be impressed by the
results. All the little aches and pains will disappear.
These exercises work all of the main muscle groups used in
water polo, but also, and even more importantly, all the ligaments
and tendons, making them stronger.
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Executing these exercises before and after training sessions or
matches will stop the aches and pains in your shoulders, knees and
elbows; all in all, you will need less ice-therapy and your body will
feel stronger and more coordinated.
Attention: These exercises are not an alternative training
method. They should be performed in conjunction with a normal
practice session involving weights training and swimming.
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Exercise 1.
For the upper back.
Holding the ends of the towel in both hands, open your legs and slightly bend
your knees. Now slightly lower your glutes. Pull with your upper back muscles
only.
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Exercise 2.
For the thighs and glutes.
Lie down as depicted above. Roll the towel around your ankle holding the
endsin one hand. Push hard against the towel with your leg while applying
counter resistance with your arm and body.
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Exercise 3.
For the legs, ankles and insoles.
Lie on your back as shown above, roll the towel around your feet just below the
toes. Hold the ends with both hands and work the soles of your feet up and
down.
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Exercise 4.
For the thighs
Lie on your back as shown above. Holding the towel tightly in both hands lift
your head and push with your feet. For optimum result, it is important for the
towel to be level with the arches of your feet and slightly backwards towards
the heel.
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Exercise 5.
Stand on the towel and hold the ends open with your elbows facing out and
slightly upwards. Lift your body, with your chest thrust out and rotate your head
as if you were trying to look at the ceiling.
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Exercise 6.
For lateral, rectus and transversus abdominals, shoulders and upper back.
Hold the towel behind your neck as shown above. Twist your body slowly to the
right and to the left, pausing at the end of the movement in either direction.
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Exercise 7.
For the shoulders, back, supraspinatus, triceps, chest and torso.
Hold the towel as shown above. Begin by applying force to the extended arm.
Then apply force to the bent arm,using the extended arm for counter resistance.
Execute in sets alternating the position of the arms.
1
2
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Exercise 8.
For the neck muscles (cervical muscles)
Hold the towel behind your head as shown above. Bend your head back and
forth with a pause at the end of the movement using your hands for counter
resistance. Alternatively, hold the towel in one hand and twist your head to the
right and to the left.
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Exercise 9.
Hold the towel as shown above. First apply force to the bent arm, then to the
extended arm. Execute in sets alternating the position of the arms.
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Exercise 10
1.Push inwards contracting the chest muscles, biceps and antibrachial flexors.
2.Push outwards contracting the back, shoulder and triceps and extending the
forearms (antibrachium).
1
2
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Exercise 11.
Mainly for the abdominals (but strengthens the whole body)
Lie down as shown above and press upwards firmly with your hands. Keeping
your legs extended lift them 20cm off the floor. Maintain the position. Relax and
repeat.
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STRENGTH
Complete guide to strength development
(Attention: not for beginners)
Ever since I first started training I never, even momentarily,
lost my love of sports. For many years now I have been a coach,
training athletes with a championship mentality. But from time to
time I am given the opportunity to train young athletes whom erely
want to improve their strength, with all that this involves.
Please note that I am talking about strength, not about the
bulging muscles of bodybuilders. An athlete I used to train, a super-
sprint champion, increased his strength by 300% in only three
months(quite a few have followed in the intervening years).
Now I will describe the main elements of the programme that
enables such increases in strength.
The first training cycle lasts four to six weeks and is important
to shaping the technique that will be used in the execution of the
exercises and to establishing a basis for future power increases.
The emphasis is on increasing strength. For example, if you
can do 10 squat repetitions with 145 Kg load now, it makes sense
that when you can do the same number of reps with a 190Kg load
you will have greater muscle volume. In other words, more weight
means more muscle mass.
Personal experience and scientific research has shown that
continuous daily training can overtax the body. It does not matter
how much you rest or the amount of calories you consume.
Chemistry is merciless. If the testosterone-cortisol ratio in our bodies
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is reversed, the matter is out of your hands.
You need to give your body time to develop. For this reason in
phase one we will be using a 3-day/4-week programme, one day of
training followed by one day of rest.For example, training will be
done on Monday - Wednesday–Friday. Practice will consist of a
circuit training programme with 2 exercises for every muscle group.
We will be working on the following 5 muscle groups:chest,
back, shoulders, legs and arms.
One fundamental principle will be applied throughout the
training programme: you must be at the gym for 80' (minutes)
including warm-up. More than that and you will stop your body from
achieving maximum improvement.
So in every training session we will be working the whole body
with two exercises for each of the 5 muscle groups I mentioned.
We will be using large weights, so it is necessary that the
muscles are properly warmed up. Most athletes do not give the
proper significance to the warm-up stage of the training session. Do
not be dense enough to risk being out of action for three months
because you didn’t feel like spending 10-15 minutes warming up.And
by warm up I mean energetic or passive stretching. Not any kind of
aerobic warm-up (exercise bicycle, running, etc).
The goal of the warm-up is to increase muscle temperature
and elasticity,to create the conditions for the release of synovial fluid
in the joints and to prepare you psychologically and physically for the
weights you will be using in training. Following the same reasoning,
after stretching we begin the first exercise with two sets of 20
repetitions using only the bar, or with very little weight if using a
machine.
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ATTENTION ! You must always do stretches between sets.
Your stretches will be your break.
If you try to contract cold muscles using heavy weights the
result will be the same as if you had tried to stretch a rubber band
that had been in the freezer: it won’t stretch, it will break.
In phase one we do 2 circuit training sessions the first week,3
the second week, 4 the third week and 5 the fourth week. Once we
complete phase one we are ready to begin the real training.
This is the prescribed dosage for phase one:
1stcircuit 20 reps.
2ndcircuit 15 reps.
3rdcircuit 10 reps.
4thcircuit 8 reps.
5thcircuit 6 reps.
Phase two:
The duration of the second phase is4-8 weeks depending on
progress gained, nutrition, and strength of will to achieve the goals
we have set. In this phase we continue with the three-day training
model, but we now work like this:
Monday Chest - back
Wednesday Shoulders - legs
Friday Arms (Biceps, triceps, forearms)
We do this so that in every training session we direct the
blood flow to complementary and antagonistic muscles at the same
time, alternately working on each set - for example, one set chest,
one set back, second set chest, second set back, without a break (our
only break is for stretching). And so on and so forth, applying the
superset principle.
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Another differentiation here is that each day we do three
different exercises for every muscle group. But since we work each
muscle group only once a week the goal here is to do many lifts with
a lot of heavy weight because each muscle group has plenty of time
to rest before being forced to work again, which means it has time to
recover fully.
The first exerciseis a classic pyramid with repetitions:
6 60%
5 70%
4 80%
3 90% from this point on you need an assistant
2 100% to help you brake the negative reps
1 and to keep you from getting stuck in
+ 110% the positive reps.
