Pro Women's Football: MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed) 1km Time Trial

Professional Women's Football: MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed) 1km Time Trial

Repeat and Recover – Brain, Lungs and Legs

Training IS Testing.

Baseline monitoring is crucial for elite performance. Here I used the England Women's National Team 1km time trial benchmarks to set the standard. The MAS 1km Time Trial challenges athletes to run 10 x 100m pitch lengths, circling cones at each end, to assess fitness levels and recovery, I.e. monitoring HR.

This is moving from the General preparation phase (GPP) work capacity building, to the transition period, into the more specific fitness and regeneration and restoration phase. This was completed In week 8, prior to this athletes were completing their summer training programmes away from the club.

This was completed during a high intensity, peaking week within the training block. Week 7 was a recovery and regeneration week, to ensure freshness and enable athletes to be at their best.

England Benchmark Times:
Win: 3:37
Compete: 3:45 – 3:88
Train: 4:00 – 3:46
Below: 4:14+

These athletes completed my bespoke summer training packets, combining pitch and gym work, to ensure top shape for preseason and the 1k training test. Their commitment, and the attention to detail constructing programmes brought them into team training in excellent condition.

A testament to their drive to be the best, these sessions included tempo intervals (100m pitch lengths) for serious engine building developing repeat power and fast recovery: brain, lungs, and legs. This is critical work to increase individual and team speed gears. I.e. 16 to 24

Results (by unit):
Forwards Best: 3:31
Midfield Best: 3:36
Defender Bests: 3:05, 3:41
GK Bests: 3:50, 3:52

Athletes chose their test days, ensuring optimal recovery
(2 days) between speed/power and endurance sessions. Each was benchmarked against their unit, overall team, and England standards, calculating the performance gap.

Look out for Part Two: full 1K MAS test protocol, training plans, schedules, and more on the tests completed for preseason

🔊 Listen to cues, encouragement, consistency across the board is critical.