Lack of power or muscular endurance?

danlen

i exercise regularly and train for a couple of team sports as well. i also weight train as well. however during some matches i sometimes get that 'heavy legged' feeling even early in games and it feels as if i dont have the power to outrun opponents even though i am quite fast. would this be a lack of explosive power or muscular endurance? can anyone suggest something i could add to my routine to eradicate this problem?

Hanley

danlen wrote: »

i exercise regularly and train for a couple of team sports as well. i also weight train as well. however during some matches i sometimes get that 'heavy legged' feeling even early in games and it feels as if i dont have the power to outrun opponents even though i am quite fast. would this be a lack of explosive power or muscular endurance? can anyone suggest something i could add to my routine to eradicate this problem?

"Power" is your ability to out sprint and out muscle your opponent

"Endurance" is your ability to repeatedly show your "power"

In my opinion!!

FWIW, and I'm not a sports coach, I think lots of HIIT and other general training drills would be good.

You get strong in the gym, you translate that strength to performance on the training pitch.

Roper

More strength endurance.

Patto

Sounds like you lack conditioning which is an energy thing rather than a strength thing.

To be more specific in a field sport context you most probably lack anaerobic and/or aerobic conditioning.

If you are fast then you already have a good strength and power base, if you get tired quickly, heavy legs, full of lactic etc. You just aren't getting the lactic out of your legs quick enough which is related to aerobic fittness and you probably don't have good anaerobic endurance either.

Anerobic endurance and muscle endurance are not the same thing either. One is an energy thing the other is a strength thing.

There are various conditioning tests you can do which will tell you more. The 150 test is one.

You won't fix this problem with weights or strength training, think puke inducing intervals the rowing machine. Its your only man.

I suffered from the same problems. I was very quick in short bursts but I'd get that heavy legged feeling so can completely relate, at the time I used to blame it on the fact I was 15 stone and 12% bf but that's just an excuse.

I'd have to agree with Patto - HIIT interval training ALL the way.

matrixroyal

This could be a bit left field but sometimes that heavy legged feeling can be down to match day nerves.

I used to be flying in training and feel like a lead weight during a match because my body would be so anxious that I would freeze up a bit and also maybe waste a lot of energy in nervous energy.

As I get older, I still get match day nerves but I have made more of a routine so that the occasion of the match is more of a series of rituals. Our trainer has also put together a prematch routine and warmup that is timed to the minute and never changes, this seems to settle us down and we always feel that it's just another match with the same preparation.

This might not be your problem but just my 2c anyway.

I would also be interested in hearing other people's suggestions for keeping that light footed feeling, especially as your legs get stronger ( in terms of weight lifting ).

hunnymonster

just checking an obvious question. I assume you're fuelling yourself well enough for the match?

Roper

Coming up next:
HIIT as the cure for the common cold!

It's a bit too complex to go into here OP but google strength endurance. Ultimately though, that assumes you have strength enough to endure! What's your weight training programme like?

dioltas

Maybe something like 20 rep squats would help. I haven't done that program but I hear it's a bitch and is good for muscular endurance.