Getting the Balance? Fitness / Bulk

thewools

Right folks looking for any sort of feedback or help here:

I'm 6"3, 22, slightly < 90kg at the moment.

Play all sorts of sports but I am mainly GAA focused.

I’m looking to get physically stronger and to bulk out a bit more but don’t want lose my speed and fitness. I need the strength work for all the hustle and bustle in the middle of the field to contest kick outs etc, but need the stamina and overall fitness to sprint up and down the field throughout the game.

I have bulked out somewhat over the last year; plus the odd injury or two hasn't helped me maintain or increase my stamina and fitness levels.

I have been doing weights twice a week since November and the results are showing. However I find it hard to get the lower body work done due to training (a lot of running these days - pre season).

This is a general weekly schedule which is on-going

Monday: Gym - Upper Body
Tuesday: GAA Training (Running / Ball / Tackling etc)
Wednesday: Gym - More Upper Body Work. 3km run on treadmill
Thursday: GAA Training
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest or Gym
Sunday: Usually a Game

So as you can see it pretty busy, usually do 5 sessions of "work" per week. But to fit in the lower body / leg work I find hassle. My legs are normally wrecked from a game on the Sunday so can’t on a Monday. If I do it on a Wednesday then I feel it during training on the Thursday!! And usually don’t go gym on the Friday!

So that is one of the problems - and I realize that I'm focusing too much on the upper body lately.

But how can I get in the extra running too? We are doing a fair bit in training at the moment but I think I require more due to my position on the pitch. Corner forwards / Backs don’t require the same fitness or strength levels as others.

My goal is to hit 14.5 stone this year but I don’t want this to affect my fitness levels. I actually want to improve my fitness level significantly – SO is it possible to get a balance between fitness, speed, strength and bulk?

Or has anyone experienced the same problems?

Cheers

Pen1987

high weight, low reps. Max reps should be about 5. Work on your rotator cuffs, you'll find them surprisingly improtant for pushing people away when you land and move after catching the ball

Colm_OReilly

If you're looking to bulk up with strength, I'd advise Starting Strength. This has been given to a lot of high school football players who needed to bulk up.

The amount of sprint/drill work you do in training should be enough not to notice any decline in speed over the course of a season.

At 90Kg, you're not small, so if you were looking for fitness, CrossFit metcon stuff would help. Particularly anything explosive like Olymipic Lifts, coupled with sprinting would help. Threadmill work will do fa for your running stamina on the pitch. Stick to sprint workouts, intervals. This is closer to the demands placed on you on the pitch.

If you're finding yourself tired, I'd make the Saturday the rest day, as this will better prep you for a match. Still tired? Maybe reduce the intensity on the Monday session.

Hope this helps, if you ened more advice, let us know,
Colm

Pride Fighter

My brother is a middle distance runner. The day after he does lower body weights like squats and the like he runs faster. So do it on a Wednesday and you might get surprised by outsprinting your teammates. Also if your a midfielder plyometrics could help improve your lower body and increase the height of your jumps.

Mikel

But Gaa isn't middle distance running. Running in Gaa/soccer is either 100% all out or walking/jogging back into position.
Long runs are not helpful and may actually set you back if you become too aerobically fit. That's before considering chronic injuries
Explosive olympic type stuff would be helpful, maybe kettelbells?

BossArky

Try incorporating intervals into your running over 3km or 5km ish distances.

i.e. 800m at something slow like 10 kmph, then up to 17kmph-ish for 400m... try and keep that going for a while. Adjust speeds until you can complete the full distance.

It should add more of a speed focus to your runs.

thewools

BossArky wrote: »

Try incorporating intervals into your running over 3km or 5km ish distances.

i.e. 800m at something slow like 10 kmph, then up to 17kmph-ish for 400m... try and keep that going for a while. Adjust speeds until you can complete the full distance.

It should add more of a speed focus to your runs.

Might try something like this tonight, have previously done something like this:

Reducing jogging time and sprint time like so:

4mins @ 16kmph, 2mins @ 9-10kmph
3mins @ 16kmph, 1.5mins @ 9-10kmph
2mins @ 16kmph, 1min @ 9-10kmph
1mins @ 16kmph, 0.5mins @ 9-10kmph
0.5mins @ 16kmph

Tough Stuff!!

Ye i reckon doing some sort of interval running would be more suitable as it simulates game conditions better!! Perchaps do something like this twice a week...

On the weights side - Think i might try doing more explosive stuff: Olympic Lifts and more squating and dead lifts!

Rotator Cuffs? Wil have to look into this one, never done any exercise to work this area i dont think

thewools

Done a bit of leg work last night;

Calf Raises
20kg X 3 X 10each leg

Good Mornings Barbell
40kg X 3 X 8 (Toes pointing forward, pointing inwards + outwards)

Seated Leg Curl
25kg X 3 X 10 each leg

Power Cleans
50kg X 3 X 10

Felt tight after the power cleans but felt good.. Only used 50kg as it been quite some time since I've done them!

Done a bit more upper body too...

Decline Bench:
60kg X 1 X 10
70kg X 1 X 10
80kg X 1 X 8
85kg X 1 X 5

Felt good - 85kg my new PB and i feel like I can go alot higher. Obviously my maximum would alot higher but had no one to spot me!

Barbell Curl
40kg X 3 X 8:

Finished off my workout with some interval running as stated above

Done close to 4.5km i think in 22ish mins

First minute at 8-10kmph
Next 400m @ 17.5kmp
Next 200m @ 10.0kmph
Next 400m @ 18.5kmph
Next 300m @ 10.0kmph
Next 400m @ 19.0kmph
Next 300m @ 10.0kmph
Next 400m @ 19.5kmph
Next 300m @ 10.0kmph
Next 400m @ 19.5kmph
Next 300m @ 10.0kmph
Next 400m @ 19.5kmph
And Jogged the rest @ 10.0kmph for 300-400m

Think everyone in the gym running close to me thought i was mad! :)Was getting some shocked looks :eek: when in my sprint intervals! Personally i didnt even think the threadmills would hit 19.5km (could go more - i dunno, i'll try max it out next time :-) )

Was a tough run but felt more rewarding than just running 4-5 km at 13-14kmph.

Feel pretty good today - will just do a bit of stretching today a few hours before training and see how it goes tonight!!

Think i will start up my own Fitness log today so i can track my progress + and so that you can aid / critise my training :rolleyes: