Speed Barrier on Football
by L. Santosh Singh; lecturer Don Bosco College, Panjim (B.P.E., M.P.Ed, N.I.S. (Football))

In football which depends predominantly on speed the improvement of Speed performance is hindered by speed barrier. When the improvement of speed stops and it can not be further improved in spite of continuing speed training i.e. we called the Speed Barrier.
It is difficult to exactly key point the result for the occurrence of speed barrier in football. It occurs when the footballer's training is one sided directed at speed improvement through speed exercises and in high performance training the special exercises for explosive strength are ignored. However, it becomes speed barrier as a "motor stereo-type". The reasons for the occurrence of speed barrier perhaps related to the functioning of CNS.
When speed training is done with maximum speed using specific movement then the CNS has to function repeatedly in the same manner with same speed. If this is repeated too often then the CNS functioning becomes Stabilized and can result in a sort of automatisation. This automatisation does not allow the CNS to function at a higher speed than to which it is habituated.
Speed training, therefore it self results in the occurrence of speed barriers in particular football training. On the one hand one has to use specific movements at maximum speed for improvement of speed in football. But on the other hand if this is repeated too often the chance of speed barrier increase in football training.
The problem of speed barrier can be tackled in two ways, Delaying of speed barrier - In football initial stage of training the occurrence of speed barrier can be delayed by improving the speed performance predominantly by using non specific means and methods. This means the speed performance should be improved primarily by improving the strength, endurance, techniques and other factors which determine by football speed training. Example of a 100 m. sprint of football player, his performance can be improved up to about 10.0 or 10.2 sec. by adopting general means. But if specific means are adopted then the speed barrier may occur at 11.0 sec. thereby making further progress very difficult.

Overcoming speed barrier - In spite of football speed training whatever means, general or specific are adopted for improving speed performance the speed barrier occurs faster and later. The advantage of using general means that it will occur at a much higher level of performance. The speed barrier can be possibly overcome or tackled in two ways mentioned below:
1. The football player is enable to do the movement faster by adopting certain means. In speed training of footballer can do this by running down hill with optimum slope or by running behind a motor at a optimal speed while holding it form behind. Players movement accompanied by faster rhythm or under easier conditions also helps in over coming speed barrier. The main purpose of using all the means is to some how force CNS to function at a higher speed than it is used to.
2. Speed barrier in football speed training is the result of some sort of automatisation of CNS functions controlling and regulating speed performace. If the footballer does not do the concern movement for a sufficiently long time than this automatisation becomes weak and can be overcome with less effort. It can be done to overcome speed barrier.
The football player should not do the specific movements for several weeks. During this period football player should concentrate on improving explosive strength of the concerned muscle flexibility etc. After this break of speed training of the football player should again resume speed training, if needed under easier conditions. Now a days world class footballers having same capacity of motor quality except speed (quality) so, good footballers always depend upon motor quality of speed.