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Today in 5 minutes or less you’ll learn:

• Tristan Blackmon’s Road From College To The Pros

• Fitness Planning for Reserves & Subs

Q&A With Tristan Blackmon

Tristan Blackmon is an incredible athlete. Very gifted, intelligent and all the passion a coach would desire in a player. I spent a lot of time with Tristan as a rookie and into his developing years as a pro. He is that player who worked incredibly hard for his moment and put in the work to establish himself as one of the top defenders in MLS. He’s a close friend and someone I have a lot of respect for in this profession. Take notes on this one:

What are underrated tools that are indispensable for your job?

I’d day one thing that I learned that I think is extremely important would be the relationships you have with everyone around you. As a young professional, I didn’t think they were important whatsoever, but as you start to navigate through your time in professional sports, a lot of things come full circle. I was in a mode for awhile where I was just staying to myself and not letting a lot of people in, who actually wanted to help me. So I definitely take pride in tending to the relationships I have much more now than I used to. I think it will help you excel in sports and your next venture if you are a good person and can connect on many different levels with people. People skills are 100% underrated in our space. I’d also say using the professionals around you to your advantage is something young professionals should do as well. Become a sponge and soak up as much information about everything that you possible can. Don’t be a closed book with only a few chapters written.

What advice would you give to Tristan Blackmon as a collegiate player or young pro, when you first started?

Luckily, I had several coaches in my college career that preached about “Trusting the process.” I would be a broken record when it comes to this ideology. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and even welcome them. The only way to grow is by making them. If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not taking risks. If you’re not taking risks, then you’re stagnant. And if you’re stagnant, then that probably isn’t good especially as a young pro. There will be ups and downs, but the main thing I took away my rookie year, was something one of my older teammates told me. He said, “Never let yourself get too high and never let yourself get too low. Always try to stay in balance.” It has had an impact on me since the day I heard it and I continue to practice that in my life today. Those are a couple things I would definitely share to an up and coming athlete looking to make that jump to the next level.

What are the biggest misconceptions about your job as a pro athlete?

I could probably make an entire list of them but ill try to stick to a few. One is that the job itself can’t be that hard. Everyone would be doing it if they could then. There are so many hours put into the potential 90 minutes on a weekend that most people don’t think about. The training sessions, the gym sessions, the therapy sessions, the film sessions, more recovery sessions, the food you eat, the amount of sleep you need, the pressure your family puts on you, the pressure you put on yourself, the pressure that the club puts on you… so many things go into the product that is the “game on the weekend.” So there’s a lot more to it than people think. We literally put our bodies on the line every single time we step on the field.

The money thing is a big one as well because a lot of people might have a false idea of how much money a lot of players actually make in the states and Canada. In Europe, there is a lot more money being made by players, rightfully so. But that doesn’t mean all guys in the MLS are balling making millions too. Players here are struggling to make ends meet too even if they are professional athletes. I know of plenty of guys that had to struggle long before getting to a more comfortable lifestyle, so it isn’t all range rovers and designer, designer, designer. We have to grind too. It just looks different.

We Are Human Too. Don’t forget that. That’s it for that one.

How has your understanding of S&C changed since you first started to now in your career?

I would say I had a pretty good idea of what to expect coming into the league after my college years. I think the biggest thing is how close I have become with the people in those positions. They dedicate their time to trying to make you the best you can be, so I have so much respect for S&C coaches. Throughout my career I have learned more and more about my body and how certain workout and or movements work or don’t work for me. And it’s nice that you can get things to work on based on your own individual profile instead of being thrown into the masses. Everything is much more individualized, and that only helps the athlete and coach. They begin to know you as an athlete and what works best, and you in turn work hard to reap the rewards of the effort the put in to make you the best “you.” My knowledge on the topic is ever-evolving and I look forward to continue working with the staff in this space to become the best athlete I can be.

Who or what was influential in your development as a young player?

