Weights for Gaelic Football - To Do Or No?

fighterman

Howdy folks,

Questions for ye.

32 now, have played Gaelic football all my life at a decent club level, hoping to play 6-7 more years. Even doing yoga a la Premiership soccer players in this regard! Have always kept myself very fit.

I have never done weights. Would naturally have a strong build anyway so never felt I needed to do much. Guess I was also a little wary of putting on further weight by doing weights, which I then felt might slow me down on the pitch.

So the questions are : Is it worth my while doing weights? Is my putting on weight by doing weights belief incorrect ?

Thanks in advance!

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

So the questions are : Is it worth my while doing weights?

Yes.

fighterman wrote: »

Is my putting on weight by doing weights belief incorrect ?

Yes.

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Howdy folks,

Questions for ye.

32 now, have played Gaelic football all my life at a decent club level, hoping to play 6-7 more years. Even doing yoga a la Premiership soccer players in this regard! Have always kept myself very fit.

I have never done weights. Would naturally have a strong build anyway so never felt I needed to do much. Guess I was also a little wary of putting on further weight by doing weights, which I then felt might slow me down on the pitch.

So the questions are : Is it worth my while doing weights? Is my putting on weight by doing weights belief incorrect ?

Thanks in advance!

If you asked specifically…’What is the best type of training I can do to make me a better GAA player?’…now feel free to substitute Rugby player, Mixed Martial Artist, Tennis player, swimmer or powerlifter for GAA player and my answer will be the same.

The best thing you can do training wise is to play your sport…if you are a GAA player…the best thing you can do to be better at GAA is to play more games, if it is MMA it is to fight and spar more, if it is tennis then play more matches and if you are a swimmer you need to compete in more meets and if you are a powerlifter you need to take part in more competitions.

So for me it is a hierarchy of importance with regard to playing/competing/training.

1. Play and compete more.

2. Next you need to focus on the activities that enable you to play and compete more. Now this is where it gets tricky. For some athletes this might mean you need to prehab/rehab and regeneration work. For others it might be more endurance work and yet others more speed work. You might be too light to compete properly and so need to focus on bulking up. Yet others might be big enough but not strong enough...this could very well be you. So after playing and competing the next thing you need to think about is realistically…’What do I need to do to allow me to play/compete more often’? The problem is that many athletes don’t answer this question realistically. As with you...not knowing you and not knowing your background it's hard to answer your question properly...that being is it 'weight training' what you need the most. I've had a rugby player ask me whether they needed more or different weight training that couldn't even get through a whole game. The reason for this is simple…he’s too unfit and the dude is quite simply too fat to be fit. Yet he is in the gym 4 nights a week doing strength work along with his team training sessions. The answer to his question is simple…the best thing he could do to improve his rugby would be to NOT do 4 strength sessions a week. His time could be used much more productively.

3. After you have taken care of 1. playing and competing more and 2. working out what activities will enable you to play and compete more only then do you need to work out number 3…and that is to work out what activities will enable you to perform better when competing in your sport of choice. Now personally I know rugby players and footballers who play barely half the games in their season. I know Mixed Martial Artists who rarely fight. I know powerlifters who rarely if ever compete…yet these same athletes never miss a training session in the gym. They have failed to prioritise their training properly.

So…in short…if you want to get better at your sport…then compete or play your sport. If you want to be able to compete and play…then work out what you need to do to keep your body fit and healthy enough to be able to compete or play and then and only then….do you need to worry about the training you need to do to perform better. So I am not interested in hearing about your opinions on hill sprints, or your views on reverse band bench pressing, or how awesome you think crossfit is if it is 6 weeks since your last game and you haven’t been picked because you are too fat or too unfit to actually make it through a game. I am not saying that is the case in your instance...just an example of people poorly prioritising their supplementary training for their sport.

Hope that helps. If you do decide that 'weight training' is definitely what you need then let me know and I will ramble on endlessly about that as well

nice_guy80

I would say yes

A proper weights program should help to keep you injury free during the playing season
The main problem with GAA is too much training, not enough games.

