Soccer Players and the Gym

Patto

I have often wondered how much soccer players use the gym. It appears to becomming a greater part of their training in recent years.

I remembering hearing Roy Keane say that he does most of his training in the gym. I remember Paul McGrath used only train in the gym and play matches.

How often are professional soccer players using the gym in season?

I would guess that some may be using the gym 2 or 3 days a week.

What type of programmes do they use?

Conditioning is important, I wonder do they use these crossfit type programmes. I wonder do they do much powerlifting.

What kind of weights are they lifting?

I bet Roy Keane can bench press his body weight easily and squat x1.5 body weight.

tribulus

They don't look like they're in the gym much! Except Ade Akinbiy but he was rubbish anyway!

To be fair with the amount of running they do it would be hard to gain a lot of size, which probably isn't their main goal anyway.

I'd also be interested to know their programs, if it's just general upper body stuff and a focus on power for lower body or more endurance type training, I think Transform mentioned that he trained a footballer before...

Dragan

There is a football team that trains in Westwood, Sandyford.

There coach has them doing tricep kickbacks and that kind of thing.

Pathetic really.

Sangre

Looking back to recent photo of Keane playing for UTD I seriously doubt he could bench his own weight, or squat 1.5x it.

AlphaMale 3OO

Dragan wrote:

There is a football team that trains in Westwood, Sandyford.

There coach has them doing tricep kickbacks and that kind of thing.

Pathetic really.

Yeah I saw them last week. They seemed to have no idea whatsoever as to what they were doing. it actually looks weird to me seeing a soccer player in the gym as I never really thought they considered it beneficial to the sport. that team (whoever they were) seemed to be doing a lot of core stability work and they looked to be doing it half-assed.

WHIP IT!

Used to see Shamrock Rovers (the Roddy Collins version of a coupla years ago) in my gym (Citywest) all the time... Pathetic, most of em just trying to rid themselves of hangovers via the pool, sauna, jacuzzi etc while at the same time talking loudly about their exploits in this pub/nightclub or that pub/nightclub the night before... Cringey... No wonder they were relegated nad no wonder the club hadn't two pennies to rub together...

davyjose

Sangre wrote:

Looking back to recent photo of Keane playing for UTD I seriously doubt he could bench his own weight, or squat 1.5x it.

Maybe not with the bench press (although his goals wouldn't be size), but 1.5 times his own bodyweight is probably only about 120kg. Footballers upper body physiques might not impress you, but you are grossly underestimating the leg/core strength needed to be a professional footballer.

thirtyfoot

davyjose wrote:

Maybe not with the bench press (although his goals wouldn't be size), but 1.5 times his own bodyweight is probably only about 120kg. Footballers upper body physiques might not impress you, but you are grossly underestimating the leg/core strength needed to be a professional footballer.

I agree, image can be deceiving and its the problem that some gym only athletes fall into in that they think unless you are savagely built or cut you ain't strong. How many times have you seen Keane knocked off a ball and he isn't the biggest man in the world. Top players like Keane would have savage functional strength for what he needs to do,ie, compete for the 50-50 ball (or in his case 40-60) or be strong in the air. Whatever Keane did in the long hours in the gym worked, he was an amazing athlete.

Patto

I think if you just consider the agility and mobility required to play professional soccer and the corresponding hamstring strength required alone you are looking a a serious level of strength. I would nearly go as far as to say all professional soccer player could probably squat close to 1.5 body weight.

Weather they use squats etc as part of their training or not is another question.

davyjose

I remember, very recently, seeing David Beckams training routine. It involved using quite a lot of Bench work and squats. Now I know he's not the biggest guy, but he's extremely dedicated to his training, and I would say he does it regularly. So he can't be that weak.
Also I once knew a guy, little more than scrawny - certainly no bigger than your average pro-footballer - who could bench 90kg.

thirtyfoot

http://www.geocities.com/goxyn/imagenes/GoldenFour1996.html

Although not a footballer, he is the triple jumper Jonathon Edwards. You could say skinny at 70-72kg yet he could bench 122kg. Apparently his oly lifts weren't too bad either.A prime example of appearances being deceptive.

