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‘In the athletic development process, strength training is possibly the most important area because it is the underlying quality of so many other components.’
Vern Gambetta
‘Strength in sports should be viewed as the mechanism required to perform skills and athletic actions. Athletes do not just develop strength for the sake of being strong. The goal of strength development is to meet the specific needs of a given sport, to develop specific strength or combinations of strength to increase athletic performance to the highest possible level.’
Tudor Bompa
A functional strength training program should be a primary pillar in your physical conditioning if you’re a footy a player at any level, and are aiming to improve your physical capacity on game day in any number of these ways;
A greater level of functional strength will provide the platform for;
– Greater ability to push off an opponent in body on body marking contest
– More powerful tackling ability
– More explosive takeoff (running) and powerful acceleration over first 10-30 metres
– Greater efficiency decelerating and changing directions to either lose an opponent (if in possession) or catch an opponent (in opponent is in possession)
– Ability to perform these tasks in different directions – including laterally (sideways), rather than just in a straight line (because footy is played in all directions)
– Higher vertical leap from a stationary position (jumping off 2 legs)
– Higher running vertical leap (jumping off 1 leg) as in a marking contest of a ruck contest
– More powerful and efficient landing ability after a jump, allowing you to take off instantaneously in any direction upon landing
– A stronger body in contests (not necessarily a much bulkier one)
– Greater ability to evade and push off opponents in ground ball contests
– Better core strength in positions and situations relevant to footy (not ‘lying on the ground’ core strength – football isn’t played lying on the ground)
– Reduction in soft tissue injuries
It has become widely accepted – and has been for some time – that strength training is a key pillar in the improvement in physical performance for football. However, simply lifting weights will be of minimal benefit, and even have negative effects on your performance if these exercises are not selected correctly and then programmed properly. Sadly, very few players out there are performing a strength training program that is appropriate for performance improvement in football.
If any of the above goals relate to you, then you need to have a look at Functional Strength Training for Australian Rules Football today.
In the mean time, you can also get our essential free report The ‘Top 8′ Tips to instantly improve your Strength Training Program below.
