SPORTS SCIENCE AND ANALYTICS

THE PURSUIT OF INNOVATION IN THE EPL

ROBIN THORPE – Fitness Coach/Sports Scientist

(Head of Recovery and Regeneration)

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OVERVIEW

AIMS

1. An insight to how MUFC utilize Sports Science

2. Importance of player assessment

3. Future analytics

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“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

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MANCHESTER UNITED EXPERIENCE

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MUFC HUMAN PERFORMANCE CENTRE

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

AON TRAINING CENTRE TO EFFICIENTLY AND ETHICALLY ENHANCE OUR

PLAYER’S PERFORMANCE

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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 + + =

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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

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* 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

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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

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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

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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!

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

CONTROL IT. IF IT IS BOTH RECORD IT.

IMPORTANCE OF PLAYER ASSESSMENT

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Results

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DO THE SIMPLE THINGS INCREDIBLY WELL

ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LOTS OF INFORMATION BUT DONT NECESSARILY MAKE

GOOD USE OF IT

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THE FUTURE

RECOVERY AND FATIGUE MONITORING

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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