Invisible Training (Part 1)

This article was written by Adal Sánchez, a seasoned professional with 17 years of experience in football across various categories, from grassroots to professional levels, encompassing both male and female divisions. With a background as a fitness coach in the top tier of football in Panama and Costa Rica, Adal has also spent seasons working in the United States, contributing to academies and universities in California. With a decade-long tenure as a personal trainer specializing in strength and skill enhancement, Adal has worked with players representing national teams in both men's and women's categories, as well as top-flight clubs in Costa Rica and the MLS in the United States.

Read time: 3 minutes.

"Talent is never enough" (John Maxwell), with this phrase I want to begin this article which, based on my experience as a coach and physical trainer, is 100% applicable to anyone who practices a sport. In this case, we focus on football players, as nowadays we have many methods to achieve better sports performance. Now, let's question the following: What is the reason behind the high performance for many years in elite football of players like Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo? Are they athletes who solely rely on what they do at the club? Is it enough to just attend team training? What lies behind the sports performance of these types of players? In this space, I would like to raise awareness about invisible training and its importance in today's football.

Invisible Training

Invisible training or extra work is basically everything a footballer does off the field, from the end of one training session or match to the beginning of the next. Do you know how long a professional footballer's training session lasts? 1 hour and 30 minutes? 2 hours? On the other hand, how much time does a footballer spend outside of club training? How do they invest their time off the pitch? Nowadays, high-performance football is won by small details, details that if we seek excellence, we must work on day by day. Currently, there are many extra conditions to optimize performance off the training fields.

What does invisible training consist of?

As mentioned earlier, there are different aspects in which a footballer can work to improve their sports performance. We can mention some such as:

1. Nutrition

2. Psychology

3. Recovery

4. Strength and Technique

Nutrition: The physical demands of training cause physiological changes in our bodies, therefore, proper nutrition allows for optimal recovery and even reduces the risk of injury. That's why having a personalized diet to meet the demands of training and competition is important. It is important to have a professional in charge of our nutrition and follow a structure according to our energy requirements and physical goals (increase in muscle mass, decrease in body fat percentage).

Psychology: Leo Messi: "I know I need to go to a psychologist" - statements by Leo Messi in an interview with the program Jordi Evole. Before high-performance footballers, we are human beings and often forget what this means. We experience emotions that directly affect our performance on the field, for better or for worse. Stress and anxiety are conditions that can greatly affect sports performance. The appearance of nervousness, tension, worry, frustration, and negative thoughts can lead to a decrease in sports performance due to increased breathing rate, heart rate, and tension at the neuromuscular level.

In conclusion, invisible training in modern football represents a crucial aspect for the success of elite players. From nutrition to psychology, every aspect off the field significantly contributes to performance on the pitch. However, this article has only scratched the surface of this vast topic. In the next installment, we will delve into the remaining aspects of invisible training and explore how these combined elements shape players towards excellence.