1
At this point we are working on ABSOLUTE STRENGHT.
Keep in mind that strength is built with negative repetitions. A
negative rep on the bench, for example, is when I brake during the
lowering phase. In the lifting phase the assistance should be such
that we don’t get stuck for even a second. The assistant must follow
the whole course of the movement because even a brief pause when
lifting can cause lactic acid secretion, after which continued training
is pointless.
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The second exercise focuses on strength endurance and
should be done in 5 sets of 10 repetitions, like this:
1st set 10 reps. 60%
2nd set 10 reps. 70%
3rd set 10 reps. 80% here you will also need
4th set 10 reps. 80% an assistant for 4to5 reps.
5th set 10 reps. 80% in each set.
The third exercise has to do with explosive strength and we
will be working on it in 5 sets of 15 repetitions at 40% of our strength.
A crucial point to remember is that every 3 weeks of
continuous training effort our body needs 1 week of less intense
circuit training,3 or 4 cycles at the most working sub - maximum up
to 50%-60%,so that the body can get used to the changes being
forced on it before it collapses from over-training.
In phase three, which is also called the competitive phase, we
cross into an inherently tough training period that lasts 4 to 8 weeks,
during which we can work continuously and play, if the season is
underway. It is the phase through which we reach game readiness.
The three-day training formula is retained, but in this phase
on each training day we work the whole body, all 5muscle groups,
with 2 exercises for each muscle group.
The first exercises called primary and the second secondary. In
this phase the differentiation has to do with what we want to
accomplish during each training day.
On Monday the goal is to increase absolute strength, on
Wednesday strength endurance and on Friday explosive strength or
explosive muscle contraction.
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As was said above, we work on two exercises in each muscle
group. The execution of the secondary exercise is the same all week,
but the content of the exercise changes constantly, so as to
strengthen and direct blood flow to the muscles from different angles
and directions. For example, for a secondary chest exercise on
Monday do dumb-bell flies, on Wednesday pull-overs and on Friday
parallel bar dips, pec-deckor pulley crossovers.
Pick the exercises for the secondary exercise at will. On all the
days the number of sets and repetitions remain the same and so does
the intensity. The point is simply to get the blood flowing to the
muscles so they recover faster.
The difference occurs in the first exercise in every muscle group and
this is achieved by setting a different goal for each day of training.
On Monday the first exercise in every muscle group is focused
on absolute strength and is executed in pyramid formation:
6 reps. 60%
5 reps. 70%
4 reps. 80% with assistance in braking the negative
3 reps. 90% phase (the movement of lowering
2 reps. 100% the bar to the chest)
1 reps. 110%
On Wednesday the first exercise in every muscle group is
focused on strength endurance and consists of 5 sets of 10 reps, as
shown below:
1st 60%
2nd 70%
3rd70%
4th 80%
5th 80%
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(The breaks between sets should last less than a minute and are for
stretching.
In order to create long-term aerobiosis conditions during training the
heart rate during these 60-minute sessions should not fall below 130
bpm.)
On Friday the first exercise in every muscle group is for
increasing explosive strength and is executed in the following way:
5 sets - 15 repetitions (with an explosive climax) at 40% - 50%.
COMPENSATORY ACCELERATION
In this phase of training our goal is to increase explosive
strength. This can be achieved by applying a technique made widely
known by Fred Hatfield, called compensatory acceleration. When
doing bench presses, for example, push the weight forcefully from
your chest to its final position. This is the rule for all the training days
and for all the training goals. The faster you can press weight
following a stringent technique the greater the neuromuscular
intensity. The real benefit from the use of this technique is that you
improve your ability to fire a larger quantity of muscle fibres. This is
the most important factor in maximizing your strength.
Training must always reach to the core of the muscle belly.
The muscles must not be worked superficially. The best type of
exercise for the primary exercises can be done using the bar and free
weights (bar presses, straight or incline bench presses, behind the
neck shoulder presses, close grip triceps presses, bicep barcurls,
pulley and single bar back pull-ups, dead lifts and squats).
Squats are an exercise that I prefer to be executed from a
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semi-squat position. If you want to bend lower better work on asquat
press. The secret in squats is to keep your eyes on the ceiling
throughout the exercise. This enables the spine to autocorrect its
position. Also, be sure to push with the back of your insole. If you feel
the weight in your toes stop because it means that your execution of
the exercise is not correct and you are straining your knees. I am sure
you feel it too. One last thing: squats will speed up your metabolism
as no other exercise will.
At this point I would like to underline that an athlete who
wants to perform at a certain level in water polo must be able to
do>200kg in semi-squat for 10 reps.
ONE STEP … GOES FARTHER !
I will now move on to a programme that is rather exhausting
but has terrific results when it is combined with the right diet and is
done with the proper application to the training and the goals. This
programme is addressed to both coaches and professional athletes.
In the first exercise of this standard training session with
multiple repetitions you do 3-5 sets of 5 repetitions. The number of
warm-up sets will depend on your individual warm-up needs and on
the weight you will be using in the regular sets.
During the warm-up you should prepare for the increases in
weight to come, so you can get used to the feeling of the big weights
you will be lifting the regular session. For example, on a day that you
have planned to do squats with 200kg you could do this warm-up
routine:
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20 repetitions with an empty bar
5 repetitions Χ 20kg
5 repetitions Χ 60kg
5 repetitions Χ 85kg
5 repetitions X 105kg
5 repetitions Χ 145kg
These warm-up sets should be done with a pause of less than
a minute between them (for stretching) and without great intensity.
Once you have finished the warm-up sets it is time for the first
exercise with the big weights.
In this phase you will be doing 6 sets with2 to 3 explosive
repetitions of each set, with the load increasing pyramid-style to 150-
200kg. Whether you increase the weight in each set by5kgor by
10kgis for you to decide. You can also perform the 6 sets starting at
just above 160kg and going up 2,5kg in every subsequent set, the
important thing being that you increase the weight a little bit in each
set and in each training session. Needless to say, this will bring about
a tremendous increase in strength. And, as I said earlier, it is
important that you maintain a fast pace with shortbreaks.
Due to the small number of repetitions you will easily be able
to maintain the fast pace of repetition required without having to
reduce the load. The rest of your workout will include basic exercises
with heavy weights.
Heavy weights build muscle density. When you use heavy
weights you do not need to do three or four different exercises to
work the whole muscle.
Two exercises with heavy weights are enough. Incline bench
presses, although focusing more on the upper chest region, also work
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the middle and lower thoracic region.
It is a waste of time to try and exercise all the points and
angles of a muscle group in a single training session. Exercise with
heavy weights and you will use all the muscle fibres of that part of
the body regardless of the bench’s angle of incline.
Because of the need to keep your balance, free weights are
much superior to machines because they can better stimulate the
muscles. Furthermore, I would say that machines, because they force
the joint into a specific angle when performing an exercise, are also
dangerous and may cause injury when we work on them with many
weights. Use the machines in the secondary exercises or in the
exercises for increasing blood-flow to the muscles with an intensity of
no more than 60% - 65%.
