AFL Gym Training....need assistance

[Kaizon]

Hey everyone.

I'm now returning to Aussie Rules after a 2 year break and have already started pre-season training since November (currently in the christmas break with training due to restart next month). I'm also a major gym junkie and often go 4-5 times a week, but I've been seriously frustrated recently as I can't find a decent gym workout plan.

I'm 64kg, with a decent 4-pack (aiming to stack on that extra 2), 172cm tall and i would love any suggestions and advice on getting a decent plan.

My progress is seen on my Insta....yes i'm one of those people https://www.instagram.com/danieljpizarro/

 

[Aeglos]

What’s your (weight) training age and program background?
At 172cm playing local footy imo you’d ideally weigh 70-75kg

 

[saj_21]

Hey everyone.

I'm now returning to Aussie Rules after a 2 year break and have already started pre-season training since November (currently in the christmas break with training due to restart next month). I'm also a major gym junkie and often go 4-5 times a week, but I've been seriously frustrated recently as I can't find a decent gym workout plan.

I'm 64kg, with a decent 4-pack (aiming to stack on that extra 2), 172cm tall and i would love any suggestions and advice on getting a decent plan.

My progress is seen on my Insta....yes i'm one of those people https://www.instagram.com/danieljpizarro/

What is your preference to get fit for footy or train in the gym to look good?

You can train for both but one will have to take preference or else you will half look good half play good footy.

Also you don’t really stack on the 6 pac muscles, if you already have a decent 4 pac chances are those lower two ab muscles are there just under bodyfat.

People make the mistake of training abs to get them to show but don’t realise low body fat levels is when you have a 6 pac.

 

[saj_21]

What’s your (weight) training age and program background?
At 172cm playing local footy imo you’d ideally weigh 70-75kg

Would you agree local footy like AFL has been geared towards running? As opposed to being heavier and stronger.

I know my focus this pre season has been to drop 5kgs and get out there running.

 

[Aeglos]

Would you agree local footy like AFL has been geared towards running? As opposed to being heavier and stronger.

I know my focus this pre season has been to drop 5kgs and get out there running.

Definitely more than it was a decade ago, but nowhere near the shift the AFL has seen.
It will depend a little bit on the league and level you’re playing, but for the most part local level reminds me of early-2000s AFL with perhaps slightly more emphasis on possession retention which can make it a fraction slower

 

[saj_21]

Definitely more than it was a decade ago, but nowhere near the shift the AFL has seen.
It will depend a little bit on the league and level you’re playing, but for the most part local level reminds me of early-2000s AFL with perhaps slightly more emphasis on possession retention which can make it a fraction slower

I first played seniors in 2004 when I was 18 and there was no rotation, my game time was dependant on how many injuries we got during the game. I played seniors last year and we had set rotations so I knew when I was going on, how long for and when to come off. Which I enjoyed much more.

But yes would agree the standard is what determines the level of professionalism, skills, fitness. I’ve just found as the years have gone on with clubs in my league pinching bits and pieces from the AFL - roatations included the higher intensity running is more of a requirement than back in my early years blokes would cruise around all day - kinda like the mids did at afl level in the mid 90s.

But unless you are really small or getting pushed around easily running will be more of a focus than being big and strong. Keep in mind a lot of local footy clubs, blokes will do bench press, shoulder press etc more body building type exercises than football specific weight training

 

[Aeglos]

I first played seniors in 2004 when I was 18 and there was no rotation, my game time was dependant on how many injuries we got during the game. I played seniors last year and we had set rotations so I knew when I was going on, how long for and when to come off. Which I enjoyed much more.

But yes would agree the standard is what determines the level of professionalism, skills, fitness. I’ve just found as the years have gone on with clubs in my league pinching bits and pieces from the AFL - roatations included the higher intensity running is more of a requirement than back in my early years blokes would cruise around all day - kinda like the mids did at afl level in the mid 90s.

But unless you are really small or getting pushed around easily running will be more of a focus than being big and strong. Keep in mind a lot of local footy clubs, blokes will do bench press, shoulder press etc more body building type exercises than football specific weight training

Agreed that local footy is definitely modelled on the AFL.
The further out you get (both geographically and playing standard) the greater the lag seems to be.
Our club was still mostly running circa-2004 style rotations last year (ruckman and 2onballers running 50:50 off the bench with a stack of on field “swaps”) which s**t me to no end. I’ve been given a bit more of a voice this coming season with regards to player management as all the young blokes unsurprisingly burnt out by the end of the year so reducing their game time from 100% to <90% will be my number 1 aim (that and no random floggings or nights off at training to maintain greater load consistency).