I would recommend getting yourself to a proper strength and conditioning coach. Get yourself assessed and put in place a proper program based on what you're capable of, and the facilities available to you.

there should be 3 main targets of this program
1 - prehab and flexibility. learning how to do these properly will benefit you for the rest of your life
2 - learning how to warm up properly.
3 - correcting any imbalances in your body ie right side stronger etc. getting stronger will follow with this work

generic2012

You will put on weight. If you've never lifted weights before you will put on muscle quite fast if you eat right, even if you don't eat right for the first few weeks. You will get stronger which, after the initial period of just getting used to the movements, means more muscle. This isn't bad. You will have more muscle which means you burn more calories at rest. This means less fat. Even if your absolute amount of fat stayed the same your ratio of muscle to fat will have increased. This means more speed and relative strength (more muscle moving less weight).

I play football too, I train my upper body for strength because in football your arms and core are used to propel you into the air when you jump for a ball, to push off opponents and i suppose the oul hand pass wouldn't be hindered either. These are explosive movements.

For legs I usually tire them out with high reps (20+) of squats or light leg presses then run on an incline (at at least half pace) or do box jumps. So my leg workouts are more endurance than explosive. I find doing exercises like that with tired legs really stands to you towards the end of the game.

http://www.ergo-log.com/agetraining.html
That's a study showing that older lads put on muscle just as easy as younger lads. Its not because fellas are younger that they put on muscle it's because they're new to it, that's just to back up my first point and also to help you go flat out when you start!

fighterman

Will Heffernan wrote: »

So…in short…if you want to get better at your sport…then compete or play your sport. If you want to be able to compete and play…then work out what you need to do to keep your body fit and healthy enough to be able to compete or play and then and only then….do you need to worry about the training you need to do to perform better. So I am not interested in hearing about your opinions on hill sprints, or your views on reverse band bench pressing, or how awesome you think crossfit is if it is 6 weeks since your last game and you haven’t been picked because you are too fat or too unfit to actually make it through a game. I am not saying that is the case in your instance...just an example of people poorly prioritising their supplementary training for their sport.

Hope that helps. If you do decide that 'weight training' is definitely what you need then let me know and I will ramble on endlessly about that as well

Thanks for detailed response, appreciated.

I agree exactly with what you're saying in that yes training for the sport itself and the skills of the sport itself is most important. I have always looked after myself very well fitness wise. Lately, I have started doing yoga once a week as it works hugely on flexibility, which itself is a component of fitness. There is also a small core strength aspect to the yoga.

However, I do think the core aspect of the yoga is small enough and it is this that I feel I could work on a bit more through a weights program. I guess what I would be looking for is harder upper body strength, definitely wouldn't be interested in doing weights to develop massive biceps if said biceps were slowing me down.

So is it possible to do a core weights program to aid movement and stability?

Thanks,

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Thanks for detailed response, appreciated.

No problem.

I agree exactly with what you're saying in that yes training for the sport itself and the skills of the sport itself is most important.

That's good because I agree with me too.

I have always looked after myself very well fitness wise. Lately, I have started doing yoga once a week as it works hugely on flexibility, which itself is a component of fitness. There is also a small core strength aspect to the yoga.

I think yoga is great. If you like it and you think it helps....that's enough for me. If you actually get improvements from it then that is even better

However, I do think the core aspect of the yoga is small enough and it is this that I feel I could work on a bit more through a weights program. I guess what I would be looking for is harder upper body strength, definitely wouldn't be interested in doing weights to develop massive biceps if said biceps were slowing me down.

Again...I think this is spot on. Having good, balanced upper body development and the core strength and endurance to apply it is only going to help your game.

So is it possible to do a core weights program to aid movement and stability?

Thanks,

Absolutely.

fighterman

Thank you, appreciated.

Would a core weights program of 2 * 1/2 hours during the week be sufficient?

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Thank you, appreciated.

Would a core weights program of 2 * 1/2 hours during the week be sufficient?

As I tell the ladies...it's not the frequency, time or the length that's important but the quality and the content that matters.

80s Child

Will Heffernan wrote: »

As I tell the ladies...it's not the frequency, time or the length that's important but the quality and the content that matters.

Ha, love it!

Really good thread.

