Female Specific
Can female players train the same as men? And more the point, should they?
The shortest possible answer is ‘sort of’…..
Due to this very common, as well as broad question, which we seem to field on at least a weekly basis - as well as the large number of other questions coming through from female players, and building on the top selling Functional Strength Training for Australian Rules Football, we now bring you
Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules
The only source specifically dedicated to not only training specifically for Australian Rules, but also for female players playing Australian Rules.
Taking from the best of what is included in Functional Strength Training for Australian Rules Football, and then adding to it and adapting it with all the specifics required in a female training program - to bring you our most detailed and comprehensive program to date.
Females & Males - Similar, but still different
Structurally and functionally there are a lot of similarities between males and females, and by and large, training practices for the 2 can be very similar, however those anatomical and hormonal differences that do exist are enough to mean that there are some big considerations that need to be taken, which result in little tweaks as well as additions to a training program for a female, that wouldn’t exist – or at least wouldn’t exist to the same extent – in the program of a male player.
Some key considerations for females footy players:
- Wider Q-Angle
- Joint Laxity
- Stabiliser Weakness
- Pelvic Posture – Anterior Pelvic Tilt
- Ligament Dominance
- ACL Injury rates
- Quadriceps Dominance
- Deactivated Glutes
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Upper body strength deficit
- Hormonal differences
- Pregnancy related
Indeed, several of the things listed, also apply to males too, however not to the same extent that they do females.
All these key considerations are discussed at length in Females Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules, as well as tied in with specific direction with how exactly to train in order to not only take these things into consideration, but also to counter them - and thrive in the football environment as a result of this physical conditioning.
Due to Overwhelming demand!
You asked for it, now its finally here!
What Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules ISNT
- A cut and paste version of the men’s program with a different cover
- Another program based around bodybuilding principles – this is the worst thing you can do as a sports-person/athlete!
- An unrealistic program requiring you to dedicate 4-5 strength sessions a week like full time players
- A book with a huge number of exercises – yet no direction with how exactly to apply them and program them
What Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules IS
- Tailored specifically to the female footy player, not only discussing all the key considerations, but also how to not only take these into consideration - but also what to do to not only embrace these, but also in many cases improve them
- A truly Australian rules specific strength and power training program
- Time efficient, allowing for you to train between 2-3 times per week, depending on your ability, time availability, and time of the season
- Truly functional for footy– all 3 planes of motion, full body, inner unit core and stability, maintaining a focus on postural balance, to name a few (we cover and explain over 20 principles of functionality too)
- A periodised plan culminating in power development
- Comprehensive yet easy to follow and understand
- A learning tool as much as something to follow – you will understand completely why you are doing what you are, and will always be able to make the best choices for yourself and your footy going forward
- Based on the principles used at the elite levels of sport
- Adaptable - Designed for everyone from the teenage footballer picking up their first weight, to experienced level player looking for a 2% improvement in their work capacity
- Indeed, unlike the mens program, the female specific version includes 3 difficulty levels in the periodised program layouts
Over 300 pages of female-specific and footy-specific
Strength & Conditioning essentials
So what are the benefits to you?
- Greatly reduce the risk of soft tissue injury ✓
- Stronger body at contests – with an equally proportionate amount of usable strength ✓
- More strength and power for movements like vertical leap, changing directions, tackling, accelerating and decelerating ✓
- Improved movement ability - in all 3 planes of movement ✓
- Learn and perform exercises (properly) that will actually benefit your physical demands in footy ✓
- Put into place correct programming and varying of sets and reps and weight for all the key exercises, over the course of a whole year ✓
- Entire first 12 months of strength training program laid out, as well as how to use this exact template for the following seasons with progressions, depending on how quickly you progress ✓
- Actually get ahead of the pack (while everyone else is still training incorrectly) ✓
- Achieve far more in less time ✓
- Look better at the same time – and you will perform as well as you look ✓
2023 Season Edition
Georgia
"I thought it was great because it is specific to female participation in AFL and it gave clearly outlined pathways and stages of exercise to achieve and aim for, where previously I had struggled and was all over the place."
Lauren
"I really liked that all of the exercises are listed and described in great depth and reasons are given as to why they are performed along with videos. I also really liked all of the research and evidence as to the female specifics of the program and the theory behind certain movements in AFL. It is also fantastic to have a periodised program to use all year round with 3 difficulty levels and it makes you feel like you are a professional AFLW player."
