Simple Understanding of Training

In all competitive sports, there will be off season and in season but in training for sports there are off season, pre-season and in season. Centralize training are usually tailored or scheduled for athletes/referees who are already at a certain level of fitness. In refereeing, the referee should be able to run at least 2800 m in a 12 minutes run before entering in to the centralized training.

To maintain or to gain to the minimum level of fitness, a referee needs to undergo aerobic and anaerobic training for at least a month. Maintaining 50-60% Fitness Takes Less Effort Than Starting From Scratch! When the training stimulus is removed, physiological adaptations begin to reverse back to pre-training levels. This effect is known as detraining. Just as detrimental as doing nothing is avidly maintaining the same level of volume and intensity right throughout the transition phase. This can quickly lead to over-training and mental burnout. This is what happen when some referee with a low level if fitness (not at an appropriate level) join in the training sessions either at the beginning or in the middle.

FIFA Pre-season or In-season training is not set to raise your fitness level but to condition (getting use to) your fitness level to the strenuous anaerobic activities in a football competitive match or to take the FIFA Physical Fitness Test. So if a referee is not in a state of readiness (fitness) then he will get the negative effects of training. The training in the pre-season and in season are usually anaerobic training which differs from the aerobic training. Without a good base of aerobic level, entering into anaerobic MAY increase your fitness level but the effect of plateau or burnout may occur.

During the in-season period, training is aimed at the maintenance of fitness level, improving strength, strength endurance, speed and power endurance, techniques, agility, correcting of weaknesses and mental training as the competition will gets tougher and tougher. Training at least once a week may be sufficient. This depend on the number of appointments you are involved in. Doing too many competitive matches without proper rest may be detrimental. So being prepared physically and mentally will make the difference of a normal referee and an excellent one.

I hope this simple explanation will be beneficial to all and for those who think they understood but do not understand.

Injuries Among Referees

Referees, like other sport enthusiasts are also prone to injury. Injuries that may occur to referees are normally overuse injuries, also called cumulative trauma disorder, which is a category of sports related injuries that result from repetitive use. Although some may be due to acute injury but overuse injury are more distinguish. An acute injury is an injury with a sudden onset, usually as a result of trauma. Some causes of acute injuries are burns, electrical shock, car accidents, falls, sprains and strains, and fights. In all cases, a single incident causes an injury and the severity of the injury can vary.
An overuse injury is any type of muscle or joint injury, such as tendinitis or a stress fracture, that's caused by repetitive trauma. An overuse injury typically stems from training errors, technique errors, surface of training, improper shoes worn, lack of adequate rest and other chronic reasons.
Sudden increase in the workload or intensity, improper shoes, running on hard surface, improper terrain or continuous pounding of the legs may cause shinsplints, Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs or even patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or runner's knee.
Overuse injuries can be avoided. It's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting a new type of physical activity — especially if you have a medical condition that may predispose you to an overuse injury. You may need to correct imbalances in flexibility and strength or, if you've had a previous injury, work to restore range of motion, muscle strength and stability. Consider and make sure you wear proper shoes for the activity. Pace yourself. If you're starting a new physical activity program, avoid becoming a weekend warrior. Compressing your physical activity for the week into two days can lead to an overuse injury. Be consistent in your training schedule and alternate hard workouts with medium or light training for recuperate.
Gradually increase your activity level or intensity of work load. Mix up your routine. Instead of focusing on one type of exercise, consider combining two or more types of physical activity, also known as cross-training. Doing a variety of low-impact activities — such as walking, biking, swimming and water jogging — in moderation can help prevent overuse injuries by allowing your body to use different muscle groups. Strive to include aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching, core stability and balance training elements in your routine.
Schedule your training tailored for your own needs and your own progress in your fitness level. Following others in training may jeopardise your safety or progress as they may be of different level of fitness. Consult your fitness trainer or read about it from the Internet.
Listen to your body for at time your body will give the signal when rest is needed. "No pain no gain" is not always a good advice to follow. Muscle soreness and injuries differ in signs and symptoms. Insufficient training or wrong training may not bring you to the end of the race or even not bring you to the starting line of the race.