That is all

Will Heffernan

A good 'core' program should have the following components:

Linear static, linear dynamic, lateral static, lateral dynamic...a rotational element and if you really want to get me hot...and lets face it...who doesn't...then you should bang in a 'complex' core element as well...that makes your core dead sexy.








p.s: I am not sure how this got so sexual and I know it was probably my fault but I think we should stop now and never mention it again.

shutup

Will, do you mind if i ask :
my problem with weights has always been having to make the choice between weight training and actually playing my sports. (tennis)
i completely agree with you that playing your sport is the most important thing. Whats happened to me in the past is weights have lead to doms, injuries and having to take rest days.
if i lift on monday, it could be days till i can play tennis properly.
do you think weight training for a tennis player can be done in season or just off season.
also, what kind of set and rep range do tennis player do.
thanks

Will Heffernan

shutup wrote: »

Will, do you mind if i ask :
my problem with weights has always been having to make the choice between weight training and actually playing my sports. (tennis)
i completely agree with you that playing your sport is the most important thing. Whats happened to me in the past is weights have lead to doms, injuries and having to take rest days.
if i lift on monday, it could be days till i can play tennis properly.
do you think weight training for a tennis player can be done in season or just off season.
also, what kind of set and rep range do tennis player do.
thanks

Great question and observations....what I might do is set myself up a fake account here and post it as a question in a new thread and then answer it as me...the real me that is. Can you tell I've had a bit more time on my hands than usual the last couple of days ?

OR

You could start a thread titled 'strength and conditioning for tennis' or something to that effect and then you'd get the views of fellow tennis players who do or do not supplement their tennis training/playing with weight training, personal trainers with various backgrounds, training and experience, boardsie's who do or do not train that have various backgrounds, training and experience who will offer their opinion on anything whether they have a clue what they are talking about or not (don't get all upset...I am joking and I think that it's a good thing) and I know there are some sports science and health graduates from DCU who lurk here like I do who have worked for Irish Tennis as well.

OR

maybe one of the mods could just move your question to a new thread with an appropriate title.

Will Heffernan

Just to clarify...my post above was an attempt at humour and also to note that I thought that the questions re tennis and weight training were worthy of their own thread and that I thought it would provoke a great discussion and I would be as interested as anyone in reading the views and experiences of others.

Sorry for any confusion and apologies to those that assumed that I was just being an a-hole.

gymfreak

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Just to clarify...my post above was an attempt at humour and also to note that I thought that the questions re tennis and weight training were worthy of their own thread and that I thought it would provoke a great discussion and I would be as interested as anyone in reading the views and experiences of others.

Sorry for any confusion and apologies to those that assumed that I was just being an a-hole.

:O
Did someone hack into your account???

CIARAN_BOYLE

shutup wrote: »

Will, do you mind if i ask :
my problem with weights has always been having to make the choice between weight training and actually playing my sports. (tennis)
i completely agree with you that playing your sport is the most important thing. Whats happened to me in the past is weights have lead to doms, injuries and having to take rest days.
if i lift on monday, it could be days till i can play tennis properly.
do you think weight training for a tennis player can be done in season or just off season.
also, what kind of set and rep range do tennis player do.
thanks

If you are doing it like that then you are doing it wrong. If you are injuring yourself to the point where you can't play your sport you are doing something wrong. If I was injuring myself like that then I would give it up all together.

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Howdy folks,

Questions for ye.

32 now, have played Gaelic football all my life at a decent club level, hoping to play 6-7 more years. Even doing yoga a la Premiership soccer players in this regard! Have always kept myself very fit.

I have never done weights. Would naturally have a strong build anyway so never felt I needed to do much. Guess I was also a little wary of putting on further weight by doing weights, which I then felt might slow me down on the pitch.

So the questions are : Is it worth my while doing weights? Is my putting on weight by doing weights belief incorrect ?

Thanks in advance!

I got sent a link to this...thought I'd post it for your general interest in the subject.

fighterman

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I got sent a link to this...thought I'd post it for your general interest in the subject.

Thanks for that, it's an interesting debate.

I guess what amateur players like myself are looking for, is to optimise the time they have available to them to train which in all likelihood, with work commitments and other commitments, is probably about 3, possibly 4 weekday evenings , with the weekends probably devoted to a game.

Two of those weekday evenings probably involve training with the team, then the other one or two weekday evenings are at the players discretion as to what training to do.

As I have said earlier in the thread, I have been doing yoga for about the last year. Initially it was with the idea of Ryan Giggs and playing on till late thirties that I took it up. So I was surprised to find that on top of the flexibility side of yoga there is also a significant core aspect to the training. Movement feels very free after yoga.

My experience with yoga has been overwhelmingly positive and I would have done it ten years ago had I known more about it. I feel over the next few years it is going to become much more commonly practiced by players of all field sports and I would urge any club player reading this to try it.