The biggest influences on my career as a young athlete were definitely my college coaches. They just kept it real with me and were always pushing me to reach my potential. Their philosophy and style of play suited my game and in the end, in part with the hard work of myself and those around me, got me to where I wanted to be, so I can’t knock them at all. They picked me up and inspired me when I had low points, and kept me grounded when I felt like I couldn’t be touched. It’s been nice seeing them and speaking with them after it all. I have good relationships with each of them and wish them nothing but the best in their endeavors always.

What are early setbacks in your career that later gave you an advantage?

I think setbacks can either propel you forward or if you let them, drown you out. I am a firm believe that they are springboards to launch you into the next big thing. Rough times are hard, but having this thought process keeps me balanced and my hard work continues and pushes me through. The biggest setback I have had to date I would say is a knee injury that held me out of play in 2022 for 2 months. As an athlete you crave being on the field and competing so those times are extremely tough. You have to stay dedicated to the work and do all the necessary things to put yourself in a place to get back. The recovery process after getting injured can be tough, but it shows the character you have in my opinion.

I think the other main one was getting loaned out my rookie season to a USL team for a month or two. It ended up going extremely well, and won a Western Conference trophy as well. But at first it was a setback because I was the #3 pick in the MLS Superdraft and I thought that wouldn’t happen to me ever. So it knocked me back a bit, but like I said before I used it as a catalyst and then I went back to the first team and have been there since. It helped develop my mindset of trusting the process and became a time in my career I will never forget.

When was your moment you hit the next level?

This is an interesting question because I feel like for me right now I’m still in the mindset that there are more levels for me to reach. But I’d say the moment I started to feel as though I had an edge and more of a confidence in my games against the players around me was the 2019 season for LAFC. I hadn’t been playing with the first team since the preseason friendlies. I had come back from a quad injury I sustained in preseason. I was sitting in Phoenix where I was loaned out to get more games and I was watching LAFC play Dallas away in Texas. The player that had been starting in my position ended up getting hurt in the game. I get a text or call not too long after that to come back to LA. I began training during the week again with the first team and it was going to be my first start of the year against Montreal Impact. Fast forward I ended up having a great game and scored my first goal for the club that night. I think from that moment my game kind of took off and I haven’t looked back since. There are more moments in my career now where I can look back and say that was a highlight for sure. Now I'm chasing more highlights and chasing the next level.

Fitness Plans for Reserves & Subs

A lot of discussion is focused around the starting 11 player’s fitness. But what about the reserve players who play a smaller amount of minutes or don’t see the pitch at all? There needs to be a solution for these players, especially when an injury to a regular starter propels them into the lineup and greater match minutes.

A few things to consider:

• Nothing can completely mimic the intensity of match minutes like the match itself. In our training periodization, we plan various levels of intensities and volumes in various drills and field dimensions, to best prepare the players for the demands of the game. Outside of that, we are trying to close the gap between the physical demands of training and a match.

• There is a psychological component to additional fitness. If it is not explained clearly and attached to the purpose of maintaining fitness, athletes can feel frustrated towards extra running throughout the week or after a match. This is where the art of coaching and leadership plays a huge role. Discuss the plan early and often! Do not surprise an athlete with additional fitness, especially after an intense session.

• The role of a substitute is to be ready at all times to step into a playing role and study the game to be completely in sync with the team dynamic. The players who prepare themselves physically have an easier time integrating into greater match minutes. Those who are constantly studying the game, team tactics and their position have an even better integration into the team.

Opportunities For More…

There are a few opportunities for additional running throughout the week. To start we need to understand the three groups of players we have in the team.

Group 1 are your eleven starters who are consistently playing the majority of your match minutes. These athletes are still pushed in training, but ultimately are trying to peak for the upcoming match.

Group 2 are your subs who make the lineup, but will see inconsistent or low match minutes each week. A few athletes will come off the bench and contribute 30 minutes to the match and a few might play a role in the final 10 minutes, which is all very important. Additionally there are players who don’t play any minutes, but prepare for the match just as everyone else will.

Group 3 are your reserve players who do not make the lineup and are in a training only routine. They need to stay fit in case a starter or sub picks up an injury or disciplinary suspension.

The purpose of this edition is to discuss opportunities to add fitness for the subs and reserves who will have an undeniable gap in match fitness. There are three main opportunities to supplement training with additional fitness for the subs and reserves.