So what EXACTLY does Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules include?
- Detailed discussion of all the anatomical, hormonal and functional considerations specific to female athletes - and what this means in terms of how to approach training
- In depth discussion of what exactly functional means in terms of Australian Rules – made up largely of discussion points almost NEVER mentioned
- A thorough needs analysis for Aussie Rules – with more specific and hardly discussed variables (not just the usual ‘run faster’ ‘kick further’ ‘tackle’ needs)
- Detailed outline and description (including picture and video demonstrations) of the key exercises to build every strength training for footy program around
- More than 100 detailed exercises and warm ups, including descriptions and all important directions of how they should be programmed
- Discussion and outline of functional core work for Aussie Rules Footy
- How to scale certain exercises, depending on your level of experience and current ability with strength training
- Direction going forward for how to progress certain exercises, depending on your rate of improvement and your current ability
- In-depth discussion on the importance of periodisation, and how exactly this looks in terms of a footy season – as well as several footy seasons
- Not only that – we have outlined a year long periodised training plan, with direction and detail right down to how many weeks certain exercises and periods should be performed
Periodisaed program layouts (including 3 difficulty levels) and
programming guidelines & Over 100 video demonstrations
Free Bonus
Thats not all though, with the Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules, you will also get a bonus book - Power & Plyometrics The Essentials.
Even though there is a very large plyometric component included in the exercises as well as the program section of Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules, this bonus Power & Plyoymetrics The Essentials will go into more detail on the science, the methods of plyometrics - and in short cover all the essentials that you need to know when it comes to not only plyometric training, but also how and when to include it in training for football.
What is included in Power & Plyometrics - The Essentials?
- What exactly power for footy is, and how to get it
- Power trainings role in effectively minimising common injuries
- How power training should fit into an already existing strength training program
- Clear instruction on how much and how often power training should be performed, when a game of footy specifically is the end goal
- The pro’s and con’s of Olympic lifting for footy – and the best possible alternative option
- Direction with even more advanced power progressions going forward
Football is about movement, not muscles, so lets focus our strength and power training accordingly
Female Specific Strength & Power Training for Aussie Rules is your definitive guide to correcting the mistakes of the past (and present) and performing a strength training program tailored to physical improvement specifically for football - and equally as importantly - specifically for females physically preparing for football
Lauren
"I downloaded this program for the chance to better my performance, build general strength and really understand the ways to decrease my risks of injuries by strengthening the possible weak areas of my body. Not only have I been able to strengthen and perform to a greater ability, I have been able to broaden my knowledge about certain exercises and the muscles involved in the movements. I have also been able to confidently get through an entire season injury free."
Georgia
"Although injury can't totally avoided, I'm looking to do as much as I can to prevent them."
"Whilst my club coaches, academy coaches and their staff are very helpful, they are limited by time and I live a long way from my training centres and this program enables me to study on my own and answers a lot of questions."
2023 Season Edition
You are very interested, but before you checkout, you may have one of the following common questions......
A few important Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the female book & program more expensive than the mens?
The female book actually combines both strength and power – which are actually split into 2 separate programs in the mens product. Additionally, the female product is easily our most thorough, with extras included such as prehab related work, more plyometric work, and a large amount of additional information that isnt included in the mens. In short, this womens book is almost twice the length of the mens one, effectively a 2-in-1.
Is the program different to the mens one, or the same with a different cover?
The book is designed specifically for the female player – and the female athlete has slightly different requirements than their male counterparts. There are additional sections as well as many exercises that aren’t actually included in the men’s program at all – and the entire layout and focus of the book is aimed exclusively at female players. Furthermore, the program section has various elements added in that do not exist in the mens – and the program layout is quite different. As just one example, there are 3 difuculty levels, and detailed warm ups, 2 features that are found only in the womens layout. So yes, this is a completely different book to the original one.
Can and should female players train the same as men?
A short answer is ‘sort of’, followed by ‘it depends.’ But really, there is no short and simple answer to this question – and this question was the reason we put this book together – as this was a very common question we received from female followers of this site. The answer is in some ways yes, but in other ways no – we explain in detail how exactly this is the case, and what to do about it as a result. Alternatively, the articles section will give you a taste of the ways in which females differ to men, in terms of what is relevant to training, and then how this will impact on training.