followed by 50 m along the short side and so forth. It 100% repetition to 30 s or more. It is difficult to do the
takes 1 minute to complete one lap of the rectangular running grids for 30 s each side because you can
grid and this is completed without pause for 5-minutes physically run out of room to make a rectangle (eg. 30
and can be done for 2-4 sets with a 2-3 minute rest in s x 4.6 m/s means the long, 100% MAS side would
between sets. The key point here is that each group have to be 138 m long, a distance which is hard to find
has their grid based upon their own MAS capabilities ~ on typical sports fields). If conditioning is performed on
however, despite differences in MAS capabilities among rowing machines or bikes, then the interval time
such large group, each group should be at their lengths can be increased up to 30 s. Therefore 30 s at
respective corner of the rectangular grid each 15-s, 100% MAS followed by 30 s at 70% MAS, continued
which makes training compliance easy to monitor. The for 5 minutes is appropriate for cycling and rowing
athletes are not allowed to speed up during the 70% ergometers.
sides to get a headstart on the harder sides – this just Every 3-4 weeks it may be necessary to retest MAS or
makes the grid an anaerobic threshold grid, something more simply to advance each group up to the next grid
to avoid! This is enforced by making the athletes (which would be about 105% of their original or
momentarily stop and hold the start position on the previous MAS). For example, the group that were
start of each long side of the grid. running 60 m on their long 100% MAS side are sent up
When performing the running versions, it is more to the 63 m grid and so forth. This method is now used
practical to build up to 6, then 8-minutes and repeating by most professional footballers in Australia (soccer,
for 2-4 sets (or build up to 10 minutes and performing rugby union & league, and Australian Rules football)
1-2 sets) rather than increasing the length of each with excellent results.
Figure 1. Maximal
Aerobic Grids method
consisting of concentric <---------------------------------- Group 1 = 72 m ----------------------------------->
rectangular grids, with
the long side at 100% <---------------------------- Group 2 = 69 m ----------------------------->
MAS and the short side
at 70% MAS for each
running group. Each <--------------------- Group 3 = 66m ---------------------->
side takes 15 seconds to
complete, with the full <---------------- Group 4 = 63 m ----------------->
rectangle taking 1-
minute. The distances <-------- Group 5 = 60 m ---------->
(Long, horizontal sides:
Short vertical sides) are <---- Group 6 = 57m ----->
Group 1 = 72m:50m,
Group 2 = 69m:48m,
Group 3 = 66m:46m,
Group 4 = 63m:44m
Group 5 = 60m:42m and
Group 6 = 57m:40m.
Groups can start at
different corners to allow
for better spacing and
less congestion.
Nonetheless all athletes
hit a corner at the same
time, every 15 seconds.
A single conditioning
coach can stand in the
middle to ensure that
the athletes make it to
their corners at the same
time or with multiple
coaches, a coach can be
stationed on each
corner.
Figure 2. The Supra-maximal aerobic Eurofit method implemented for the 15 athletes assigned into six groups from Table 2.
Each group runs to their respective marker cones in 15 s, rests for 15 s, runs back to the line in 15 s, rests 15 s and repeats
till the end of the set, typically 6-10 minutes.
Eurofit Method with 1:1 work:rest ratio
Start line Marker cones for the different Groups
*-----------------------------------------------* 68m = 120% MAS, GR 6
*-------------------------------------------------* 72m = 120% MAS, GR 5
*----------------------------------------------------* 76m = 120% MAS, GR 4
*-------------------------------------------------------* 79 m = 120% MAS, GR 3
*-------------------------------------------------------------* 83m =120%MAS, GR 2
*-------------------------------------------------------------------* 86m = 120% MAS, GR 1
Figure 3. Modified Tabata protocol with the six groups of athletes from Table 2. The athletes must run twice out and back to
their respective marker cones in each repetition (20 seconds), rest 10-seconds and then repeat till four or more minutes have
elapsed. This method also increases the anerobic energy.