 

[Gelooong]

What’s your (weight) training age and program background?
At 172cm playing local footy imo you’d ideally weigh 70-75kg

What should you ideally weigh at 6 foot? I used to play at 68 kg before I started working out and I got shoved off the ball easily by the fat middle aged men with beer guts.

 

[Aeglos]

What should you ideally weigh at 6 foot? I used to play at 68 kg before I started working out and I got shoved off the ball easily by the fat middle aged men with beer guts.

If you're playing local footy as an inside mid I'd say 85kg+
More outside you could get away with 75kg.

I'm 5'10" (ish) and weighing around 83-84kg I tend to fall inbetween the running machines and inside guys in my league (Yarra Valley).
When I last played I was 68-70kg and definitely had the same issues as you.

 

[saj_21]

What should you ideally weigh at 6 foot? I used to play at 68 kg before I started working out and I got shoved off the ball easily by the fat middle aged men with beer guts.

If you always played light then getting to heavy may be hard to adjust, there is no hard or fast rule......of I’m 185cm tall therefore I should weigh 82-85kg. You will find a sweet spot, a good weight where you can still run and not be pushed off the ball.

 

[cptkirk]

Would you agree local footy like AFL has been geared towards running? As opposed to being heavier and stronger. I know my focus this pre season has been to drop 5kgs and get out there running.

The top div of each league will be the fastest/more running type of play and the further down the div's you go the slower/stop start it gets

That being said you still need inside mids to get the ball as there are still plenty of ball ups/stoppages, again as the div's go down...I'm 168cms and sit at 78 - 80kgs as a nuggety type (big arse/thighs)

I wanna drop 3 - 5kgs but I probably won't do it

CptKirk

• cptkirk
• Jan 2, 2018
• localfooty

 

[Kaizon]

What’s your (weight) training age and program background?
At 172cm playing local footy imo you’d ideally weigh 70-75kg

Gym-wise i've been training since i was 16 (now 29), programs have varied from heavy lifting to 5x5

 

[Kaizon]

What is your preference to get fit for footy or train in the gym to look good?

You can train for both but one will have to take preference or else you will half look good half play good footy.

Also you don’t really stack on the 6 pac muscles, if you already have a decent 4 pac chances are those lower two ab muscles are there just under bodyfat.

People make the mistake of training abs to get them to show but don’t realise low body fat levels is when you have a 6 pac.

I'd like to get footy fit

 

[Aeglos]

Gym-wise i've been training since i was 16 (now 29), programs have varied from heavy lifting to 5x5

Depending on your preferences and how well you recover I’d recommend either
1) full body done 3-4 times a week using DUP (basically a heavy-light-medium style set up) for 2 big Barbell lifts (eg squat and bench) followed by less taxing movements but incorporating at least a hip hinge (eg 45deg back raise) and some sort of rowing movement. During pre-season the 4th session of the week can be a “pump” day where you hit similar movements but for higher reps (eg 3x20 for everything). I favour movement variety for athletes so even your main 2 movements you can use subtle variations between sessions (eg day 1 = heavy back squat, day 2 = light box squat, day 3 = front squat) if you’re good at gauging weights etc
2) an Upper/lower split with one day focusing on strength development and the other speed/power

 

[Kaizon]

Depending on your preferences and how well you recover I’d recommend either
1) full body done 3-4 times a week using DUP (basically a heavy-light-medium style set up) for 2 big Barbell lifts (eg squat and bench) followed by less taxing movements but incorporating at least a hip hinge (eg 45deg back raise) and some sort of rowing movement. During pre-season the 4th session of the week can be a “pump” day where you hit similar movements but for higher reps (eg 3x20 for everything). I favour movement variety for athletes so even your main 2 movements you can use subtle variations between sessions (eg day 1 = heavy back squat, day 2 = light box squat, day 3 = front squat) if you’re good at gauging weights etc
2) an Upper/lower split with one day focusing on strength development and the other speed/power

Thanks mate!

 

[Aeglos]

Thanks mate!

No probs.
I’m not as familiar with DUP (though there doesn’t seem to be much to it at a basic level), but if option 2 is appealing then I recommend Joe Defranco’s “WS4SB3” as a starting point.