Also, an exercise with dumbbells will better stimulate the
neuromuscular system than if we did the same exercise with a
barbell. The principle is to choose exercises with dumbbells.
The main criterion is to choose exercises that can be done with
heavy weights and with minimum intensity in the joints. Examples of
such exercises are: flat or incline dumbbell bench presses, one hand
bent-over rows, squats, projections, pulley pull exercises for the back
(all the grips), death lifts, forward trunk curls with barbell on the
shoulders, dumbbell shoulder raises.
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*ATTENTION* The following strength building programmes are not for beginner
ormid-level athletes.
PROGRAMME 1
Strength development.
This programme aims at building a strength base that will
allow you to reap the best possible benefits from the training
programmes you implement in your sport. Regardless of your level of
development, you should do this programme once a year to improve
your strength. Everything has to do with the principle of continuous
progressive loading. Without this fundamental principle all the
programmes only do maintenance work.
Week one
Day 1 : Upper body and arms
Incline bench presses. Light warm-up
3 sets Χ 5 reps., 5 sets Χ 2 explosive reps. (a lot of weight)
Dips: 3 sets Χ maximum number of reps.
Front neck resistance pulls (pulley machine): 4sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Pull overs and presses: 3 sets Χ 6 -10 reps
Incline bench dumbbell bicep curls:3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
2-DAY BREAK
Day 4 : Thighs, legs, abs, lower back (dorsals)
Squats: light warm-up 3 sets Χ 5 reps. 6 sets Χ 2 explosive reps.
(many weights).
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Machine leg presses: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Forward trunk curls with barbell on the back: 6 sets Χ 6-10
reps.
Leg lifts: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Leg curl machine (thigh, bicep curls): 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Abdominal crunches: 3 sets Χ15-25 reps.
Week two
Day 1 : Upper body and arms
Incline bench presses: light warm-up:
3 sets Χ 5 reps.
Incline bench presses with pausing at the highest point:
5 sets Χ 2 reps. (a lot of weight)
Flat bench dumbbell presses: 3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Pull-downs with close and parallel grip (palms facing the face
in back pulley): 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Lateral shoulder raises: 3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Triceps extensions (French presses on your back)
(the bar starts out level with the forehead, elbows close
together):
3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Dumbbell curls (biceps):3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
(both arms at once).
2-DAY BREAK
Day 4: Lower back/hips, thighs, legs, abdominals and dorsals.
Deadlifts from below: light warm-up
3 sets Χ 5 reps. - 6 sets Χ 2 explosive reps.(a lot of weight)
Hyperextensions in supine position: 4 sets Χ15 reps.
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: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Pressure press: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Leg curls (sitting position machine) 4 sets Χ 6-10
reps.
Leg raises (knees to chest)for abdominals on the monkey-bar:
3 set Χ 15-25 reps.
PROGRAMME 2
Building up desired volume
Now it is time to use your newfound strength to build up the
muscle volume required by your sport. For the next four to six weeks
you will exercise every muscle group with an increased weight-load.
To accomplish this we need to begin by dividing our body into three
sections. Less frequent training of each section of the body allows for
maximum rehabilitation and strength recovery.
Day 1: Thighs, lower back/ hips and abdominals.
Squats: light warm-up 3 sets Χ 5 reps. 5 sets Χ 6-10 explosive
reps.
Pressure press: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Deadlifts with legs extended: 4 sets Χ 8-12 reps. Abdominal
crunches: 3 sets Χ15-25 reps.
Leg raises on the monkey bar: 2 sets Χ15-25 reps.
1-DAY BREAK
Day 3: Thoracic muscles, lateral deltoids, triceps, calves.
Incline presses: light warm-up : 3 sets Χ 5 reps. +
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5 sets Χ 6-10 reps.(a lot of weight)
Incline dumbbell bench presses: 3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Pullover presses: 3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
(first pullover and then push in normal bench press)
Calve lifts: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
1-DAY BREAK
Day 5: Upper back, rear deltoids, trapezius, biceps
Pulley pulls: light warm-up:
3 sets Χ 5 reps. +5X6-10 reps.
Low pulley rowing machine: 3 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Closed grip pulley pulls (palms facing face): 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Dumbbell shoulder raises: 3 sets Χ 8-10 reps.
Dumbbell curls 3 sets Χ 8-12 reps.
Dumbbell hammer curls: 3 sets X 10-15 reps.
2-DAY BREAK
Day 8:Lower back/hips, calves, abdominals and dorsals.
Deadlifts (from a low starting position):light warm-up 3 sets Χ
5 reps. + 6 sets Χ 2 explosive reps.
Lower back hyperextensions in prone position: 4 sets Χ 15
reps.
Squats: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Pressure press: 4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Calf raises (sitting position machine)
4 sets Χ 6-10 reps.
Knee to chest raises for abdominals (on the monkey bar):
3 set Χ15-25 reps.
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MAXIMISING MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES FOR ADVANCED ATHLETES
BREAK THE LIMITS!
For a certain period of time when we begin going to the gym
we see impressive results. Our body looks different with each passing
day, we begin to feel stronger. When this period of time elapses the
rate of development begins to lag, gradually leading toward training’s
worst enemy, habit or routine.
This usually occurs to mid-level athletes, who actually stop
their muscle development by always following the same training
routine.
The following training techniques are the best way for mid-
level and advanced athletes to give their bodies a good jolt.
SUPER SETS:
The most effective type of set; easily drives intensity to the limits.
Essentially we are talking about two consecutive sets of exercises
that focus on two antagonistic muscles. There is no break between
the two sets and this is what makes them so effective.
Why we do it:
Every time we work on a muscle, its antagonist muscle contributes to
the effort. Therefore, when we work on the biceps muscles in the
arms the triceps are also activated. If we immediately follow up with
a set that focuses on the triceps we drive the intensity off the charts
due to the excessive concentration of blood in that area.
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In practice:
It is a very effective way of training; the only difficulty is in its
application because the athlete must occupy two machines at the
same time, for which reason the training should be practised in pairs
so the athletes can work in turns.
NEGATIVE REPETITIONS:
Negative repetitions have to do with muscle plyometric
contraction; meaning, the phase during which a muscle lengthens,
increases it’s length.
A characteristic example is the application of negative
repetitions on chest presses. Negative repetition exists during the
lowering stage rather than during the raising stage, which is the
norm.
Basically, we are talking about an over-loaded bar that we
lower to our chests in a gradual braking movement.
Why we do it:
Research has shown that during a plyometric contraction the
muscle works a lot harder than it does during a myometrial
contraction and the neuromuscular system develops up to 35% more
strength.
In practice:
The system is only for very advanced athletes and cannot be
applied without the assistance of another athlete or coach!
