sports science and analytics - hkjccampaign.hkjc.com/ch/yfd/images/manchester_united... ·...

SPORTS SCIENCE AND ANALYTICS

THE PURSUIT OF INNOVATION IN THE EPL

ROBIN THORPE – Fitness Coach/Sports Scientist

(Head of Recovery and Regeneration)

2

OVERVIEW

AIMS

1. An insight to how MUFC utilize Sports Science

2. Importance of player assessment

3. Future analytics

3 3

“players have to react faster. every moment, every action happens faster. think

faster, act faster - this is the football of the future.”valeri lobanowsky (kiev 1996)

FUTURE SCOPING

4

MANCHESTER UNITED EXPERIENCE

4

5

MUFC HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTRE

5

TO PROVIDE A HIGH-TECH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CENTRE BASED INSIDE THE

AON TRAINING CENTRE TO EFFICIENTLY AND ETHICALLY ENHANCE OUR

PLAYER’S PERFORMANCE

6

MUFC HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTRE

850 Lab Assessments to Date

10, 000 Data Points Generated Weekly

6 Staff members with minimum PhD

3 Staff Members working toward PhD

4 High Level Research Projects + + =

6

HUMAN PERFORMANCE LABORATORY

Restoration Scientist

Head of Strength & Conditioning

Assistant Fitness &

Conditioning Coach

Human Performance

Manager

Head of Training Analysis

Sensory Analyst

Assistant Performance Scientist/S&C

Dynamic Movement Consultant

Director of Research

Nutritionist

Training Load Analyst

SPORTS SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Head of Fitness & Conditioning

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

**

** **

* n=7 x PhD

England won the 1966 World Cup with n=7 technical and support staff

HIGH PERFORMANCE PLAYER

• Remain injury free

• High performance work rates

• Capable of playing 50 games

• Window of opportunity

• Capable of playing a game every 4 days over a 5 game period

• Sound recovery markers

• Seasonal Match Availability of 90%

• Seasonal Training Availability of 85%

• Achieve baseline targets for sports science department

8

9

The Player Experience

• Pre-training assessment

• Pre-training individual conditioning

• Activation

• Injury prevention

• Training

• Post-training assessment

• Post-training individual conditioning

• Recovery and regeneration

09.00-10.00 am

11.45 am-13.00 pm

10.30-11.45 am

10.00-10.30 am

9

TRAINING PROGRAMME – FIELD BASED CONDITIONING

Physical Quality Useful For Physiological Stimulus Training Protocol Training Mode Training Code

General endurance

Improving the ability to

exercise for prolonged

period of time

Aerobic moderate

2-7 repetitions of 4-10 min

@ 80-90% Hrmax. Rest:

~1 min

Interval running

6v6-10v10

Small to medium

pitch area

Blue

Football specific/ high-

intensity Endurance

Improving the ability to

sustain & perform

repeated high-intensity

exercise

Aerobic high

4-8 repetitions of

1-3 min @ 90-95%

Hrmax. Rest: 1-1.5

min

Intermittent running

2v2-4v4 big pitch area

5v5-8v8 specific rules, big

pitch area

Yellow

Repeated short/long

sprints

Improving the ability to

produce power rapidly

and perform maximal runs

repeatedly

Anaerobic

(Speed endurance)

3-18 repetitions of

5-30 s @ maximal/

near maximal

Intensity. Rest: 2-6

exercise time

Straight, shuttle and

multidirectional specific

runs

Red

10

11

Strength and Injury Prevention

• KEY AREAS - Hip, Groin and Hamstring

• Peripheral areas – Core and Glutes

• Injury prevention focus - low load, high range of movement dynamic

conditioning

• Leg strength and power KEY

• Periodisation complications…fixture congestion

• Upper body emphasis

• Vertical and horizontal power focus for GK’s

• Majority of gym conditioning – Injury Prevention!

11

12

IF IT’S MEASURABLE, MEASURE IT. IF IT’S CONTROLLABLE

CONTROL IT. IF IT IS BOTH RECORD IT.

IMPORTANCE OF PLAYER ASSESSMENT

12

13

Results

14 14

DO THE SIMPLE THINGS INCREDIBLY WELL

ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION BUT DONT NECESSARILY MAKE

GOOD USE OF IT

14

15

THE FUTURE

RECOVERY AND FATIGUE MONITORING

15

16 16

Manchester United are never at the top of the mountain - there is no mountain,

no end in sight, it’s just a continuous, relentless charge year after year. There’s

never a feeling of We’ve done it.

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE