Fitness Zone

Get fit the smart way

The Fitness Zone provides supplementary conditioning workouts that develop the specific energy systems needed for athletic performance. While the core Performance Program focuses on developing speed, power, and technique, these optional workouts build the cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance that allow you to maintain your skills throughout competition.

These workouts are designed to be added flexibly alongside your regular training schedule. Consider these guidelines when incorporating them into your routine:

Start gradually: Begin with one session per week before adding more
Respect recovery: Never sacrifice quality in your technical sessions for additional conditioning
Adjust intensity: Modify the workouts based on your fitness level and sport demands
Progressive overload: Gradually increase duration or intensity over time, not both simultaneously
Sport-specific timing: Reduce volume during competition periods and increase during off-season

Each workout targets different energy systems and movement patterns, allowing you to customize your conditioning based on your sport's specific demands. Choose the workouts that best match your needs or rotate through all three for balanced development.

Workout 1: 8:12 Spin Bike Intervals

Develop game-specific fitness without adding impact stress to your joints

The 8:12 interval protocol offers a perfect balance of high-intensity work with strategic recovery periods. This workout specifically targets the anaerobic energy systems crucial for team sport performance while minimizing stress on your tendons and bones.

Why It Works

This workout is effective because:

The 8-second work period is short enough to maintain maximum effort
The 12-second rest period doesn't allow complete recovery
You can push cardiovascular development without joint impact
Research shows significant fitness improvements with this timing protocol

How To Perform

Setup:
- Set bike seat at hip height or slightly above
- Download a timing app that can manage 8:12 intervals
- Warm up with 3-5 minutes of easy pedaling
Execution:
- Begin increasing gear/resistance during the final 3 seconds of rest
- Sprint at maximum effort for the entire 8-second work period
- Immediately reduce resistance when the rest period begins
- Complete 15-30 rounds initially, building up over time
Progression:
- Start with 15-20 rounds your first session
- Add 3-5 rounds each subsequent workout
- Increase resistance or leg speed as you adapt
- Advanced athletes can work up to 60+ rounds

This workout is particularly valuable during your in-season phase when additional running volume might increase injury risk.

Workout 2: Repeat Sprint Training

Maintain game speed and conditioning with minimal equipment and maximum effectiveness

This workout provides the perfect solution for maintaining sport-specific fitness during breaks from team training or during off-season periods. Unlike steady-state cardio, repeat sprints develop the exact energy systems and movement patterns you need for competition.

Why It Works

This training method is effective because:

It mimics the stop-start nature of most team sports
Develops both acceleration and deceleration capabilities
Trains your anaerobic energy systems specifically
Requires minimal equipment and space
Helps maintain your "fitness ceiling" during breaks

How To Perform

Setup:
- Place two markers 20 meters apart (or 40-50m for field sport athletes)
- Set a timer for 10 minutes
- Perform a thorough dynamic warm-up
Execution:
- Sprint explosively from one marker to the other
- Only decelerate AFTER passing the finish marker
- Walk back to the start position (this is your recovery)
- Immediately begin your next sprint
- Continue this pattern for the entire time period
Progression:
- Start with 10 minutes total work time
- Add 1-2 minutes per session
- Build up to 20 minutes for advanced conditioning
- Field sport athletes can alternate between 20m and longer (40-50m) sprints

This workout is particularly valuable during holiday breaks or off-season periods when team training is reduced or unavailable.

Workout 3: Game Fit

Replicate the intensity and movement patterns of competitive sports

Game Fit is designed to simulate the unique demands of team sports, incorporating the varied movements, intensities, and rest periods found in actual competition. This comprehensive workout develops not just conditioning, but also the movement quality needed for high-level performance.

Why It Works

This training method is effective because:

It combines sprinting, lateral movement, and directional changes
The work-to-rest ratios mirror actual game conditions
Intensity naturally decreases through "quarters," like in real competition
It develops both anaerobic and aerobic energy systems simultaneously
Quality of movement is prioritized over pure volume

How To Perform

Setup:
- Create a rectangular area (25-30m x 15-16m)
- Mark halfway points on the sidelines
- Perform a thorough dynamic warm-up
- Use an interval timer to track the periods
The Quarter Structure:
- Ten-in-One Shuttle: Complete 10 baseline-to-baseline sprints in 1 minute
- 60-second rest: Simulates a timeout or game stoppage
- 3-minute Game Fit Circuit: Complete as many rounds as possible
- 3-minute rest: Simulates quarter or halftime break
- Repeat for up to 4 quarters (beginners start with 1-2)
Game Fit Circuit Pattern:
- Sprint from corner to halfway mark
- Coast to far sideline
- Lateral zig-zag to opposite corner
- Sprint back to halfway mark
- Coast to starting sideline
- Forward cutting zig-zag back to start
- Repeat pattern continuously
Important Focus:
- Maintain movement quality throughout
- Take extra rest if needed to preserve speed and technique
- Begin with 1-2 quarters and build up to the full 4-quarter workout

This workout is particularly valuable during pre-season training when developing sport-specific fitness is crucial for competitive readiness.