 

[cptkirk]

Depending on your preferences and how well you recover I’d recommend either
1) full body done 3-4 times a week using DUP (basically a heavy-light-medium style set up) for 2 big Barbell lifts (eg squat and bench) followed by less taxing movements but incorporating at least a hip hinge (eg 45deg back raise) and some sort of rowing movement. During pre-season the 4th session of the week can be a “pump” day where you hit similar movements but for higher reps (eg 3x20 for everything). I favour movement variety for athletes so even your main 2 movements you can use subtle variations between sessions (eg day 1 = heavy back squat, day 2 = light box squat, day 3 = front squat) if you’re good at gauging weights etc
2) an Upper/lower split with one day focusing on strength development and the other speed/power

I'd used to roll with something similar but with the running vol you'll need/be doing from now on, I just don't see how a regular joe can get the everything out 4 days gym and another 3 - 4 days footy training/running

My mantra is to get the most from the least so if I was training you'd do a minimalist program of 1 x 20 for 7 or so of the SAME exercises (deadlift, shoulder, squat, chest, single leg, back, row) and that's it...so 5 - 6 sets per workout and go home...gym is there to support your footy training, not to compete and god forbid replace it...there's a 3 point progression to this and when you outgrow an exercise we can change it up or start again

 

[JG22]

The priority should be getting your endurance as good as you can

It doesnt matter how strong you are if you can't get to the contest

 

[Aeglos]

I'd used to roll with something similar but with the running vol you'll need/be doing from now on, I just don't see how a regular joe can get the everything out 4 days gym and another 3 - 4 days footy training/running

My mantra is to get the most from the least so if I was training you'd do a minimalist program of 1 x 20 for 7 or so of the SAME exercises (deadlift, shoulder, squat, chest, single leg, back, row) and that's it...so 5 - 6 sets per workout and go home...gym is there to support your footy training, not to compete and god forbid replace it...there's a 3 point progression to this and when you outgrow an exercise we can change it up or start again

I’d personally find it a lot more taxing trying to back up several 20rms 2-3 times a week than a weekly break down of 1x3, 3x12x60% (of 3rm), 3x6x80% (of 3rm) for 2 exercises + 6-8 sets of “fluff” accessories. If a new exercise is used each week it will also serve to limit the loading as there’s a learning component to any new exercise. Movement variety also prevents PNS fatigue accumulation and trains the body in a wider number of positions.

OP won’t know either way until he gives something a go.

 

[cptkirk]

The priority should be getting your endurance as good as you can. It doesnt matter how strong you are if you can't get to the contest

Then you can say there's no point getting to the contest of you're not strong enough to make an impact in it so yes and no - both

 

[cptkirk]

I’d personally find it a lot more taxing trying to back up several 20rms 2-3 times a week than a weekly break down of 1x3, 3x12x60% (of 3rm), 3x6x80% (of 3rm) for 2 exercises + 6-8 sets of “fluff” accessories. If a new exercise is used each week it will also serve to limit the loading as there’s a learning component to any new exercise. Movement variety also prevents PNS fatigue accumulation and trains the body in a wider number of positions. OP won’t know either way until he gives something a go.

Beginners can roll with this for as long as they want because of the learning component, intermediates can use it as a GPP block and the same with advanced lifters...that being advanced lifters who lift for footy aren't anywhere advanced lifters for powerlifting...i used a block of this when the season finished in the week or 2 before my real off-season training starts after AFL GF day

Beginners aren't at risk of overload, especially if they start at the right load where the first 3 - 4 sessions work up to a true 20rm but even then it ls 1 set so you can put everything into it with zero thought of saving yourself for the 48th of set 3...then the frequency takes care of the vol where 3/week puts you at 3 x 20 over the course of a week or so

 

[JG22]

Then you can say there's no point getting to the contest of you're not strong enough to make an impact in it so yes and no - both

I guess you can.

Ultimately though you can often get to the ball/contest without being challenged if your fit enough.

Either way, both aspects are key but endurance is a priority for mine in the lower leagues.

 

[Kaizon]

Ive started pre-season training back in November-December and its restarting in February (though I'm bloody restless waiting). My team is the Young Saints in Young (obviously) and if numbers are good we'll field a seniors team. I just want to be 100% ready for the season.

 

[cptkirk]

I guess you can.

Ultimately though you can often get to the ball/contest without being challenged if your fit enough.

Either way, both aspects are key but endurance is a priority for mine in the lower leagues.

As always it a big dirty "depends"

I play deep/full forward on a home ground that's 124m long so I need strength in 1on1's more then endless running capacity, though i train for both

 

[cptkirk]

Ive started pre-season training back in November-December and its restarting in February (though I'm bloody restless waiting). My team is the Young Saints in Young (obviously) and if numbers are good we'll field a seniors team. I just want to be 100% ready for the season.

Jeez Feb's a late start back

In the meantime you should train aspects of footy that you don't train at footy training, specifically sprinting speed and raising your anaerobic threshold