Increasing your Anaerobic threshold

Here is a simple drill, that encompasses the element of anaerobic threshold, which was covered in the last article. Additionally though, there is a ball handling skill involved.

Research has supported the fact that as a person's fatigue increases, then their ability to perform a skill diminishes, at an almost equal rate.

The dictates of this drill, create a situation where you cant afford to allow fatigue to effect your skill level in this way... if it does..you , and your partner pay a penalty.

DRILL

• Passers X and Y both have a ball each, and stand approx 4.5mtrs (15yds) apart.
• Runners A and B, stand one behind the other, and face passers X and Y.
• There should be a width of approx 8 ft between the runners and the passers ( running along an imaginary parallel line)
• On the whistle, A breaks left, B breaks right, and runs onto a lobbed pass, from respectively X and Y.
• Runners A and B immediately return the pass to X and Y .
• A and B now sprint to the other passer (A to Y and B to X), and once again receive a lobbed pass, and again return the pass.
• This is repeated for 30 secs, then AB change with XY, and now the passers become the runners.

Notes for the runners

• Your aim is to run as fast as possible.
• Do not over run the passer. Your aim should be to catch the pass, return it, and change direction, without going beyond the passer.
• Run a straight line, don't drift into your partners 'lane'.

Notes for the passers.

• The pass should be made along an imaginary straight line directly in front of you.
• Do not accommodate the runner, by passing on an angle to him, thereby shortening the distance he has to run. Lob the pass so he receives it right in front of you.
• The ideal situation is that you time the pass , so the runner is running flat out every time. In other words...if he doesnt, the ball will hit the ground.

General notes
Allow players few run throughs before imposing penalties.

Penalties can be agreed upon prior to the drill, or a 'surprise' known only to the conditioning coach!

To simulate the realities of a game situation, a mistake by one in the group, should lead to the whole group paying the price!

Modulating the intensity of the drill can be done by , for instance...increasing work time...decreasing rest interval...a combination of both, and or..increasing or shortening the distance between the passers.

Artyfact
For those of you interested in supplements..... researchers in Denmark, in an effort to create a product with similar properties to that of the ever popular Creatine... have partially developed its equivalent, in a tablet form....

Although still in its infancy, what is remarkable, is that in addition to duplicating effects like creatine...it is also very similar, and stronger..than Viagra!. The only drawback is....if you get it stuck in your throat, you get a stiff neck!

Until next time America. !!