Modified Tabata Method at 120% MAS with 20:10 work:rest ratio
Group 6 - 17 m out & then 17 m back x 2 in each 20 s rep
* -------------------------------------------------- >*
< -------------------------------------------------
more sport specific for sports such as soccer. Turns also in intensity ~ this week serves as a “volume un-load”
increase the anaerobic energy contribution.5 week. Therefore, as intensity initially increases with the
There may appear to be little difference between the introduction of the new method, volume is lowest, but
Eurofit and Tabata methods, but the critical difference builds up over 3-weeks before implementing the next
is the Eurofit is based upon a 1:1 (15s:15s) work ratio, intensity progression, again with a lower volume.
whereas the Tabata method utilises a 2:1 ratio Once an athlete has attained some training experience
(20s:10s). This apparently minor differential has a with these methods, weekly undulating periodisation is
pronounced effect upon the accumulation of fatigue also possible with one aerobic training day emphasising
when multiple repetitions or sets are performed. increasing the time spent at 100% MAS (and possibly
Another variation of the Tabata method is to maintain also the time of each repetition spent at 100% MAS)
the 2:1 work/rest ratio and ≥120 MAS but alter the via the grids method and the other training day spent
length of the intervals to 8:4, 12:6, 16:8 etc. One of emphasising the time spent well above 100% MAS (ie.
the limitations of all the above conditioning methods is The Supra-maximal aerobic Eurofit or Tabata methods).
that there are predictable work periods. Athletes quickly This methodology is based around the Supramax
adapt to some sort of pacing strategy or know when methods DEVELOPING new aerobic power and the
they are about to start their next effort. With this Maximal method, conditioning the body to SUSTAIN
second Tabata method the coach can set different the current 100% MAS for longer periods (or to be able
coloured cones for each time/distance interval for each repeat it more often). This within-week alternation of
group. Upon the “Go” command, the athletes start their methods allows the athlete to toggle between milder
effort but not till about 2 seconds later are they given active recovery (eg. 15 s @ 70% MAS) and passive
the command which will designate which cone they run recovery (15 s rest). An example of this is depicted in
to and return from. They do not know until that point Table 3, which outlines the rowing ergometer training
will they be running to the cone designating 6s out and performed twice per week by female surfboat rowers.
back, 8s out and back, 16s out and back and so on (see Integrating high-intensity aerobic training
Figure 4). This strategy disrupts running rhythm and
recovery strategies, entails reaction to situational
with sports training and small-sided
commands and causes repeat high-intensity efforts to games
occur at less predictable times more than any of the The limitation of the above methods is that there is still
other above high-intensity methods. some ‘predictability” about them. Intermittent sports
often require intense efforts at unpredictable times and
Periodisation and progression of training hence some researchers and coaches have advocated
The three training methods above have an inbuilt small sided games as a better alternative to traditional
intensity progression as athletes work from 100% MAS conditioning due to the “unpredictability” of games and
in the Grids method to 120 and 130% MAS in the the fact that games also develop sports skills and
EuroFit and Japanese Tabata methods. The other game sense. However the overload delivered by games
variable for difficulty progression is the choice between is also unpredictable.
the active recovery (at 60-70% MAS in the Grids Practical experience has shown that the alternating of 5-8
method) versus the passive rest inherent in the EuroFit minute sets of the above conditioning drills with 3-8 mins
and Tabata methods. Furthermore the Tabata method’s of small-sided games is an effective conditioning and
work:rest ratio of 2:1 may prove even more difficult as sports skill development tool in intermittent field based
compared to the 1:1 EuroFit method. The second sports. Typically, skills are coached in relatively low stress
Tabata method with variable interval lengths may prove situations (low heart rate, minimal fatigue, less than full
more even difficult for athletes but this may be due to speed or full-force opposition), which is fine for the initial
reasons other than just physiological reasons. skill development and tactical learning situations.
Introducing turns in the Tabata, or any method, will However, does this type of training enhance the skill or
also cause an increase in difficulty as this increases the tactical sports performance of advanced athletes? The
anaerobic contribution.5 authors’ experience is that the fatigue resulting from the
Training can be progressed via the systematic use of all performance of the above conditioning drills allows the
of these different methods, starting with the head skill/sports coach to see fatigue related breakdowns
100%:70% grids method, moving to the EuroFit 120% in 1) individual skill technique, 2) decision-making or 3)
MAS method and finishing with the Japanese Tabata inability to match the game speed, resulting in the
methods within a training cycle. Each method can be effective dismantling of the teams’ defensive or offensive
implemented for 2-3 weeks before progressing to the structure/patterns/formation during the during ensuing
next method. Within each 2-3 week mini-cycle, the skill- and small-sided games. Typically, these three types
typical volume progressions would also occur (5-minute of “breakdown” occur in the most fatiguing parts of real
sets building up to 8- or even 10-minute sets and/or 2 competition games but are not so well illuminated to the
sets building up to 3 or 4 sets). Consequently, when a athlete or coach during “normal” skill or tactical training
progression to the new method occurs after 3-weeks, sessions which are practised in less stressful situations.
there is a marked decrease in volume, but an increase Thus, the head skill/sports coach can develop and