2 * team training nights and one night of yoga allows for the possibility of weight training on a fourth weekday night.

So, to refine my initial question, can enough benefit be got out of one night of weight training a week or would doing mid weights mid season be counter-productive ?

I am no expert on weights but my gut feeling is that a fourth night of a decent, but not excessive, core weights session, would be as close to a perfect week of training that a GAA club player with a job could do.

But I don't know enough about weights to know what that core weight session would be.

nice_guy80

fighterman wrote: »

Thanks for that, it's an interesting debate.

I guess what amateur players like myself are looking for, is to optimise the time they have available to them to train which in all likelihood, with work commitments and other commitments, is probably about 3, possibly 4 weekday evenings , with the weekends probably devoted to a game.

Two of those weekday evenings probably involve training with the team, then the other one or two weekday evenings are at the players discretion as to what training to do.

As I have said earlier in the thread, I have been doing yoga for about the last year. Initially it was with the idea of Ryan Giggs and playing on till late thirties that I took it up. So I was surprised to find that on top of the flexibility side of yoga there is also a significant core aspect to the training. Movement feels very free after yoga.

My experience with yoga has been overwhelmingly positive and I would have done it ten years ago had I known more about it. I feel over the next few years it is going to become much more commonly practiced by players of all field sports and I would urge any club player reading this to try it.

2 * team training nights and one night of yoga allows for the possibility of weight training on a fourth weekday night.

So, to refine my initial question, can enough benefit be got out of one night of weight training a week or would doing mid weights mid season be counter-productive ?

I am no expert on weights but my gut feeling is that a fourth night of a decent, but not excessive, core weights session, would be as close to a perfect week of training that a GAA club player with a job could do.

But I don't know enough about weights to know what that core weight session would be.

I would argue that two sessions of weight training, incorporating core work along with a good mobility and flexbility program would suit you very well.

yoga can be done at home, once you get the movements and positions mastered.

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Thanks for that, it's an interesting debate.

I guess what amateur players like myself are looking for, is to optimise the time they have available to them to train which in all likelihood, with work commitments and other commitments, is probably about 3, possibly 4 weekday evenings , with the weekends probably devoted to a game.

Two of those weekday evenings probably involve training with the team, then the other one or two weekday evenings are at the players discretion as to what training to do.

So far so good.

I'd say this is the same for footballers, basketballers, rugby players etc etc.

As I have said earlier in the thread, I have been doing yoga for about the last year. Initially it was with the idea of Ryan Giggs and playing on till late thirties that I took it up. So I was surprised to find that on top of the flexibility side of yoga there is also a significant core aspect to the training. Movement feels very free after yoga.

Sounds brilliant and if it has worked for you up and until this stage and you are enjoying it then I wouldn't see any reason to change it.

My experience with yoga has been overwhelmingly positive and I would have done it ten years ago had I known more about it. I feel over the next few years it is going to become much more commonly practiced by players of all field sports and I would urge any club player reading this to try it.

Yoga, tai chi, pilates....any sort of structure mobility work is great...if you are engaged with it and you enjoy it...then that is the class and style for you .

2 * team training nights and one night of yoga allows for the possibility of weight training on a fourth weekday night.

So, to refine my initial question, can enough benefit be got out of one night of weight training a week or would doing mid weights mid season be counter-productive ?

Absolutley

I am no expert on weights but my gut feeling is that a fourth night of a decent, but not excessive, core weights session, would be as close to a perfect week of training that a GAA club player with a job could do.

But I don't know enough about weights to know what that core weight session would be.

I wouldn't disagree with that at all.

Many people think that 'weights' has to be an hour plus in the gym.

For you for example (and this isn't a program) it might involve some mobility and stability work to warm up and take care of your shoulders and hips. Then some pull ups and push ups followed by some core work...like I outlined in some other thread somewhere....a 'good' core session is a workout in and of itself.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like...it's a forum after all...you need to make the most of this week if you want to ask me questions as I am in the 'naughty corner' at work so am stuck behind a desk at the moment. I'll be gone again soon and everyone will be able to have their forum back and won't have to be worried about me stomping around in here wrecking the gaff

fighterman

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Many people think that 'weights' has to be an hour plus in the gym.

