I would like to open a discussion on the efficiency of trainers with Fitness specialty. I got myself one of these trainers. Not because I was looking for one (my squad is large enough), but because I had the opportunity.
I know it is way too early to fully understand the model, yet, a discussion at this stage can help us pay attention to some things and improve our data collection for further discussions in the future. The first question I had in mind was "how long does it take for such a trainer with fitness specialty to improve the players' fitness to its higher limit?"
Can't tell you I have the answer, but I have some interesting data already.
I had 3 matches since this trainer came, two after his first training.
The most interesting (and expected) development is that stamina is less of an issue now. I let coach decide in all 3 matches, and significant players with awful stamina played in average about 6-7 minutes less than significant players with strong stamina.
The most striking finding was in the second match. The opening five played around 40 minutes each, including a player with awful stamina. I though at the time that such stability could be very useful for planning the minutes distribution for all my players, yet in the next match (yesterday's), once more it was back to the routine of 20-35 minutes for the opening five, (same 5 players, it's playoffs after all) and of course, for planning purposes, the variation among players is the bigger problem, not so much the actual amount of played minutes.
Thus, I have several preliminary and tentative thoughts and I would love to here your feedback, confirmation, contempt or whatever concerning these thoughts:
* Such trainers move fast. You don't need to wait 10 or 15 training sessions to see the fitness changes. Even after the first training there is a significant change.
* In trying to figure out the reasons for the difference between the two last matches, I came up with 3 options:
1. Since my semi-final match was against a much harder opponent, the coach used my opening five more, stamina was not an issue, and therefore they played around 40 minutes all. The first game in the final was much easier, thus, there was no reason not to let the back-up players more minutes, to enjoy.
2. The other option seems to be less probable, but it might be that fitness training effect is very strong right after the training and it is getting weaker during the week, until next training.
Of course it can be a combination of the two first options.
3. The last option is the scariest one - it is totally randomal. Yes there is a general fitness improvement, yet the way it works is not systematic, the effect's measure changes and you cannot predict much.
Can the ones among you that have such a trainer add some data from your short experience, and can any of you add your reflections on the issue?