2018 pre season

[Eons]

They should be running pb's every year, excluding a few of the older guys and ones coming back from injury.

 

[iBeng]

They should be running pb's every year, excluding a few of the older guys and ones coming back from injury.

Yes and no, some are bulking a bit as well which will reduce their times somewhat, or at least cause them to plateau a bit.

 

[Brett C]

They should be running pb's every year, excluding a few of the older guys and ones coming back from injury.

No it doesn’t quite work like that. You’re telling me a 17 year old who weighes 70 kg will be running quicker when he is 23 weighing 85-90kgs? Their sole focus isn’t on endurance and most kids out of junior football do very little weights prior to joining a senior club.

 

[Eons]

Yes and no, some are bulking a bit as well which will reduce their times somewhat, or at least cause them to plateau a bit.

The stronger you are the more force you apply to the ground which enables you to propel further with each step. There is no reason that AFL players shouldn't be running better times each year as they get stronger and fitter. Obviously this has it's variances but AFL players aren't bodybuilders and they are trained to maintain their strength while also maximizing their running ability.

 

[Eons]

No it doesn’t quite work like that. You’re telling me a 17 year old who weighes 70 kg will be running quicker when he is 23 weighing 85-90kgs? Their sole focus isn’t on endurance and most kids out of junior football do very little weights prior to joining a senior club.

Why wouldn't he? He would be much stronger and fitter after a few pre seasons. I bet you most AFL players are running a lot better at age 24 than they were at 17. We're talking about 2-3kms not a marathon.

 

[iBeng]

The stronger you are the more force you apply to the ground which enables you to propel further with each step. There is no reason that AFL players shouldn't be running better times each year as they get stronger and fitter. Obviously this has it's variances but AFL players aren't bodybuilders and they are trained to maintain their strength while also maximizing their running ability.

Well gee, in that case kids who run fast at 17 years old must be what, average 5% faster each year...By the age of 30 they should be 65% faster than at the age of 17.

Right?

 

[Robbo18!]

Why wouldn't he? He would be much stronger and fitter after a few pre seasons. I bet you most AFL players are running a lot better at age 24 than they were at 17. We're talking about 2-3kms not a marathon.

I agree with this. You definitely don’t get bigger to get slower. Conditioning will be tailored to achieve the muscle gains in conjunction with the ability to run faster and further because this is what is required in today’s style of footy.

 

[Eons]

Well gee, in that case kids who run fast at 17 years old must be what, average 5% faster each year...By the age of 30 they should be 65% faster than at the age of 17.

Right?

No, they would just be faster, fitter and stronger by training as an AFL player. No idea where you pulled the 5% from but if it makes you feel better you can roll with it.

 

[iBeng]

No, they would just be faster, fitter and stronger by training as an AFL player. No idea where you pulled the 5% from but if it makes you feel better you can roll with it.

5%, 1%, whatever, not everyone is going to get THAT much faster.

14 personal bests is still pretty good, Id be curious if other clubs had ALL their players smashing out best times.

 

[Eons]

5%, 1%, whatever, not everyone is going to get THAT much faster.

14 personal bests is still pretty good, Id be curious if other clubs had ALL their players smashing out best times.

It's pre-season, everyone is running pb's and training the house down.

 

[Gadzorks]

200cm when drafted currently stands 202cm and 100kgs.
Definitely not average size.

Had a chat to Andrews at a function- cause he is skinny he didn't look too big as he walked toward us. When he arrived my head was at almost full tilt to look at him. Absolute top young man.

 

[briztoon]

The stronger you are the more force you apply to the ground which enables you to propel further with each step. There is no reason that AFL players shouldn't be running better times each year as they get stronger and fitter. Obviously this has it's variances but AFL players aren't bodybuilders and they are trained to maintain their strength while also maximizing their running ability.

That might apply to sprint running, certainly doesn't apply to endurance/distance running. Muscle mass and heavier athletes most certainly are at a disadvantage when it comes endurance running.

