Running/Fitness getting fit for next year

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
hey guys
i'm a 16 year old who's got a bit more weight then i wanna have about 105 kilos at 6 foot 5 tall, was just wondering if anybody has some workout ideas, cardio and weight routines i could follow or any advice, also need some development drills i can do alone or with a mate so i can give myself the best chance of performing at my highest level next year. any tips and advice is appreciated
cheers guys
 

saj_21

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Aug 30, 2007
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hey guys
i'm a 16 year old who's got a bit more weight then i wanna have about 105 kilos at 6 foot 5 tall, was just wondering if anybody has some workout ideas, cardio and weight routines i could follow or any advice, also need some development drills i can do alone or with a mate so i can give myself the best chance of performing at my highest level next year. any tips and advice is appreciated
cheers guys

Geez you are big unit for 16.

What are your goals and for what sport?

What have you been doing currently?
 

saj_21

Cancelled
Melbourne Board Tipping Champion
Aug 30, 2007
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Wanna slim down and get good skills and for footy, cheers

Well skills are separate ive seen fat blokes that can kick well and skinny blokes who can't kick. Getting fitter will allow you to execute skills better under fatigue.

Without having any idea about your current diet or exercise regime, but i will say at 16 and your dimensions you should be a calorie burning machine. If your diet has a lot of junk food cut that back, but again very hard to give advice without knowing more details.
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
Well skills are separate ive seen fat blokes that can kick well and skinny blokes who can't kick. Getting fitter will allow you to execute skills better under fatigue.

Without having any idea about your current diet or exercise regime, but i will say at 16 and your dimensions you should be a calorie burning machine. If your diet has a lot of junk food cut that back, but again very hard to give advice without knowing more details.
Wat sort of details do u wanna know? I can try and help
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
do you have a fitness guy at your footy club?
if not speak to some of the coaches and players and ask them to recommend a good PT who can write a football specific program for you.
Nah we don’t have a fitness guy but I guess I can try asking around to see what I can find. Do u reckon this would be free?
 
Jun 27, 2012
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Nah we don’t have a fitness guy but I guess I can try asking around to see what I can find. Do u reckon this would be free?
it wont be free but you'll only need a few sessions.
once you get a program from him and learn how to do the exercises with proper form (especially important when lifting) then you can ditch him and work out by yourself.
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
it wont be free but you'll only need a few sessions.
once you get a program from him and learn how to do the exercises with proper form (especially important when lifting) then you can ditch him and work out by yourself.
it wont be free but you'll only need a few sessions.
once you get a program from him and learn how to do the exercises with proper form (especially important when lifting) then you can ditch him and work out by yourself.
any chance i could find someone who would write one for free then i could do the exercises by myself
 
Jun 27, 2012
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any chance i could find someone who would write one for free then i could do the exercises by myself
i don't think you're going to get a personalized, sport specific program for free.
maybe someone like cptkirk can point you in the right direction though.
 

saj_21

Cancelled
Melbourne Board Tipping Champion
Aug 30, 2007
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Melbourne
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Wat sort of details do u wanna know? I can try and help

what does you diet look like now? A typical day/week of eating?

what type of exercise do you do now? And how often in a week?
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
look into some sort of resistance program, whether thats at a gym or home based with minimal equipment or doing body weight exercises. in the mean time start running
[/QUOTE
what sort of running should i do, im a full forward and also ruck
 
Jun 27, 2013
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hey guys
i'm a 16 year old who's got a bit more weight then i wanna have about 105 kilos at 6 foot 5 tall, was just wondering if anybody has some workout ideas, cardio and weight routines i could follow or any advice, also need some development drills i can do alone or with a mate so i can give myself the best chance of performing at my highest level next year. any tips and advice is appreciated
cheers guys
Gday bud, I'm 32 now, but back around 2004-05 I sounded exactly like you wanting to bulk up, get fit for sports (played footy and cricket) and I'm a big guy too at 6"5 1/2 (197cm), so comparable to yourself.

When I started gym in early 2004 (start of year 11) just before I turned 16 I was 191cm and 110kg of puppy fat, end of year 12 in late 2005, I was 195cm and 104kg, puppy fat starting to shed off big time. When I turned 18 in March 2006 I was 96kg having had the time to do a big preseason, but I felt very lean and felt I performed better between 100-105kg (played as hybrid key forward/ruck back then).

As what saj_21 said though, you're a young bloke who should be a calorie burning machine. Your body should positively react to exercise at your age.


Basically from my experiences

Gym will help a little bit with footy strength wise, but not too much, time and patience moreso is key here, doing resistance training about twice a week in the season will get you kick started (most likely you'd start off with a full body program, but maybe to try something different one day do upper body and another day do lower body/leg work). In the off season perhaps you could get in a bit more like 3-4 days a week though if you don't play summer sports or anything.

