TRAINING DIARY: Whall happy with first week

3:40pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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“WEEK One of pre-season training is now complete, encompassing nine sessions over six days, and am I very pleased with how the players are shaping up.

“Their attitude, commitment, enthusiasm and willingness to work hard was great to see and certainly bodes well for the coming season.

“It was obvious from the testing done on the first day that the players had worked hard to maintain their fitness levels over the summer break and the new players joining the squad have all arrived with excellent base levels of fitness.

“At this early stage the key is to balance the workload and intensity with adequate recovery.

“The training itself is the stimulus that challenges the body but it is during the recovery periods between sessions that the actual adaptations take place that increase a player’s fitness levels.

“It is all too easy to push players too hard too soon but the result is often unnecessary injury and loss of training time, ultimately doing more harm to preparations than good.

“I work closely with Dino, Marshy and Gary [sports therapist Gary Thompson] to plan and monitor the training load.

“We combine fitness, strength and mobility work with and without the ball on a daily basis and I’m glad to report no injuries to date.

“Moving into Week Two it is important not to get carried away with the success we have had so far.

“We still have a long way to go and lot of hard work to get through but hopefully the games at Clitheroe and Chorley will give the fans a glimpse of what is to come.”