Particularly when we are talking about free weights .
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BI-SETS & TRI-SETS:
Bi-sets are a variation on super sets and are nothing more than
two consecutive exercises for the same muscle. The exercise can be
easily applied to all muscle groups.(As a result we can also have tri-
sets, etc., consisting of three or more exercises).
Why we do it:
No exercise has exactly the same result as another, even if it
focuses on the same muscle. By working the same muscle group from
two or three different “angles” we direct an increased blood flow to
the area.
In practice:
It is a training method of proven effectiveness that is easily
applied.
GIANT SETS:
Giant sets are four or more consecutive sets for the same
muscle group without a break.
Why we don’t do it:
The goal is the same as in the bi-set but with a far greater
volume of work.
In practice:
OVERKILL, WHICH CAN EASILY LEAD TO CONSIDERABLE INJURY.
21 repetitions:
This is a training technique that chiefly focuses on muscle
hypertrophy. It is mostly applied on small muscle groups.
We begin the exercise with 7repetitionsof the first half of the
movement, we continue with 7repetitions of the second half of the
movement and we finish with 7 repetitions of the whole movement.
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Why we do it:
The system increases blood flow along the entire length of the
muscle progressively, in stages. Each stage of the exercise focuses on
a single section, but the increased blood flow also reaches other
sections. When it is their turn to perform in the exercise the intensity
peaks.
In practice:
It is for relatively advanced athletes and gives satisfactory
results. It creates bulging muscles that are useless in water polo
where excessive muscle hypertrophy should be avoided.
DROP-SETS:
In this technique we begin a set with weight and repetitions
near our limits. We take a break and then reduce the weight a little
and perform the same repetitions with which we began. We do not
alter the number of repetitions and we reduce the weight in each set.
We continue removing weight in this way and the exercise ends
when we can no longer do even a single repetition.
Why we do it:
The exercise is based on the logic of exhaustion and it seems to work.
In practice:
It is a very effective technique for advanced athletes. Do not try it
without an assistant, because loss of strength comes suddenly and
without warning.
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FUELS FOR BETTER STRENGHT DEVELOPMENT IN
TRAINING
What is the point of all your efforts to develop strength if you
do not provide your body with the top quality ingredients it needs to
build new layers of muscle? If you do not know how much food you
need in order to develop, start by calculating your body fat levels.
If you already have a little extra weight around the middle the
last thing you need is more calories. Measure yourself with a body fat
calliper. Anything over 20% body fat means that you must lose
weight. We are doing championship level sports not a weight or
food competition.
If your body fat percentage is at an acceptable level the next
step is to calculate your fat free body mass (that is your body weight
minus the fat). Multiply every 450 gr of fat free mass by 15.
I suggest you calculate your new calorie intake based on fat
free body mass rather than on your total weight. The fat does not
need sustaining because it is stored energy. And this is only the
beginning.
Calorie requirements depend on the height, level of activity
and genetic characteristics of every person. Every two weeks of
training you will re-regulate your calorie intake – you will do this
again and again. Make sure that approximately 30% of your daily
calories come from high quality protein.
Carbohydrates should form 80% to 85% of a complex high-
carb diet. You should also include in your diet vegetables and fruit
with a high fibre content for better digestion and better health. Do
not completely remove fats from your diet. Reducing your body fat to
less than 15% will actually curb your development.
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Finally, you must drink 2 to 3 litres of water a day. Hard
training and ingesting large quantities of protein mean that you need
a lot of water. Remember that water is the best medium for the
body’s chemical reactions. Therefore, it is also necessary for building
muscle.
The directions in this book, if observed correctly, will help you
to improve and develop your strength.
Now you know how to make the best use of your abilities. The
only other thing determining your strength increase is your level of
commitment and desire to succeed.
If you want to increase your strength don’t ever miss your
programmed training sessions, your meals or your good nights’ rest.
If you plan on becoming a record breaking champion your success
depends on those last squat repetitions, which, even though your
legs are collapsing under you, your lungs are burning and your
muscles are trembling, you insist on finishing !!
So good luck!!
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SUMMING UP
Explaining how our bodies make – “build” muscle
When we want to build larger muscles, we will depend on two
main structural materials: myofibrils (which consist of smaller protein
fibres, like tiny ropes), and sarcoplasm (a gel-like fuel material which
exists around the myofibrils).
Now, if you are working with few repetitions and a lot of
weight, the myofibrils will develop, increasing in strength and size.
If you do many repetitions with little weight the volume of the
sarcoplasm will increase and so will the size and endurance.
Alexander Koch, Assistant Professor of sport science at
Truman State University, recommends:
Alternate training sessions with moderate weight (18-12
reps), heavy weight (4-6 reps) and very heavy weight load (1-3 reps)
for some weeks.
ENERGY FOR THE MUSCLES When you do multiple repetitions with a moderate weight, the
myofilaments increase but your body sends a message to increase
the size and number of mitochondria, the little engines that exist in
every cell of the human body.
While the mitochondria increase so as to handle the demands
on endurance resulting from high-repetition training, the supply of
sarcoplasm also increases so that your muscles can function more
effectively.
Sarcoplasm consists of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glycogen
and water – a combination that sends energy to your muscles as well
as volume to the myofilaments.
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FOR STRENGHT AND VOLUME
Training with a lot of weight and few repetitions causes tiny
tears in the muscle’s myofilaments. These tears activate your
immune system, which sends white blood cells to remove the cell
detritus so that the specific section may be regenerated.
At the same time the human growth hormone increases,
which has two consequences:
It activates the inactive stem cells and makes it easier for your
body to use the amino acids to make protein.
The newly-cut stem cells go to the place where the
malfunction occurred and with the help of the amino acids either
create new myofilaments or bond to the already existing
myofilaments, making them better, stronger and larger.
Metabolism, responsible for creating, catalysing, maintaining,
refuelling, a “motor” with spirit!
This is the way to train, to win matches, to win the game of life
itself! WITH SPIRIT!
THE GOALIE IN WATER POLO
THE RIGHT QUALITIES – SELECTION: WHAT MAKES A GOALIE?
I will begin my discussion of goalies with an excerpt from a
article I found in the sports pages written by a high school water polo
goalie in the US.
The article discussed some of the aspects of what it means to
be a water polo goalie. The author, Greg Stoll,says that he wrote the
article in response to a request from the LATimes for stories on the
toughest job in sports.
The excerpt below was kindly provided by PAOK Thessaloniki’s
current water polo goalie, Mr. Christos Politis. Here I must point out
that Mr. Politis truly enlightened me with his knowledge and
tremendous experience throughout this whole chapter on
goalkeepers, giving me valuable material from his degree thesis
which dealt with - what else? – goalies in water polo!
