Trying to get fit - help/advice required

oddone

I have been asked to attend a football tournament in about a months
time. I was a decent player when I was younger
and used to play regularly but due to full time work haven't
done much running or played much for a few years now.

I don't want to let my mates down as they're counting on me
to play so i need to try and get into shape so I can at least
run around for 30 mins without collapsing on a football pitch.

As it stands I am completely out of shape, not overweight
as I have always been very slim.

Basically I have about four weeks to try and get some ways
fit. I know that's not much time at all and the odds aren't in my favour
but I still think i could achieve a lot in that time.

I have already started back running, I dont have a gym close enough
to attend nor can I afford it.

I was just wondering what is the best method?

As it stands I can do a one or two laps of jogging on a football pitch
before being out of breath or beginning to get a stitch.

Should I just keep trying to go further and further running wise?

Is it unwise to try and run daily when you're unfit or should I be trying
to push myself.

If anyone can offer any routines or advice which would help me
I'd greatly appreciate it.

bigstar

AFAIK jogging isnt the best. things like shuttles and intervals are better for training for football. think about the distance youll run on the pitch, mostly between 10m and 50m sprints, thats what you wanna train at. i used to jog the length of a pitch and then sprint the width for a few laps when i was trying to get fit for a new season, but theres better ways of doing it tbh. focus on shorter sprints as opposed to jogging for laps.

--amadeus--

You need to build two things, endurance (to allow you to run for teh duration of teh match without keeling over) and speed (short distance sprints).

If I were you I would concentrate on Fartleks. If you do them 3 - 4 times a week for 30 - 60 mins you'll build all teh systems you need to. Vary them though - one longer one with fewer bursts of speed (to maximise endurance) and one shorter one with frequent almost flat out sprints of 30 - 100m (to work on acceleration and speed). If you want more details just ask

oddone

--amadeus-- wrote: »

You need to build two things, endurance (to allow you to run for teh duration of teh match without keeling over) and speed (short distance sprints).

If I were you I would concentrate on Fartleks. If you do them 3 - 4 times a week for 30 - 60 mins you'll build all teh systems you need to. Vary them though - one longer one with fewer bursts of speed (to maximise endurance) and one shorter one with frequent almost flat out sprints of 30 - 100m (to work on acceleration and speed). If you want more details just ask

Thank you. That sounds ideal.

If you could help me or have any links so I could work out
exactly how to start and how frequently considering I am starting
from scratch that would be great.

Cheers

Dazd_N_Confusd

Go do 2 spin classes a week. That should (hopefully) give you a decent aerobic base while also satisfying the need to actually sprint every once in a while!

rccaulfield

Get a stopwatch for starters. Your outta shape but the first few weeks of getting back into shape are the most fruitful! Your not out to lose fat so endless jogging wont do it! If it were me id head to the pitch you train on, warm up, stretch, start jogging, start your stopwatch, after 2 minutes go 80% for 30 seconds then slow it down to a slow jog for 2 minutes-do this for ten!
Use your first training as an assessment, so if you cant run for 2 minutes walk for 1 then jog for one, also if you cant maintain 80% pace for 3o secs do 20 secs!
However thge most important thing is that once you get your baseline-you must aim to improve on every session!
Dont train 2 days in a row- rst is as important as training- eat well, especially b4 and after training!
Remember everyones different-this is wat wud work for me if i'd a month and was outta shape-other things might work for you also! gud luck

--amadeus--

I wouldn't bother with spinning, unless they let you take a bike onto the pitch (specificity of training - you want your training to be as close to your event as possible, you wouldn't train for a bike race by swimming, why train for football by spinning?)

I'd start by training 3 days a week, upping to 4 after a couple of weeks. As I said above mix the durations and focus (shorter sessions with lots of sprints and longer ones with more steady pace). Also incorporate rapid direction changes to strengthen joints, basically make the training as like a match as you can. Try reading this and this as well.

Good luck!

oddone

appreciate all the advice, cheers.