Specific footy training and alot of running/specific footy conditioning type of cardio is where you'll see most of your benefits for your game, be it your skills (kicking, marking etc), or improve your ability to cover the ground (this is where running/sprints etc comes into it)

Your body won't physically mature until you're early 20s most likely, it will take time and patience, in my early 20s I was at my strongest peak physically pushing my strength PRs and I was also at the top of my cricket game then. You see alot of AFL footballers around the ages of 21-25 come of age physically too, particularly taller players (midfielders/shorter players might be more ready-made physically at an earlier age).

What position are you playing? Ruck? Key forward? Key defender? If you play say ruck I'd be doing alot of volume running in order to be able to cover the ground and focus some strength work on improving your explosive jumping power to help in ruck contests (hit those legs, particularly quads, squats, leg presses, jump squats, box jumps are all great for this). If you played forward/back I'd be doing a bit of everything cardio wise like a bit of volume running and then focus on some sprint work, like 20m sprints, 50m sprints etc to help you with your leading patterns.

We can give alot of advice here, but a specific program from us will be difficult as there's only so much info you can give online.

On costs, most likely you'll be paying for something for a program from someone, but look around and see if your parents can find an allied health exercise physiologist and get a referral from your GP. I see one myself in regards to managing my injuries, they're basically a physio and PT in one so the EP can do all of strength and conditioning programs, rehabilitation/maintenance programs along with standard physio stuff, like deep tissue massage, stretches etc and it can be bulk billed too if you're medicare eligible/if your EP does it. First half of the year for myself I use my medicare limit up through the guy that I see, then the back half of the year I pay, I see my guy about 7-9 times a year, roughly every 6-8 weeks.
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
Gday bud, I'm 32 now, but back around 2004-05 I sounded exactly like you wanting to bulk up, get fit for sports (played footy and cricket) and I'm a big guy too at 6"5 1/2 (197cm), so comparable to yourself.

When I started gym in early 2004 (start of year 11) just before I turned 16 I was 191cm and 110kg of puppy fat, end of year 12 in late 2005, I was 195cm and 104kg, puppy fat starting to shed off big time. When I turned 18 in March 2006 I was 96kg having had the time to do a big preseason, but I felt very lean and felt I performed better between 100-105kg (played as hybrid key forward/ruck back then).

As what saj_21 said though, you're a young bloke who should be a calorie burning machine. Your body should positively react to exercise at your age.


Basically from my experiences

Gym will help a little bit with footy strength wise, but not too much, time and patience moreso is key here, doing resistance training about twice a week in the season will get you kick started (most likely you'd start off with a full body program, but maybe to try something different one day do upper body and another day do lower body/leg work). In the off season perhaps you could get in a bit more like 3-4 days a week though if you don't play summer sports or anything.

Specific footy training and alot of running/specific footy conditioning type of cardio is where you'll see most of your benefits for your game, be it your skills (kicking, marking etc), or improve your ability to cover the ground (this is where running/sprints etc comes into it)

Your body won't physically mature until you're early 20s most likely, it will take time and patience, in my early 20s I was at my strongest peak physically pushing my strength PRs and I was also at the top of my cricket game then. You see alot of AFL footballers around the ages of 21-25 come of age physically too, particularly taller players (midfielders/shorter players might be more ready-made physically at an earlier age).

What position are you playing? Ruck? Key forward? Key defender? If you play say ruck I'd be doing alot of volume running in order to be able to cover the ground and focus some strength work on improving your explosive jumping power to help in ruck contests (hit those legs, particularly quads, squats, leg presses, jump squats, box jumps are all great for this). If you played forward/back I'd be doing a bit of everything cardio wise like a bit of volume running and then focus on some sprint work, like 20m sprints, 50m sprints etc to help you with your leading patterns.

We can give alot of advice here, but a specific program from us will be difficult as there's only so much info you can give online.

On costs, most likely you'll be paying for something for a program from someone, but look around and see if your parents can find an allied health exercise physiologist and get a referral from your GP. I see one myself in regards to managing my injuries, they're basically a physio and PT in one so the EP can do all of strength and conditioning programs, rehabilitation/maintenance programs along with standard physio stuff, like deep tissue massage, stretches etc and it can be bulk billed too if you're medicare eligible/if your EP does it. First half of the year for myself I use my medicare limit up through the guy that I see, then the back half of the year I pay, I see my guy about 7-9 times a year, roughly every 6-8 weeks.
Cheers mate that’s really helped me out and given me a lot more of an idea
Was just wondering cause I play forward should I do some volume running a few times a week and then some sprints on other days?
 