“Every boy and girl is born capable of running, jumping
and throwing, but all water polo players, especially goalies, must
learn the basic skill that only 5% of the world today know how to
do - tread water. Not treading water to merely stay afloat,
but rather work out holding a 25 lb. weight (11 Kg) over his head
while treading water. Such pressure on the leg joints and
ligaments is often the source of knee injuries (I enter surgery this
month).Still, that’s what needs to be done in order to raise one’s
body out of the water, exposing the swimsuit about 300 times a
practice. During games, once a goalie masters the art of squinting
through the four-o'clock sun reflecting off of the surface of the
water, he is often expected to stop 35-40 mph (55-70 Km/h) shots
from point-blank range. Yet he mustn’t just get in the way, but
block the ball and control it immediately, ready to pass the ball to
a teammate on the fast break as the opposing team rushes to
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scavenge a “garbage” goal.
To me being a goalkeeper in the sport of water polo is the
toughest job in prep athletics. I’m sure you might have a perfectly
rational reason for believing otherwise. However, if just for a
second you could put aside that erroneous stereotype of water
polo being a bunch of boys paddling around in Speedos, I’d be
perfectly happy to trade places for a while. I’m always eager to
challenge myself, and would love to have a go at a job tougher
than the one I’m already doing. Yet, you may be surprised to see
which job is easier to pick up, and yet which one is easier to give
up.”...
Field players and coaches agree that goalies are a different
breed of human being from the rest of the team. Needless to say
there are certain people who are born for the position and others
who can hone their talents to become a successful goalie.
Identifying the key qualities that make a goalie is the first step.
Let us begin by checking the components that shape a goalie’s
psychological profile:
A goalie must have and demonstrate leadership qualities.
A goalie must have courage.
A goalie must take risks.
A goalie must be a quarterback.
A goalie must maintain a positive attitude.
A goalie must study the game.
The goalie’s position differs greatly from the other player
positions in water polo. In order to reach your maximal potential as a
goalie you must understand every aspect of the game in order to play
in synchronisation with the field players.
A defence (goalie and field players)will achieve a consistent
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high level of play if they understand the fundamentals of individual
and team defence, execute their team’s defensive strategy, know
their teammates’ strong and weak points and keep the
communication lines open during the game.
When a goalie and his defence are in synch, the opposing
team will appear lethargic and without a clear offensive strategy.
Studying the game is easy: therefore make it a part of your
training regimen. One can never know enough about water polo.
Study your opponents by watching their games, listen to your coach,
take your collection of water polo videos out of the closet and study
your written as well as your mental notes.
The last psychological element is experience.
Experience is a quality that cannot be trained and life itself is
what makes a goalie good. It enables the goalie to better anticipate a
shot, to throw the outlet pass for a fast break to the right teammate,
to lead the team through communication and leadership and to stay
cool under pressure.
The bottom line is that experienced goalies make fewer
mistakes, hence they give up fewer goals. If you asked a group of
coaches what is the first thing they consider when selecting a goalie
for a big game, I expect that experience would be at the top of the
list. That is why most starting goalies in the international arena are
over 30 years old. Even if some second- and third-string goalies
display more physical talent.
Coaches usually keep younger goalies on the bench to give
them the opportunity to get experience from observing how the
veterans play.
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PHYSICAL QUALITIES
Mobility and speed.
Leg strength and overall flexibility are necessary attributes
that allow a goalie to cover the inside dimensions of the cage.
Ideally, you want a player who is proficient in the “egg-beater
kick” or “bicycle” technique in the water.
Flexibility
Helps a goalie stretch for a ball while the body is in contortion,
having just moved from one side of the cage to the other. This may
mean the difference between a deflection and a goal. Goalies must
be in a position to move sideways, forwards, backwards and
upwards.
Goalies must work on their flexibility and range of motion
through daily workouts. Mobility is the alpha and omega for a goalie.
Reaction speed
Is a prerequisite for goalies. Much like a sprinter in swimming,
you must have a quick first movement to get to the ball before it goes
past you. Reflexes should be honed with practice.
Swimming speed
For short distances, goalies need swimming speed to be able to out-
swim field players and make steals. Don’t assume that because you
are a goalie, you will not have to swim. You have to be very fast up to
12 metres….!
Physical fitness.
Strength will increase stamina, speed and longevity.
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The goalie’s desired body type should be lean so as to enhance
flexibility and range of motion. A good goalie does not have to be
either particularly tall or bulky.
Traditionally, goalies have longer careers than field players.
This is due largely to this position’s lack of swimming and lack of
physical contact with other players, which limits the possibility of
injury.
The type of conditioning required by a goalie does not demand
that he swims the distances field players do.
If a goalie has a physical ailment, it is usually a broken or
dislocated finger or a hyper-extended elbow. These ailments are
nothing more than a nuisance and do not force one to retire from the
game.
Field playerson the other hand tend to wear out their
shoulders as they enter their “golden” years.
The goalie has much to learn and develop. Some
improvements will come naturally while some will take time to
develop with the assistance of coaching and practice.
The goalie does not have to be top in all areas. It is important
that he develops his own style suited to his strengths. Regardless of
one’s skill level when they first start, their strengths will get stronger
and their weaknesses will diminish.
FUNDAMENTALS
The “eggbeater kick”.
This is every goalie’s most basic skill.
The eggbeater or bicycle technique is without doubt the most
critical quality. Many manuals have been written on the
fundamentals of the eggbeater kick.
The philosophy is that you can never spend enough time
training with the eggbeater. If your knees or hips begin to hurt, STOP
immediately and let your body rest. It is telling you that there is a
problem.
If you don’t feel any pain, just soreness, then devote more
time to leg strength and quickness.
Beginning goalies should learn the eggbeater while holding
onto a kick board. This frees the hands and allows you to fully
concentrate on the legs. In the beginning of each season, take a kick
board, hold it in the water as if it were a plough and do eggbeater
laps.
The rule of thumb is to work yourself up to extreme training.
In addition to the eggbeater, goalies should be proficient in
the flutter kick. This crawl kick will be useful for the short sprints
necessary and for general leg flexibility.
Sculling with your hands is yet another technique that can help
your eggbeater. You should be able to move your hands back and
forth lightly on the surface of the water, using them to propel
yourself across the width of the cage.
Practice this arm movement in a sitting position. This helps
with lateral movement and gives the goalie a good feel for the water.
Body position – ready position
There is a definite difference between the resting eggbeater
kick and the alert ready position.
The goalie must begin to rise higher in the water in order to
prepare for a shot and see all that is happening in the field in front of
him.
The goalie needs to have a minimum height of the chest above
the surface of the water, which will constitute the highest point of
the ready position.This point, which is the point at which the goalie is
riding high in the water but is able to make higher lunges whenever
necessary, is something that each goalie must discover for himself,
through personal observation and experience.
The biggest mistake a goalie can make is to be expecting a
shot and not to be working his legs at 100% intensity. The lower he is
in the water, the easier it is to be caught unawares and therefore for
field players to score on him, particularly with skip shots.
