COVID 19 : Our Mentality for Strength and Running in this period

The team is out of normal training for 2 weeks.The problems we have are many to keep our players in good shape.What happens when a player detrains for a long time (now this time is 20 days but probably this period continued ) ?What body systems /functions (that relate to football performance ) are affected during the days of detraining ?What can we do to help the players this difficult period ?

First of all we should mention the detraining effects for the Muscular System and for the Cardiospiratory System .

A. On MUSCULAR SYSTEM (if they do not do strength training at home)

1. Decrease max strength

2. Gradual decrease in muscle size 

3. Faster decrease in speed of actions (muscles contract at a slower rate)

4. Fast fibers in the human body DETRAIN FASTER since they are not used at all during the detraining period (slower muscle fibers are used with daily tasks and low intensity actions)

B.  On CARDIORESPIRATORY SYSTEM 

1. Decrease strength of heart muscle (myocardium)

2. Decrease pumping capacity of the heart (less blood is pumped / heartbeat)

3. Decrease strength of Ventilatory Muscles 

4. Decrease blood volume (-5% within 2 weeks)

These 4 factors (B1, B2, B3, B4) causes HEART RATE and BREATHING RATE TO INCREASE although work rate does not increase .
Υοu can watch in the figure the changes in VO2max and in Cardiovascular variables

Until now my players took from me  the previous weeks an Individual Body Weight Workout and a Plan for Road Training because all the other spaces to run are closed.Ηere is a sample of my workouts for Strenghth Training for the last 2 weeks and for the next week ( I give to each player about 6-8 personal plan for Core and Body Weight Workout )

Sample for Aerobic Running on the Road .As you know is difficult to achieve high speed running on the road ( 14-16km/h) and I speak fot the players that are not used to make thraining in the road.

Muscle /Gym/Strength
We need to focus on to areas :

a.High fast actions with very low resistance +speed actions without resistance -so that muscles can contract at max speed +nerves will send signals fast   
b.High LOAD -LOW reps  
Cardiospiratory System
Slow or medium Intensity Running or Long Runs or Continuous Running not help at this time so much ,only for 1-2 times per week .We need to focus as soon as possible to HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING since we need to reach at >90% max .We propose Slow Running with inside Bursts  ex ( 45''-15'' )   (2'-1' )   for the reason to increase the Stroke volume of the heart and the Cardiac Output and simultaneous to activate the fast muscle fibres ,because all this period the most of the actions are slow.
We propose one video for best understanding the High Intensity Interval Training .If someone have Field or Treadmill to make normal training we give to this player different individual program but inside I put for sure 2 HIITrainings .All we need to understand how important is the High Intensity training in Modern Soccer Training with and without ball.

( I Like to thank mr Ziogas G PHD Physiologist Paok fc for all the details about the effects in the detraining period in Football )