Players’ fitness test takes shape
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has intensified TNM Super League players’ physical fitness testing exercise, using recently acquired electronic devices.
The association extended the testing of players’ fitness from national teams to clubs using GPS Physical Fitness Monitoring Devices.
FAM youth development officer James Sangala said thye have so far tested players from Ntopwa FC, Nyasa Big Bullets, Be Forward Wanderers and Mighty Tigers.
“At the end of the activity the device gives us a report on different matrix on the maximum heart rate of a player during the activity. With the heart rate, we are able to know whether the player is fit or not.
“The normal measurement for a player who is fit is supposed to be 180 beats per minute. A player who goes beyond that is not fit because his heart is struggling to pump and circulate blood to different parts of the body,” he said.
Sangala said the exercise will help coaches to know whether there is need for advance training of the players during the training sessions to further develop their fitness.
“The devices will also help to track down if injured players are ready to return to action. Now we want to go to the clubs because players from the national team come from the clubs. We will compare the data of the players recorded whilst at national team and at their clubs,” Sangala explained.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) donated the GPS Physical Fitness Monitoring Devices last year but FAM only extended the exercise to clubs midway through the 2019 season.
FAM competitions and media manager Gomezgani Zakazaka said they delayed to extend the exercise to clubs as they had to first train enough personnel how to operate the device.
“The equipment was donated in May last year but it came in bits. We had a full set with measuring devices by March this year.
“CAF also indicated that they need to train personnel before use and Sangala with Moffat Champiti attended the CAF course in South Africa last February
“The idea was to do in-house testing for national teams and make proper assessment before taking it out to clubs,” he said.
This Electronic Physical Fitness Performance includes 50 kits consisting of 25 physical fitness devices and 25 heart rate monitors, three charging hubs, 50 vests, one carrier bag, antenna for live data and a specific a laptop.