All the explosiveness in a quick start comes from the legs. The
hips should be positioned slightly behind the torso, that is, not
vertically. Generally speaking, when anticipating a shot the body
should never be entirely vertical in the water, but should incline
slightly forward.
Naturally, a decisive factor as to how you should hold your
body is the distance from which the shot is made. Very generally,
when a shot is made within the four-metre range the body should be
in a vertical position.
Some goalies prefer to play with their bodies leaning
completely forward while others prefer to play in an entirely upright
position.
In conjunction with body position, the goalie must also be
concerned with the next fundamental element – the position of the
hands.
Hand position
The hands are an important stabilizing and mobility force
through the swimming motion. The hands should NEVER be too far
below the surface of the water when a shooter has the ball.
Another way to interpret the amount of hand motion a goalie
should use is given by three-time Hungarian Olympian Athlete András
Molnár:
“I use my hands when the ball is being passed from one player to
another. When a player has the ball and is ready to shoot. I ease up
on the arms and hands and let the legs take over.”
When the ball is:
Outside the 6 metres the hands are just below the surface of
the water.
Between 4-6 metres the hands should be ON the surface of
the water and not below it.
Closer than 4 metres the hands need to be on the surface or
slightly out of the water, without this meaning that they
should be completely stretched out. Your palms outside the
water and all the weight falling only on the legs.
The length of time between the moment the ball leaves the
shooter’s hand and the moment it reaches the goal line (cage)
determines these hand positions.
In general, the shorter the distance between the goalie and
the shooter, the less time there is to react to the shot.
NOTE:
It is far better for a goalie to ride lower in the water, with the
hands free to move after the ball!
In all other instances, one hand or any portion of the body
should be used to reach and block the ball. One-hand lunges from the
goalie can reach farther and faster than two-hand lunges. Deflections
with both hands should be avoided!
Verbal commands
I would like to emphasise that shot blocking should be a
goalie’s first priority and he should never break his concentration in
order to call out a command.
The words you use play a big part in the team’s defensive
performance. It is best to keep it brief. If you can develop short
phrases to guide your teammates, use them.
For example, MOVE LEFT may mean move your body or arm to
the left while BALL LEFT may mean that the ball is moving down the
left side of the pool.
In team meetings and practices find words that best suit your
team’s needs. Additionally, just as the defensive field player should
support the goal, you should try to be positive in the directions you
give, emphasising what to do and what not to do.
Some times, when there is a breakdown in your team’s
defence I believe it is best to save any constructive criticism for the
quarter break or after the game.
Remember that your communication should add to your shot
blocking, not detract from it.
Over time, you will develop confidence in your shot blocking
and then you can help your blocking by calling out commands. These
commands will also help remedy mistakes by the defensive field
players. Goalie commands that should be made loudly to the field
players are:
Where the ball is – whether to the left, right, centre of the
goal.
The time on the offensive’s shot clock – at specific intervals, 15
seconds, 10 seconds (“Red”), 5 seconds - countdown.
Which field players should be pressed and which may be left
uncovered.
Where a “free” or “open” unguarded opposing player is.
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Where your defensive players should position themselves in
specific situations [e.g. 5 on 6]. The directions to where the
defensive players should be, left, right forward or back,
referring to where the defensive player should move relative
to the offensive player.
Special signals, key words that only your teammates know.
Non-verbally, you can also point to where the ball is when
your team is on the offense or defence allowing your
teammates to know where the ball is if the noise from the
crowd makes hearing difficult.
NOTE:
Whenever possible, you should clarify your commands by
using the players’ names.
Passing
Part of the goalie’s defensive responsibility is to start the
offense with the first pass down the field. This pass starts the
counterattack and is called the outlet pass.
You must practice passing during warm-up every day! Because
your passes are usually longer and unguarded, these types of pass
should be practised more frequently than shorter passes. Your
passing skills should include:
1. Swimming with the ball (dribbling): After you gain possession
of the ball swim with it with your head held high, out to about
2-3 metres. This move shortens the distance of the outlet
pass.
2. As soon as you gain control of the ball outside the cage and
are ready to pass, you should lift the ball up high and extend
the body high out of the water to make a long pass.
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3. For good passing technique, the ball should leave the middle
and index fingers with a little spin. The ball should be lobbed
(that is, not a flat pass);this method pretty well assures
accuracy and reduces the number of passes where the ball
skips when it lands.
4. Be sure to have visual contact with the receiver before
passing.
5. Your outlet pass also needs to be placed in a safe spot where
the offensive player can get rid of some of the opposing
players.
The deeper the pass goes into the opposition’s territory the
better; this pass should lead the counterattack or fast break.
6. Because most of your teammates will be right-handed, the
outlet pass will be better placed on the right side of the pool.
This gives the receiver of the pass the ability to throw a ball-
side pass to a right-handed player who may be unguarded on a
fast break.
If you know that player is open and that the player is left-
handed, look for a release to the left side of the pool.
If your team has a set offense prepared, you should place the
outlet shot to the side, to where the two-meter player will be.
7. Whenever possible a dry pass is best.
Make sure that you can place it in the receiver’s hand and that
there are no defensive players nearby who may be able to cut
in front of your player and steal the ball.
Swimming
As was already said, good swimming ability will help you at
specific times in the game. However, quantitative swimming training
does not really benefit goalies.
What really helps are sprints of 8, 12, 25 and up to 50 metres at the
most, with various extra loads/stresses. You can raise your heart rate
and you can become physically fit with static exercises particularly
involving the legs, all of which can be done outside and in front of the
goal.
This way you have double gain, since you are both working
your legs and you are “learning” and familiarising yourself with your
position in the goal since you spend more time working in it.
Another thing we really need is simple aerobiosis three times a
week with a 30-minute swim at 140to 150bpm.
Training should be done with as much specialised loading to
the legs as possible and with technique drills at the goal with the
necessary assistance of two more goalies.
Since technique is not something each person works on
individually and since we have a lot of balls at our disposal it makes
sense to combine technique workouts with general shooting practice,
by having the field players throw flat or lob shots at the goalie, from
the corners and the centre, shots after movement, etc.
You must spend many hours in the cage deflecting shots from
field players.
The swimming style you will do most often in games is the
sprint. So, in addition to a general warm-up and a middle or long-
distance swim to check your cardiovascular function, you should
work on your sprint speed. You will almost never have to swim more
than 6 metres in any one exit.
Your sprint training can be in the form of:
Stop-and-go drills – work on moving your hips up and down,
from flutter kick to vertical eggbeater.
Short distance all-out swims with a lot of rest.
Timed 25-metre swims.
Angles and Positioning in the cage.
A lot of what you do in preparation for the actual shot is based
on geometry.
1. The cage is a rectangle, and the shooter is a certain distance
away. Given these two variables, you must try to find the best
centred position. Geometrically, a triangle can be formed by
an imaginary line from both posts of the cage to the ball. Your
head should be at the mid-point of the base of the triangle.