For you for example (and this isn't a program) it might involve some mobility and stability work to warm up and take care of your shoulders and hips. Then some pull ups and push ups followed by some core work...like I outlined in some other thread somewhere....a 'good' core session is a workout in and of itself.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like...it's a forum after all...:)

I will try and take advantage of your offer then!

Can you elaborate on the middle paragraph above?

What do you mean by mobility and stability work? Already incorporate some of the yoga work into the (almost 100% cardio) sessions I do at the gym. These exercises are things like (not sure of exact name of exercise) going from a standing position with arms straight out in front of you to sitting in an imaginary chair, the same exercise repeated on your tiptoes and the same exercise done with your legs squeezed together.

Do a few planks and spine strengthening exercises then, so perhaps I am already doing what you are suggesting?

Is this along the lines of what you meant by the 'core' session in the gym? Don't think there are any weights in the session you mention?

Thanks for all of the advice, very helpful. And interesting.

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

I will try and take advantage of your offer then!

Can you elaborate on the middle paragraph above?

What do you mean by mobility and stability work? Already incorporate some of the yoga work into the (almost 100% cardio) sessions I do at the gym. These exercises are things like (not sure of exact name of exercise) going from a standing position with arms straight out in front of you to sitting in an imaginary chair, the same exercise repeated on your tiptoes and the same exercise done with your legs squeezed together.

Do a few planks and spine strengthening exercises then, so perhaps I am already doing what you are suggesting?

Is this along the lines of what you meant by the 'core' session in the gym? Don't think there are any weights in the session you mention?

Thanks for all of the advice, very helpful. And interesting.

Bad news...I just got told they are letting me out of the naughty corner and I can go back to the playground to play with all the other kids.

I will make an effort to answer all your questions in this post though before I disappear again like the Keyser Soze of boards.ie. I think I end up stifling debate here anyway

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

I will try and take advantage of your offer then!

Can you elaborate on the middle paragraph above?

What do you mean by mobility and stability work? Already incorporate some of the yoga work into the (almost 100% cardio) sessions I do at the gym. These exercises are things like (not sure of exact name of exercise) going from a standing position with arms straight out in front of you to sitting in an imaginary chair, the same exercise repeated on your tiptoes and the same exercise done with your legs squeezed together.

Do a few planks and spine strengthening exercises then, so perhaps I am already doing what you are suggesting?

Is this along the lines of what you meant by the 'core' session in the gym? Don't think there are any weights in the session you mention?

Thanks for all of the advice, very helpful. And interesting.

I will do the usual and try to keep this brief...safe in the knowledge that I will get carried away and rabbit on.

I posted in some thread about what I thought were the components of a good core program so we can start there...ideally I think you need a mix of the following:

Linear static
Linear dynamic
Lateral static
Lateral dynamic
Rotational static
Rotational dynamic
And for bonus points....a 'complex' core element.

What you see in most programs is stuff like....sit ups followed by hanging leg raises...then some v sits and some lower ab curls.

What you have there is 4 linear dynamic ab exercises...it's the ab equivalent of doing flat bench, incline bench, dumbbell bench and then pec deck (just ignore the fact that what I just listed there is what some people actually do) which is dumb and not as effective as what would be achievable with a better plan (this is also the reason that you can't even tell that most people train at all...weight training can actually be effective...most people just decide not to make it so).

Anyway...there are a lot of elements there and I don't do them all as a session....but that's only because I fit them into training sessions...but that's not to say you couldn't do them all as a session.

To stick to my promise to keep it brief...a full core session might look like this:

A plank
Sit ups
A side plank
Dumbbell side arches
A turret hold
Woodchoppers
Turkish Get Ups

Now I wouldn't do them in that order and if I was doing a core session I wouldn't go with those exact combinations but I think you probably get the idea...and if you don't you can ask.

I have already started a draft article on 'core' work now so I'll probably get around to finishing that in the next 6 to 18 months.

fighterman

Will Heffernan wrote: »

To stick to my promise to keep it brief...a full core session might look like this:

A plank
Sit ups
A side plank
Dumbbell side arches
A turret hold
Woodchoppers
Turkish Get Ups

Now I wouldn't do them in that order and if I was doing a core session I wouldn't go with those exact combinations but I think you probably get the idea...and if you don't you can ask.

Brilliant. Will make some kind of routine around those exercises for the next few weeks and let you know how it goes.

Good man!

80s Child

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I will do the usual and try to keep this brief...safe in the knowledge that I will get carried away and rabbit on.

