Skills Feeling flat game day

[inside_player]

During training etc I am up and about good acceleration, desperation and agility

come match day i feel like i am jogging on the spot and lose some of my aggression at the pill. I try to do a hard warm up and I am pretty fit. Just come match day i feel like i have 10kg weights strapped to my ankles.

I have tried doing no additional exercise (aside from training) after wednesday, I have also tried the opposite trying swimming and spin classes on the friday (AM) to keep my legs ticking over.

Made sure i am hydrated, eat a big bowl of cereal 3-4 hrs before the match. Tried no-doze to no avail... any ideas?

 

[cptkirk]

if you can get to the gym try something like this on a friday but i wouldn't be against doing it on game day about 3 - 4hrs before depending what time you play

skipping x 30
bench press x 3 as fast as you can @ 50% of your 1 rep max increasing 5kgs each set
x 3 cycles

skipping x 30
deadlifts x 3 as fast as you can @ 50% of your 1 rep max increasing 7.5 - 10kgs each set
x 3 cycles

skipping x 30
chest supported rows as fast as you can @ 50% ish increasing 2.5kgs each set
x 3 cycles

the focus is on quality and speed of movement...if you do your set and your speed is a little off then keep the wt the same...if it feels good then increase it

rest as needed too you shouldn't be doing anything in a puffed state although you will break a sweat

if you do this fri don't do after 5pm if you can

the purpose of this is to activate your nervous system and prime you for competition

we could also set a game day one up to be 3 - 4hrs pre game too to really get you going

 

[Santoz]

Try and cop a whack in the head early.

Seriously.

Flicks the fury switch every time.

 

[rhaz]

Im not a great with nutrition stuff, but what are you eating the night before? Most footballers carb load the day/night before the game, trying eating pasta etc friday night?

 

[inside_player]

Agree with copping a hit early...i have found that helps get the adrenalin pumping.

Uncle doug/horizontal dace before a game...tried both ways no diff.

Diet night before is thai - i have some roti and a pad thai...high in carbs, but a bit of fat.

Sometimes i do lift (heavy) before training...i find that i am a little fatigued but much more powerful and alert. Occasionally the fitness coach will do pilates/ glute activation before training which also helps.

Today was a little better...I did a sprinters warm up before the game + some light plyometrics and some body weight squats and bulgarian split squats 3rd before the game. I will deff try that gym routine next Friday cptkirk.

I am seeing a common thing now...gotta stimulate the CNS as Cptkirk mentioned.

 

[purpleblood29]

Agree with copping a hit early...i have found that helps get the adrenalin pumping.

Uncle doug/horizontal dace before a game...tried both ways no diff.

Diet night before is thai - i have some roti and a pad thai...high in carbs, but a bit of fat.

Sometimes i do lift (heavy) before training...i find that i am a little fatigued but much more powerful and alert. Occasionally the fitness coach will do pilates/ glute activation before training which also helps.

Today was a little better...I did a sprinters warm up before the game + some light plyometrics and some body weight squats and bulgarian split squats 3rd before the game. I will deff try that gym routine next Friday cptkirk.

I am seeing a common thing now...gotta stimulate the CNS as Cptkirk mentioned.

Third this, although it is not ideal. The one time it happened it really got me fired up and I wanted to get a number back on him.

Maybe try listening to some music beforehand, it doesn't work for everyone but for me it does. Make sure you are well hydrated because if your feeling a bit off-colour you will more than likely not play that decent.

Another thing that gets me going is just bump a team mate lightly, just simply bumps with each shoulder, you see the players do it just before they go out. Another thing that works for me is to always have a footy in my hand, never let it go. Kick it to yourself hand pass it to yourself, this generally helps me get psyched up.

 

[mcuzzy]

I feel a bit flat gameday too, usually because I feel so tired and no matter what I do, I can't even force myself to eat before a game without feeling horribly sick..but if i don't eat i feel sick anyway

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Make sure you get a decent nights sleep, eat some breakfast and have a bit of a kick when you get to the oval.

 

[Lukesta63]

Mate ,its got nothing to do with your physical prep ,its all mental. Why do you see players sitting on their own pre-game with headphones on? Its their ritual which allows the proper mental condition for the game.
The hardest part is to find what suits you.Read some sports psychology its basically a form of pre-game nerves.Why do you think your legs feel heavy,its the body telling you ,you're not in the right state of arousal. Like I said you have to find your own pre-game ritual,it took me years. (I'd throw up before every game and have tunnel vision for the first hour!!)

 

[Docker Clint]

Mate ,its got nothing to do with your physical prep ,its all mental. Why do you see players sitting on their own pre-game with headphones on? Its their ritual which allows the proper mental condition for the game.
The hardest part is to find what suits you.Read some sports psychology its basically a form of pre-game nerves.Why do you think your legs feel heavy,its the body telling you ,you're not in the right state of arousal. Like I said you have to find your own pre-game ritual,it took me years. (I'd throw up before every game and have tunnel vision for the first hour!!)

This is good advice.

It's also highly likely that your nutrition isn't right re the carb loading. Definitely hydrate the night before and a few hours before the game, helps to ensure the intercellular fluids are right. If you're drinking water before the game, it's too late.

Caffeine supplements are useless if you normally have a caffeine intake during the week. The stimulant effect is gone once you're accustomed to it, all you're really doing is trying to make yourself feel normal. If you're taking it too early, then you're going to be on a comedown by the time you need to be up.