Adapted from:
Overuse Injuries - how to prevent training injuries.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/overuse-injury/my01092

Objectivity in Training

It is not surprising to know that many referees do not have a specific objective when they go down to the field for training. Yes, perhaps they may say that they are doing speed workout, or speed endurance, aerobic endurance or anaerobic endurance, weight training but how many plan their training schedule for a month or 20 days before the fitness test or doing training for a subsequent match?

Training to improve an athlete's performance obeys the principles of training: specificity, overload, recovery, adaptation and reversibility. Specificity deal with the aim of training, to improve speed, strength, endurance, agility or mobility. Overload deal with increasing the resistance e.g. adding weights to the barbell, increasing the number of repetitions in the interval runs, increasing the number of sets of the exercise (work-out) or increasing the intensity- more work in the same time, i.e. reducing the recovery periods. The increase of work load should be incremental, easy to difficulty, easy to hard, lesser to more. Recovery is necessary to allow the body to adapt or to condition itself to the pressure and change its reaction to the work load. Adaptation occurs during the recovery period after the training session is completed.The body will react to the training loads imposed by increasing its ability to cope with those loads. The improvement of endurance, speed, speed endurance, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, cardiovascular endurance, strength, muscular endurance or recovery rate. Reversibility states that the improved body performance can be declined with the inconsistency of regular training, reduce of intensity or loads. A simple phenomenon that can be seen is the feeling of a decline in fitness after a lay out due to injury.

If we are training for the fitness test, we should know what level of fitness are we. Can we start at the same level as others who have started their training very much earlier? Plan your schedule of training for a month, 20 days, a week or even for the day. Do not just go down and do a work our with no target or clear objective. You may be doing to little or too much. Wrong training or failing to train properly will either NOT bring to the starting line (due to injury) or the finishing line (due to lack of training intensity).


Adapted from:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/trnprin.htm

PNF Stretching

PNF Stretching is mentioned in the FIFA training schedule. Below are the related definition to enable you to understand the meaning and thus understanding your training. Training with a good mind will reaps favourable results.

PNF Stretching: PNF is an abbreviation for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation A technique for increasing flexibility which combines muscle tension with passive stretching. Also sometimes called isometric stretching.

PNF stretching, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching, is an occupational therapy and physical therapy procedure designed in the 1940s and 1950s to rehabilitate patients with paralysis.[1] It is often a combination of passive stretching and isometrics contractions. In the 1980s, components of PNF began to be used by sport therapists on healthy athletes. The most common PNF leg or arm positions encourage flexibility and coordination throughout the limb's entire range of motion. PNF is used to supplement daily stretching and is employed to make quick gains in range of motion to help athletes improve performance. Good range of motion makes better biomechanics, reduces fatigue and helps prevent overuse injuries. PNF is practiced by chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, athletic trainers and others.

Isometric Stretching: Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching (meaning it does not involve motion) which involves the resistance of muscle groups through isometric contraction of the stretched muscles.. The use of isometric stretching is one of the fastest ways to develop increased static-passive flexibility and is much more effective than either passive stretching or active stretching alone. Isometric stretches also help to develop strength in the tensed muscles (which helps to develop static-active flexibility), and seems to decrease the amount of pain usually associated with stretching. The most common ways to provide the needed resistance for an isometric stretch are to apply resistance manually to one’s own limbs, to have a partner apply the resistance, or to use an apparatus such as a wall (or the floor) to provide resistance.
(Stretching the triceps, deltoids, calfs muscle, quadriceps or thigh muscles etc. )

Active Stretching: An example of this method of active flexibility stretching is doing high kicks with the leg. This is the type of flexibility exercise has more potential for muscle tears and soreness than passive or partner stretching, which is the practice of having a relaxed limb moved beyond its normal range of motion with the assistance of a partner.
(Calisthenics exercises that are done within the 20 meter cones - knee lift, back heel, side steps, back running etc).
Active stretching uses agonist and antagonist muscles. Agonist muscles are whichever muscle is contracting muscle and the opposing muscles are called antagonist muscles. When agonist muscles contract, contraction of the opposing antagonist muscles is inhibited, which means one muscle contracts and the other relaxes. But that is only true to a certain point because there are nerve endings in each muscle which monitor the change in length of the muscle and the rate of change. If a muscle is jerked too hard or too fast, muscle spindles activate a protective reflex contracting the opposing muscle muscle. While necessary for the protection from injury of muscles in sports and normal everyday life, this protective reaction makes effective stretching more difficult.