Jun 27, 2013
46,976
43,976
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham Hotspur, SSC Napoli, ESH
Cheers mate that’s really helped me out and given me a lot more of an idea
Was just wondering cause I play forward should I do some volume running a few times a week and then some sprints on other days?
As long as it's not clashing with any training you're currently doing that's a decent idea, maybe go to your local park/footy ground etc where you've got a bit of room to move.

I remember after a bad loss we always had to do 40 40s on a Tuesday night (think my coach felt 50 50s was a bit extreme and only ever did them in preseason). But yeah, I think mixing up say 20m sprints with longer 40-60m sprints once or twice a week for a period of time could help you in that aspect, but if you do it all the time you could wear yourself out, these types of things are normally done in preseason I guess as a training cycle.

In regards to running, if you're already a good runner then you'd be able to do a few kms no probs already, if you need to develop your running then I'd go to the footy ground, run 2 laps at a steady pace and just focus on your breathing patterns and try and get as much oxygen in as you can, nothing worse than exhausting yourself early on because your breathing is out of whack. Have a breather, maybe walk a lap, then run another 2 laps. Over time you'll be able to progress in volume, once you're able to comfortably run 5 laps then i'd hit the streets/park trails.

You could do a bit of both volume/sprinting on the same day as in a game you'll have to do both anyway.

In regards to fitting in some bodyweight resistance work, at your local park or footy ground use fences or playgrounds for upper body work, look for sturdy poles, fences or monkey bars or something. Get some push ups, tricep dips and horizontal pull ups in and if you're strong enough to manage it, chin ups and chest dips are great strength builders too (plenty of tutorials on YouTube you can look at). Bodyweight squats will help too and they're something I do every week in my leg routine to warm up for leg day (again plenty of demos online), if they become easy look at more challenging leg exercises, like jump squats, Bulgarian one legged squats, lunges etc.

Typical footy program I followed at your age

Monday gym (weights)
Tuesday gym (cardio, generally did a circuit 5-10 minutes on treadmill, then 5-10 on the stepper, then back on the treadmill, then over to the bike and so forth)
Wednesday footy training
Thursday gym (weights)
Friday footy training
Saturday day off in footy season
Sunday played u16.5s footy game

Eventually I got to u18.5s when I was 17 and it was a pretty set Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday routine for cricket/footy all year round, gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Learnt after a while not to go too hard on a Friday though due to my game the next day as I felt doing heavy upper body compound strength on a Friday either affected my one on ones for footy, or it took me a while to loosen up when bowling, like a good 2-3 overs and by then I could've been smashed all over the park lol, normally trained arms or did some core or rode the bike or something, sometimes I got into gym or went for a recovery run on a Sunday and had Friday's off instead.

But yeah, watch a few training videos on YouTube, plenty of ideas and things out there to try, just make sure your form/technique is sound so you don't injure yourself.
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
As long as it's not clashing with any training you're currently doing that's a decent idea, maybe go to your local park/footy ground etc where you've got a bit of room to move.

I remember after a bad loss we always had to do 40 40s on a Tuesday night (think my coach felt 50 50s was a bit extreme and only ever did them in preseason). But yeah, I think mixing up say 20m sprints with longer 40-60m sprints once or twice a week for a period of time could help you in that aspect, but if you do it all the time you could wear yourself out, these types of things are normally done in preseason I guess as a training cycle.

In regards to running, if you're already a good runner then you'd be able to do a few kms no probs already, if you need to develop your running then I'd go to the footy ground, run 2 laps at a steady pace and just focus on your breathing patterns and try and get as much oxygen in as you can, nothing worse than exhausting yourself early on because your breathing is out of whack. Have a breather, maybe walk a lap, then run another 2 laps. Over time you'll be able to progress in volume, once you're able to comfortably run 5 laps then i'd hit the streets/park trails.

You could do a bit of both volume/sprinting on the same day as in a game you'll have to do both anyway.

In regards to fitting in some bodyweight resistance work, at your local park or footy ground use fences or playgrounds for upper body work, look for sturdy poles, fences or monkey bars or something. Get some push ups, tricep dips and horizontal pull ups in and if you're strong enough to manage it, chin ups and chest dips are great strength builders too (plenty of tutorials on YouTube you can look at). Bodyweight squats will help too and they're something I do every week in my leg routine to warm up for leg day (again plenty of demos online), if they become easy look at more challenging leg exercises, like jump squats, Bulgarian one legged squats, lunges etc.