You should try to have your head intersect a straight line
drawn between the ball and the centre of the goal. This
centering process takes place when you move laterally, from
one side to the other.
2. Another type of centering takes place when the shooter
moves closer or farther away from the goal, or passes to a
teammate who is closer or farther away.
3. In general, as the shooter gets closer to the cage, you can
reduce the surface of the net available by moving out.
Conversely, when the shooter moves farther away, the goalie
should move back closer to the cage so as to avoid the lob shot
or cross-pass.
4. A third factor that is important in positioning has to do with
shooter percentages. It is easier on angled shots (that is from
outside the centre of the pool)for the shooter to pinpoint the
corner closest to him.
This corner is the shortest distance for the shooter and the
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easiest for accuracy. It is called the “strong side” of the goal –
the side closest to the ball.
Most shooters prefer to shoot to the near side of the goal.
Therefore, the odds are better to block the ball by staying
closer to the strong side; be ready to stop any near side or
over-your-head shot.
All of the above were made for general reference, meant to
describe rather than to define. Certain aspects change
according to individual build and style, etc.
OUT OF THE WATER
PREPARING BODY AND MIND FOR THE “BIG ONES”
Notebooks, Observing the opposition.
Gaining experience includes keeping notes on the opposition,
knowing who the best shooters are, where the opposition usually
shoots, which players are left-handed, and game situations that
usually result in a certain type of shot.
I prefer to play against opponents a number of times so that I
can learn these tendencies.
Field players contribution in assisting goalie improvement.
Have the players take shots from different spots, in and out of
the water. It is always beneficial to find a player (preferably a good
shooter) that will to get in the water with you, one-on-one, and try to
beat you.
As this player shoots his best shots, you are forced to improve
in those areas. Obviously it’s good if the shooter has many good
shots so that you can learn to block a variety of attempts.
GENERAL PHYSICAL PREPARATION
The general physical preparation of a goalie aims at improving
overall mobility. It not only promotes overall physical development
but also gives a boost to all the body’s energy-generating systems,
building a powerful physical fitness base from which a goalie’s form
and performance level can begin to develop.It is no wonder that
general physical preparation dominates long-term training
programming.
In the annual programme the regimen is primarily used in the
general and special preparatory periods, and is limited in pre-season
and in-season training, where its purpose is to stabilise and maintain
the high level physical conditioning built up in the preparatory
period.
According to Harre it is of vital importance when our athletes
are at an age when they are still developing and particularly in basic
and preliminary training. The exercises selected should be planned in
such a way that the type of movement and the extra loading factors
will enhance those skills that are necessary as a basis for a specialised
performance.
The general exercises we select, together with the learning
and practising of the various moves, improve coordination and assist
young athletes in mastering complicated techniques until they reach
a level where they are able to learn more easily and be more
receptive to the difficult movement sequences the goalie’s position
demands.
Even in childhood and puberty an athlete’s bones and
ligaments are tremendously fragile, and extreme specific training can
put quite a strain on them. Using the general exercises adds variety
to the exercise book and limits the odds of injury from continuously
working the same muscles.
Game-specific and other types of specific exercises have
certain demands, but their main goal is always to strengthen the
whole range of muscles required to execute a specific game move.
The development of the rest of muscles is delayed so they are not
able to fully fulfil their function during the rest of the move, killing
the momentum.
This is particularly true for the abdominal and lower back
muscles, which are used in all the moves and, in our case, for the
thigh muscles (biceps and quadriceps femoris).Therefore, the general
exercises should be performed in order to assist in the strengthening
of these particular muscles.
General exercises are all the gymnastic exercises, that is,
movements with or without gym equipment, either on dry land or in
the water, which do not include any Sport-Specific Movement
elements. Moreover, the belief that the amount of general training is
gradually being reduced is wrong.
In fact, it would be more accurate to say that the quantity of
general training is constantly increasing. It is only reduced
proportionately to its percentage in overall strength training (Darras
G. Nikos, 1991).
Overall flexibility.
Abductor stretches.
Gastrocnemius stretches.
Thoracic spine (mid-back) stretches.
Upper back stretches.
Arm stretches (triceps).
Arm stretches (biceps).
Thigh stretches (quadriceps).
Thigh stretches (hamstring muscles: biceps,
semimembranosus, semitendinosus)
Lateral abdominal stretches.
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GENERAL PHYSICAL PREPARATION IN THE WATER - EXERCISE-
BOOK
Strength in the water.
Exercises for all swimming styles (crawl, backstroke, breaststroke,
butterfly stroke).
Arms only.
Arms only, using a pull-boy.
Legs only, using a kick-board.
Legs only, holding the kick-board vertically in the water.
Legs only, using fins.
Swimming wearing a t-shirt.
Swimming with small hand weights and resistance bands.
Swimming tied by a band to the springboard.
Running in the shallow part of the pool.
Partner exercises:
Leg only -partners facing each other with arms extended
touching the other’s shoulders (not for backstroke).
Arms only - partners tied to each other at the feet swimming
in opposite directions.
Crawl, arms only - one player free crawls while the other keeps
him in place by holding on to one foot, without moving.
One player does a butterfly stroke with a crawl kick while the
other holds him in place around the waist.
Speed in the water.
Ten meter swims at maximum speed, all styles except for
backstroke.
Twenty meters at maximum speed.
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Thirty meters at maximum speed.
Short distance relays
Starting from the water and from the springboard.
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SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PREPARATION OF A GOALIE
The goalie’s specific physical preparation is divided into:
a. specific training content
b. sport-specific training content
The specific physical preparation process contributes to the
athlete’s specialisation in the particular position.
Specific training content.
Specific exercises mainly promote the development and
improvement of individual physical fitness and coordination, as well
as elements of the technique and strategy required for the creation
of tendencies and of a general game theory.
The second group (specific exercises II) focuses on certain
movements that have been singled out from a particular movement
sequence. These are sport-specific exercises that activate the various
muscles in a way that is identical or similar (motion direction,
strength / time process) to that required in executing the move
during a game.
In the specific exercises (Ι) the intensity of the workout is maintained
at a lower level than it is during a match, when the main target is
developing basic stamina and ease of execution with regard to a large
number of repetitive movements.
This develops and improves the movement sequence required
and raises the endurance threshold. We can also make training
conditions more difficult than the actual game conditions, so athletes
may learn to manage individual loads with greater intensity than is
required in a match.
This facilitates converting the performance level of an
individual skill into part of the complex athletic performance.
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Specific exercises (II) focus on developing the abilities and
skills that determine individual performance, but they do not
guarantee immediate results in athletic performance.
In order to raise training effectiveness there is a growing
tendency to select exercises and quantity of training in such a way so
as to be able to simultaneously address more than one of the various
basic problems (e.g. physical fitness, technique, tactics, psychological
preparation).