I posted in some thread about what I thought were the components of a good core program so we can start there...ideally I think you need a mix of the following:

Linear static
Linear dynamic
Lateral static
Lateral dynamic
Rotational static
Rotational dynamic
And for bonus points....a 'complex' core element.

What you see in most programs is stuff like....sit ups followed by hanging leg raises...then some v sits and some lower ab curls.

What you have there is 4 linear dynamic ab exercises...it's the ab equivalent of doing flat bench, incline bench, dumbbell bench and then pec deck (just ignore the fact that what I just listed there is what some people actually do) which is dumb and not as effective as what would be achievable with a better plan (this is also the reason that you can't even tell that most people train at all...weight training can actually be effective...most people just decide not to make it so).

Anyway...there are a lot of elements there and I don't do them all as a session....but that's only because I fit them into training sessions...but that's not to say you couldn't do them all as a session.

To stick to my promise to keep it brief...a full core session might look like this:

A plank
Sit ups
A side plank
Dumbbell side arches
A turret hold
Woodchoppers
Turkish Get Ups

Now I wouldn't do them in that order and if I was doing a core session I wouldn't go with those exact combinations but I think you probably get the idea...and if you don't you can ask.

I have already started a draft article on 'core' work now so I'll probably get around to finishing that in the next 6 to 18 months.

Ah, your workout there is exactly what I do for chest. Can you explain a better method?

I'm a footballer as well. I've done a lot of explosive work in the last two winters to increase my 'take-off', so to speak. I've found this to be extremely effective, as I'm in okay shape but I'm afraid the legs are creaking a bit.

nice_guy80

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I will do the usual and try to keep this brief...safe in the knowledge that I will get carried away and rabbit on.


To stick to my promise to keep it brief...a full core session might look like this:

A plank
Sit ups
A side plank
Dumbbell side arches
A turret hold
Woodchoppers
Turkish Get Ups

Now I wouldn't do them in that order and if I was doing a core session I wouldn't go with those exact combinations but I think you probably get the idea...and if you don't you can ask.

I have already started a draft article on 'core' work now so I'll probably get around to finishing that in the next 6 to 18 months.

I do all those, sweet. but I raise the legs and add weight for the planks

Will Heffernan

fighterman wrote: »

Brilliant. Will make some kind of routine around those exercises for the next few weeks and let you know how it goes.

Good man!

Please don't make routine around those exercises...please instead make routines around those types of exercises.

Just so we're clear:

Good core conditioning should revolve around the conditioning, training and for want of a better or more appropriate word...mastery of these 'types' of movements.

Movement Types and Examples of Exercises
Linear static - plank variations and graduations.
Linear dynamic - sit ups, v sits, hanging leg raises.
Lateral static - side plank variations and graduations.
Lateral dynamic - dumbbell side arches, cable side arches.
Rotational static - torque press, turret holds.
Rotational dynamic - medball twists, woodchopper variations.
Complex core - overhead squats, turkish get ups.

Hopefully that gives a bit more clarity.

80s Child wrote: »

Ah, your workout there is exactly what I do for chest. Can you explain a better method?

Yes, but it would take forever. I wasn't really having a go at you personally...I've not been secretly watching you in the gym. Personally, I just think there are more effective ways of training. If you enjoy what you are doing and you are getting results...then more power to you mate and keep at it. You have to do what works for you and what you enjoy...that's far more important than doing what I think is best.

80s Child wrote: »

I'm a footballer as well. I've done a lot of explosive work in the last two winters to increase my 'take-off', so to speak. I've found this to be extremely effective, as I'm in okay shape but I'm afraid the legs are creaking a bit.

Recovery modalities I have always said are going to be the biggest areas for improvement in sports performance in the future. Nutrition, physio/massage/psychology, the management of recovery and adaptation. It is actually harder than the training side...that is trying to optimise training adaptation to maximise the response and improve performance. This along with minimising the risk of injury and also reducing the interference that multiple training modalities have when preparing for field sports.

So what I am basically saying is....good luck with that.

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I do all those, sweet. but I raise the legs and add weight for the planks

I am sure Brad Pitt is always crapping on to Angela about how he wished he had ripped abs like nice_guy80

nice_guy80

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I am sure Brad Pitt is always crapping on to Angela about how he wished he had ripped abs like nice_guy80

It's tough at the top alright