Sangre

Ok I'll give him the squat, 1.5x body weight isn't hard for an athelte but I doubt he could 'easily bench his weight' given the photo I saw. He had a terrible upper body, maybe back in his youth it would have been different.

http://www.dublinka.com/pics/keano.jpg


and i am by no means taking away from his obvious athletic abilities before we go down that road.

LegacyUser

Sangre wrote:

Looking back to recent photo of Keane playing for UTD I seriously doubt he could bench his own weight, or squat 1.5x it.

Of course he could. I don't have proof. I just seriously think he would. If he couldn't i would be shocked.

dannyd20

I play soccer competitively and I lift weights. I'm nowhere near pro standard but I think lifting benefits my strength and power on the pitch. With the amount of cardio I do, I don't build much bulk. Although in the off season (this summer) I have made some gains.

My staple lifts are Bench (1RM 85kg), Squat (95kg) and Deadlift (1RM 135kg). I weigh 70kg.

Folk in the gym regularly tell me I lift pretty big for a little fella!

So IMO it is entirely possible (and probable!) that pro footballers do serious weight training, they just don't bulk up due to all the aerobic training

EDIT: I have slightly mixed goals with my training - I am trying to build up a bit over the summer but for pros good muscular power and strength endurance is far more beneficial than maximal strength and huge, rippling muscles therefore they would probably use lower weights and higher reps.

Leon11

To be honest the majority of soccer players I know personally* have no desire to lift weights or bulk up. They are however very strong "in the tackle" when I try play against them for fun:D

Another thing, rugby/gaa players do **** loads of running in season, we can bulk up easily, no reason why soccer players can't. Upper body strength just isn't as important in soccer, leg and core strength yes.

*Eircom League standard

Vinnie K

Sangre wrote:

Ok I'll give him the squat, 1.5x body weight isn't hard for an athelte but I doubt he could 'easily bench his weight' given the photo I saw. He had a terrible upper body, maybe back in his youth it would have been different.

http://www.dublinka.com/pics/keano.jpg


and i am by no means taking away from his obvious athletic abilities before we go down that road.

Sorry but my idea of a terrible upper body might be differant to your but i would think he defo does not come into that catogory. Look at the post above yours, Edwards is benching well above his body waight and by the looks of it all he has is a lower BF then Keane.
Size and looks isnt everything, the guys alot smaller then me in my gym, and they out lift me day in day out.

nesf

burntCornlake wrote:

Size and looks isnt everything, the guys alot smaller then me in my gym, and they out lift me day in day out.

Well, bulk isn't an option in a lot of sports tbh. I'm not sure if it's valid to criticise someone in one of these sports for not being "big". "Wiry strength" definitely has its place tbh.

rubadub

I am about 75kg and can bench the same. Dont think that is anything special and have only being lifting for just over a year and am not very dedicated like some people here. I would have thought he could easily do it.

I doubt he could 'easily bench his weight' given the photo I saw. He had a terrible upper body

Wouldnt say it is terrible, that is the pic they were showing when he was voted as having the most desirable physique for men!

I would imagine these athletes are not training for hypertrophy, where excess weight would not be beneficial, so for a given size/muscle mass they could be a lot stronger than a guy training to look good in a t-shirt.

LegacyUser

Sangre, take your top off...

daveirl

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PeakOutput

Sangre wrote:

Ok I'll give him the squat, 1.5x body weight isn't hard for an athelte but I doubt he could 'easily bench his weight' given the photo I saw.

id say hed do it just to spite you tho

Patto

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Hi Dave,

You can't download that file without buying something off PN first.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

hunnymonster

nesf wrote:

Well, bulk isn't an option in a lot of sports tbh. I'm not sure if it's valid to criticise someone in one of these sports for not being "big". "Wiry strength" definitely has its place tbh.

QFT

Pride Fighter

Leon11 wrote:

To be honest the majority of soccer players I know personally* have no desire to lift weights or bulk up.
*Eircom League standard

Thats why the Eircom league is crap.