Dynamic Stretching: The use of a controlled swinging movements through the range of motion of a limb, in order to warm up or increase flexibility. See�Active Stretching.
Static Stretching: A type of stretching in which a relaxed position is held without moving for a significant period of time. As opposed to dynamic stretching in which the limb is moved vigorously to stretch.

Ballistic Stretching: The use of momentum or “bouncing” to force a limb beyond its range of motion in order to warm up or increase flexibility. Examples of ballistic stretching would be leg swings or bouncing in splits. Such stretches may lead to injury if the body is not thoroughly warmed up, but if done carefully (with light force and controlled amplitude), experienced gymnasts may benefit from these flexibility exercises.

Article from:
Posted by Gymnastics Zone
http://gymnasticszone.com/definition-pnf-stretching
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNF_stretching

Goalkeeper Offences in FUTSAL - Latest 2011/2012

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team is a goalkeeper commits any of the following four offences:
- controls the ball with his hands or feet in his own half f the pitch for more than four seconds.
- after playing the ball, he touches it again in his own half of the pitch after it has been deliberately played to him by a team-mate without an opponent playing or touching it.

Interpretation: The goalkeeper cannot play or touch the ball if it is deliberately passed to him a team mate even if the ball has cross the halfway line unless it has been played or touched by an opponent.

- touches the ball with his hands inside his own penalty area after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate.
- touches the ball with his hands inside his own penalty area after he has received it directly from a kick in by a team-mate.

Page 129 FUTSAL LoG 2010/11: A goalkeeper is not permitted to touch the ball in his own half of the pitch:
- if he is in possession of the ball in his own half of the pitch for more than four seconds whether he with his hands inside his penalty area, with his feet in his own half of the pitch.

- if, after playing the ball, he touches it again in his own half of the pitch after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate without an opponent playing or touching it.
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with ANY PART of his body, except if the ball accidently rebounds off him.

Muscle Spasm and Cramps

Read an article in About.Com about Muscle Spasm and Cramps. It is interesting as this is a common phenomenon among athlete especially football players and referees too. Muscle spasm and cramps can be very painful at times. Common areas affected are the back of lower leg (calf), back of thigh (hamstrings), front of thigh (quadriceps) and feet, hands, arms, and abdomen.
The causes of muscle spasm and cramps is still unknown but common reasons are due to altered neuromuscular control, dehydration, electrolyte depletion, poor conditioning, muscle fatigue or involving in a new activity. Heat and extensive sweating result in depletion of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium which, are needed for muscle contraction.

Cramps usually go away on their own without treatment, but to help speed up the healing process it is advice to stop the activity that caused the cramp, gently stretch and massage the cramping muscle or hold the joint in a stretched position until the cramp stops.

Tips to prevent muscle spasm and cramps:
· Improve fitness and avoid muscle fatigue
· Stretch regularly after exercise
· Warm up before exercise
· Stretch the calf muscle
· Stretch the hamstring muscle
· Stretch the quadriceps muscle
· Most muscle cramps are not serious. If your muscle cramps are severe, frequent, constant or of concern, see your doctor.

Adopted from:
http://video.about.com/sportsmedicine/Muscle-Spasms-and-Cramps-.htm

FIFA Match Officials 2012

FIFA has accepted the nominees by Football Association of Maldives for the International Match Officials for 2012.
Referees:
Ali Saleem, Ahmed Aslam, Ahmed Afsah

Assistant Referees:
Ahmed Ameez, Ibrahim Thaufeeq, Mohamed Fareed, Mohamed Aneel, Jaufar Rasheed

As the country top referees they are expected to exhibit professional approach in maintaining their discipline, attitude, fitness level and performance. They will serve as the role model to other referees especially the younger referees, inspiring them to have the aspiration to achieve the highest level in refereeing. They should give their assistance in the development of refereeign in Maldives by their own performance and also guiding others to do so.