My guess is, that AFL players and club sports scientists find a balance between muscle mass, core strength and ability to run out games.

 

[iBeng]

It's pre-season, everyone is running pb's and training the house down.

If only that translated into dominating on the field, but we all know it doesnt really mean squat.

For what its worth though, I hope they are all getting PBs and fitter.

 

[Gadzorks]

They should be running pb's every year, excluding a few of the older guys and ones coming back from injury.

I'd agree of these were specific runners but as running is just one component I don't think continuous pbs are necessary. Get them to a level that supports the running and endurance on the game then move to maintenance and target specific game fitness eg sort sharp repeat efforts that include tackling efforts.

Had a chat to zorko once and he said they do about 25k/week in the early pre season (it decreases from then). Can't continually get pbs on that low mileage unless you are a teenager still coming into your adult strength.

 

[Gadzorks]

The stronger you are the more force you apply to the ground which enables you to propel further with each step. There is no reason that AFL players shouldn't be running better times each year as they get stronger and fitter. Obviously this has it's variances but AFL players aren't bodybuilders and they are trained to maintain their strength while also maximizing their running ability.

Endurance runners don't do weights for max strength - they do low weight high rep endurance based sets so they don't build bulk but improve muscle fiber recruitment and coordination.

Afl players need more power and strength than endurance runners but they need to run out games and getting the balance right is an art form. I personally think this combination is the most impressive overall fitness and one of the reasons I love the game.

 

[Sproj]

improve muscle fiber recruitment

I like this, sounds like something a HR department would do, create a new role for an obscure unneeded position.

 

[Gadzorks]

I like this, sounds like something a HR department would do, create a new role for an obscure unneeded position.

Lol - it does sound silly. What it means is - you know how sometimes really skinny guys can out perform built guys? The skinny guys are using close to 100% of the fibres in the muscle and they all contact at exactly the same time generating the maximum possible force. The built guy might have twice the number of muscle fibres but only say 60% of them contact, and those don't contact (coordinate) at exactly the same time so there is less force generated.

Weight work, specifically power training (fast lifts that generate force quickly) improves the number of fibres that act and their coordination - which results in improved force generation/performance.

Typically training starts by building muscle fibres (traditional strength training) then moves to power training. Endurance runners do strength training, but mostly target power training - low weight, high rep, FAST movements - elite runners take approx 3 steps/ second.

 

[Fatcat08]

They should be running pb's every year, excluding a few of the older guys and ones coming back from injury.

That would depend of it was a pb compared to this time of the year or an overall pb. If the latter than that's an incredible high number given its just after their off season

 

[Eons]

That would depend of it was a pb compared to this time of the year or an overall pb. If the latter than that's an incredible high number given its just after their off season

Relating to the same time of year and not coming back from an injury.

 

[Fatcat08]

Relating to the same time of year and not coming back from an injury.

Did they state that in the video or is that an assumption? Didn't get to watch the video

 

[Eons]

Did they state that in the video or is that an assumption? Didn't get to watch the video

Tried to watch the video but for some reason the videos aren't loading for me with the new media player they're using. An assumption based on previous years regarding pb's for pre-season.

 

[MacMum]

Sorry if this has been spoken about previously......but what is the issue with Hippy's shoulder? A new injury or existing?

 

[Dalions]

Sorry if this has been spoken about previously......but what is the issue with Hippy's shoulder? A new injury or existing?

Growing Pains.......... maybe?

 

[WA Lion]

Sorry if this has been spoken about previously......but what is the issue with Hippy's shoulder? A new injury or existing?

Someone who attended training the other day mentioned it needed to be iced up but that it didn't really seem to restrict him IIRC. You would imagine at this stage of pre-season the club wouldn't take any unnecessary risks (ala Berry's moonboot as a precautionary measure) so hopefully nothing too serious

 

[briztoon]

Related to yesterdays discussion some what.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-05/forwards-eightkilo-loss-leads-slimmer-saints

Also I recall a discussion, I think from draft night, about the Hawks wanting Worpel to "lean up", I think that's how it was put.