Typical footy program I followed at your age

Monday gym (weights)
Tuesday gym (cardio, generally did a circuit 5-10 minutes on treadmill, then 5-10 on the stepper, then back on the treadmill, then over to the bike and so forth)
Wednesday footy training
Thursday gym (weights)
Friday footy training
Saturday day off in footy season
Sunday played u16.5s footy game

Eventually I got to u18.5s when I was 17 and it was a pretty set Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday routine for cricket/footy all year round, gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Learnt after a while not to go too hard on a Friday though due to my game the next day as I felt doing heavy upper body compound strength on a Friday either affected my one on ones for footy, or it took me a while to loosen up when bowling, like a good 2-3 overs and by then I could've been smashed all over the park lol, normally trained arms or did some core or rode the bike or something, sometimes I got into gym or went for a recovery run on a Sunday and had Friday's off instead.

But yeah, watch a few training videos on YouTube, plenty of ideas and things out there to try, just make sure your form/technique is sound so you don't injure yourself.
Would I be better off using footy boots to get use to running the distance or would Using sneakers be better
 
how many kms should i be aiming for when good at running?
If I were you, I'd be building up to being able to run 5km three times a week using a couch to 5km program - keep it steady and appreciate that it will be hardest to condition your body when you're heaviest and least fit.

Once you can run three 5km a week for a month, then drop one of the runs for a sprint session and start working on lengthening your runs.

You might get to a point where you run 10km twice a week and a sprint session another day of the week - you'll see best results once the weight starts coming off.
 

benchwarmer31

Rookie
Jun 14, 2020
23
2
AFL Club
Adelaide
If I were you, I'd be building up to being able to run 5km three times a week using a couch to 5km program - keep it steady and appreciate that it will be hardest to condition your body when you're heaviest and least fit.

Once you can run three 5km a week for a month, then drop one of the runs for a sprint session and start working on lengthening your runs.

You might get to a point where you run 10km twice a week and a sprint session another day of the week - you'll see best results once the weight starts coming off.
What app would u recommend I use for this
 
Taylor's Couch to 5km (Three sessions a week for 9 weeks)

This is offered without consideration to your specific requirements and should be taken as such, to guide your journey, listen to your body and don't push through soreness. Finishing the session is better than trying to finish it quickly and.

All workouts begin with a five minute fast walk to warm up, I would recommend walking for 5 to 10 minutes after your session to cool down. All workouts end with a stretching routine, make sure you stretch your calves.

Do not move onto the next week until you complete all three sessions in the week. If you cannot complete a session, you start the week again. It might be worthwhile running the first week twice through if you feel your body is shocked by the activity, let it have time to adjust.

I would do this on an grass surface over a concrete path surface.

Week 1 (Short running, long rest week)[8 min running]:

Session 1 - 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking - repeat 8 times (8 x 60 second jogs)
Session 2 - 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking - repeat 8 times (8 x 60 second jogs)
Session 3 - 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking - repeat 8 times (8 x 60 second jogs)

Week 2 (Longer running, longer rest week)[9 mins running]:

Session 1 - 90 seconds of jogging followed by two minutes of walking - repeat 6 times (6 x 90 second jogs)
Session 2 - 90 seconds of jogging followed by two minutes of walking - repeat 6 times (6 x 90 second jogs)
Session 3 - 90 seconds of jogging followed by two minutes of walking - repeat 6 times (6 x 90 second jogs)

Week 3 (Even running to rest week)[9 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes - twice through
Session 2 - Jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes - twice through
Session 3 - Jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes - twice through

Week 4 (Resting half the time you run week)[16 minutes running]:

Session 1 - Jog 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 5 minutes, walk 2 and a half minutes - twice through
Session 2 - Jog 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 5 minutes, walk 2 and a half minutes - twice through
Session 3 - Jog 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 5 minutes, walk 2 and a half minutes - twice through

Week 5 (Long conditioning run week)[15 to 20 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes - three times through
Session 2 - Jog 8 minutes, walk 5 minutes, jog 8 minutes
Session 3 - Jog 20 minutes

Week 6 (Longer conditioning run week)[18 to 22 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 8 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 5 minutes
Session 2 - Jog 10 minutes, walk 3 minutes, jog 10 minutes
Session 3 - Jog 22 minutes

Week 7 (Solid runs all week, no more rests)[25 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 25
Session 2 - Jog 25
Session 3 - Jog 25

Week 8 (Extending the runs)[28 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 28
Session 2 - Jog 28
Session 3 - Jog 28

Week 9 (Last week)[30 mins running]:

Session 1 - Jog 30
Session 2 - Jog 30
Session 3 - Jog 30

You should now be able to push to 5km. Increase time running by only 10% per week from here.
 
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