The compound elements of physical fitness, as well as the
athlete’s abilities and skills, will develop if we take into consideration
the need for neuromuscular coordination demanded by a goalie’s
basic movements.
In advanced training, these exercises are mainly used during
the preparation period. During game season, the quantity of these
exercises is reduced. The focus then turns to stabilising the
performance level of individual abilities, mobility elements and skills.
Sport-specific training content.
The sport-specific training content is made up of all the
regulation-approved moves a goalie may execute during a game.
Such exercises start to be used during the pre-season period,
while their quantity increases as we approach the first games of the
season (Darras).
Due to the type of movement and the emphasis that is given
to game-specific characteristics (intensity, quantity and quality of
movement), sport-specific drills are particularly effective in creating a
balance between performance factors and the complex perfection
required by the goalie’s specific performance (Harre).
Sport-specific training has a significant effect on the rate of
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performance development and makes the greatest demands on the
athlete’s psychological and physical powers.
Therefore, the volume of intensity experience during a game is
small compared to the total volume in other phases and periods.
Breakdown of the goalie’s mobility behaviour
In order to pinpoint the particular exercises which will assist in
the development of a goalie’s specific physical attributes, we have to
determine a goalie’s movements during the game.
The goalie’s main mission is to defend the goal and to
contribute to the fast break and other strategic defensive or
offensive actions.
While defending the goal the goalie’s movements can be
broken down into:
a. Basic position – ready position
b. Moving within the cage.
c. Alarm position, with the hands either in or out of the water.
d. Rising for a lob shot.
e. One or two-hand lunges straight up or to either side,
f. Return to basic position.
During defensive and offensive actions the goalie’s
movements can be broken down into the following:
a. Moving to retrieve and steal the ball either immediately following
a shot or in order to kill the momentum of the opposing team’s fast
break after a bad pass made by the offense.
b. Outlet pass to start a counterattack or a fast break.
c. Assisting in the offensive in special situations.
d. Assisting in defence by moving towards the ball to block the centre
forward’s shot.
Specific exercises on dry land
The specific exercises on dry land focus on copying the goalie’s
movements in the water. Needless to say these movements should
include exercises for the goalie’s arms, midsection and legs.
Duplicating the movements may be achieved with simple exercises,
either with or without the use of extra weights, as well as with
partner exercises.
Sport-specific exercises for the goalie.
A large part of the goalie’s physical conditioning should be
taken up by game situation practice. Through the practice exercises
the effects of the general and the specific exercises combine,
together with our athlete’s particular personality, to form his
individual playing style.
The conditions of the game situation practice have to be
similar to real game conditions and different degrees of extra
difficulty can be imposed. Unbroken concentration and strict
observation of the rules is required here, with the added pressure of
the responsibility the goalie feels towards his teammates and coach.
A goalie’s game situation practice is made up of:
Normal game situation exercises, in which all the rules are
observed and various defensive and offensive systems are
practiced during which the goalie may have either an active or
a passive role,
Repeated specific situations in which the goalie’s actions play
a significant part, e.g. game situation exercises with a player
less in all possible combinations (0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6),
offensive skirmishes between equal numbers of players or
with a player more in all the combinations, etc.
Normal game situation exercises in an area smaller than the
standard playing field (e.g. 20mX15m), in order to increase the
pace of the game,
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Normal game situation exercises with special rules, for
example: without fouls or without corner throws or without
the ball ever hitting the water or with only 30’’ offense time,
"The red swim cap". The red cap is always the extra player.
Therefore the offensive always has an extra player, 6-5. If in a
skirmish team A scores a goal then they set up in regular extra
formation, if not then team B leads the attack.
Game situation exercises using only one goal and organising
defensive tactics, e.g. pressing, zone, etc. Exercises at one goal
with a player less, 6 on 5 (which is the usual situation in polo),
and organising the goalie’s blocks and reactions,
Players form a semicircle, with one player in front blocking
while the rest shoot to score. Then the blocking player shoots,
and so on. This exercise aims at promoting collaboration
between the defensive field players and the goalie.
Finally, each coach can invent games that can increase or
diminish the game situation difficulty as needed.
EPILOGUE
“Do all of the preparation, suggestions and work mentioned in
this book so as to avoid a goalie’s most embarrassing moment (!!) –
reaching back into the cage to retrieve the water polo ball.”
Also, keep in mind that even though a goal scored on you may
be embarrassing, if you try to learn from every goal and every loss,
over time you will evolve into a better goalie.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE IN SWIMMING (ELENI AVLONITOU)
SPORTS TRAINING (SPYROS KELLIS)
TRAINING SCIENCE (Μ. LETZELTER)
RESEARCH RESULTS FROM MEN'S HEALTH MAG
EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY (V. KLEISOURAS)
TRAINING SCIENCE (D. PANAGIOTOPOULOS)
SWIMMING TRAINING (G. NIKOLOPOULOS)
ERGOMETRY (MANDROUKAS)
PUBLICATION EXCERPT “EXPLOSIVE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT”
(MICHALIS PANDIS)
PERSONAL RESEARCH AND NOTES
DEGREE THESIS OF CHRISTOS POLITIS
Curriculum Vitae
PERSONAL DETAILS:
FULL NAME:
YEAR OF BIRTH:
TELEPHONE NO.:
CHRISTOS BAKAS
1966
6946 06 83 63
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EDUCATION & TRAINING:
GRADUATE OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF PHSYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS SCIENCE,
DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE,
SPECIALISATION 1: SWIMMING
DEGREE THESIS ON AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF TEACHING
SWIMMING.
SPECIALISATION 2: HANDBALL
ELECTIVES: ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, COMPETITIVE TRAMPOLINING,
BOXING
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
AUTHOR OF A SCIENTIFIC BOOK ENTITLED MULTI-STYLE METHOD OF
TEACHING SWIMMING,NATIONAL LIBRARY ISBN NUMBER 960-
90583-0-2, WHICH CONTAINS FIVE PANHELLENIC STUDIES ON THE
SWIMMING TEACHING METHODS CUSTOMARY IN GREECE.
ATHLETIC AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER:
SWIMMING ATHLETE, HELLENIC SWIMMING FEDERATION (EKOF) IN
GREECE AND ACADEMIC, SOFIA, BULGARIA. SWIMMING COACH
FROM 1989 TO 2001 IN IOANNINA AND FOR PAOK THESSALONIKI.
STRENGTH IMPROVEMENT, ENDURANCE AND PHYSICAL ABILITY
WATER POLO COACH FROM 2001 UNTIL TODAY FOR THE WATER
POLO TEAMS: ARIS THESSALONIKI (League Α1 national, 3 seasons,
and League Β national, 3 seasons) P.A.O.K. THESSALONIKI (League Α1
national, 4 seasons), IRAKLIS THESSALONIKI (League Α2 national, 1
season),
CURRENT TEAM: ARIS THESSALONIKI
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