Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Howe wants players to report fit for pre-season
BOSS Eddie Howe has tasked his players with remaining in tip-top shape during the summer ready for Cherries to utilise modern training techniques in their League One preparations.[LNB] Howe's men have each been handed individually tapered programmes for the close season, with conditioning coach Jon Dalzell clearly laying out what is expected.[LNB] As Cherries look to successfully make the step up to the third tier, a good pre-season campaign will play a vital role in readying the players for the big kick-off come August.[LNB] And Howe has left nothing to chance by setting Cherries' stars the challenge of maintaining their fitness levels, in order to hit the ground running when training resumes next month.[LNB] We still ask them to look after themselves, be professional and keep themselves fit, Howe told the Echo.[LNB] Gone are the days when players used to come back overweight. It is pretty much an all-year-round job now.[LNB] You've got to look after yourself, maintain your fitness and come back in good shape because you can't take three or four weeks to get fit.[LNB] Although there is a fitness element to it, you really want to spend most of pre-season organising, getting the team ready and concentrating on the football side of things.[LNB] While it is our job to make sure the players are fit, it is their job to make sure they come back in good shape.[LNB] Also, injury prevention is so important. Nine times out of 10, if someone comes back in bad shape and they haven't prepared properly, they will break down because the rigours of pre-season are quite tough.[LNB] It's important they maintain that fitness and come back ready.[LNB] While Howe was also quick to stress the importance of the players resting both mentally and physically following their epic promotion season, he underlined the need to keep ticking over.[LNB] Discussing how pre-season regimes have changed during the past 15 years, he added: Things have definitely evolved. There are definitely fewer long runs and there are no slogs up and down hills.[LNB] Thanks to Jon mainly, it's all done scientifically. It's all done with heart rate monitors and it's quite short, sharp running and a lot of ball work.[LNB] We get the balls out on the first day I think it's so important. Football is played with the ball so it's important we get them out as early as possible because, ultimately, the more you can keep the ball the less running you have to do. That's what we're going to be focusing on.[LNB] Cherries benefited from their scientific approach last term after the players underwent regular fitness testing to measure aspects including heart rate, body fat and the amount they sweat.[LNB] Conditioning guru Dalzell kept a detailed record of their data to analyse performances in training and matches, while also putting the players through their paces in the gym.[LNB]