1. The first day back from an off day (MD+1 or MD-4). These session are usually a lighter load for the starting 11 as the team is assessing their readiness for the week. This will automatically lead to additional time for subs and reserves to train. Ideally, you want the athletes to get additional training load with the ball vs non-ball running. Playing small sided games are a great opportunity to get physical load with competitive decision making. If the numbers are not available for these types of games, then positional work might be the next best option. Always come back to the question: “how can I best prepare these athletes for the demands of the match?” If supplemental (pure running) fitness is needed, then that can be a great compliment to end the session.

2. The second opportunity is the day before a match (MD-1). Now this requires serious commitment and trust on the athlete side. The key points for this discussion is to recognize the need to stay fit in case an injury occurs and the best way to achieve that is to supplement physical load in specific dosages throughout the week. Talk with the athletes about the progressive plan to hit specific external load outputs: weekly total distance, high speed running, sprint distance, accelerations, decelerations, heart rate load, etc. The starters will receive their largest load of the week from a match and we are finding ways to distribute match load and intensity throughout the week, although we know it is not entirely the same. For those who do not have physiological tracking technology, consider the size of the field appropriate for a MD-1. It might be best to keep the dimensions smaller, with quicker actions and low volume. Your high speed running volume should be acquired on other days of the week.

3. The third opportunity is directly after the match and this is actually different for subs vs reserves. If you are a reserve (did not make the lineup) then you can complete a fitness session before the game with a very clear program. If you are a substitute, then you have to be ready to jump in at any moment. That means warming up with the team all throughout the match in preparation to play. If you play limited to no minutes, then a quick top up of conditioning post match could be appropriate. Usually the lowest hanging fruit is to achieve a specific dose of high speed running distance, as the players should be warm. If more time permits, adding in a higher intensity drill to achieve some joint load (accels and decels) and greater heart rate specific volume (interval runs) would be ideal. Again, have this discussion early in the week so the player knows what to expect. One of the most difficult experiences for an athlete can be additional running after a poor result or performance. If you can help them connect the purpose of additional fitness to their “why” the intent and result of the session will be successful. Lastly, the team off day is another opportunity for the athlete to train on their own with a prescribed session from the coach.

How we paint the picture:

Now, an athlete who initially is not open to this plan, lets take a step back and show them their training volume if they do not participate in this fitness plan.

• The day before the match they have a light training session. The match day they play limited to no minutes, another light exposure. Then the following day is an off day. That is 3 consecutive days of low training intensity and physical volume. Not to mention the first day back is potentially lighter to accommodate the starting eleven. In total, that could be 4 days of light physical training, which could be detrimental to fitness as the season goes on.

• Painting this picture can help athletes understand their role as a reserve or substitute player requires a different weekly training plan. It is not a punishment or a consequence, in fact it is an intentional program designed to bridge the gap from a lack of match minutes. It is personalizing their plan to their current situation.

For those at the college or youth level this might look a little different. However, the main points still exist. Do not get caught in the trap of following a similar training schedule to the starters. If you are not playing, you must develop a plan to add in smart training bouts of volume and intensity. This is very important to not adopt a “more is better” approach, but a “train smarter” approach. Find windows of time in the week where an extra drill or conditioning hit is appropriate. Have a plan ready depending on the design of the session. After a match, take 15-20 minutes to add in some general conditioning before the cool down. All of these moments add up and the smart coaches and athletes are the ones who close the gap all throughout the season.

Here is an example of a drill I would use at LAFC in 2021:

If you want to achieve some dynamic load for an individual session, try this:

3 reps each side (6 total reps): 35 seconds rest between reps.

Perform 2 sets. Rest 2 minutes between sets.

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But seriously, thank you for being a subscriber and taking the time to read my perspective. It means a lot to me that you find the content interesting and valuable. I am constantly striving to bring you the stories and strategies, with a dash of humor and empathy.

I appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more front row insight into pro training. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please feel free to reach out to me. Thanks again, I’ll see you next week.

-Daniel Guzman-